GROVE CITY — Ashley Jackson chuckles before she gives a self-assessment of her volleyball skills.

“Honestly, not to sound horrible about myself, but I still don’t think I’m a very good player,” says the Grove City High senior. “My technique and footwork is bad. It’s just bad. And my swing isn’t very good. I’m kind of just pretty much winging it out there.”

As self-deprecating as her critique of herself is, the statistics tell another story.

Jackson averaged more than 10 kills per match this season for the Eagles as was one of the most feared net players in District 10.

She made the Butler Eagle 2016 Girls Volleyball Honor Roll and was a first-team, All-Region 2 selection.

The eye test also didn’t lie. Jackson had several college suitors clamoring to convince her to continue her career on their campus.

Still, Jackson shies away from taking any credit for her success.

“I mean, I can make things happen, but I can’t take credit for anything,” she said. “Honestly, the support of my team is the only reason I could do anything. Without them, I’d literally be nothing.”

Jackson was relatively late to the game — one of the reasons why she is still a little raw around the edges.

Jackson didn’t start playing volleyball until the eighth grade and wrestled with that decision.

“I started out playing soccer, but I had to pick one,” Jackson said. “I thought maybe I should try volleyball.”

Her mother, Michelle (Fisher) Jackson, may have had an impact on her decision. Michelle Jackson played volleyball in high school at Moniteau.

Grove City volleyball coach Dawn Haggart said despite getting a late start in the sport, Ashley Jackson made an immediate impact and continued to improve.

“She was a great athlete and she worked very hard and put in a lot of time,” Haggart said. “For most of her senior season, she was our best power hitter and was very good at blocking.”

It was enough for Westminster College to notice.

Titans’ volleyball coach Tammy Swearingen attended several Grove City matches and pursued Jackson heavily.

Westminster proved to be a perfect fit for Jackson, who wants to major in biology. She recently committed to the school.

Slippery Rock University was also one of Jackson’s choices.

“It’s just the right place for me,” said Jackson, who at 5-foot-9, realized her height was also a strike against her. “It’s that awkward zone. Players my height are a libero at Division I.”

It also was surreal to Jackson that so many coaches saw something in her she didn’t think she had.

“They see my potential,” Jackson said. “And it just makes me want to push myself even harder. I just want to be the best player that I can be.”

That has already started with the mental aspect of the game. It was an area in which Jackson admitted she also struggled mightily with.

“For awhile it was frustrating to me when I wasn’t getting the ball,” Jackson said. “It seemed like I was getting shut out of the game. I felt like I was better after I got the ball and got more confidence. When I was on, I was on.

“When I didn’t get it, I really let it affect my game,” Jackson added. “This year, I was able to control that a little bit more and it made me stronger mentally and physically. The stress of the game made me stronger.”

While Jackson has some regrets, she is looking forward to a future she hopes is a bright one on the volleyball court.

“There are a lot of things I wish I could change, but I love the game,” she said. “I love the adrenaline high you get from spiking it at someone. I love watching the ball hit the floor. There’s nothing quite like it.”