Personal Statement
I am fortunate to have grown up in Manhattan Beach, CA which happens to be a mecca of volleyball in the country and world. Like other kids, I played every sport as soon as I was old enough but, with an older brother, I was playing them all even before I could be on an actual team. When I was home, the much older kids on the block always seemed to have a volleyball in their hands on the way to and from the beach. I started bumping and setting the ball with them before I even knew what the sport was. And I fell for it hard. I started playing organized volleyball before almost any other boy in our community. I did my first beginners class at age 8. By age 10, I played my first full year of club on a 12 year old team and started dropping the other sports as each year passed. By the time I was 12, starting at Setter and DS for a 13 year old team that made it to the Gold bracket at Junior Nationals, I knew I had found the sport I wanted to play for the rest of my life!
I’ve been a part of great teams and mediocre teams but each team and coach has contributed to my growth as a player, as a person and, I believe, as a potential future coach myself. I even love all the practices and skills clinics. In the early years, I played some Setter and even a little Outside but my inherited height limitation determined my Libero position and I love it! When I was younger, I did a lot of parkour – jumping, flipping, etc. So, I’ve been comfortable launching my body and safely bracing my falls for a long time. You’ll see that in some of my video clips. I also love the responsibility and associated adrenaline rush that comes from digging the hardest hit balls. Now that I am older and looking ahead to college, I know I want the combined experience of academic growth, career preparation and competitive volleyball. I hope to be able to compete at the highest level and look forward to exploring my initial academic interests of Psychology and Philosophy.
