I became interested in volleyball when I was 11 and it has grown to be my passion. I have learned that you can always dig down and find that little extra something that can help your team beat your opponent, whether you are on the court or on the bench. Athletics has also taught me how to handle failure and success. Failure hurts most after working so hard and so long to reach a goal, but you come up just short of that goal. But success is most gratifying after you have learned from your failure, gotten back up, dusted off and reached your goal. It is the greatest feeling for me and my teammates to work hard and succeed.
Being a part of several different athletic teams over the years has taught me the value of personal commitment, dedication for team success, and being a leader by setting the example for others with intricate details, such as being early, staying late, getting extra reps, working hard in class and being a positive influence for teammates. Everyone practices; those who pay attention to details are the ones that stand out. I don’t want to be average.
I would love to play for a program that will not only be a good fit athletically, but also give me the necessary tools to reach my academic goals. It is also very important for me to be in a school that makes a positive difference by serving others within the community. Not all people are as fortunate as I have been to have physical gifts that I have, so I feel fortunate to be able to serve people that need help. College athletes should be a big part of that in the communities they represent.
I hope to talk to you in the future!
-Zoe Hall (2022)