Jessica Yu '20 Recruiting Profile

            Ever since I started playing volleyball, I held onto my desire to improve myself and excel in the sport. When I first started in 7th grade, I had no prior volleyball experience but fell in love with the sport and its unique dynamics. Since then I have played 5 years of power club teams with my first year at Aspire, 3 years at NCVC, and am currently playing at Gold Cal.

          I believe that I make a promising candidate for college women volleyball team because I am hardworking, coach-able and a versatile player. My main position is outside but I have experience in middle and right side. I started off playing as a middle due to my height of 6 ft. and so I am able to adjust to sets easier since I am used to both quick sets, such as ones and threes, and also higher sets like fours and fives. You can place me anywhere on the court and I will try my hardest to excel at the position. I can adjust to and focus in any position due to my experience and work ethic. I am also a coach-able player. I do not let pride or ego get in the way when coaches give me advice on how to play better. In fact, I enjoy and want criticism from my coaches so that I can improve myself and be a better player for my parents, my teammates, my coaches, and myself. I also believe it is very important to remember that volleyball is not an individual sport but a team sport. I believe that supporting my teammates and trusting in them is just as important as knowing how to hit a ball because if a team cannot work together, they cannot succeed. I always strive to be a team player and be someone that my teammates can trust in on and off the court. I love it when my teammates get a wonderful play and am prepared to scream my heart out for their successes. I am truly determined to be a coach-able, hardworking, and positive player on any team I’m on.

          What is unique about me is that I am quiet off the court but loud on the court. In games and drills I will be one of the loudest ones on the court but off the court I like to talk to my teammates and coaches but not in a very intrusive way. I always seek to improve myself and I am my worst critic so I critique myself in virtually every aspect. Whether it's during practice or during games, I observe mine and others actions in hope of fixing my errors. Also, I have good leadership skills that I built up from my natural “take charge” attitude and also through attending leadership camps. I attended National Teen Leadership Program (NTLP) and improved my leadership skills there. I am also currently the leader for my church’s youth group and am the leader of the worship team. These roles have taught me patience, leadership, organization, and communication skills which all benefit me as a volleyball player. Additionally, I have excelled in academics my whole life and grew up sustaining straight A all through middle school and a 4.3 GPA in high school. In high school I take all AP and higher level grade level classes and am ranked 35 in my class of 605 students. I also enjoy participating in clubs, my favorites being Folsom Teen Council, where I have done many hours of community service; and World Language Scholars, where I tutor other students in Spanish and participate in a school wide cultural event.