Chatfield’s Jaelyn LaPlante is the 2024 Post Bulletin Volleyball Player of the Year
CHATFIELD — It all started in Rochester with Southern Minnesota Volleyball.
That's where Chatfield senior outside hitter Jaelyn LaPlante first picked up a volleyball as an elementary schooler in SMV's Volleytots program. It was the beginning of a life-long passion.
LaPlante was always ahead of the curve skill-wise. In seventh grade, she was on the eighth-grade team, eager to play with the older girls. She made varsity the following year as an eighth grader playing JV as well.
"That potential that I had there, I kind of realized that, 'Oh, I am a good player. My coaches see a lot out of me,'" LaPlante said. "From that eighth grade, and especially the freshman year when I was on full varsity, is kind of when I was like, 'Okay, you know, you can go far in this."
Go far she did.
In her senior season, LaPlante led the Gophers to a 29-6 record while notching 445 kills, 220 digs, 34 aces and 17 blocks along the way. Most notably, she will forever be on the first team in Chatfield history to make the state tournament.
LaPlante's success didn't blossom overnight. She put up impressive numbers throughout her high school career with numerous accolades, including four-time all-conference, two-time all-state and 2024 state tournament all-tournament team. She landed on the Post Bulletin All-Area Volleyball Third Team last year.
She went a step further this season, earning the title of the PB 2024 All-Area Player of the Year.
Surrounded by her loved ones on National Signing Day on Nov. 13, LaPlante officially chose to continue her athletic career at Minnesota State University, Mankato on the volleyball and track-and-field teams.
Her skill level is what makes her stand out on paper, but the difference maker in her final volleyball season was the confidence she had in herself, Chatfield volleyball coach Kristi Rindels said.
"Last year, I saw bouts of lack of confidence when we played in a tough game, or you come against a team that wants to shut her down," Rindels said. "They blocked her a few times, and she'd start to second guess everything she was doing. She didn't do that this year, and that shows a lot of who she is as a player, but even more as a person."
Rindels, who just finished her second year coaching the Gophers, was visibly emotional talking about her star senior and promised to make a trip or two to watch her play in Mankato next year.
"She wants to win, she wants to be the best, but she also wants her team to be the best," Rindels said. "She's one of the first ones to jump up and be excited for somebody else when they get a kill.
"If somebody had more kills than her in a night — which didn't happen a ton — it wasn't that she felt like she did something wrong. She was just incredibly happy for that other person. And so between that and just her competitive edge to just want to go out and dominate, I think that's what really helps her skill level go to that next level."
The Gophers won their first section championship and made it to the Class 2A state semifinals, ultimately losing to No. 4-ranked Hawley in their first five-set match of the season. Despite the loss, LaPlante put up a match-high 20 kills. In the state quarterfinals against Rush City, she recorded her season-high of 26.
After the semifinal loss, Rindels said Hawley's coach asked her about LaPlante.
"She just said, 'Tell me about number four. I just want to know about number four. Where's she going? What's she doing? What's she like?' All of the things, because they catch your eye in the game, and then it's even more fun to see that she's a good person off the court, too."
Rindels and LaPlante said they often heard from the coaches and opponents they faced that Chatfield boasts one of the fastest offenses around.
That offense was spearheaded by LaPlante and her high leaps and swift, powerful hits. At 5-feet-8, she's not the tallest player on the roster, but she sure can jump — which can be attributed to her time on the track and field team.
"I know that in college now with Mankato, they know that I am able to hit, even if I'm one of the shorter ones on the team," LaPlante said. "They've definitely given me that confidence, and I know that I'm going to go out and prove it to them in the college season."
There's no doubt future Chatfield volleyball players will remember LaPlante and the 2024 team for years to come.
"I hope that in the future, people still see me as that person on the court that has a lot of energy (and) is always talking," LaPlante said. "I think when people have talked to me about how I play, they know that I'm the one that is always talking on the court. And so I hope that someone can definitely fill that role, and I know that the girls on this team definitely will."
As she closes the door on her high school volleyball career and prepares for her next chapter at Minnesota State, Mankato, LaPlante has some wisdom for young players looking to follow in her footsteps.
"Soak it in while it's here. Put in the work right away," LaPlante said. "Be the loudest one on the court. Be happy when you make it on the court. You're going to have bad games, but you shake that off because your next game is going to be one of your best games. So don't let that get to your head. ...
"Have fun throughout your entire season. It's not going to last long. So, don't take it too seriously, and just have fun with it."
