Riley Semmens '19 Recruiting Profile

      I have always been an athlete.  I've played team sports since before I can remember, including t-ball, soccer, swim, and 6 years of mixed martial arts.  When the first boys club volleyball team opened in our area in 2013, I joined right away and I have played club volleyball every year and every season since.  I've played on many teams and I've had a lot of playing time and experience over the course of 6 years.  This has given me experience with every position and experience playing with many different types of personalities and coaching styles.

    What makes me a good candidate for your team?  I am passionate about the game of volleyball, I love it, I'm good at it, and I am dedicated to pursuing it at the college level.   I am a team-player.  I have a competitive spirit and I want to win!  I have been on so many teams that I have become a very good, consistent and reliable all-around player.  I began as a setter, and then transitioned to outside hitter.  I am a great passer and I have a great serve.  I have never felt like I know everything there is to know about volleyball, and I am open, eager and hungry to learn and play at the college level.  I am very coachable.

    What possibly makes me different from other recruits in character?  I am a Christian.  I don't drink alcohol, smoke, or do drugs and I don't ever intend to.  I am an athlete and I don't believe these things are good for my body.  I am mature and responsible for my age, and I have a loving and supportive mother and father that have been happily married for almost 25 years.  I like to have fun, but I am not wild an irresponsible.  I have been taught right from wrong, and I have a strong moral compass.  I am kind, loyal, hard-working, non-judgmental, empathetic to others, and a no drama kind of guy.  

    This summer I have been very busy engaging in activities to improve myself both athletically and academically.  I have been doing strength and endurance conditioning 3x/wk and outside hitter skills training 3x/wk; both private and group clinics through Viper Volleyball Club.  I've seen a great improvement in my hitting power and technique.  I also attended the elite volleyball academy at Viper from August 14th - September 6th.  I am really looking forward to this season of club volleyball!  I also often enjoy spending some of my free time watching professional volleyball team game video.  I like to watch the awesome plays in slow motion so I can see the breakdown of the play and then I try to incorporate the technique into my game.  I am also taking action to help with the academic side of college entrance requirements by going to SAT tutoring sessions after school.

    My collegiate goals and aspirations are to play competitive Men's College Volleyball at the highest possible level with a team of great guys that love to play volleyball as much as I do.  I hope the team I join will also be a huge support system to each other as we transition from high school to college and from teen-agers to young adults.  I look forward to being coached at the college level.  Other than volleyball, I am interested in pursuing a career in Radiology, Physical Therapy or Sports Medicine and my other interests include Graphic Design.

     I am proud to say that through continued engagement in Volleyball, I have persevered and become a stronger person, and a better player.  All my hard work and diligence is paying off!  I'm taller, stronger and smarter.  I hope that one day, I can share my journey with young athletes.  I want to be an encouragement to them, and show them that I am a living example that you can achieve your goals with perseverance and a never quit attitude.