Addison Lenhart is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Sandra Day O’Connor for AZPreps365.com

It’s 5 a.m. in Goodyear, Arizona. While most students in the Valley lay asleep, freshman volleyball player Ahvah Florance-Littles is getting ready for the one-hour commute to Sandra Day O’Connor High School that she makes each morning with her mom. It’s a significant commitment for any student to make, much less a high school freshman. 

“She’s going to do that for four years,” O’Connor volleyball coach Amanda Burbridge said. “That’s a different level of commitment. Driven and locked-in.” 

Ahvah grew up around volleyball. Her sister Lesjune was a 4A state champion at Estrella Foothills in their hometown of Goodyear. 

“I got into volleyball because my sister played, and so I watched it a lot growing up,” Ahvah said.

“As long as I can remember, she’s always just followed her around,” Ahvah’s mom, Leslie Florance, said. “Her sister is an outside hitter so naturally they are running around my house, ‘Ahvah set me! Set me! Set me!’ She’s always been around a higher level of volleyball at a very young age.” 

Despite her sister’s success at Estrella Foothills, Ahvah decided to forego the opportunity to follow in her footsteps. 

“She wanted to be known for what she was capable of and what she did,” Leslie  said. “She really wanted to be her own individual person.” 

Ahvah made the choice to attend Sandra Day O’Connor through open enrollment, in order to play for their volleyball team. However, the decision came without the knowledge of Burbridge.    

“That wasn’t anything I did or pushed,” Burbridge said. “That was a decision that I kind of found out about.” 

“She really is a competitor at heart, and knowing that there was an opportunity to go to a 6A school versus a 4A school, for her was like a no-brainer,” Leslie said. 

Outside of practices and games, Ahvah’s work ethic is apparent. Despite being away from her teammates and coaches, she still finds ways to work on her craft. She’s involved in performance training, and receives one-on-one instruction through private lessons. 

 “She just pours everything she has into trying to make herself better and continuously being able to earn her position,” Leslie said. “When I say she’s a diehard fan, she eats, sleeps, breathes volleyball at all levels.” 

Ahvah’s level of focus is distinct amongst her peers. She operates on the court with the confidence and intention of an experienced upperclassman, qualities she credits to idolizing and studying an NBA great. 

“I used to watch Kobe (Bryant) videos each day to kind of prepare me to be confident, that even if I make a mistake I can just move on and keep going,” Avhah said. “Preparation was a big thing for me. I feel like confidence comes from preparation, and knowing that I prepared all summer to do this was big.” 

Even with her immense preparation, it would have been difficult to prepare Avhah for the role she’s been asked to play this season for the Eagles. She assumed the starting setter position to begin the season, and leads the team in assists, averaging 9.2 per set. The weight of starting for one of the top programs in Arizona as a freshman never daunted Ahvah. 

“To me, I feel like pressure is a privilege,” Ahvah said. “For me I get the privilege to be in highly intense situations, and I just love being in that moment. Doing the things I’ve done before and just knowing that I can do it is not very pressuring for me.”

For Ahvah, her bond with senior captain Brooklyn Palmer has been instrumental to her success. Palmer immediately noticed a different level of maturity from Avhah upon becoming her teammate. 

“She’s definitely a dog,” Palmer said. “She has this aggression about her and this chip on her shoulder when she plays that’s a lot different than a lot of girls her age. She’s a completely different animal.” 

“She is just relentless,” Burbridge said. “She puts in the required time and the extra time. There’s definitely a different mindset for that kind of player.” 

With three years remaining after this season at O’Connor, Ahvah will be a crucial factor in the future success of the Eagles. Despite her young age, Ahvah’s goals remain lofty, yet seemingly attainable. 

“I want to be one of the best players in the state and one of the best players in the country,” Avhah said. “I want to make a national team and I want to go to a high-level college. I just keep saying, ‘do it for future me.’”