Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

It took just two seasons of varsity volleyball for Shelby Kimm to establish herself as a bona fide star, an all-state player and one of the most dangerous hitters in the state.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the early career success for Kimm is the same thing that is such a frightening concept for opponents that lining up across from the Liberty High junior this season – Kimm is just now starting to feel totally at home on the volleyball court.

A natural outside hitter, Kimm has spent the first two years of her prep career playing in the middle for Liberty High.

This season Kimm has flourished early this season in her transition back to outside.

“She is a selfless player so whatever the program and team needed her to do she stepped up for us the last two years really,” Liberty High co-head coach Allie Kelly said. “This year she finally got that opportunity and took advantage of it and it’s showing. She is doing really well.”

Kimm was more than effective playing middle the past two season.

The 6-footer collected 357 combined kills as a freshman and sophomore and earned all-state honors a year ago after pounding a career high 194 kills while helping Liberty High to a Class 5A runner-up finish.

Back at her more familiar outside spot, Kimm is excelling early in her junior season while keeping her team-first attitude.

“My main position is an outside hitter but the past two years they needed a middle so I stepped in last year,” Kimm said. “The coaches decided this year I was ready for it and I got the six rotations and I’m just helping the team out any way I can.”

Kimm has helped top-ranked Liberty High to a 6-1 start to the season with wins over top-10 opponents West Des Moines Valley and Urbandale.

She had eight kills in a win over Urbandale, seven in a loss to 2A top-ranked Dike-New Hartford and a season-high 10 in a three-set sweep of City High on Tuesday.

“I think playing outside shows that you can be any type of player,” Kimm said. “Being in the back row really helps me develop my game.”

Kimm ranks second on the team behind Elite all-state teammate Cassidy Hartman with 49 kills this season and is hitting at an impressive .454 clip.

“(During the offseason) I tried to focus on minimizing errors and being another option out on the pin out of system,” Kimm said. “I want to do anything I can to do to get the ball down.”

However, it is her all-around game that has stood out.

Kimm ranks third on the team with 43 digs, second with six ace serves and is fourth with eight blocks.

“The biggest thing is her passing,” Kelly said. “She has really calmed down on her serve receive and gotten a lot more accurate and I think that for her mentally it is important to be in the game in those six rotations and always locked.”

The early numbers are impressive but the most important thing for Kimm has been the strong start for Liberty High as a team.

“I am very happy with how I am playing as well as the team,” Kimm said. “We’ve started off very strong and I just want to continue to help us win.”

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