Whether she is casing the game plan on the volleyball court or planning for a case in a higher court, Sara Saxner is doing very well at Nova High School in Davie.

Saxner, 17, started playing volleyball at Plantation Middle School. Her game elevated when she joined the Wildfire Volleyball Club. She has learned so much from coaches Lee Ann Niesel and Darcy Scheffer.

A senior leader, Saxner is captain of the Nova varsity volleyball team. She said this is her best season, not because it's her last, but because the talented Titans reached regionals, a program first.

Nova is 17-4, and Saxner tops the team in kills and leadership. She is second in digs and third in service points. What is really impressive is she truly resembles the term student-athlete.

Saxner is in the top 8 percent of her graduating class with a 4.71 grade point average. She takes four AP college credit courses.

Saxner is ultra active in student government. She is one of just two students in Broward County chosen to represent elementary, middle and high schools on the Broward County Student Advisory to the Broward County School Board.

Once weekly Saxner attends a School Board meeting or workshop at other schools to convey information. This is the first time Nova has had a student on the advisory.

As a sophomore, Saxner was class secretary, and last year as a junior she served as the school's student body president.

``I don't think I have the stomach to go into politics,'' Saxner said, ``but I will probably go into family law. I really want to help people and make a difference.''

Saxner is already making a difference for her high school and the community.

``Sara is the most mature, responsible student I have come across in my seven years of teaching,'' said coach Niesel, also her SGA advisor at Nova.

``Sara is a natural leader who has surpassed any expectations set by myself, her peers and the Nova High School faculty and staff. The involvement and impact that she has had at Nova High School cannot be duplicated.''

Saxner attended South Florida Leadership training camps/workshops at Nova Southeastern University in Davie and a national one in Colorado.

A member of the National Honor Society and Young Democrats, Saxner took a year off from club volleyball last season so she could concentrate on her academics and other extracurricular activities.

Even with the playing hiatus, she did not stray completely from volleyball. She coached the Wildfire under-12 volleyball team, something she also enjoyed.

``I could see myself coaching somewhere down the road,'' she said. ``This may be my last season playing [competitively]. I don't know. Maybe I will try to walk-on at college or play intramural. I'm just concentrating more on academics for college.''

Saxner applied to Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. Her parents are from Chicago.

• Saxner Sets It Straight

Best match: Against Plantation it all came together.

Best highlight: Winning a game against St. Thomas Aquinas.

Best player you've seen: Kelly Marble of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Best club player you've competed with: Taylor Miller of Hollywood Hills.

Best player at Nova: Cassie Thompson and Kayla Upham.

Best up-and-coming player at Nova: Setter Christy Brinson.

Top teams other than the usual: Hollywood Hills, Pompano, West Broward.

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