SHE CAME FOR THE SPORT AND STAYED FOR THE FRIENDS

This is the first year on the Mt. Hood volleyball team for freshman middle blocker Zoe Chatterton, wearing No. 3 for the Saints.

And she’s enjoying the experience.

Chatterton is 18 and was born in Portland, then moved to Corbett before going into fifth grade.

She originally came from Corbett High School and did the Middle College program here at Mt. Hood, where she would study at Corbett in the mornings and MHCC in the afternoons during her junior and senior years of high school.

Because of this, she will graduate in Winter Term this year. Currently majoring in general studies, she is thinking about going into the field of humanities, and plans to possibly attend University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Chatterton also played tennis in high school, loves to thrift shop, and especially loves to cook, she said.

“I’m gluten-free and vegetarian, so I do a lot of cooking,” she said.

She has played volleyball since fifth grade, and played in high school at Corbett, with the exception of her sophomore year.

“I was on JV my freshman year, but I didn’t play my sophomore year because I got really sick the summer before with the start of my gluten intolerance. It took a few months to find out what was going on, and it was really tough to watch my friends play volleyball without me,” she said.

“I needed the time to heal and I came back and played on varsity my junior and senior year. I also played club volleyball 8th grade through sophomore year,” she said. 

Volleyball continues to be a significant aspect of Chatterton’s life.

“It’s made me really confident, and it’s really changed me as a person,” she said.

A favorite volleyball memory took place during junior year of high school in a Pink Out volleyball game, where the players wear the color of pink to support and raise cancer awareness.

“It was a lot of fun. We were playing Estacada, and we beat them,” she said. “The energy from the crowd and my team was incredible. We worked really hard to make our goal and it was a great feeling,” she said.

Now, her favorite part of being on the Saints team is the friendships she’s made.

“I love my teammates so much, they’re my best friends,” said Chatterton. She decided to join the Saints after she attended an open gym last winter, which she had heard about from a high school teammate. “I found out that I really loved the team. After a few open gyms, ’Tina (Mt. Hood head coach Kristina Crivello) offered to sign me as a middle blocker and I said yes.”

One reason she decided to become a Saint is the amount of previous high school credits she acquired here. Another way she found herself playing for the Saints goes back to when she broke her wrist in high school during a Powderpuff game.

“It inspired me to continue playing into college ball, because it felt like I had more left to give. My time with volleyball wasn’t finished yet,” she said. 

“I found this team, and I’m so glad it worked out,” she said. She said the team has grown this year, and is excited for the matches still to come. “I’m grateful for the experience, it’s a really great school.”

In another five-to-10 years, Chatterton sees herself possibly traveling, helping people, and continuing her involvement in volleyball.

“I do really love the sport,” she said.