How Courage Meets the Court: Briley Lamon’s Journey Playing Against All Odds

Briley, #9, on court at a tournament. Photo credit: Brigitte Lamon

Since she was nine years old, Briley Lamon has been playing club volleyball, dominating the court and setting herself to certain standards, but her hard-fought journey started long before she ever faced the net.

When Briley was born, doctors discovered a Congenital Heart Defect, known as Tetralogy of Fallot, a diagnosis that would change the course of her life.

"I had open heart surgery when I was just four months old," Briley said. "And when I was five years old, we found out my heart was getting really big, and I needed to have my valve replaced."

Congenital Heart Defects are defined as defects present at birth, and nearly 1 in 100 babies are born with a Congenital Heart Defect each year, which is about 1 percent of babies born in the United States.

Each defect is different, and each affects the shape and how it works, like how the heart pumps blood and how blood flows throughout the entire body.

And while Briley has battled every day and faced many obstacles with her heart condition, it was when she was seven years old that her doctors discovered another diagnosis, cancer. Another challenge that could have stopped her in her tracks, but it did the opposite.

What could have been setbacks became fuel, driving her to compete, to excel, and to inspire everyone who watches her play.

"I was diagnosed with blood cancer, and I was in treatment for three years," Briley said. "I spent over a hundred nights in the hospital. The chemo made my bones so weak, but I rang the bell, and in 2020, I had my second open-heart surgery."

Now, through all the challenges, Briley is at the healthiest point in her life as she has been cancer-free for almost five years, but she will still need routine checkups and visits to make sure her prognosis is good.

"The chances of relapsing go considerably down after five years," Brigitte, Briley's mother, said. "So we're hoping and praying that always stays away."

Getting back on the court as an outside hitter, Briley has become someone who dominates the net and scores points.

As the shortest player on the team, she plays one of the most important positions that requires height, but her coaches noticed she would develop more at the net and allowed her to build her confidence.

"I don't technically think that she knows that her body has to work harder than everybody else's," Brigitte said. "And while her body is weaker, that's her normal. She doesn't technically do anything different than any of the other players because we, as parents, didn't tell her to do things differently."

This year, Briley's club volleyball team is ranked No. 1 in the north Georgia region, and her strength has only continued to grow as she has pushed herself to make plays most people wouldn't normally make.

Briley's mother is inspired by her daughter's resilience and strength, adding that each day she is in awe of how she pushes through. And while she was taught to be brave in her medical journey, Brigitte credits volleyball with helping her daughter's confidence in many other aspects.

"We've never parented her that her heart defect or the fact that she had cancer should prevent her from at least trying or improving at the things she wants to do," Brigitte said.

Briley (center) with coaches. Photo credit: Brigitte Lamon

As a freshman in high school, Briley has already accomplished more than most of her peers, but she credits her coaches, especially Coach Kidwell and Coach McCall, for helping her become the athlete they know she can be.

"My main coach has really taught me a lot," Briley said. "My coaches have really been good help in my playing ability."

Brigitte is thankful for how they've pushed her, mentored her, and been so respectful of her diagnosis.

"I told her coaches to treat her like everybody else, and she will rise to the occasion," Brigitte said. "They have been such an intricate part of her life. They don't cut her slack because she's sick. They don't treat her a certain way."

Briley is proud of how far she's come, and while college is down the road, she's definitely thinking about how well she would perform when put to the test.

"I definitely have to push myself harder than anybody else on the court because I'm way shorter than most people," Briley said. "I can definitely try my best, and if I could make it, I know I would do really, really good."

Throughout her diagnosis and her medical journey, Briley has learned many lessons, but she hopes to inspire other athletes who are dealing with chronic illnesses by sharing her story and her advice.

"Whatever they face, they can every day push harder and harder," Briley said. "They can change their mindset to a way that's positive and just try the best they can in whatever they're at."

And at just fifteen, Briley has faced many challenges most kids can’t imagine—heart surgery, cancer, the kind of tests that would make anyone pause—she proves that she’s not just playing a game. She’s showing the world that courage, determination, and heart can defy any obstacle.

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