Feature Photo by Valdosta State University

1,000 kills. That’s significant. It requires talent, for one. But also means staying healthy, being relied on and trusted by your team, and being a leader. JoJo Smith checks all the boxes, and the Valdosta State senior eclipsed the large milestone recently on September 14. The Jefferson native went to Valdosta and has been a massive impact player from the start.

“Going into my freshman year of college, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was even being trusted to start on the court,” recalls Smith. “Getting the opportunity to be a starter meant stepping on other people’s toes sometimes and putting in the work to back up what the coach sees in you. Going on through my years at VSU, it has been such a great opportunity to develop into more of a leader. I have learned that my style of leadership isn’t always ideal – I may not always be the one to communicate all the issues any team can have, but to lead by my calm composure and grittiness on the court. Being able to accomplish so much has been a blessing in itself really proving people wrong and being able to make my younger self proud.”

To date, Smith has 1,043 kills, 750 digs, 152 blocks, and 39 aces in her collegiate career. In each season, she has increased her production to where she’s at now. That includes at least 293 kills in each season prior to this one, and now back-to-back seasons with at least 228 digs. She’s played in 99 career matches, and has at least 20 more to go this season.

“Each season has been different,” says Smith. “Different with the team, different with myself, as well as with coaching. All of those factors have played a huge role in the game itself at VSU. Each season I focus on something else about my game that needs to be improved in order for me to be in the rotation. Going into my freshman year, it was just getting used to a different level of play and swinging my heart out on balls. Years continued, and locking in on ‘this year I’m going for more shots,’ ‘this year I’m defensively picking up every ball in my zone,’ Just allowing myself to grow a bigger toolbox of the game has helped me improve. I am constantly watching film on other teams, learning their tendencies and visualizing what may happen while playing them.”

That attitude of wanting to constantly grow her game and not getting complacent is what helped her to 4 Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week awards in that first season, and GSC Freshman of the Year honors, as well as GSC 1st Team All-Conference. She was 2nd Team All-Conference her sophomore year and junior year.

Smith has to keep a good work-life balance as part of the process of being a standout player.

“Being a student-athlete consumes my life, but I always make sure I find time for things that I enjoy, even if it’s going to places with my friends to have a mental health break. Prioritizing mental health more every year is very big for me because dealing with injuries, making sure I am performing well, leading by example for my team and the community, can take a mental toll. However, making sure you step away at times allows to clear your head to keep playing the sport I love.”

Smith knows the significance of joining such an elite club as the 1,000-kills group. She makes only the 9th to do so in program history.

“Hitting my 1,000th kill was something I’ve always wanted to achieve even in high school,” admits Smith. “I may not have achieved that in high school, but it’s an even bigger thing to do in college. My teammates made posters during the tournament and went crazy when I got that one. It’s funny because I didn’t know how many more I needed, so it really warmed my heart when they took the time to do that for me. It still means to me I am capable of more. It’s still the beginning of the season and there is a lot of volleyball ahead, so I am just striving to finish with as many as I can and get my name put in the record book. I want this goal to be seen by the young girls in the community as something to strive for and to be shown what I have done for the program itself.”

Despite having the rest of the season to go, the end inevitably comes for every athlete. With that, the future opens wide to beyond the field/court of play.

“I plant to take an internship for a college baseball program and help run social media, help with recruits, and all the factors for players,” says Smith on her post-graduation plans. “After, I am hoping to get a job working for MLB for the social media team. I would still like to keep my part of volleyball in hopes to continue to coach club volleyball for a couple of years or potentially play a season of professional ball.”

Smith coaches club volleyball in the offseason, and enjoys being the number one supporter for the girls and helping push them to the next level, as her club coaches did for her in the past. Smith starred at Jefferson with 649 kills and 519 aces in her prep career. She had 86 total blocks and 486 digs as well, and won a state title in the high jump in track and field.