Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Kourtney Hanson, Chinook Volleyball

Kourtney Hanson and the Sugarbeeters get to play at home in the Northern C this

weekend

The Chinook volleyball program has been the dominant team in the District 6C East, but last weekend, the North Star Knights were able to dethrone the Sugarbeeters for the district crown.

For the Beeters, it was the first time in five years that they did not win the district tournament. But after finishing third in the 6C East, the Beeters will have another chance to keep their season alive, and at home this weekend, in the Northern C Divisional Tournament.

While North Star comes in as the top seed, Chester-Joplin-Inverness will enter as the second seed and Chinook will be the third seed. That means the Beeters will have to travel a longer and harder road to get back to the Class C State Tournament, starting Thursday against Simms at 9 a.m.

Chinook finished third in the district tournament, but the Beeters went through district play with an 8-2 record, giving them the second best mark in regular season play. Part of the reason for the Beeters success has been the play of junior Kourtney Hanson, who is among the leaders on Chinook in both kills and blocks.

Throughout her high school volleyball career, Hanson has put up some big numbers. She's tall and athletic. For the track team, she runs distance and does jumps and on the volleyball court, that ability shines through as she is able to kill the ball and rack up blocks, sometimes at a staggering rate. One such example was the District 6C East Tournament. Hanson posted 25 blocks in four matches, including 12 against CJI, but also led the Beeters in kills twice, against both Box Elder and Big Sandy.

"I think I have just been blessed with some more natural ability in volleyball," Hanson said. "With my body type and how tall I am, that seems to give me a little bit of an advantage. It's hard to say, but it's kind of always just come naturally to me."

Hanson is right about that. She earned playing time with the Beeters right away as a freshman and then last season as a sophomore, she was named Second-Team All-District in the 6C East for her efforts. However, Hanson has also excelled for Chinook in both basketball and track.

Hanson earned playing time as a varsity basketball player as a sophomore, but stood out right away in track. She has competed at the Class C state track meet in each of her first two seasons and helped the Beeters earn 12 points at the state meet last spring in Laurel.

Now, the three-sport athlete is looking to help the Beeters get back to state in volleyball. Chinook's journey starts Thursday against Simms and its quest to finish in the top two at the Northern C will run through Saturday. But before the action gets underway, Hanson caught up with the Havre Daily News for five questions.

HDN: Your team has a gotten lot of postseason experience over the years. How does that help you guys come tournament time?

Hanson: "We have become a really good tournament for the past couple seasons. We just really look forward to our postseason tournaments, especially divisionals and hopefully, state."

HDN: What do you think the key will be for you guys getting past this weekend?

Hanson: "I think the key is to just play together as a team, that's really important. Mentally, we have to be prepared for anything. We have worked really hard this past week, and I think we are looking forward to the tournament."

HDN: What's it like being a three-sport athlete and how does that help you be better in each sport that you do?

Hanson: "I really like to do all three sports. It has been a big part of my life ever since I can really remember. I really look forward to each season coming up. I have been really active my whole life and I really like the team sports, and even with track, it's still a great environment to be around team members. So it's been a good experience throughout my high school career. I like the intensity and keeping in shape."

HDN: Chinook is a close community. Talk about the kind of support it gives to its sports team, especially during the postseason?

Hanson: "Class C really seems to be a close-knit community. A lot of teams bring a lot of crowd members with them. So that makes it fun and upbeat. A lot of our fans are a big reason for us getting momentum in matches and it's really nice to have a great crowd. It's help keep me and my team members up."

HDN: What is your favorite part about playing volleyball in Chinook?

Hanson: "I really like my team members. I am lucky with the year that I am in, we have a lot of talent and a lot of great people on our team. Both of our coaches are great people and they really know the game and know to teach us well."