Alyson Penrose '16 Recruiting Profile

I love volleyball. A day without volleyball is a bad day for me. Even after 8 years in the sport, every time I step on the court I'm still reminded of how much I love the sport, the experiences, and the people it has brought into my life. Volleyball is the ultimate team sport.  My favorite feeling on the court is when I am in serve receive and I look to my left and then to my right and know that my teammates have my back and they know that I have theirs. There is nothing better (at least on the court) than having a whole team working toward a common goal and knowing that your team is there for you and you are there for your team. 
I began playing volleyball in elementary school during my 5th and 6th grade years. My 7th and 8th grade school seasons I was the varsity libero and co-captain at Granite Ridge Intermediate. I was named Most Valuable Player both seasons. I have played all three years in high school at Clovis North. My freshmen year, I was the setter and captain on our school’s frosh team and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. My sophomore and junior year I played on Clovis North's varsity team as the starting libero. This year, Clovis North finished second in the central valley—an all time best for our school’s girls volleyball team. I could not have been more honored to be a part of such a successful season and team. I received the honor of being voted Honorable Mention All League by our league’s coaches at the conclusion of the season.
I began playing club following my 6th grade school season. My first season, I was an outside hitter.  Starting with my 7th grade club year, I have been a libero. This past summer, I was selected to play on a Global Challenge High Performance team through NCVA as the team’s libero. We travelled to Italy and Croatia and played teams from all over Europe. We finished 6th, the highest finish for an NCVA U17s team in this tournament’s history.
The qualities that I contribute to my teams are coachability, encouragement, reliability, commitment, determination, and a love for the game and my teammates. When I'm on the court, my primary concern is to pass to the best of my ability, be in position and do my job. My next concern is to encourage my teammates and assure them that they have the ability to do their job