Willie Lopez Morales '23 Recruiting Profile

It was the fall of my junior year when I stood in that gym for the first time. My ninth-grade dream of playing club volleyball had finally come true, but the sight of people with previous acquaintances, and so much experience, overwhelmed me. In the corner, I saw players from one high school who played a huge role in eliminating my team in the previous season. Their thunderous hits would land on the floor right between my legs at the speed of light leaving me no time to react. In the middle of the court, I saw two teammates from another high school peppering together with movements that seemed so natural and precise, making me overthink how I looked when I was playing. On the regular, I stood at five feet eleven inches tall, but the atmosphere in that gym made me feel as if I had shrunk down to six inches

The tryouts began and I could feel the eyes on the back of my head every time I made a move. I was an alien and I was lost, but I was there for a reason. I had to prove that I deserved my spot on that team. 

The tryouts ended after two hours and I was relieved when I was invited to stay on the team. After a couple of practices, I felt the improvement coming. My hits started to become more powerful, my passes were more accurate, and with that, my confidence started to boost. The more I improved, the more things I saw that needed improvement. Once I felt comfortable with one skill, I went straight to learning the next. I spent countless hours rewatching films of my tournaments, my stomach rumbling, while I continued to find ways to improve. I became a critic of my own performance on the court. 

Club volleyball made me feel more prepared than ever to jump into my high school season. I was eager to show my coach how far I had come. During the first couple of practices, she saw that I had developed a deeper passion for the sport. I was more comfortable on the court and was able to guide others to their places. 

My coach appointed me as one of the captains of the team. Every day, I entered that gym and greeted everyone before beginning practice. By the second week, I had a unique handshake with every member of the team. We all became a family. This family aspect prepared us to take our first win of the season where I led the team offensively. I played with a smile on my face throughout the entire match even when the ball slipped through my hands and hit my face. I also put my newfound confidence and skill into play for the first time. I dominated at the net, killing every set that came my way. 

“‘Willie was only a setter for us last year,’ Conway said. ‘He's been doing a lot more hitting so far this season. He's a lot more comfortable out there.’” - Paula A. Conway in Tim Paterson’s article, The Holyoke Sun 

“The dynamic duo of Rodriguez and Lopez have given Holyoke the extra edge over so many opponents this spring…Whether they're assisting their teammates or crushing a spike, they're doing so with power and finesse.” - Hannah Bevis, Daily Hampshire Gazette 

My name appeared all over the media. My neighbor would leave copies of the newspaper on my porch where my face was printed on the front page. I had finally allowed myself to have confidence, and what came from it surprised me. Looking back at how I played my sophomore year made me cringe, but it opened my eyes to how much I could achieve. The sky was no longer the limit, I wanted to go further.