College of Southern Idaho freshman setter Jenna Riley prepares to serve during a home game against Salt Lake Community College on Oct. 17, 2024.

Jenna Riley has never really gotten enough credit.

Yes, she was never an all-state player or even the best one on her own team. But there's so much more to the recent Highland High School grad and current College of Southern Idaho setter than that. From being the unsung hero on the court, to an actual hero in real life, her story is long overdue.

"I've been there from the beginning and have been with her every step of the way through her journey," said mom and former Highland head volleyball coach Kelsey Rhoades Larsen. "So I know how much time, energy, blood, sweat and tears that she's put into getting to this spot in her life."

Riley didn't even officially start playing volleyball until the sixth grade. But she's been around the sport her whole life.

Rhoades Larsen, who has coached for the better part of 16 years, spent six seasons at Highland, going 105-47 in her final four seasons alone before stepping down last January. She also coached at nearby Pocatello and Blackfoot High Schools.

"I actually started coaching my very first team when she was only around eight or ninth months old. So she was born and raised in a volleyball gym," Rhoades Larsen said. "I took her to practice in a car seat and set her on the side of the gym. I checked on her as I coached."

Riley eventually grew out of that car set.

When Riley wasn't doing odd jobs for her mother like being the team's ball girl, she was off in the corner practicing by herself. Riley would hit the ball against the wall before digging and passing it back to herself all while envisioning the moment when she'd be able to do it for real.

"Volleyball is how my mom and I have bonded. That's our connection," Riley said. "We got together through volleyball. We spent so many hours on the roads to tournaments together. We've spent countless practices together. Really, this is just how we bonded as mother and daughter."

Riley began her career with the Club Rams. Rhoades Larsen wanted her to start out on the sixth-grade team. But Riley wanted to play up a level on the seventh-grade team that was coached by her mom.

"I'm like, 'You don't want to play for me yet,'" said Rhoades Larsen with a laugh.' "I gave her a warning that I'm a competitive coach. I'm not going to be easy on you because you're my kid. I don't want parents thinking I favor you or I'm playing you just because you're my kid. You've got to beat out everybody else all the time."

And Riley quickly found out what her mom was talking about.

It was during their first tournament together and Riley was the starting setter. But she was constantly playing out of position. Rhoades Larsen was screaming at her from the sideline in an attempt to try an get her back over to where she was supposed to be. But Riley couldn't hear her.

So Rhoades Larsen called a timeout and laid into her.

"I just ripped her a new one. She got kind of teary eyed and I'm like, 'You do not cry on my court,'" said Rhoades Larsen with a laugh. "I actually did apologize to her after the tournament. "She's honestly always impressed me in that area because I'm not known to be an easy coach.

"I'm sure she hated it a lot of the time. But she never showed me that she did. She always handled it with grace, never gave me attitude, never talked back to me and showed me a lot of respect on the court all the time. So she and I always had a very good working relationship because I was not mom on the court. I never allowed her to call me mom or anything like that. And she always did so great with it."

Even in the face of some mental health issues that lasted well into high school. While Riley and her mom didn't want to go into specifics, they did refer to the period as "one of the toughest times" of their lives.

"She was going through some family issues. Obviously, at a young age, it's hard to process certain things," Rhoades Larsen said. "It was just hard for her to deal with."

"I was just very anxious all the time. I worried about every little thing around me," Riley added. "I got help and I figured it out. And now here I am. I'm doing much better now."

Volleyball certainly helped with that.

Riley helped the junior varsity team win a district championship her freshman year before getting promoted to varsity midway through her sophomore season. Rhoades Larsen hadn't planned to bring her up. But she was left with no choice after injuries decimated her roster.

Riley was hurt herself.

She threw her back out while chasing down a ball in practice. It got so bad that Riley had to wear a back brace at districts in the midst of having her varsity spot questioned by others.

"Honestly, I didn't even hear about that till like well into her junior year," Rhoades Larsen said. "She never complained. She never tattled. She knew she was there for a reason and just kind of let it roll off her back. She knew she would do her job of what I needed her to do on the court.

"I feel like most people would probably, at the very least, say something or complain. It would have been very easy for her to tattle on those players. And she never said a word."

Riley ended up being a two-time All-6A High Country Conference selection and nominated multiple times for the annual all-state team.

It all helped her earn a spot on the roster at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.

As a freshman walk-on this past season, Riley saw time in 18 matches and made 12 starts at setter. She made the most of it too by recording 289 assists, 21 kills and 14 aces on the year. The 289 assists were the second-most on the team. Riley also led the Golden Eagles in assists per set at 5.25.

"There's just no prouder moment for a parent to see their child succeed at something that they have personally worked for themselves," Rhoades Larsen said. "It was just a very satisfying moment and a very proud moment."

Another one came last December.

Rhoades Larsen dated her husband Chris Larsen for a while before ever introducing him to Riley. But once she did, they were virtually inseparable. The two became workout and even dance partners, jamming out to songs like Bruno Mars' "That's What I Like."

"He's been a real light in our lives. He's the kind of person that you can talk to about anything," Riley said. "Even if you're a random stranger and you have no idea who he is, he is there to help you, to be there for you, to support you. He'll give you his phone number if you need somebody to reach out. He is just such a kind soul that brings people together.

But one that was nearly lost.

On Dec. 21, 2023, Chris wasn't feeling too well. He was breathing kind of funny and turned in early for the night. Kelsey went into their room a few hours later to check on him at around 12:30 a.m. He was still having trouble breathing. So she pushed him over to his side to see if that would help.

Nothing.

She wanted to set him up. But Chris was around 290 pounds at the time. So Kelsey went to get Riley for help and for a second opinion.

Riley was a CPR certified lifeguard.

"We walked in and he's just having a really hard time breathing. So when I went into the room and saw Chris, my lifeguard mode kind of just turned on. I checked his pulse and his heart was still beating really fast. But it was irregular."

So they called 911.

Chris stopped breathing while first responders were still en route. So Riley started administering CPR and didn't stop until the EMTs arrived - 10 minutes later.

"When I did CPR, his ribcage had shifted and I broke the cartilage of his sternum," Riley said. "When that happened, I just started sobbing while I was doing CPR because I couldn't believe that I was in that moment right then and there. That I was really doing this on my stepdad at 12:30 at night. It was all a rush really."

But her efforts ended up saving his life.

Chris, who suffered a stroke, miraculously survived. Doctors didn't think he was going to make it due to multiple major organ failure and brain damage from lack of oxygen.

They declared him brain dead and conversations were had about potentially taking him off life support before Chris finally and suddenly opened his eyes on Dec. 23.

"The doctor himself even said, 'This is not from medicine. I don't know what to tell you. This is definitely not what we were expecting,'" Kelsey said. "A miracle is the only way I can explain it. Because I know he coded four times. He legitimately died on us. I saw it with my own eyes."

Chris did lose his hearing and still has to deal with neural fatigue, fine motor skills, balance, endurance and strength issues. But none of that stopped him from going to Riley's signing day ceremony, several CSI matches and even a family trip to Disneyland this past fall.

"She saved the love of my life. So how do you repay somebody for that?," Kelsey said. "I have no words, honestly. I'm just super proud and forever in debt to her."