Kayla Smith '23 Recruiting Profile

I am a first-year student at the junior college Monterey Peninsula College. After my second year, I plan to transfer to a 4-year college and continue playing volleyball at a competitive level. I want to attend a college that will challenge me and allow me to play at an elite level.

In school and club, while playing volleyball, my competitive spirit comes out, and I make great connections on the court that contribute to the team's wins. Volleyball is all about the connections we make on the court, confidence, competitive spirit, and setting and achieving goals. My volleyball career has taught me dedication, perseverance, and hard work. In my senior year in high school, I helped lead my team to the semi-finals of the state championship. I am known for my strong line hits and block assists. During my senior year volleyball season, I received the highest achievement All-State, All-Conference, and All-Star.

My volleyball journey has been challenging. Unlike most students, my volleyball career started later than others. I started playing volleyball at 12 years old, discovering my passion for volleyball while playing recreationally at my local boys and girls club and watching some of my favorite players and teams on TV. Growing up in a single-parent home, I had fewer opportunities to attend volleyball camps and few volleyball training sessions. However, my drive and determination led me to play competitively on the club team and become a starter for the varsity volleyball team at Conway High School.

My academics have been the most challenging for me, with a learning disability and dyslexia. The pandemic was my most complex and challenging obstacle, learning with limited resources. During this challenging time in my life, I found encouragement and determination to work hard in the classroom. My drive to achieve excellence is what I have learned from my years playing volleyball; it has taught me to set goals to accomplish for the best.