Personal Statement
Volleyball became a big part of my life in sixth grade, when the varsity coach at at the time asked me to serve as the manager for the varsity volleyball team. It didn’t take me long to realize that volleyball was the sport that I was most passionate about playing. I joined a club volleyball team that year, playing on a 14u team. Each year after that, I “played up” an age group (or two). Playing with the older girls was scary at first, but I learned so much from them and it improved my skills so much. I have gained a lot of confidence from this, and I feel that it also help me to understand the importance of being a supportive teammate.
The summer before freshman year I went to IREVA High Performance Camp, and learned so much! I was inspired to work harder to improve my game. The summer before Sophomore year, I went back to High Performance Camp and ended up getting the most amazing opportunity I’ve been offered, to travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida with the IREVA Youth International team. I went as an outside hitter as my main position but played a lot of back row while I was there. I feel that through all the experiences that I’ve had, I have gained a lot of leadership qualities. I feel that my confidence and leadership skills have been helpful in all the sports that I play. I have played varsity basketball since my freshman year, and have played singles on the co-ed Varsity Tennis team since freshman year as well.
I hope to be able to find a college where I can continue to play volleyball while working on my degree. I feel that playing three varsity sports while playing club volleyball has helped me to learn to manage my time well, and I am excited to explore my college choices.
Please check out my Youtube channel “Maren Lutz Volleyball Player, Class of 2022” to see additional highlight videos from high school, club, and beach volleyball.
