THE HANNAH BENES LEGACY AWARD
love
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loyalty
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leadership
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love 〰️ loyalty 〰️ leadership 〰️
2026 Recipient
addison kessler - cary grove
My love for volleyball didn’t start until I was about 12. I was always on the sidelines cheering my sister on and really watching how the game worked. From then on I knew I would love it. I started playing in 8th grade and my love only grew from there. Volleyball has given me my best friends, some of my biggest supporters, and a constant in my life. Volleyball is always there for me, whether I need to get my mind off something, have fun, or just need something to do. I have volleyball.
Balance was so easy to be loyal to. I never doubted if I had a family by my side because I played for Balance. Although I never had a huge winning season it was never about that for me. It gave me a second home and a reason to love the sport. The people were the biggest reason I knew Balance was where I wanted to be. There are always coaches supporting you and teammates cheering you on. The constant family like environment is what kept me going and even inspired me to start coaching for Balance.
Leadership has so many definitions and ways it can be explained. I take leadership as a chance to help and guide others in the right direction. I am definitely a loud and outgoing leader on and off the court. I think leadership can be used in so many ways. The lessons I’ve learned from leadership in volleyball will help me in my future as a teacher.
2025 Recipient
ava czysz - huntley high school
My Love for volleyball first started when I was very young. I have been surrounded by the game since I can remember. Volleyball wasn’t always easy to love but I don’t think I have loved something more in my life. Being surrounded by so people who share the same passion as you make it everything. Volleyball has given me my best friends and I cannot express how grateful I am for that. Playing the game gave me so many outlets for when I was struggling, and it was always the best part of my day. The passion I was able to develop over the 10 years I played changed me into a better person. I love volleyball because of the lessons it taught me and the relationships it gave me.
I knew I wanted to stay Loyal to Balance for the rest of my time playing after my first year. Those who knew me were surprised because it wasn’t the greatest season, but it was about more than the wins and losses for me. I noticed how connected and family-like the club was and I was extremely drawn to it. It was so easy to love the people in this club and most of them will be my best friends for the rest of my life. Not only is Balance one big family, but my skills were improving immensely. I improved more in one year at Balance than I had my whole career. The coaching staff show up every day knowing that they want to make a difference in the athletes, and they will not stop until they do. This is an extremely special thing about Balance that 9/10 clubs will not do. At Balance you’re not just a number, your family. That’s why it was a no brainer to finish my last 4 years at Balance.
Being a great Leader to me means being someone who others can look too no matter the situation. It’s being the person who makes tough decisions and the responsibility behind them. I have always done my best to be someone the younger girls can look up too as well. Being a leader means doing the right thing even when you don’t always want to. In games, you can show your leadership skills on and off the court. Being a powerhouse player includes having a voice, hyping up your teammates, and expecting the best out of yourself. Reminding your teammates that you expect progress over perfection that way everyone knows they are expected to give their 100%. Also, being a leader means not only having expectations for yourself but also for your teammates!! Don’t be afraid to push others past their potential. The best leaders push the team as a whole, while being a trustworthy teammate.
2024 Recipient
Erin Nothdorf - MCHENRY HIGH SCHOOL
The main thing I love about volleyball is the consistency and discipline it brings to my life. I began playing volleyball in 5th grade, and it has been a major part of my life ever since. Volleyball was always something I could count on to take my mind off everything else in my life, focus, and put in the work. Also, it forced me to learn good time management and accountability. Having practice most days, tournaments on the weekends, and being in hard classes, this schedule forced me to gain those skills quickly. However, one more thing I love about volleyball is everyone I have met throughout the years and all of the friends I have made through playing a sport we all love.
I began at Balance my 15s year and stayed until I graduated and moved on to college. One thing that made my Balance journey a little special was after my 16s season, which was the craziest team in Balance history, I was honestly thinking about changing clubs. However, I texted Patty and asked to talk with her over the phone. This allowed me to talk about my frustrations the year before and her to know where I was coming from. After this call, I decided to stay loyal to Balance and I have never regretted my decision. Patty truly listened to me and heard me out, and I am not sure if I would have been treated the same elsewhere.
I am more of a quiet leader. I will rarely be the loudest on the court or the most energetic, however, I try to lead by example and help others out on the court or during practices. This could be by giving tips, helping with something they may be struggling with, or just something as simple as always being aware of what schedules are and showing up to practice early every day. These leadership skills that I learned from volleyball have transferred off the court by showing me ways I can still be a leader although I may not be the loudest in the room.
2023 Recipient
EMMA STOWASSER - CRYSTAL LAKE SOUTH
Having the opportunity to compete at a high level is what gave me my love for volleyball. But my love goes far beyond just that. I love that I grew up with volleyball. It was something I could always count on to be there. I love the people volleyball has brought me, and I could not be more thankful for them. But honestly, above all, my love for volleyball has thrived on winning. Ending my career on such a memorable win streak reminded me why I love the game.
Staying loyal to Balance was an easy decision for me. Although I didn’t start playing at balance until I was 17, I felt such a strong sense of community and commitment from the coaches right away. I never missed an opportunity to tell my old teammates how much I loved Balance, and I even had the opportunity to play with some of them again. The people who make up balance made it that much easier to be loyal to the club.
Being a great leader to me goes so much further than just volleyball.
As I move past my volleyball career, there is so much I’ve learned about how to be a good leader on the court that I can use in my future endeavors off the court. A great leader is vocal, fearless, and leads by example. They aren’t afraid to mess up, they’re always putting in extra work, and they will do whatever is best for the team.
2022 Recipient
Hannah Benes - Antioch HS
My love for volleyball comes from the passion I’ve developed for the game! I love how it’s a combination of individuals doing their jobs and that making up the team. It’s so unique compared to other sports in how every point can potentially have a shift in momentum, which is another reason I love the game so much.
I knew I wanted to stay LOYAL to Balance for the rest of my club years after my first year there. I loved the coaching I received and the high level of play we were pushed to compete at. I also felt connected to every coach, which made it so much fun to learn from them. I really loved the culture at Balance. I never questioned that what coaches were saying to me would make me the best player I could be.
Being a great LEADER to me is leading my example and doing whatever it takes to help your team or group succeed. It means being the first person to take ownership of a mistake, but also not being afraid to call out others’ mistakes too in a nice manner. Great leaders care about their teams and will do everything they can to help out their peers.