Hauser’s Kyra Meister digs out a serve during a volleyball sectional match against North Decatur Thursday Oct. 13, 2022, at Hauser High School.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
HOPE — Kyra Meister started out as a three-sport athlete at Hauser High School, but playing sports year-round took its toll on her back.
Meister began experiencing back pain during her sophomore volleyball season. She played basketball and softball for the Jets, and the pain continued.
Last summer, Meister was diagnosed with a bilateral fracture between her L4 and L5 vertebrae. Although she did not need surgery, she needed some time to rest and had to miss her junior volleyball season.
“I just put off the pain and kind of ignored it,” Meister said. “I played through it, and then it got to the point where it won’t heal. (Doctors) thought that I would be able to heal, but it had just been so long that it won’t heal. I took off the season in hopes that it would, but it didn’t. It’s not nearly as bad as it used to be, but yeah. I think the rest was well-needed, but I just kind of have to put myself in a different mindset and sacrifice myself for my team and kind of ignore the pain and just play through it and do what I can.”
After taking last basketball season off, as well, Meister returned to softball in the spring and helped lead Hauser to a final four appearance in Class A. This fall, the senior has been back on the volleyball court, and she has helped lead the Jets to a sectional title and a berth in today’s Mitchell Regional, where they’ll face 2A No. 8 Linton in the semifinals at 10 a.m, and with a win, would play Brownstown Central or North Posey in the 6 p.m. final.
Meister thinks she injured her back playing volleyball her sophomore year, when she was a defensive specialist. She was sad to have to sit out last season.
“It was definitely I think the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Meister said. “I think that sports gave me a sense of belonging, and it made me happy, and I kind of used it as an escape from life, and when that was taken away, I had to rely on other things. I got really involved in FFA and spent a lot more time with my friends and family, so they definitely helped me through it.”
Although she wasn’t on the court for Hauser last volleyball season, Meister did server as a manager for the team.
“I just knew that I wanted to be a part of the good culture that we have here, and I thought it was important to still come and be a leader, even if I couldn’t be a leader on the court,” Meister said.
“We missed her a lot,” Hauser coach Jeff Case added. “She was a varsity player the year before and just coming into her own, so it was a blow not to have her. We stepped up the best we could, and that’s what you have to do. You have to keep going. I felt bad for her for having to miss it, of course, but she was still with the team, being a manager and being around the team, so it showed a lot of maturity out of her.”
This season, Meister took over the libero role and leads the Jets with 432 digs. She also is second on the team with 27 assists.
“She’s done a great job,” Case said. “Being off a year, that’s a lot of time off away from the game. But she came in and hit the floor running and did a great job and just continues to do a great job. She’s just continuing to improve, so I’m really proud of her with her leadership.”
“It’s really nice, especially when I have teammates that have my best interests in mind, and I know that they have my back because I have theirs,” Meister said. “We’ve worked as a team, and I’ve definitely made some new friends and sisters on the court.”
Meister, who is leaning toward attending Purdue and studying agricultural law, doesn’t plan to return to basketball this year, but she definitely hopes to help the Hauser softball team to another big season in the spring.
“We definitely have a lot of potential,” Meister said. “We didn’t lose any seniors, so it will basically be the same team, and we already have some chemistry and bonds built there, so I’m excited for it.”
