JEFFERSON TWP — There aren't many days during the course of the year when Kennedy Christy is away from the volleyball court.

Each day, she's usually diving, digging, spiking, setting and killing for hours at a time in a gym somewhere, either for Knoch High School or her club team, Renaissance Volleyball Club.

“It really never stops,” Christy said. “My biggest break comes in November, after the high school season. We have tryouts for club, but then we have two or three weeks off before we start practicing.”

The sport is a year-round gig for Christy — and has been for much of her life.

The incoming senior at Knoch doesn't mind it so much, though. Since she first picked up a volleyball, she has loved the sport.

An excelled at it.

Last week, Christy traveled to Indianapolis with her Renaissance teammates for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships and came away with the club's highest finish there — fifth in the Gold bracket.

It was a major achievement for Christy and her team.

The 17 Black team, which also features North Catholic star Dominique Felix, blitzed through their pool, going 6-1 to finish first.

They won their crossover game to set up a battle in the Gold game, but lost.

“We just kind of fell apart,” Christy said.

Still the fifth-place finish out of 64 teams from all over the country was satisfying for Renaissance and for Christy.

“It's four days of playing,” Christy said. “It's a lot of volleyball.”

Renaissance went 7-2 in the tournament.

“We've had pretty much the same team for the past three years,” Christy said. “You play with them so much and spend so much time with them, you become like a family. It's weird when the summer is over and you just stop playing and seeing them.”

Christy will have one more shot with her club team next year.

One of the highlights from the trip to nationals for Christy is the tradition that has teams exchanging small trinkets with other teams.

Renaissance had handed out Terrible Towels from the last two years, but switched to a Heinz pickle pin this time around.

“We get a lot of chapstick with the club name on the label,” Christy said. “A lot of chapstick.”

Christy is now gearing up for her final high school season at Knoch.

Last year, Christy shared the Butler Eagle Girls Volleyball Player of the Year Award with teammate Hannah Rowe after recording 293 kills, 67 blocks and 335 digs as a junior.

She was a key member of the Knights' state championship team as a sophomore.

“I'm really excited, especially since it's my senior year and it's my last season,” Christy said. “I'm trying to keep it the same as any other season. I don't want to hype it up too much.”

Christy is still mulling her college options.

She knows one thing: She wants to play volleyball at the next level.

Just where that will be and what she will study are still unknown to her.

“I don't really feel any pressure,” she said. “I just know I'll end up somewhere that feels right.”