ALEJANDRA RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ '16 Recruiting Profile

As a collegiate my goals and aspirations are to obtain a degree that leads me to a successful professional career; while having the privilege to play the sport I love, volleyball. I want to join a competitive educational and athletic university program. Such an opportunity will allow me to obtain a degree while making memories and gaining more teamwork experience, which will definitely help me in my future as a professional. Playing in college will also be a vehicle to relief my family and myself from college expenses.

 Personally, I believe that the qualities that make me a good candidate for their team are:

·        Experience- I have an 11 years tenure playing volleyball; I started playing when I was 4 years old and I haven’t stopped playing since then. During these years I built overall experience of the game. I played as Setter, Outside Hitter and most recently I developed myself as Libero. I know to read the game and my experience helps me greatly to predict the plays.

·        Dedication and commitment to the sport- Once I start playing with a team at club or school, I give my best as a player and teammate. As an athlete I know the big sacrifices you need to make. While others are having fun, I am practicing, playing, traveling or resting just because an important game is coming. Sometimes I need to be away from family because it is required to be with teammates.

·        Ability to accept challenges- I play with older age groups in club and in high performance teams; I love to play with demanding coaches that push me to next level. I see my coaches as my allies to reach my goals. I prefer when they are demanding and perfectionists. I want to be as best as I can be.

·        I set goals for myself every time a new opportunity to play arrives. Every year is not the same for me. I want to learn something new or hit a new goal.

·        I know how to balance my time between school and sports properly. It is not easy to be a top student and top athlete but focus is fundamental.

·        Mental Maturity- I am able to manage pressure and keep the focus on the ultimate goal. Not all the games are easy. You need to learn how to stay focus on your ability rather than a random mistake during a game. Volleyball is not about perfection but about your ability to manage the pressure while maintaining confidence on your abilities.