Corrinna Doctor, 17, of Skaneateles, is the perfect embodiment of an old saying: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

When Doctor first went out for the Empire State Games Central Region Scholastic volleyball team two years ago she was as close as possible to being on the team until the final cuts were made.

"I tried out as a freshman," Doctor said. "I was cut during the last cut before teams were made. I was still pretty young."

But these aren't the kinds of setbacks that stop a good athlete.

Doctor said she was determined to make the team.

"I felt that I had done pretty well the year before," Doctor said. "I worked hard in between. It was a really big goal for me. I set aside personal time to practice to make the team. I wanted to be a part of the experience. It is the best opportunity you can take to play and play with the best."

Even with another year's worth of experience and hours of practice and workouts Doctor said she was still a little uncertain when she went for tryouts.

"When I went in I wasn't sure if I was going to make the team," Doctor said. "But I went in doing my best. Making the team was awesome, great, really exciting. It is really a great accomplishment."

An accomplishment that was helped along by Doctor's skills and her personality on the court.

"I'm a setter," Doctor said. "And being a setter is kind of like being a quarterback. You bring leadership on the court. I talk to everyone and let them know what is going on and try to pick everyone up when we are down."

In her first year with the Central Region team Doctor helped lead them to a silver medal.

"It was great just to be in the medal round," Doctor said. "But to be a part of a medal-placing team with such great competition was awesome."

Trying out for the team this year Doctor said she felt more confident, but it didn't make the process any less nerve-wracking.

"It still wasn't a lot less stressful," Doctor said. "But when I went to try out again I knew more about what the coach was looking for, and that made me feel more comfortable."

Doctor said it can be a difficult process assembling a team for this competition considering the amount of time it can take for volleyball players to build team chemistry.

"At first it is tough," Doctor said. "Volleyball is a sport that takes a lot of team work and involves a lot of talking. To be comfortable with each other can take a while."

But the Central region team has been hard at work in preparation for Wednesday's start of the Empire State Games.

"Since June we've been practicing two times a week," Doctor said. "There are a lot of really good players who love the game, and we all work hard so we can make the most of each practice."

And all of the practice and dedication will be needed because Doctor said the challenge is intense.

"The competition is really good," Doctor said. "It is the best volleyball I've ever been involved in."

The team to beat is the Western Region team that has consistently won the gold over the past few years - a team that is well respected by its opponents.

"Western has won every year for the past 10 years," Doctor said. "It is hard to beat a team like Western because they have been playing together since they were all little. That is their one major advantage. They are an amazing team just to get to watch."

But good competition is why Doctor got in the games in the first place, and since this is her last year of eligibility for the scholastic division she is determined to give it her all.

"The goal is to win a medal," Doctor said. "Gold is really the goal, but I'd just like to do the best I can. I'd really like things to go as well as possible and just play as hard as I can for my team."