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The Kenneth Livingston Gymnasium was a place that Megan Kabrick had never played in, and it is a place she’ll likely never play in again.

Still, the Portales High School junior-to-be felt like she belonged.

“It feels awesome,” Kabrick said. “It feels like I’m back home.”

Kabrick is one of about 80 participants in this week’s PHS volleyball camp, held at the junior high school’s gym. It is the first athletic activity Kabrick has been in since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament during a December basketball game.

Still at her sophomore height of 5-foot-10, Kabrick will have the same front-line responsibilities for the Lady Rams — the only difference is that she’ll do it with a brace.

The difference in the team around her is a little more evident.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. We’re very inexperienced,” Portales volleyball coach Ruth Chavez said. “But hey, I like a challenge.”

Portales certainly has one ahead of it, with six spots left vacant by graduating seniors.

Kabrick is one of the six returners. She values the time she’s got in so far from the volleyball camp, but wished she could have played during the Eastern New Mexico University team basketball camp.

“(Not playing) was awful. I wanted to play for the girls and Coach (Brenda) Gomez,” Kabrick said. “Now that I’m here, it’s good being back in it.”

The camp continues through Thursday.