Photo by Kyle Parmley
Briarwood's Mia Wilson (4) sets during a match between Briarwood and Vestavia Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Vestavia Hills High School.
There could not be a better tone-setter for the Briarwood Christian School volleyball program than Mia Wilson.
She’s the perfect person to bridge the gap and help prepare the Lions’ program for the next step in terms of stature.
Wilson has had a positive experience during her time at Briarwood. She’s been part of successful teams under the previous two coaches, making it to the super regional tournament.
Earlier this year, Briarwood hired Chris Camper out of retirement with the intention of returning the Lions to the glory days of the 1990s, when they won seven state championships over a nine-year period.
The Lions may not get to that point this year, but Wilson is one of the first key building blocks to pushing them in that direction.
She’s the lone senior on this year’s squad, a reliable, steady setter who commands respect from all of her teammates.
“There’s so much respect amongst the team for her and her buy-in to what we’re doing and to the future,” Camper said.
Wilson is having a blast playing for Camper this fall.
“We’ve made tremendous progress since the summer and even last season, and it’s just been fun to grow and build our team under Coach Camper,” she said.
Wilson knows there is a learning curve for the team and for the program as a whole. The Lions have so many young players growing into new roles this fall, plus a wealth of young players at the junior varsity level that will soon be knocking on the door of the varsity team.
She said her hope for this year’s team is to continue improving and to make another postseason run.
“Something we’re trying to focus on is growing the culture and name of Briarwood, being relentless in everything we do and trying to glorify God while doing all of that,” Wilson said.
Her coach believes the team has the ability to do that, but there is still plenty of untapped potential yet to be realized.
“We can hang with anybody,” Camper said. “If we’re in system, we can give as good as we get. If we can get to the point where we play as well [for] the last five points as the first five, then I think you could see us do something pretty special.”
Wilson is headed to Auburn University following her high school career, intent on studying exercise science and occupational therapy.
“She has the potential to play at the next level if that was something that she wanted to do, but she’s an exceptional human being,” Camper said.
Wilson eagerly awaits the day she returns to Briarwood as an alum and gets to watch a volleyball match featuring the Lions as one of the top teams in the state regardless of classification.
“I know they’re going to do so well these next few years. I’m going to come back and I’m so excited to watch them play,” she said.
She would love to be part of that in future years. But one thing will be unmistakable: that her impact on the program will be felt in years to come.
Camper said, “The only regret that she and I both have is that … even she says, ‘I wish I had another year.’”
