Makayla Barnes '22 Recruiting Profile

As I’ve gotten older, and graduation has gotten nearer and nearer, it feels like everything I do is crucial to my success in the future. I’ve always worked hard to keep my grades up, and I’ve always worked hard at volleyball practice ever since I started playing when I was 10. But this past year, I’ve really kicked it up a notch. I drove a 3 hour round trip almost every day after school to practice with a travel club whose intense training has produced numerous college athletes. As the driving and the practice took up essentially all my time, I really started to realize just how much I loved the sport and how much I was willing to work to get to the next level. This summer I have spent all my time at travel volleyball practice, school volleyball practice, and in the weight room. I was able to go to a defensive and passing camp at the University of Kentucky, which was a great learning experience. I plan to go to more volleyball camps, and hopefully a showcase, before the summer is over. I am super excited for what I’m hoping will be a normal high school season. My teammates and I have all worked super hard this summer; we all want to do well during season especially since we are moving up into a new conference. I plan on continuing to improve my skills on the court, keep my grades the best they can be, and always be the best teammate possible. Playing volleyball has been one of the greatest parts of my life, from forming close bonds with teammates to the determination and exhilaration of game point. I truly love this sport with my whole heart, and I wish to continue playing it for as long as possible. It’s become a part of me, and I am going to work as hard as I can to not let that part go quite yet. I am going to continue to do my best in both academics and athletics in hopes of someday playing at the collegiate level.