By Luckily, Etiwanda High School didn’t have a quality basketball program or else the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team might be without its star middle blocker.
Alexis Crimes was a three-sport star in high school. She was the MVP of the track team and was also named first-team all-league in basketball, but despite the success, it was volleyball that mostly interested Crimes.
As a walk-on for the EHS volleyball team, Crimes was named Volleyball Magazine’s “Fab 50” and a Top-10 Player in the Inland Empire, according to the San Bernardino Sun.
“I was offered basketball and volleyball scholarships to Long Beach, USC, UCLA, Florida State, Notre Dame and other big name schools,” Crimes said. “I chose Long Beach State because the coaches were confident in what I could become.”
Now, Crimes is a first team All-Big West selection, AVCA All-American and leads the Big West in kills per game, blocks per game and attack percentage. Also, Crimes ranks 11th in the LBSU stat book with 1,099 career kills.
In volleyball, the 6-foot-3-inch junior has become a success. But it didn’t come easy.
Crimes was born in Hawaii while her mother, Elizabeth Morris was enlisted in the military. She never met her father and only one month after birth, Crimes was sent to live with her grandparents in Sylmar.
Crimes said her grandfather, Fred Crimes Jr. raised her as if he was her father.
“My grandpa is a cool grandpa, he probably doesn’t know it but he is. He always kept me active in sports,” Crimes said. “Growing up, he put me in all kinds of sports, even karate and cheerleading.”
When it came to her early years in high school, Fred would drive Crimes to and from school every day. In 1994, when Crimes was 9-years-old, Morris’ military career ended temporarily reuniting the family.
That same year, Crimes’ grandmother died. Soon after, Crimes and her mother moved to Rancho Cucamonga but Fred still had a strong relationship with his granddaughter.
Once Crimes started playing volleyball in high school, her coaches told her about the opportunities in the sport. She got interested and soon joined the Santa Monica Beach Club.
The problem – getting to practice.
“I didn’t have a car and mother was at work most of time, so my grandpa would drive me to practice,” Crimes said.
While with SMBC, Fred drove Crimes to every practice. Fred drove from his home in Lancaster to Crimes’ in Rancho Cucamonga and then to Santa Monica for practice. The drive became routine, three to four times a week for two years.
“The reason why I do sports is because of my grandpa,” Crimes said. “I don’t consider what my grandpa did as a sacrifice, but willingness.”
Crimes is majoring in criminal justice because becoming a cop is only a backup plan, she said.
“I kind of want to be a detective, but I’m too tall. I am easily detected,” Crimes said. “My goal is to be in the 2008 Olympics and to play volleyball overseas for a club in Italy of Brazil. I have a lot of respect for those teams, and now I just want to stay focuses. I want to be the best middle blocker at Long Beach State, outside Long Beach State and overseas.”
For now, Crimes is among the best in LBSU history. With Crime’s grandfather in attendance of every home LBSU game, she is motivated.
“He is at every game and I feel so good when people go up to him and ask him about me,” Crimes said. “It is my obligation to put in the same effort in here as he did in taking me to practice those days. He is definitely motivational.
“I love to see a smile in his face. I call him everyday and thank him for everything. Because of my grandpa, I am where I am today.”
Alexis Crime’s Career Stats (LBSU) Attack Blocks Year G K K/G Pct. Total B/G
2004 110 427 3.88 .374 138 1.25
2005 110 398 3.62 .378 158 1.44
2006 79 274 3.47 .358 107 1.35 ___________________________________________ Total 299 1099 3.66 .370 403 1.35
