Personal Statement
My name is Melina Owens and I am a sophomore at Boyd High School. Until recently, college wasn't even on my radar. I would rather spend hours swiping through Tik Tok and Instagram stories than trying to think what I could really do with my life. But, all of that changed this summer when numerous volleyball coaches came up to me and told me I had some of the best hands they had ever seen as a setter.
Setting is what I do. From my seventh grade year until now, I have been a setter. And, for some reason, it has come naturally for me. Larry Bird would shoot 500 free throws every day to discipline himself and become a better player. Me, I go outside and practice setting drills for hours, with our without my family. Like Larry Bird, I want to become a better player to help lead my team. A good setter is a great leader and will communicate to the rest of their team. They will try to stay calm, relaxed and confident under pressure and are willing to take the blame for possible errors, whether or not they are to blame. That’s what a good leader does and what I strive for, each and every time I am on the court. Something volleyball has taught me is to never give up, even when you're down 14 -3 in the third set. There is always an opportunity for a come-back.
Even though I haven't completely decided what career path I want to go down, I know that I want to work with kids. Just like there is always an opportunity for a come-back in volleyball, every kid needs to know there is always that same opportunity for a come-back in life. So often, kids don't understand that there is hope for their future and use their past failures as the weight that keeps them down. I want to be the one who helps take that weight off and guide them toward a future that is just as bright as they allow it to be. So, if that means I become a teacher, coach, social worker, or run my own not-for-profit, as long as I inspire kids to never give up, I will be successful.
So often, outsiders only see volleyball as a sport. For me, volleyball has been an opportunity to see life differently. We are all part of a team and we have to work together, communicate, and experience the ups and downs... just like life.
