Emma Markolf '24 Recruiting Profile

As a little kid I always participated in a wide variety of after school sports programs. As a third grade basketball player my coach told me that he thought I should try volleyball. Reluctant at first I signed up for my schools volleyball program going into fourth grade. I fell in love with the sport almost immediately and from that point on the other sports I had been experimenting with slowly started to drop off my radar.

As a sixth grader I decided to take my game to the next level and play club volleyball. I was selected for Sunshine Westside's top 12U team and found success quickly being our starting opposite and back up setter all season. Throughout the season I was known for playing defense and offense and was always the girl you could count on to go after any ball. Because of this one of the moms noticed I played like a beach player and recommended I try it out.

After practicing with a local beach club for a few months I decided to go all beach the next year. Since then I’ve worked hard and put in the hours to make up for the lack of experience I had compared to the other top players who have commonly been playing since between the ages of five and eight years old. In my two years of constant practice, competition, and studying the game I've been able to accomplish getting a Womens AA rating (13 yo), placing 5th in USA 14U Championships (12 yo), and being ranked #1 in CBVA 14U.

I am now going into my freshman year of highschool and plan to continue to work and build upon not only my athletics but my leadership and team building skills to help make me an asset to any school’s beach volleyball program.