Personal Statement
My name is Delaney Runyon and I am currently a 5’8” junior setter at Laguna Hills High School. If you have ever been passionate about being the best at something, whether it is sports or academics, then you understand what fuels me. This passion has motivated me to excel both academically and on the volleyball court.
I know I am not tall for the sport of women’s volleyball, but I have enjoyed a fair amount of success in my young career. This year as a junior I am the starting Varsity setter in a 6-2 rotation for my high school. Although I am one of the younger ones on the team I am still able to contribute as a leader on the court. During my 2015 club season, I was the starting setter in a 5-1 rotation and was named one of the captains. Although we were plagued with injuries we still finished strong and won the bronze bracket at Junior Nationals in the Patriot Division.
Although I have experienced success at the high school and club level, it did not start that way. Each team had taller more experienced setters and I had to work hard to compete for the starting position. Through hard work on and off the court I earned a leadership role with each team. Just like in the classroom, I have learned to put in the extra time to be better and achieve my goals.
Through my high school and club journey, I have learned that I crave competitive environments, even ones where I am not the most gifted or talented. My volleyball experience has also taught me to enjoy intense preparation and working with a team toward a common goal, even when there is little personal reward or recognition to be found. I have also learned to remain persistent amid disappointments. I hope to apply these lessons in a career in Psychology. The intense preparation required, the need to work as a team toward a common goal, and the ability to perform all of these tasks without seeking personal glory are all lessons that I have learned on the volleyball court over the past four club seasons. These are lessons that I want to apply to my life and to my eventual career in Psychology.
