Personal Statement
Hello, my name is Peighton Wright. I am a 6’-2” middle and/or opposite side hitter. I attend Cumberland Valley HS in Mechanicsburg PA and I will graduate in 2016. I have been playing volleyball since seventh grade. I immediately fell in love with the sport. The strategy and pace of the game were very interesting to me. Plus, my dad who played volleyball in college, taught me many intricacies of the game. My passion for volleyball has grown as I discovered the mental aspects of the game beyond just physical aggressiveness. I have been playing on the varsity team since sophomore year. We were the state runner up and district champion titles in 2013. In 2014, we were the runner up in district play and made it to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. I believe it is important as a volleyball player to not only have physical strength, quickness and endurance, but to be able to think fast and efficiently. Playing year round on quality HS and club teams have instilled the knowledge of the game to a point, I don’t always have to think about what to do, I can just react. Confidence is crutial to success in the sport. I struggled with this as a younger player, however as I have grown physically and matured mentally, I feel I can play with the best. I have filled leadership roles in both my school and club teams. This differentiated me from some other good players. It’s something I have always had, but am working to continue to develop with my coaches. Every good team need a leader on and off the court to keep the momentum going during the positive times and change the course when times are rough. Another positive attribute is my coachability. I feel it it important to always remain humble and keep wanting to learn and develop. Also, I believe that coachability is a very important trait. Teams feeds off and follows those players who are leaders and put out maximum effort to get better. I am also a very positive person on and off the court. I firmly believe that every player needs to have a good attitude. I have personally experienced an entire team spiral down and lose to an inferior team because of negative attitude of one player. Good chemistry is so important in a team sport that requires so much coordination and team effort. This brings me to my personal journey. I didn’t always believe so passionately about hard work, attitude and chemistry. I went through a dark time starting my freshman year. I struggled with my families transition as my parents went through a divorce. I became very depressed. This effected me in many ways, including socially, academically and even volleyball. I made some poor choices and that led me down a path with the wrong friends and influences. I even left public school for cyber school as I was searching for the answers to my problems. It took me a while to realize the fix was inside me and the problems weren’t my teachers, coaches, and parents. The end of my sophomore year, my coaches and parents sat me down and things finally “clicked”. I shed the negative friends and influences in my life. I was determined to come back my junior year a new person. In some ways I am thankful for some struggles as it has fueled my desire to become the best person, student, and athlete I can be. I continually refer to the saying “It’s not what happens to you in life that determines you, but how you react to what happens to you.” I am not sure if it wasn’t for my love of volleyball and the fear of losing it, that my struggles wouldn’t have continued longer. I am thankful for my parents and my coaches for their support and love. I am optimistic about my future. And I am going to make sure volleyball is going to remain in my life not only through college, but for many years after. I look forward to this journey as I choose the right college and enter the next phase of my life. Through volleyball I learned and about commitment, dedication, and true friendship. I am so blessed and very excited to continue my journey with this amazing sport.
