Zion Vick '24 Recruiting Profile

2023-24

I am entering my senior year, and I am excited about what this final year will bring. I chose to do early admissions at my local community college, so I will only be on my high school campus for senior events and volleyball. This path will allow me to get experience with college level courses and graduate with an associate's degree and my high school diploma at the same time. 

This year I will continue playing volleyball at the varsity and club level. I will be playing with Team Kiwi U18s - making this my fourth year with the club and fifth year in competitive volleyball. The college recruitment process has been rewarding. NCSA opened up a number of possibilities for me. Prior to 2023, I was determined to go into nursing, but now I am open to more possibilities in the medical field. 

Academics are very important to me, so I am looking for a college or university known for high academic rigor. I would like to stay on the east coast, preferably in the northeast. Through the recruiting process, I learned that college can be expensive. I will focus a lot of my attention on writing and competing for outside scholarship opportunities to help make reaching my goals more affordable. 

Athletically, I want to be part of a competitive team that has strong team chemistry. It is important to me to enjoy being around my teammates and coaches. I know that practices and preparation for games will require a lot of work and focus. I feel like I am prepared for the challenge.

2022-23

This is my fourth year of competitive volleyball. Every year I push myself to improve my skills. I have a strong work ethic.  I also respond well to feedback from my coaches. A lot of this comes from my eight years in competitive dance. People may have a hard time relating dance to volleyball, but I think the worth ethic, appreciation for repetition, team work, coordination, and attention to detail that I learned through dance translate directly into volleyball.

I have an endless drive to get better and compete.  My height and blocking ability made me a natural fit for middle blocker when I started playing club volleyball three years ago.  Being a lefty, I decided to improve my approach, arm speed and swing for a transition to right side hitter. I’m comfortable at either position. I played up at the club level for two seasons, but for 2022, I decided to play with my U16 age group. Playing up allowed me to compete against older and sometimes stronger athletes. My playing time varied, but in the end, the experience earned me a starting spot on our club's top U16 competitive team. Our goal for this year is to compete at the highest level and earn a National's bid. 

I am more than an athlete. I also excel in academics. By the time I finish high school, I will have earned an Associates Degree through dual enrollment and early admissions. I have taken several AP courses - earning 4s and 5s on final exams, participated in clubs and activities, and also volunteered. I want the opportunity to play college volleyball while pursuing a degree in nursing. Though I have a busy schedule, I feel like I am preparing myself for the rigor of college life.