I
think that to become literate in something means to find things that are truly important
to you and to become the best you can be in those things. For me, one of them
was volleyball. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t pushed myself to
become better a better player in the years that I played.
What
sparked my interest in volleyball was my mom. She had played in high school and
had always wanted me to be involved on sports teams like she was. In eighth
grade, we started watching college volleyball games when they were broadcasted
on television, which was rare. I loved how the girls were so strong and not
afraid to be aggressive. The highlights for me was always watching the hitters
face after a powerful kill, when she knew that she had put the ball down and
the other team failed to serve receive. Her face would be pure ecstasy. I would
turn to my mom and say, “That will be me someday.” I was determined to play in
college.
Volleyball
did not come naturally to me. I did not want to sprint or to dive on the floor.
Standing straight and waiting for the ball to come to me sounded so much better,
and easier. In the beginning, I was one of those people who thought volleyball
was so easy that anyone could do it. I found out to be wrong very quickly into
my time playing.
I
joined the volleyball team the first week in high school. I then played all four years in high school. I
also joined a travel team and played there for three years. My dream then came
true when I was recruited to play for Rhode Island College. During my freshmen
year I became a starter and I was beyond happy for how much play time I was
getting as a freshmen. I would be lying if I said that volleyball didn’t directly
impact where I am today. As my years playing progressed, I found myself in the
gym more. I would be building muscle and increasing my endurance so that I
could be in the games longer. I had to work really hard and push myself even
farther to practice and try to perfect my skills.
My
influences include my coaches, my teammates, and my mom. Even though the list
sounds cliché, I know that these people had my back for anything and always
wanted me to do my best. All of the coaches that I had, some I liked and others
I didn’t, pushed me on the court. If I didn’t have someone there to help me
grow, I wouldn’t have been challenged and my skills would have remained stagnant.
Volleyball
showed me the importance of team work. For me, there was no better way to learn
how to be on a team and rely on your teammates better than actually being on a
sports team where this aspect was crucial for success. By being involved in
athletics, I always had to make sure that my grades were high. I knew that my
end goal would be to someday play in college and I didn’t want my grades to
bring that dream crashing down. I found the importance of school and keeping up
with schoolwork to be a high priority in life. When looking forward at my
future as a Secondary Education teacher, I believe that through my experiences
of being a high school and college athlete, I have an understanding of the life
of being a student athlete. I believe that I can create connections with
students who were in the same position that I was in.
By participating in volleyball, I entered a social world where I could become literate in the skills needed to succeed.
I pushed myself to build up my skills and learn as much as I could about the
sport I loved. Without being diligent about learning, I wouldn’t have learned
as much as I did and been able to succeed the way I wanted to by playing
college volleyball.
