Sarah Franczak '17 Recruiting Profile

I had always been a travel softball pitcher since the age of 8.  Then I picked up a volleyball just before the start of freshman year in high school thinking that this would keep me physically active until winter softball workouts started.  After the first week, I fell in love with the game.  I had made the freshman team but wanted to play at a higher level.  During the winter, I played club ball on a regional 15U team to help increase my skills.  When the fall came, not only did I make the varsity team as a sophomore but also became the starting varsity libero for the season.  I still did not want to focus solely on one sport so I continued to play softball which I had made the varsity team as a freshman.  My feeling is playing in one sport makes me better for the other from a physical conditioning and team standpoint.  As a result, I tried out and made a 17U regional club volleyball team.  I could not commit to a national team due to softball commitments but wanted to play against higher caliber players to increase my skill.  On the 17U team, my coach brought me out of my comfort zone to make me an all around player.  Along with increasing my footwork and libero skills, he taught me the setter and outside hitter position.  My height is not where it should be for an OH but I have one distinct physical feature which can be attributed to softball.  I have a very muscular right arm from pitching which allows me to hit with great velocity.  I am still developing this aspect of my game but I want to be a very versatile player in college to make the team better.  Even though I have been a softball pitcher for 8 years, I plan on pursuing volleyball as my sport of choice in college.

Academically, I am a good student.  I am not an A+ student but I work hard for my grades.  My goal is to be an all-around student in college.  I have been working as a softball pitching instructor for the past two years while playing varsity/club volleyball and varsity/travel softball year round.  This year, I am working with my volleyball teammates to run a volleyball fundraiser at Bishop Ahr High School.  My goal is to have this as a recurring fundraising event for a designated charity which the volleyball team can organize.  I am very active in my church and youth group. I have performed numerous hours of community service and intend on continuing that in college.