BUFFALO TWP — Macy Smolic sat in the bleachers at Freeport High School and watched the Yellowjackets’ volleyball team dominate.

As she sat there, she longed to be on the court with them.

Smolic decided last summer to leave the volleyball program, where she had played alongside her friends since the seventh grade, to focus on basketball and track and field.

“Sophomore year was kind of rough,” Smolic said. “My philosophy was if I’m not getting significant playing time, I’m not good enough and maybe I should focus on my other sports. I regretted it almost immediately. But the past is the past. I can’t change it.”

Smolic can’t get back the year she lost, but she is making up for lost time.

She rejoined her teammates on the volleyball team this summer, participating in camps and in open gyms, and is in the starting rotation entering the season.

The 5-foot-8 senior can play all three hitting positions at the net.

Freeport coach Tom Phillips has a deep roster coming off a 20-1 season and a WPIAL championship. Still, he welcomed Smolic back with open arms.

“She came back this season and we are happy to have her,” Phillips said.

Smolic was nervous to return for several reasons. She had no idea if her teammates would accept her back and didn’t know how Phillips would react.

She was quickly put at ease.

“I just missed it a lot and missed all the girls and the competition, you know?” Smolic said. “I’m just glad my teammates were willing to have me back. Their support was great. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

Smolic was also pleasantly surprised with how quickly her volleyball skills returned.

Before this summer, she had barely even touched a volleyball.

Was it like riding a bike?

Smolic laughs.

“Not quite,” she said. “I had the training wheels on at first.

“I thought I’d struggle a little more to get back into it,” Smolic added. “I’ve just been working really hard and it’s paid off. So far so good.”

Freeport figures to be a favorite to repeat as WPIAL Class AA champions.

Smolic said the volleyball program at the school is one everyone wants to be a part of.

“Everyone on the volleyball team is all-in,” Smolic said. “Everyone wants to be there and wants to win so badly.”

Smolic, who averaged 9.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season for the Freeport girls basketball team, isn’t sure what she wants to do at the next level.

She nearly made the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the shot put in the spring, missing by one spot.

“I haven’t gotten any offers,” Smolic said. “I have some schools in mind, but first I have to figure out what I’m going to major in. I don’t want to have to change my major.”

The competition at practice has helped Smolic get quickly up to speed.

“We had an intrasquad scrimmage and it was pretty even,” Smolic said. “The varsity was a little better, but the junior varsity was good, too. We have a very deep team. Right now I’m in the starting rotation and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s amazing being back, that’s for sure.”