By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
It takes an entire team effort to achieve a special volleyball milestone, and North Central’s Anna Burt credited her own teammates after recording her 1,000th career assist in a non-conference home match against Hilltop on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Needing just two assists to reach the milestone, the 5-foot-5 senior setter and four-year starter for the Eagles was able to accomplish it with family and friends in attendance.
“It feels awesome to share this with my teammates,” said Burt. “I really had wanted it, and it was just really special for everyone to be there and I appreciated the support and it happened to be a home game.”
Burt, the daughter of Ryan and Kati Burt, said having her family there to enjoy the milestone was the most important thing to her.
Getting 1,000 career assists takes a lot of hard work and dedication on and off the court.
“It was extremely important because she (Burt) has been waiting for this day for a long time,” said North Central head coach Katlyn Walker. “She has worked really hard and has been setting up for me since her freshman year. It’s something that she’s been looking forward to. And to do it on our home court that night, I think it was special for her because she was able to have all her family here celebrating and that was nice.”
Burt admitted she couldn’t have accomplished the milestone without the support of her parents and other family members as well as her own teammates and Walker.
“What makes this the most special is not really the milestone itself, but just everybody that’s helped me to get there,” said Burt.
In the three-set victory over Hilltop, Burt recorded 22 assists against the Cadets. Through Sept. 25, she has tallied 1,029 assists, and North Central was 9-5 overall and 1-0 in the Buckeye Border Conference.
In her freshman season, she recorded 252 assists, followed by 276 assists as a sophomore and 307 assists in her junior year. This season she has tallied 194 assists.
She credited Walker for being the guiding light throughout her volleyball career.
“She’s (Walker) been with me since my freshman year,” said Burt. “She’s an amazing coach and helps me to push myself to be the best that I can be. She has definitely helped me get to where I am today.”
Walker, who is now in her fifth season as head coach, already knew the potential Burt had, especially when she needed a setter prior to the first varsity match in her freshman season.
“I think she’s willing to do anything I ask of her,” said Walker. “She would step in and be a middle if I asked her to even though she’s not that tall. She took on the role very well and stepped up to the challenge and has done an amazing job for us.”
Burt admitted it was really intimidating at first as a freshman being with a bunch of upperclassmen. It also made her ready for the challenge, and she met it with the support of her teammates, attitude and effort.
With her senior season beginning to wind down, Burt has established herself as one of the most talented volleyball players in program history.
“I have a great group of seniors this year,” said the North Central coach. “She (Burt) is one who has been around the varsity program for four years. She knows the drill and knows how to get the girls encouraged and ready to play the game.”
Elected team captain this season, Burt has been all-around great on and off the court and a great example for the program, according to her coach.
“She has great family values, a leader and is involved in a lot of activities,” said Walker. “She plays a huge role in the community, and I think she just knows how to be that leader.”
Burt also competes in basketball and track and field. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average in the classroom and earned Buckeye Border Conference scholar-athlete honors last year.
Besides athletics, she is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club, FCCLA and Student Council, where she serves as secretary.
“I definitely take my schoolwork very seriously and that comes before volleyball and to do my best while maintaining a 4.0 GPA,” commented Burt.
After graduation, Burt plans to attend the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and major in sonography.
With 1,029 assists already accomplished, Burt now has her own sights on three school assist records.
Burt is hoping to break the single-match record of 36 assists currently held by Macie Gendron (2022), the single-season assist record of 534 held by Madison Brown (2020) and the all-time career assist record of 1,496, also held by Brown (2018-2021), before she graduates from North Central.
Walker admitted there will be some big shoes to fill once Burt graduates from the volleyball program. “There are going to be big shoes to fill, looking for another setter and one that has the talent like hers,” said the North Central coach. “Just to be able to get that 1,000 assists, possibly 1,000 digs later this season, I think it’s a huge accomplishment.”
