Ally Sparks '21 Recruiting Profile

My family has influenced me a lot. My Parents making me understand that I should be treating people how they want to be treated and giving respect. My grandparents have influenced me by showing me to just go have fun and do it with passion. Being on a team has influenced me to become a better teammate and help other teammates when they are struggling at something. Around the age of 10 my best friend invited me to go to a open gym at the club she played at. After that night I could tell this sport fit me, I was competing in gymnastics at the time and I instantly quit gymnastic because it wasn't me or what I wanted to continue with. After that season my parents gave me the option to continue with the sport or to find something new. I gave it a quick Yes, then started to get involved with privates and to learn a lot more about volleyball. Soon school volleyball came around and I participated in every single thing they sent out in the emails. I was determined to make the 7th grade volleyball team. I soon then tried out for a american/national spot at a club and made the team, after that moment I kept pushing myself and doing everything I needed to make myself better.

I’ve learned that I am leader and enjoy helping and teaching others. One of my teammates was struggling with getting the ball all the way to the pin, the coach was working with someone and I told the girl to use more legs and not all arms.

The past couple of years that I have played I have found that I'm dedicated and more driven than I have expected. It’s made me more competitive than I thought I was. My academic goals for high school is to stick with a high gpa about a 3.5, to try my best in all my classes even when it gets tough. College I would like to major in Nursing, I really like working with people and helping people and I feel this would be a good place for me. I also am looking at is a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife,  Nurse Anesthetist, and Anesthesiologist. Some obstacles I have overcome is breaking my wrist and for being a setter it's really hard to keep practicing the skill you love when you don't have both hands to do it. After I got my cast off I instantly went back to the gym to get my skill back and to make myself better and to push myself. Even though I had a broken wrist I never gave up and keep pushing, I would practice setting with my left hand to build that strength or I would practice timing for blocking, transitioning, and even left handed tips. A unique characteristic about me is I try to see the best out of a bad outcome and not the worst. I try to put people's past behind them and look at them like they have brand new start and not judge them for how they have acted in the past.