Alex James signs letter of intent

GONZALES — Talent tends to trump all in high school athletics. But it takes talent plus a bit of dedication to get to the next level, as Lady Apache Alex James learned early on.

Tuesday, James became the third Gonzales athlete to sign their letter of intent this school year, signing on to play volleyball at Wharton County Junior College (WCJC). The senior who played middle block and outside hitter was an integral part of a team that made it to playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Athletic director Kodi Crane addressed the crowd of Lady Apaches who were there to honor James.

“There’s not very many opportunities we have in our lives to pack up and leave and go some place where nobody else knows you,” Crane said. “You have no reputation — good, bad or indifferent — and you have the opportunity to go to a new place and create the reputation you want. How you do that is with your work ethic both in school and on the volleyball court, the way you treat others and how you live your life.”

“We’re looking forward as an Apache family to see you go do that and get after it,” Crane addressed James. “As we have another one of our athletes go and sign, looking forward to exactly what we talked about last night, feeling that Apache pride represented down the road, come out of your heart and play with all you got. This opportunity that you have didn’t come easy and you know that more than anybody else.”

James decided to go with WCJC mainly because it feels like home.

“I went there and I visited and it kind of felt like home because it’s a small town,” she said. “I don’t want to go anywhere where there’s a lot of people because I’m kind of shy.”

Despite being a multi-sport athlete, James decided to stick with volleyball.

“Coming to high school I realized I was kind of good at it,” she said. “So maybe this would be my best shot [at college sports]. I took it and ran with it, so here I am.”

James gave props to head coach Bernice Voigt for her development.

“She did a lot with me,” James noted. “She’s been coaching here for two years and she’s done a lot for me, I’ve gotten a lot better since she’s been here. She’s just very supportive, if I need anything I can just come to her. She helped me through it.”

James also gave thanks to her family for being supportive of her.

“Without my family or my coach, I don’t think I’d be here today.”

While she’s in college, James wants to study to become a nurse, following her mother’s footsteps who works in the medical field.

As for advice on how to get to where she is, James mentioned that younger athletes need to just “work hard, don’t be afraid to try new things.”

“If you keep working at,” she said, “you’ll get it.”