For years, Venus and Serena Williams have dominated the world of tennis.
As sisters, they know they can depend on one another and their natural sibling rivalry is almost always present in their matches, whether they’re playing together or against one another.
The OHS varsity volleyball team found their own sister-duo this past season in the Hover sisters.
Senior, Jessica “Jesse” Hover and freshman Samantha “Sami” Hover had the unique opportunity to play side-by-side before Jesse heads to Weber State University next year on a volleyball scholarship.
“It was our first chance to play together, and it was a lot of fun,” Jesse said. “We got competitive, but at the end of the day we still love each other.”
Their strong relationship has not gone unnoticed by the rest of their team. According to Jessica Licurgo, senior varsity player, the girls’ closeness is visible on and off the court.
“I think they have an advantage because they have a bond no one else has,” Licurgo said.”But they also have a disadvantage because they are sisters, and they fight, and sometimes it shows on the court.”
However, with sibling-rivalries being inevitable in any family, the girls made the most of their season by helping each other grow and learn.
“As a younger sister I learned a lot from watching Jesse play,” Sami said. “And being able to play together was cool. The whole team has just taken me under their wing.”
With a link as close as theirs, both girls know it will be difficult with Jesse heading to college next fall.
“Life’s gonna suck without her,” Sami said. “I won’t have her clothes and I won’t have anyone to hang out with anymore.”
No matter how far away they are, both sisters and their friends and family are sure they won’t lose the bond they’ve built.
“They’re really close and they love each other,” Licurgo said. “I think they’ll be pretty sad, but I know Sami is going to be happy for Jesse because she knows it’s what Jesse wants to do.”
To read the next story in the series “The Seat Behind You,” check back in about two weeks. Its goal as a series is to feature the unfeatured, and to take notice of the students you interact with everyday, but may never have taken the time to know.
