SPRINGFIELD — In her final season as the Effingham County volleyball team's libero, Andrea Garcia is in position to have her best year yet. Garcia's path to excellence started six years ago. Since then, she has been a key contributor for here teams. Her determination to achieve greatness started in middle school where she made an effort to soak up as much knowledge as she could. “Amy Duke was the coach that made me get serious about volleyball,” Garcia said. “She came to visit the middle school and invited me to play on her club team. Playing with those girls changed my life. "For the first time, I got to see what volleyball was really about. After playing with them, I wanted to get better at volleyball. I wanted to be just as good as the other girls I played with. Without Amy Duke, I would have never discovered the passion I had for volleyball. "When I went to high school, Brittany Lein, the head varsity coach, introduced me to the best volleyball position, libero. I can’t imagine playing any other position. Without Brittany, I would have never learned what a libero is and would never have discovered the wonderful feeling of making a perfect pass.” Garcia’s work ethic led her to become the team leader in digs and aces last season. And it’s athletes like her that have made the program what it is today. “I’ve coached Andi since her freshman year,” Lein said. “I took the chance and put her on varsity as a freshman and turned her into a (libero). I saw something special about her. She had an amazing work ethic and motivation to be the best she can at everything she does. "She brings an energy and spark to our team that lights everyone else up. She’s determined to go play college ball next year and has multiple schools looking at her. I definitely think she’s one of the best liberos in the state of Georgia.” See the Aug. 22 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.