I knew from the day I started high school that I would someday be a college athlete. I was a four-sport athlete in high school and grew up in a family that only knew sports. Some of my favorite family vacations revolved around sports. I love that I grew up with this lifestyle -- I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I played high school sports because all my friends did. Graduating in a school with a class of 54 students, there wasn’t much else to do. I’ve always loved being a part of a team and competing - it’s in my blood. I enjoyed almost every sport I played, but the game of volleyball stole my heart at 14. All I wanted to do was pepper in the backyard with my mom and go to the gym to get extra reps. I lived for weekend tournaments and weeknight conference games. When I was asked if I would play in college, it was a no-brainer. I couldn’t imagine my life without volleyball.

My freshmen year of college, I realized that volleyball isn’t the same as it was in high school. I noticed that my body started to get sore after games - almost to the point of not being able to walk. I played sports my whole life and never had I had an injury. There were times in high school when my body would ache for a day after one of the first practices of the season, but the next day I was almost as good as new. College volleyball was a completely different story. I noticed that my knees were sore after every game, my back hurt and my body was just physically exhausted. I barely knew what a trainer was in high school and now I spend about half an hour before practice and half an hour after practice with the trainer.

The body aches weren’t the only things I realized. I also realized that volleyball isn’t what I’m at school for. I’m guilty of choosing a college mainly based on the volleyball program, so I definitely didn’t realize this then. When I was looking at colleges, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life or what else I was passionate about, but I did know that I wanted to play volleyball. After taking two years of classes, I’ve started to grow a new passion; A passion for my future. I love my classes and all the opportunities I’ve had with them. I’m starting to see what a life without volleyball will be like.

Although I’ve found this new passion for my future, I still love volleyball. I love the friendships I’ve made through it, the experiences I’ve had and the memories I’ve made that will last forever. I love being a part of a team and always knowing that the team has my back. But, it’s not the same as it was in high school. I can imagine a life without volleyball and I can finally see myself having a career that I’m truly passionate about.