Kelli LeClair
Class of 2012
Hi! My name is Kelli LeClair and I'm 17 years old. I have played volleyball since I was eight, and I've played Varsity volleyball at Yucaipa High School for four years. This is my fourth year as an outside hitter at 951 Elite, and my second year playing on Dennis Palpallatoc's 18-1 team. I have a 4.2 GPA, and I'm committed to Point Loma Nazarene University where I plan to major in nursing. Outside of volleyball, I enjoy going to the beach, and spending time with friends.
Outside Hitter
4 yr. Varsity Player
4 yr. First Team All Citrus Belt League
MVP Citrus Belt League
2011 San Bernardino Sun's Player of the Year
4.2 GPA
435 Kills Senior Year
Kelli LeClair – Player of the Year. Michelle Gardner, Staff Writer – San Bernardino Country sun. From the time Kelli LeClair stepped on the volleyball court at Yucaipa High School as a freshman, she was an impact player. That didn't always sit will with upperclassmen, but LeClair earned their respect. Four years later she capped off her prep career with a fourth consecutive All-Citrus Belt League selection. She helped the Thunderbirds wrestle a league title away from perennial power Redlands Easy Valley and is this year's Sun Player of the Year. "I knew from the first time I saw her she was going to be something special," said coach Amber von Kaenel, the Sun's Coach of the Year. "It was difficult at first but she really earned the respect of the other girls. She would push them to be better players but she never pushed them harder than she pushed herself." LeClair, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, led Yucaipa to a 24-4 record, which included a second-round CIF playoff appearance. She had 435 kills in 81 games, an average of 5.4 kills per game. She also contributed 303 digs, 30 total blocks and 29 service aces. She was Most Valuable Player in the Capistrano Valley Tournament, where the Thunderbirds defeated three Orange County foes. But the highlight of the season were the two wins in three tries against local rival Redlands East Valley, which had the Thunderbirds' number the previous three years. In 12 sets against the Wildcats, LeClair had 76 kills and 48 digs. "It felt good to finally beat them," said LeClair, 17. "They have a great program and it had been frustrating not being able to beat them." LeClair is a veteran in the sport. She also dabbled in soccer, softball and basketball growing up but gave up the others to focus on volleyball when she got to the eighth grade. Like all of the top players, LeClair honed her skills in club ball with the 951 Elite Volleyball Club from Riverside County. "I liked volleyball better because it was a faster-paced sport. There really isn't a dull moment," she said. Von Kaenel said LeClair's development as a player comes from her drive. "She has always been one of the strongest, one of the fastest, one of the best jumpers," the coach said. "But she's also a perfectionist. She pays attention to detail and she wants to execute everything she does whether it's a pass, a kill or a block. Every little things has to be just right." LeClair now can focus on taking her game to the next level. She is headed to Point Loma Nazarene, which is in the process of transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II. Santa Clara and UC Davis were among the Division I schools interested in LeClair, but she preferred the small-school atmosphere and wanted to stay close to home. She also plans to puruse a degree in nursing and she liked that school's academic program in that field. "The scenery was beautiful and it was close to the beach," she said. "I went and watched them play a few times and really liked the team. "It's exciting to be moving on to the next level."