The San Luis Obispo High School girls volleyball team travelled to Fresno over the weekend to take part in a twenty team tournament known as the John Riding Memorial Hard Driven Volleyball Challenge. The annual John Riding Memorial, which honors a fallen Hoover High School volleyball coach, took place on Saturday, September 23, at Clovis North High School in Fresno, but the tournament was so much more than wins or losses.

 Senior Jayde Westphal and another senior volleyball player from Buchanan High School in Clovis were presented with a thousand dollar grant while at this tournament. The grant is presented to two players annually who epitomize John Riding’s spirit, which is described as “selfless, and his desire was to honor God in everything that he did,” according to John Riding’s widow, Leicia Riding.

 Volleyball coach Marci Beddall is extremely proud of Westphal.

 “All coaches [in the tournament] get to nominate one player and I nominated Jayde,” said Beddall. Her nomination was not misjudged.

 “She won one thousand dollars. She has a 4.4 GPA and is a three sport varsity athlete and has completed over eighty hours of community service last year,” said Beddall of Westphal.

 “It kind of came as a surprise, but it’s a grant, so it’s money, so I’m really excited to get that for college,” said Westphal about the experience. Her hard work and selfless personality have certainly paid off, not only in receiving the grant, but in serving the community as well.