Like the summer sun, Jazmin Montes’ smile shines bright enough to light up the sky.
Also like the sun, Montes is like a ball of fire when she is on the volleyball court, the basketball floor or the track.
With her unflappable demeanor, competitive passion and unmatched ability to succeed in the classroom, as well as in three sports, Montes, a Platte Valley graduate, is The Tribune’s Overall Girls Athlete of the Year.
She was honored during the Best Preps banquet on May 29 at the University of Northern Colorado Ballroom.
Broncos senior-to-be Terra Seyler didn’t hesitate when asked to describe Montes, her former teammate in volleyball and basketball.
“One of the biggest things she brings to the court is fire,” Seyler said. “She’s our little fireball. She’s always the one that, no matter how the game is going, when someone makes a play, she’s in their face, telling them how great they’re doing, getting everybody riled up.”
Before graduating this spring, Montes left her mark in the classroom and in a trio of sports at Platte Valley.
She also left her mark with her teammates.
“She’s missed a lot already,” Seyler said. “We went to the first travel league (in summer volleyball), and we walk in and we’re like, ‘We miss Jazmin.’ … Honestly, I think she left a little bit of herself in every single one of us.”
This past fall, Montes was arguably the top libero in the state in Class 3A, as the Broncos went 19-9 and qualified for state.
Her dig total of 584 — with just 96 digging errors — was the most in 3A by 77.
She was also a disruptive force on defense for Platte Valley’s girls basketball team (14-7), averaging 4.2 steals per game to go with 5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds.
She capped her stellar senior season by winning the 3A state track & field triple jump title with a leap of 35 feet, 2.5 inches. She also placed sixth at state in long jump (16’ 5.5”), a week after setting a personal record (17’ 4”) in the same event during the Patriot League meet.
She had 12 first-place finishes this past season in track.
“I feel like it was a really good way to end (high school), even though there were some struggles here and there,” said Montes, who will study and play volleyball at Northeastern Junior College this fall. “Altogether, I could leave Platte Valley with people knowing who I am. It was really nice to be able to do that.”
Montes also excels in the classroom. She has a 3.69 grade-point average, is a member of the National Honor Society, and she qualified for the National FCCLA Conference this summer.
“Just, in general, to see what a great little lady she is, it just makes me feel very proud,” said Carmen Pedrego, Jazmin’s mother. “I am very, very proud of her. There are just no words to explain that.”
Support system
At about 5-foot-2-inches tall, Montes packs so much positive energy in her petite frame, she probably could have spared Jefferson County a hefty utilities bill and lit up Jeffco Stadium herself after claiming her gold medal.
“She’s humble, she’s great … she’s a true walking specimen of what young athletes should look up to,” Platte Valley volleyball coach Jared Rudiger said.
Montes’ positive approach toward sports, her studies and life in general, is no doubt aided by the vast support system Montes has, particularly from her tight-nit family.
“They have definitely played a huge part in where I am today,” Montes said. “They’ve always been there to support me and cheer me on, even if I make some dumb mistake. … That really helps me out a lot, and it helps me have a better outlook.”
Of course, with Montes’ positive energy, any of Montes’ family members would view going to her volleyball matches, basketball games and track meets as more of a pleasure than a chore.
“She’s just not a person that gives up. … She’s a fighter,” Pedrego said. “She has been that way since she was young, when she started school. … When she was about to take a test, if she was worried about it, she would not rest until she knew she would do a great job. She has been that way all her life.”
Seyler said Montes’ energy and activity on the volleyball court inspired her entire team.
“There is nothing that fires me up more than when Jazmin is diving all over the place, getting balls up that probably no one else in the state can get up,” Seyler said. “She’s jumping all over the place, and you know she’s out there working hard for the team. I think it just gets everyone fired up. … Just getting to know her is one of the greatest honors I’ve had, because she’s a great person on and off the court.”
A quick learner
Somewhat remarkably, Montes is college-bound and will play volleyball on scholarship at NJC despite not really getting involved with sports until the seventh grade.
“I don’t think it was until probably freshman year that I realized how much I really love (sports),” Montes said.
Montes didn’t play varsity volleyball until her junior year and has never played club volleyball.
Rudiger, who has coached Platte Valley for the past two seasons, said he’s seen Montes improve tremendously during that time.
“Really, the first contact I had with Jazmin was when I took over the program after track season was over (in 2012); she came to open gym,” Rudiger said. “She was a very raw volleyball player that first summer, but because of her quickness, foot speed and athletic ability, I knew she could be something special.”
Rudiger credited Montes as one of the biggest contributors to the Broncos’ return to the state tournament in 2012, after a two-year absence.
“Her junior year, she was one of the turning points for us to be successful,” Rudiger said. “She just turned it on, and I think our kids enjoyed having that fresh attitude on the court, because she always smiles, never lets down.”
College bound
Montes said that even though it hasn’t completely set in that she is done with high school, she is excited for the next chapter of her life.
“I’m really excited to live on my own and stuff like that,” Montes said. “But, I’m really happy to be close to home, too, so I can just come home on a weekend or something, because my family is really important to me.
“I’m really excited. It should be interesting to meet new people and be in a whole new environment.”
Montes drew the attention of NJC coach Jessica Squier and the Plainsmen coaching staff with a stellar performance at the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports All-State match in November at Arvada West High School.
“The NJC coach called me the next day and said, ‘We want her. We need her. The sky’s the limit for her here. Our players want her here. And, we need a starting libero. She has a chance to be our starting libero as a freshman,’ ” Rudiger said.
Rudiger said he expects the rapid progression he has seen from Montes the past two years to continue in college.
“The kid definitely has the chance at NJC to be the starting libero,” Rudiger said. “ She could go there and compete at the libero spot for two years, and she could really get picked up her junior year — if she choses to — to go play DI volleyball somewhere. … I don’t even think Jazmin realizes how good she is.”
Carmen said she is excited, knowing Jazmin is off to college but is a little anxious to see her daughter move out on her own.
“I am excited. I’m very, very excited for her,” Carmen said. “I am very proud of her. But, at the same time, just having to see her away from me, that makes me sad and it makes me cry, just to think about it. But, I know it’s good for her. … You get to a point where you just have to let your children fly, and hopefully they fly really high, which I know she will.”
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