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Hazel Klosterman knew this would be her last competitive season of volleyball not because she does not want to continue playing but because pursuing medical school will be consuming her time.
Klosterman is already entrenched in the medical field. She has been a CNA for two years and currently works at a nursing home near Cuba City.
Klosterman has seen the affects of COVID-19 close up. While her teammates see it with matches being cancelled and quartine a key word, she has seen the virus surge through the nursing home. She also was infected by the virus and acquired a fever along with the loss of taste and smell. In fact she is still missing her taste and smell.
Klosterman said it was a huge surprise when she learned about earning honorable mention All-State.
"We had a good high school team but we did not make it to state," Klosterman said. "It was nice that coaches saw how hard we worked this year. I was very surprised to be so honored with the honorable mention."
The honor softened the blow of a shortened season her senior year, one that was in question much of the time.
"We had some matches cancelled and we were not able to play any big tournaments or take our trip to Door County," she said. "But we still made the most of it."
"I love volleyball," Klosterman said. She started playing in fourth grade at 10 years old with a summer club team in Dubuque when her parents, Lee and Shirley lived in Hazel Green. She later played with the Iowa Rockets out of Iowa City in sixth and seventh grade. She then played for the Madison Capitols as an eighth grader.
After the family moved into the Iowa-Grant district to a home near Rewey in 2017 she began playing for Southern Heat.
Besides high school and club volleyball Klosterman has also played beach volleyball in Des Moines.
She is the second Klosterman to play for the Panthers as her sister, Hero, was a former all-SWAL first teamer. Playing with her sister was a favorite volleyball memory for Klosterman as they were together when she was a sophomore and won the Regionals at Belmont. They got to the Sectionals before losing to River Ridge.
Klosterman was a right side hitter early in her career. The past two seasons she has been the setter for the Panthers. Her statistics can be found in the All-Area story.
One thing she knows is that she cannot cut the ties with volleyball completely.
"I plan to go to either Northwestern or UW-Madison to become an ermatologist and I will look for a good intramural team or a club team to join," she said. "I will no doubt keep on playing."