Ellie Shaw is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Metro Tech High School for AZPreps365.com.

Captain and senior on the Metro Tech High School volleyball team, Monica Arreola-Gonzalez has pushed beyond the boundaries to show her true dedication to her team and coaches. 

Currently playing her third season on varsity, Arreola-Gonzalez was not going to let anything get in the way of having the senior season she always dreamed of, not even a pulled hip flexor or injured knee.  

“I was injured for three weeks during my senior year, I had pulled my hip flexor and while not taking a break from it, I then ended up hurting my knee,” Arreola-Gonzalez said. “I never wanted to stop due to my injury, so I played because I love the sport and as my last year I didn’t want to miss out,” the senior adds. 

On and off the court, it is not hard to see that Arreola-Gonzalez is a standout player and an inspiration to her team. This injury was not going to stop her from spiking the ball over the net, even if those were the doctor's orders. 

Mia Zuniga Barrera, another senior on the team and one of Arreola-Gonzalez’s close friends, shared exactly what her captain meant to the team, even when facing an injury. 

“As a team, we tried our best to support Monica and not overwork her. I feel that everybody felt a little more pressure on the team because of her injury. But overall as a team, we managed to work together to support each other physically and mentally in the best way we could, and that’s what led us to being able to succeed,” Zuniga Barrera said. 

The varsity volleyball team at Metro Tech backed up Arreola-Gonzalez and supported their teammate and her decision to continue playing. She felt the love and felt as though she could not have made it through this injury without the care shown by her team. 

As her co-captain, Anahi Calderon has grown a sister-like relationship with Arreola-Gonzalez, as they have been side-by-side with each other throughout their three years on varsity together. 

“I have a strong connection with Monica because we’ve been on the same team and we have the same determination to get better which is what stood out and brought us closer,” Calderon said. 

These two have grown and practiced more than your normal volleyball player, and it truly shows when the captains hit the court together. 

Since volleyball is the main fall sport for Metro Tech, this team has many eyes watching them. With the support from teachers, students, administration, cheerleaders, and each other, the volleyball team has a bond that can’t be beat. 

Arreola-Gonzalez does not let an injury define her or her season, and she has proved that she deserves the title of captain, to be a leader and an inspiration for her fellow teammates. 

“I was devastated when I got hurt, but with the help of my team they always supported me by reminding me to go to recovery, had patience with me, and all in all cared. Thanks to them, we still played to the best of our abilities and continued to grow,” Arreola-Gonzalez said.