Sedona Red Rock High School head volleyball coach John Parks knew it right away.

He was helping the Sedona Red Rock Jr. High get its volleyball program off the ground while taking some time off from coaching at the high school. Senior Emma Beattie was in seventh grade. She’d only been playing volleyball competitively for about a year, but Parks knew that she had “it.” The raw athletic ability was there.

“She could start varsity in seventh grade,” Parks said, with zero hesitation in his voice.

And six years later, that raw seventh grader with gifted athletic ability and volleyball knowledge took advantage of her abilities. Wednesday, in the same gym in which her talents became evident, Beattie signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her volleyball career at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

“I never actually thought about Alaska at first, but in the recruiting process the Alaska assistant coach looked at my [Next College Student Athlete recruiting] profile,” Beattie said. “That kind of sparked my mind, ‘maybe I could go to Alaska.”

Beattie says she first took a trip to the campus in September, and that’s when she fell in love. She’s spent her entire life in Sedona, and thought it was time for a change. Volleyball turned out to be the avenue for that.

“I wanted to explore my options,” she said. “Going to Alaska now helps me explore outside of Arizona … It’s just so pretty there, that was one of the biggest reasons.”

Beattie had options. Her father says she was also recruited by a school in Hawaii, which meant that regardless of the choice she made it would have been a far move for her.

“Anchorage was a good choice and she was real happy about it,” said Russell Beattie, Emma’s father. “We visited Alaska a couple of times so she’s a little familiar with it.”

It’s a big move for any teenager, but Beattie’s mother couldn’t be more confident that it’s the right move.

“I think it’s fantastic. I’m really proud of her,” said Emma’s mother, Mary Ogburn. “When she came across Alaska, we said ‘well, anything is on the table so why not Alaska?’”

Beattie’s parents made sure to make sports a huge part of her life from a young age. Ogburn was a Division I track and field athlete at Colorado State University. She competed in the 400-meter hurdles for the Rams and ran at the 1992 United States Olympic Trials.

“I was hoping for her to kind of lean towards track and field but she leaned the other way and went towards volleyball,” Ogburn laughed. “But all kudos to her. Whatever she wants to do.”

Now, Beattie joins her mother as an NCAA athlete. Alaska Anchorage competes in the NCAA Division II level, and has had plenty of recent success. The Seawolves at 17-9 in the ongoing regular season, which runs until Nov. 20. They’ve seen stints in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll, as the No. 23 and No. 24 team in the nation for two weeks in mid-October.

It’s a clear step-up in competition from AIA 2A, but Beattie is confident. Since her sophomore year, she’s known that college volleyball was a realistic option for her. Now, the dream is a reality.

“I think I’m somewhat ready,” she said. “Obviously when I move there and start practices I’ll definitely improve the play of my game and all that. I definitely think it will be so much more nerve-wracking, but I’ve watched so many Division II volleyball games, especially Alaska games, and I think it just seems super fun. Definitely the competitiveness is a lot higher than AIA here, but I think that will be good for me to grow as a player.”

The talent needed to compete in the NCAA was never in question for her teammates. The environment created by Sedona Red Rock ensures that teams stay together for years. Most of Emma’s teammates in school ball have been her teammates since seventh or eighth grade. Those teammates have known her potential since then, and have coined a certain nickname for her since.

“She’s literally just a beast,” said teammate and good friend Sarah Frey. “Everyone calls her ‘beast’ wherever we go … Just watching her grow from eighth grade to where she is now, and how far she’s come, what a great player she’s become. She’s amazing.”

Parks has no doubts or hesitations about the ease of translation for Beattie’s game to the college level.

“She’s wanted this for a long time. She wants to be successful at it,” he said. “She wants to take the next step in her game and this will be good for her … To be that type of athlete there has to be balance … She understands the balance between school and work and playing volleyball. She knows that if you’re going to do this, you’re committed.”

The responsibilities of being a student-athlete at the NCAA level are in the name — there’s a fine balance between student and athlete that needs to be kept. Beattie is still mostly undecided when it comes to selecting a college major, though she says she’s leaning towards biology — adding that she’d like to do something with marine biology in her post-college life.

College is a time for trying new things and changing plans. The endless possibilities are both scary and thrilling, and Beattie is now on the doorstep of that exciting reality with her commitment to Alaska Anchorage. But if there’s one thing that’s certain about the next four years, it’s that she is going to represent Sedona as a terrific volleyball player at the collegiate level, according to the people closest to her.

“[She’s] hardworking. [She has] composure, easy to get along with, everybody loves playing with her,” Parks said. “She’s somebody you want to play with. She’s the quiet leader. She’s the best player on the team that works the hardest.”