Alesi Hernandez, for as long as she can remember, has always been fascinated with the way things are constructed.
So much so that the desire to become an architect bloomed at an early age.
Naturally, she has a blueprint to make her dream a reality.
First, however, a one more accolade before the senior walks the stage at Ratliff Stadium on May 26.
Hernandez, a three-year varsity volleyball player, was selected by the school as the Odessa American Lady Bronchos’ Scholar Athlete for 2016-17.
Holding a 3.8 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale), she is ranked 23rd in a graduating class of more than 600 — and she wanted more.
“I was hoping for Top 10,” she said, with a wry smile. “That is 3.9 on the 4.0 scale, so I wasn’t that far off.
“But really, it’s hard to believe that graduation is really here after so long.”
Graduation, however, is just the next rung on Hernandez’s ladder, one she has been climbing since elementary school.
The Lady Bronchos’ captain will continue her education at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, where she will play volleyball for Coach Troy Canaba and the Lady Lobos.
She also will be heavily invested in getting her degree in math and science during the next four years before moving on to another institution for her architecture degree — preferably at Texas Tech in Lubbock.
“Tech has a really good school for architecture and I’m hoping to be able to go there when I’m done at Sul Ross,” Hernandez said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to go to college and play volleyball and pursue my dream.
“I want to open my own business so that I can build my parents their dream house, because they’ve supported me in everything I’ve done.”
What she’s done, at least for the past four seasons, is play volleyball for the Lady Bronchos, first on the JV White during her freshman campaign and then on the varsity the past three seasons.
She also plays for the Elite Club during the summer.
Moving from JV to varsity under former coach Melissa Mudge, Hernandez found herself working as a defensive specialist in the back row, learning the game and learning the expectations of playing in Class 6A.
When Victoria Smith took over the head coaching position two seasons ago, Hernandez was ready when Smith asked her to move to the front row as a setter.
“I moved her to setter because for me, I need someone who is fast and can take care of the ball,” Smith said. “And Alesi did that for me; she’s also a leader.
“You are in control of every play; you have to be able to lead your team. I saw that early on, really, that she was the center of the team in a way that she was able to keep the girls motivated.”
Volleyball, however, wasn’t the only sport that Hernandez competed in for the Lady Bronchos.
As a freshman, there was volleyball, then basketball, followed by track, where she competed in field events and relays.
In her sophomore season, she whittled that down to volleyball and track, pushing basketball to the sideline.
Finally, heading into her junior year, volleyball became the primary focus and she began playing year round in order to use the sport as a stepping stone to college and beyond.
“She used to joke with me that she was going to try gymnastics and she would make up floor exercise routines and do them before practice,” Smith said, with a laugh. “She’s obviously an athlete and I’m always telling my girls to do whatever they want, to experience everything they can.
“I was so happy when she texted me and told me that she was going to playing at Sul Ross.”
Another thing that made Smith happy was that she didn’t have to worry about Hernandez in the classroom, noting how upset her setter was with anything less than an A.
Hernandez admitted that understanding what it was going to take to be successful both in school and athletics, and finding the right balance took some time. But when she put each in its rightful spot, things came together for her.
A member of the National Honor Society, the Senior Board and Texas Scholars, Hernandez has her priorities in order.
“You don’t realize how much time everything takes when you are first doing things,” she said. “But after a while, it just becomes part of your day, so you just do it and don’t even think about it.
“But when you look back at it now, just a few days from graduation, it’s amazing that things have worked out for me like this.”
Sounds like a blueprint for success.
