A Communications major with an emphasis on cinema, Batchelder has spent this season filming her coaches and teammates for a documentary she is transforming into her senior project. Dominican's home volleyball season concludes this Sunday evening when Batchelder and her fellow seniors — Sarah Bain, Skyler Moon, and Ashlee Sand — play their final match for Dominican in the Conlan Center.

Senior Night is capping a memorable season that Batchelder has seen from a unique perspective — through her camera lens.
“I wanted to work on a project that meant something to me so I would really be able to throw myself into it,” says Batchelder, a defensive specialist from Quincy. “Volleyball is the reason I came to this school in the first place, so it seemed like a no-brainer to document my senior season. I know it will be fun for the girls to have, too.

“I just wanted to show how much we have changed this year compared to last year. It would just be an interesting story to hear and see. The players who have been here. The new players. I think it will be something to keep.”

At the start of the season, Batchelder kept her project a secret from her teammates. But when she kept showing up at practice with a camera in her hands and began pointing it at them, they naturally became suspicious.

“I have it for a project,” she explained. “Everyone has gotten into it since then. They are excited to see the final project.”
Head Coach Gayle Stammer is so enthused that she thinks Batchelder has star potential.

“If you spend any time at all with Batch, you will not soon forget her,” says Stammer, who recruited Batchelder out of Feather River College. “Katy is personable, likable, easy to talk to. She puts 100 percent into everything she does and is one of the best court communicators I have ever coached.

“She pushes her teammates and expects the same of herself. It should be no surprise that Katy is one of our team captains and leads by example. Katy will be missed by many at Dominican, but I have a feeling we will all see her again soon.”

Batchelder's film-making ambitions were inspired by ESPN Film's “30 for 30” series, particularly its “Fab Five” documentary last year on the 1991 University of Michigan men's basketball recruiting class.

“I'm so obsessed with that stuff. I would love to do something like that for ESPN,” Batchelder says, smiling. “If I could eventually work for ESPN, I would die so happy. It would be so much fun. How does your job get more fun than that?”
Fun best describes what the Lady Penguins are having with Batchelder and her camera. She has recorded practices and pre- and post- game talks and hands the camera over to her parents, Mary Lou and Van, or fellow Communications major Hunter Horenstein to film game action.
But it's the behind-the-scenes footage that brings a smile to Batchelder's face.

“Our team is really goofy so I wanted to capture that, too,” she says.  “I didn't want people to act differently, but obviously just having a camera around makes people act a little different.”

Mostly Batchelder wanted to document how different this year's team is from past years. She is impressed by the team's attitude and touched by its camaraderie.

“Something so good is happening here,” she says.  “We're all on the same page working our butts off. Whether our wins or losses show that or not, everybody works so hard every day. It's a very welcome change.”

Their cohesiveness was evident on the court earlier this month, not at a volleyball match but at “Midnight Mayhem,” the annual student-organized event that marks the official opening of the college basketball season. Batchelder made sure that someone was holding the camera and filming her with the three other seniors on the volleyball team.

They have been counting down the last-hurrah days to their final set together. Sunday's home match against Hawai'i Pacific University has been on their minds. They will march on the court with their family and friends to be recognized in an unforgettable Senior Night ceremony. All the while it will be documented to be included in Batchelder's senior project. It's like a video Hallmark card that goes on for 15 minutes or so.

“We are all convinced that we're going to cry our eyes out, which is terrible because we have to play right after that,” she says. “We're all really sad about it. At the same time, it was such a good run this year being so much better than last year.  It's icing on the cake. It's a good way to go out.”

The end.