Shalyn Brady '16 Recruiting Profile

After completing my 10th year at Lyons Township High School (LTHS), I know how important a good education is and how challenging it can also be. I have already been achieving my goals for high school by making the honor roll for my Freshman and Sophomore year. I also will be taking  AP classes during my Junior year.

I have just completed my 5th year of competitive traveling volleyball, 2 years with Lions Jrs, 3 with Sports Performance, and am currently back at 1st Alliance Volleyball as an outside and right side hitter, playing all 6 rotations.  This past season I have grown faster and stronger, both physically and mentally. With practice 3 times a week, plus conditioning, I know I am on the path to playing competitive college volleyball. I'm always looking how I can improve my skills, and Don Beebe's House of Speed helped me achieve that in the spring. The course focuses on vertical, speed, quickness, balance, upper and lower body power and reaction time. I increased in every category at the end of the speed camp.  It was a great experience, and I hope I can continue my outside activities through my junior year. I love challenging myself!

Going into one of my last 2 years as a club volleyball player, I'm looking forward to not only playing my hardest as a leader, but I also hope to become a role model for the younger players in the club. I love volunteering at the clinics and lessons, and my favorite part is teaching these kids the game I fell in love with when I was their age. This upcoming season is going to go really well, I can already feel it.

My dreams are to take my volleyball playing to the next level and play in college. I also want to get a good education at a top notch school. I want to work hard to achieve my goals, along with a high GPA. I know that it will take a lot of effort but I am willing to work toward bettering myself to make my dreams come true.

I hope one day to go to the Olympics and play with and against some of the best people in the world. The one person I really look up to is Lauren Carlini. She is an alum of Sports Performance, Gatorade Player of the Year and current player at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has achieved so much in her short years already as a collegiate volleyball player, and her hunger and desire for winning and hard competition is what draws me to her. I always welcome in a challenge, and playing a good, hard match against a team is what I love most. There is saying that says "We may be outplayed, but never outworked!" and that really sticks with me, because I am a big believer in working your very best and giving 120% no matter what the situation. You're never going to be successful if you expect the results to be handed to you, you have to earn them. Being around her in the gym was always such an amazing thing to feel, and someday I hope to achieve half of what she has. I just remember this: "When you want to succeed as bad as you breathe, then you will be successful."