CHEYENNE – Growing up, volleyball had always taken a backseat for Boden Liljedahl.

While basketball remained the bigger priority, Liljedahl quietly and quickly started to excel at her second sport. In fact, so quickly she didn’t start playing competitively until seventh grade, yet she earned a varsity letter from Cheyenne East during her freshman campaign.

“Volleyball was never the first sport that I focused on – it was always about basketball, basketball,” the junior libero said. “Volleyball was pretty natural for me, so once I just started practicing over and over again, I just ended up getting so much better.”

During her sophomore campaign, Liljedahl broke a school record, passing at a 2.51 clip, which helped her earn Class 4A defensive player of the year honors. She also tallied 296 digs on the season.

The way she adapted and evolved even caught her own team a little off guard.

“Being so young, she definitely had room to grow, which was amazing, because she was already at such a high place,” East senior Jenna Merritt said. “And she definitely surprised a lot of us on the team with how amazing of a passer she is.”

Merritt wasn’t quiet when saying how comforting it is knowing Liljedahl is playing alongside her. She emphasized how much safer the team feels knowing she’s on the court and can virtually get to any ball that comes near her. And when she does, it typically leads to positive results.

That wasn’t the only thing that Merritt harped on, however.

“She has the best technique of anyone I’ve ever played with, and I’ve been playing for nine years, so that’s a big deal,” Merritt said. “She can get to the ball, get her feet get set. She gets to the right spot much quicker than most girls will, and anticipates where the ball’s going to be.”

That anticipation and knowing where to be at the right time comes from where Liljedahl’s mind is when she’s on the court. It’s a “keep the team involved and take control of the game” mentality that keeps her and her teammates on their toes.

Her communication is crucial.

“My mindset is just don’t let the ball hit the ground and constantly talk to my teammates,” Liljedahl said. “That’s my biggest aspect for the team … it allows them to trust in me.”

The record-breaking clip Liljedahl passed at last season helps create an efficient offense on the court. East coach Nicole Quigley said there’s a noticeable difference between when she’s not on the floor and when she is.

“She just wants to win every single ball,” Quigley said. “Having her on the court makes a night-and-day difference for our team in terms of consistency in the back row.”

Liljedahl’s determination is just one of the many things that makes her the impactful player that she is. There are countless positive traits she has on the court. But Liljedahl said she often gets upset at herself, which can alter her game and can often be the biggest battle for her.

Her expectations for herself are just so high, though, that it’s difficult to not get frustrated.

“She has a lot of great characteristics. She’s pretty mellow-headed, she doesn’t let a lot of things affect her,” Quigley said. “The only thing is, she gets mad at herself for not being perfect, and obviously no one can be perfect.”

Whether or not perfection is the what she strives for, the dedication for Liljedahl doesn’t go unnoticed.

She just wants to continue to improve.

“She’s one of the most committed volleyball players I’ve seen,” Merritt said. “She loves the sport and puts everything she has into it and always wants to be better.”

Robert Munoz is a writer for WyoSports. He can be reached at rmunoz@wyosports.net. Follow him on Twitter @rmunoz307.