Elisse Martin '21 Recruiting Profile

Hello, I'm Elisse Martin. I am 5'10”, weigh about 145 lbs, reach 7'7", and jump 9'6". I play for Lions Juniors 16 White, a top club in Illinois, and am part of the Windy City Power League. I am also the starting middle for both my high school and club team because I am a strong blocker and have a smart swing. 

I've been playing and watching volleyball since I was 7. Ever since I saw some of the older girls at my school playing, I knew I had to be a part of the game. In the offseason, and when we have breaks, I do not forget to work hard. I have gone to many, many private training sessions and camps to get better, which include summer camps with Lions Jrs, private sessions with the highly respected Benet Academy coaches, and private sessions & camps with NCAA champion and Penn State setter Bonnie Bremner-Pettigrew. This season, my sophomore high school team went 21-11, including tournaments! A huge improvement from freshman year, which shows how much my team and I worked over the off-season. Two things that are very important to me wherever I go are working hard and practice. Those two traits have carried me to where I am today. My strengths include blocking, hitting, making a smart play, and correcting my mistakes immediately. Once I know I hit it into a bad spot or messed up my approach, I change that aspect of my game right away. If I am not playing middle hitter, I am able to adjust my game to that position as well. I perform my best when playing as a middle blocker or right side, but I think it is important to be fluent in all places on the court and be able to adjust to any situation. 

As well as being a strong player, it is very significant that I go to a school that complements my academics, too. I have a 4.13 cumulative GPA after the first semester of sophomore year in high school and have 6 honors classes under my belt. I plan to major in Biomedicine or Biochemistry in college, however, I will also be willing to enter Chemistry or Biology. Some extracurriculars that I participate in are French Club, in which I am an officer, and Operation Snowball, a student-leadership and positive mental health retreat. I am a part of Erica's Lighthouse, which is a club that promotes positive mental health and works against the stigma of mental illnesses. I also do a lot of volunteer work through my church and my PE Leader class. I have helped out at my high school's volleyball camps for younger children during the summer and at my church as well. Finding a school that matches both my athletic ability and my grades is ideal. I feel that my goals to pursue an athletic career in college are realistic, and I hope that my scholastic needs are accommodated for. My love for volleyball is clear when I'm looking for a university. 

Also, I have a youtube channel with all my videos. If you would rather watch them there than on NCSA, my channel is in this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSl4m5jycEN2A0Z8UMrSFw