Cheer Leader : Dinaberg Lifts El Camino Real Volleyball Team With Her Shining Play and Sunny Disposition

WOODLAND HILLS — Jessica Dinaberg won the City Section’s co-most valuable player award in volleyball last season because of her on-court dominance, not because of her patience with less-talented teammates.

And NCAA Division I coaches are recruiting the El Camino Real High senior because she is 5-foot-11 and equipped with an unerring spike, not because she has an unfailing smile.

But Dinaberg wins as much praise for her perpetually rosy outlook and the positive attitude she radiates as she does for her playing skills. This despite enduring life as a superb player in a ragtag volleyball environment.

“It’s an honor to play with her,” teammate Samantha Small says. “Maybe someone like her, playing with people who aren’t as good, would get down on her teammates. But she’s always smiling no matter how bad we’re doing.”

Outside high school, Dinaberg plays on club teams with and against the cream of Southern California volleyball. Club teams are traveling all-star squads that play from December through July, and membership is de rigueur for top high school players.

Except for Dinaberg, El Camino Real has no club-team players. Though the Conquistadores advanced to the playoff semifinals last season and are 13-0 this season, they had only the bare minimum of six players when practice opened in September.

City volleyball isn’t glamorous, nor is there an abundance of talent, but Dinaberg has no complaints.

“I’ve never heard her utter anything negative, which is amazing because she’s at such a higher level than everyone else,” El Camino Real Coach Lori Chandler said. “If that were me, I’d be very frustrated and I don’t know how I’d handle it.”

Dinaberg knows: with a smile and realistic expectations for her teammates.

“I know that none of them are playing volleyball to go to college,” she said. “They’re just out there for fun. Why make it sad by having an attitude?”

Besides, she adds, “I’ve got six months of serious volleyball.”

That intense training and competition comes with Santa Monica-based West Coast Volleyball Club, which begins its season immediately after the high school season later this month.

Before Dinaberg’s return to the club scene, El Camino Real will open the City playoffs next Thursday as one of the top two seeded teams. A championship would give Dinaberg a fulfilling ending to a happy four years of playing for the school.

Interestingly, because of volleyball, Dinaberg almost didn’t attend El Camino Real.

Before her freshman year, Dinaberg’s family contemplated moving to Thousand Oaks so she could play in more competitive surroundings.

“But since I have the club season, I figured I’d rather stay at El Camino with my friends,” she said. “There’s not so much pressure. When I have fun, I play better.”

Though she also plays softball and basketball for El Camino Real, volleyball is her focus, her vehicle for a college scholarship--and there likely are plenty to choose from.

California, Pepperdine, Cal State Northridge, Texas A&M; and Alabama, among others, have shown interest. She refuses to consider UCLA--which recently sent her a letter encouraging her to join the Bruins as a walk-on--because she won’t be offered a scholarship.

“I’d rather go to a college where I can see some time on the court,” she said.

Royal Coach Bob Ferguson thinks Dinaberg would do well at an elite-level school.

“I’d be curious to see how she did against the big girls,” he said. “She probably has room for improvement, and I think college coaches probably realize that when they see her play. She’s an exceptional player. I don’t care where she’s playing, she’d be a star.”

Her sister, Jennifer, plays at George Mason, and Jessica is considering joining her at the Fairfax, Va., school.

It wouldn’t be the first time the two were teammates. Jessica played on the El Camino Real varsity as a freshman, joining her sister, a senior, and continuing a trend of following Jennifer’s lead.

Jennifer began playing for the Zuma Bay Volleyball Club after their father, Chuck, learned of it when he saw another girl wearing a team jacket.

“I got dragged to all the tournaments so I had to do it too,” Dinaberg said. “Once I started, it became my favorite sport.”

She threw herself into volleyball with the characteristic zeal she has shown as a student; she has a 3.8 grade-point average and often studies until 2:30 a.m.

“My big thing is to get her (to go to) bed by 10 p.m.,” Chandler said. “But she’s an achiever. She wants A’s, and Bs are not acceptable.”

Dinaberg is equally dedicated to volleyball. Off the court, she lifts weights to improve her strength. On the court, she averages 5.1 kills per game and displays a rare brand of fiery competitiveness without getting angry at others.

Ferguson watched Dinaberg lead underdog El Camino Real to the championship of the Royal Classic tournament Oct. 9. The Conquistadores upset several top Southern Section teams, including Royal. Although she played through an ankle injury, Dinaberg was named tournament most valuable player.

Ferguson joined the ranks of those impressed in equal measure by Dinaberg’s demeanor and her talent.

“Sometimes you get real skilled players, and they’ll have expectations for everybody else to be at their level,” Ferguson said. “But I’ve never seen her do that. Even in games they lose, she always has a smile on her face.”

Last week against Chatsworth, El Camino Real trailed the second-place Chancellors two games to one and 13-4 in the fourth game. The Conquistadores were playing badly and had all but conceded the match.

But Dinaberg’s enthusiasm never waned. She continued with her unflagging encouragement and, suddenly, she and the team got hot. She sparked an 11-0 run, and El Camino Real rallied to win the match and clinch the Northwest Valley Conference championship.

Small, Dinaberg’s teammate, remembers a similar match two seasons ago against Cleveland in which the Conquistadores trailed, 2-0, in games.

“But (Dinaberg) kept smiling,” Small said. “The Cleveland coach told me later, when he looked at her and saw her smiling, he knew we were going to win. And we did.”