by By Dan Ninham
High school athletes are starting their development at a younger age with more opportunities. Countless hours of focused training make up varsity level athletes that are impact players.
Hannah Cornelius Waupoose, 17, is a junior at Oneida Nation High School in WI. Her Indian name is Yenuhkwatslaˀlo‧lóks, which means “she gathers the medicines.” She is Oneida and Menominee and belongs to the bear clan.
“I compete and play for my mom and my family,” said Hannah. “My mom has supported me throughout my whole volleyball career and always been there for me, either cheering me on or watching me play.”
“How I began as an athlete was actually in middle school,” said Hannah. “I tried volleyball for the first time and loved it, and after that in seventh grade I tried out for a volleyball club in West De Pere and made the team. After experiencing my first time trying club volleyball I knew I wanted to stay in that higher level of competition. I have been playing club for One Wisconsin now, and I have been on a club team there since I was a freshman.”
“Every summer she has done camps at either UW Green Bay or UW Oshkosh except last summer of 2020,” said mom Sylvia Cornelius. “She has an amazing amount of focus and dedication to her teams and the sport. When she sets a goal she keeps practicing until she gets it.”
“It’s been a lot of running and driving to tournaments out of town over the last four years,” said Sylvia. “When I see the joy playing brings her I would do it all over again! Her family’s very proud of how hard she’s worked to get to the level of player she is now at. It’s been an amazing time and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“My main accomplishments in volleyball would really just be seeing myself improve and grow as a player,” said Hannah.
“I was really excited for making the national team my freshmen year for club too,” added Hannah. The club program has a regional team that plays local in the Badger region and a national team that travels to an AAU tournament. Hannah went to Kentucky and AAU Nationals in Florida.
“My Oneida core values give me the foundations of encouragement, passion, spirit of competition and having an open mind,” said Hannah. “Using these core values in a game, practice or school really motivates me to work harder and support my teammates.”
Artley Skenandore, ONHS Athletic Director, talked about another outstanding student athlete: “Hannah has learned the gift of making her team better from her performance, a leader by example. We look forward to her continuing to make a positive contribution to the team as a result of her hard work on and off the court. No limits to her potential!”
“My positive influences as an athlete are my coaches,” said Hannah. “They always push me to be the best possible player and athlete I can be and I really appreciate them for that.”
“My high school coach Jaisah Lee has coached me this school season and has led our team to regionals,” said Hannah. “She influences me to continue volleyball in college and learn to always stay positive even when I make mistakes.”
“Hannah is an amazing all round player on the court,” said ONHS head volleyball coach Jaisah Lee. “Even though she is quiet sometimes she is the balance we need for our team. At times when the team needed it, Hannah would offer her input and encourage others a lot in practice.”
“Hannah continuously worked hard for her teammates on the court to bring the energy and was a key player in games when we needed to execute on the court. Hannah provides balance to our team and we can always rely on her to be consistent player which is very important in the game of volleyball,” added Jaisah.
“As I watched Hannah throughout the season she never once showed her frustration on the court and always had that ‘next point mentality’’’, said Jaisah. “If Hannah missed a serve she would make it up with a pass … if Hannah got blocked she would answer it with a kill the next time she got a set. She would laugh and reset for the next ball. Hannah was our six rotation outside hitter who brought balance, consistency, and really pushed her teammates to give it their all on the court.”
“My club coach Adrian de la Cruz also positively influences me,” said Hannah. “Even though this is my first year with him as a coach I feel he has done so much for me as a player already. He has influenced me to continuously work hard, stay resilient and push past what I think limits me.”
“I love her personality,” said club coach Adrian de la Cruz. “She’s always willing to smile, but never confuse that with not being focused. The girl hates losing. She takes direction and always wants to improve. She runs a nasty ‘3 ball’ and if you’re not ready, you’re getting the ball in your face.”
“I’ve watched her play since she was 14. Watching her improve and get more confident as a player is amazing. She is a true joy to coach,” added Adrian.
“During the pandemic, my club season ended early in 2020 and I did not have a school season,” said Hannah. “Even though I was disappointed I continued to work out on my own to keep my skills intact. I had participated in a couple of summer clinics at my club that had safety protocols. I used art as a creative outlet to help with my emotions. Also having my dog, Bentley, who is basically my emotional support dog, with me helped me feel better.”
“Spending time in nature, meditating and focusing on the positive things in my life improved my spirituality,” said Hannah.
“I’ve always wanted to play at a higher level and continuously improve,” said Hannah.
Photo Credit: Ambrosius Studios, Inc.
