Malcolm Langford '25 Recruiting Profile

In the CPS (Chicago Public Schools) system, in order to get into a better school, or a “selective enrolment school” you have to take a test in 8^th grade. My older sister Mia, tested into several good selective enrolment high schools. When it came time for me to take the selective enrollment test, I was scared. I felt overwhelmed and I was afraid I would do badly on the test, I didn’t have the confidence my sister seemed to have. As I feared, I didn’t do so great on the selective enrolment test. When it came time to apply for high schools, unlike my sister, I did not get into any of my top choices. I was devastated and embarrassed. I felt like a failure. I wondered, “What did I do wrong?” and even worse I wondered, “What if I’m not smart?” I was depressed. My parents were supportive, but I still felt alone. I ended up going to North Grand High School my last choice. It’s not prestigious like my sister’s high school, and none of my friends were going to North Grand. Again, I felt alone. But I went because what else could I do? I had to suck it up and go. So, I did. In comes volleyball. My freshman year at North Grand I was walking down the hall and I saw a poster for volleyball tryouts. I had played volleyball a little at the Park District and thought, “Why not?” I wasn’t as tall as I am now, and I didn’t know if I was any good, but I wanted to try. After two days of tryouts I saw my name on list of players on a piece of paper on the back of the gym door. I made the team. Playing Varsity as a freshman, I made huge progress and the more I played and learned, the better I got. I also made friends and realized that above all else, I am dedicated to being a team player. Yes, I am a good athlete, but I am also, and maybe even more importantly, a collaborator and great teammate. Since then, I've played almost daily, and I am stronger and taller, which helps a lot. I love being part of a team. I love the feeling of using my height, my strength, and my competitive nature to work with my team and win. If I hadn’t had the major setback of not getting into more prestigious selective enrolment high schools, I may never have played volleyball. Which means I would never have known how much I loved it or how good at volleyball I might become. Today, as a junior, I have a great GPA, go to a high school that's a better fit for me, and I am committed to playing volleyball at the college level. In addition to being a stellar athlete, I am teachable, humble and driven. As a young man of color I think I can add a lot to this sport, and I want to show other young people of color that volleyball is for everyone and that anything is possible with commitment, integrity and teamwork. I am excited to take the next step on my volleyball journey as I explore all of my college options.