When I was selected to be on the varsity volleyball team my sophomore year, I had high expectations. I dreamed of being the starting outside hitter on the team, getting kills every game, and getting the game winning point for districts. After tryouts my coach pulled me aside. He told me that I was a great player, and although I had older girls ahead of me, if I worked hard, I could earn a starting spot. So, I pushed myself every day in practice. I tried to be perfect in every drill, and get the most reps during mini games. However, when the rotations for the first game came out, I wasn’t in any of them. I spent most of my sophomore year on the bench. I was so disappointed that it became impossible to cheer on my teammates. I remember almost hoping we would lose the first set so he would put me in for the next one. The negativity began to eat away at my confidence. I started to believe I would never play. That I had no purpose of being on the team. The disappointment I felt at this time prevented me from seeing what was truly important. Looking back, I wasted so much time feeling bad for myself when I could have embraced the moment, and had fun with my teammates. 

I needed a major attitude change – I watched my teammates on the bench during the game, not a single other girl had an attitude like mine. When the starting players would get a good pass or kill, my teammates would leap off the bench screaming, their fists pumping in the air. I realized that I was only punishing myself by not engaging, that no matter how much time I played, I had a purpose.

Junior year was a fresh start for me; I became the “personality hire” on the team. I was not only the loudest in the gym, but the biggest cheerleader. I realized that I could have just as much fun, if not more, on the bench. While the other girls faced pressure of playing, I was building relationships with my teammates and coaches making amazing memories.

Still, I hoped that I would get the chance to start in the games. Approaching my senior season, I felt that I had done all I could as a cheerleader on the bench. The next step for me was being a motivator on the court. In order to have a better chance at playing, I decided to switch from outside hitter to defensive specialist. The more years spent on volleyball the better I got at passing and less I improved at hitting. On the third day of practice, my coach wrote out the list of starters and I was on it. Years of hard work and a positive attitude helped me earn a starting spot on the team. I truly believe that I was given the opportunity to start not because of my volleyball skills, but because of my attitude and resilience. Not only did my journey on the bench allow me to have more fun, but it also gave me confidence in the game. When I shanked a ball or missed a serve, I was able to pick myself up and move on to the next ball. 

Volleyball has been not only my source of fun and entertainment for these last eight years, but also the place I had the most personal growth. Lessons I have learned in volleyball have transformed my life. I know now that even when I am not faced with success, it is essential that I cheer on others in my life. I now know the value of hard work and determination. Most of all, I now know the importance of being “the personality hire,” and that the most skilled individual is not always the most essential. 

After mastering my role as the personality hire on the bench, an opportunity finally came to put into practice on the court. 

I spent my senior year focusing on my teammates instead of myself. Since the role of a DS is mostly to support your setter and hitter, I did the same in my role as a teammate as well. I focused on pushing others up instead of myself. I can proudly say that this year was my favorite year in my volleyball career