Ridgefield High School volleyball star commits to Navy

CLARK COUNTY, Wash. (KPTV) - In this High School Spotlight, FOX 12 highlights a Ridgefield High School senior who will be flying high to serve our country.

“We have our three R’s: Respect, responsibility, and resilience. That embodies a Spudder and who we want to be as a school and as a people,” Natalie Andrew said.

An Andrew kid leading the Spudders out on the volleyball court as one of the top programs in the state is nothing new in Ridgefield. Natalie was part of the crew who carried home the 2A WIAA trophy in 2019, and her big sister, Allie, was the leader for the state champs.

“I love my sisters dearly, so being able to share that experience with them and share that experience of winning that year, was just amazing,” she said.

Natalie is now just like that, so too is her little sister, junior Lizzy Andrew.

“She’s my rock, my emotional support for sure,” said Natalie.

“My parents were all about the philosophy where we go one, we go all,” Lizzy said.

While Allie is in her sophomore season at Baylor and Lizzy is being recruited by Stanford, the middle kid has her own path to fly.

“I was just really drawn into the idea of serving my country and becoming part of a bigger thing than myself,” Natalie said.

Natalie is headed to the Navy to serve and protect on and off the volleyball court.

“After you graduate from the Naval Academy you have a five-year service requirement unless you want to be a pilot, which then it’s seven,” she said. “I love flying. I’m taking flying lessons right now and maybe will get my pilots license before I go, but I love the skies. I never knew that would be my happy place, but it is.”

Fly like a Spudder.

“Seeing the earth from 2,000-3,000 feet up in the air, it’s just a whole other perspective and it’s a whole other world up there. I’ll feel all of this stress just dissipate and go away and then I get back on the ground and all of this stress back here,” Natalie said.

Back to life with her spud buds..

“I find so much joy in being on the team and around this group of girls and being able to lead them is just a blessing,” she said.

If you think you or someone you know deserves a high school spotlight, please reach out to Nick Krupke at nick.krupke@kptv.com.

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