HARDIN — Kelsey and MaKenna Torske have shared some special times on the volleyball floor over the past two years in Hardin.
While Kelsey didn’t think she’d ever be a head coach, the opportunity to do so with her daughter in the program has been incredibly rewarding. And MaKenna is almost mimicking Kelsey’s career as a Bulldog.
“One of the best experiences of my life was when we won the state championship with Laura Sundheim in 2000," Kelsey Torske said. "Ironically, my daughter MaKenna has kind of been getting to relive those moments. She's a state champion high jumper, and I was also that, and the state (volleyball) championship. Those are memories she'll have the rest of her life."
“It's pretty special, and to tie her PR is kind of an inside joke at home," MaKenna said. "We share this bit of each other having won championships. What an experience that is being able to bond over that."
Kelsey graduated from Hardin in 2000 and played four years of volleyball at Briarcliffe University in Sioux City, Iowa. She’s the older sister of Kroy Biermann, who spent eight years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, so it isn’t much of a surprise MaKenna has long been a standout.
“Every day going into practice, going into tournaments, I'm going to do my best and, regardless of the outcome of the game, the match, the race, I'm going to put my all into everything, and that's obviously yielded some great things for me," MaKenna Torske said.
“Back in middle school even her PE teachers would say, 'There's something special about her.' She's always had that internal drive to give her best, go 100% and put in extra time," Kelsey Torske said. "She's kind of a perfectionist. She's going to do something and do it until she gets it right. Or until she can prove to somebody that she can do it better or just as good."
MaKenna is putting a bow on her volleyball career this weekend at the state tournament as she prepares to move on to the next stage of life.
“Sports have definitely taken me a long ways in high school and given me a lot of recognition. I'm forever thankful for every opportunity I've ever been given that come with sports, but I can also step away knowing that I did great things and impacted a lot of people," MaKenna Torske said.
The end is never fun, but what a journey the two have had.
