Margaret "Reese" Mann '20 Recruiting Profile

I started playing volleyball when I was 10 years old on a local YMCA team. I fell in love with the game as soon as I started playing it. Since then, I knew that this sport was something I wanted to do for as long as I could. Wanting to strengthen my game, I tried out for El Paso Wildfire at the age of 10 for their 12’s team. I made the team and we had a very successful first season. We qualified for nationals in the National division and while we didn’t finish where we wanted at nationals, it opened our eyes to the idea that there is always room for improvement. Since then I have played with El Paso Wildfire every season, challenging myself to become better and better.

Sports have taught me important lessons that will continue to lead me through life successfully. Humility, responsibility, and leadership are three of these qualities that I feel have been the most influential in my life.  These qualities have shaped me into the player I am today.

My strongest skills on the court are serving, defense and being a good teammate.  This last club season I had to step up and set due to a season ending injury to our setter at the start of the season.  It was an invaluable experience that improved my overall game and leadership qualities!  I am able to read the ball and the player and anticipate what is going to happen before it does.  This early recognition helps me to get to base, read, and then make my move to the ball wherever it might be. I can serve any zone my coach calls, whether short or deep, splitting the seam or hitting the defender’s shoulder!  Serving is one of the two most important skills of volleyball that will lead teams to success and that is why I am constantly bettering my serve in practice and games.  I serve aggressively.

Leadership is a quality that is the most important to me as a player on a competitive team. If there is not someone on the team who is willing to constantly encourage you and strive to make you be the best version of yourself, then why would you even try?  I make my teammates feel very confident in their ability to compete so they are not afraid to fail. As a libero and defensive specialist, I know how to feels to have the whole world waiting on the moment when you fail, so it is important to me that my teammates know I care about them and their success.

I currently attend Coronado High School and take all advanced classes because I want to be at the top of my class. Thankfully, these hard classes are paying off as I am ranked 6^th in my class out of 742 students. I am constantly surrounded with a hard-working people and a positive working environment.  I’ve found that is key to my success in academics.

In the future, I want to go study medicine with the goal of eventually practicing neonatology. This field of study interests me because I enjoy interacting with babies and am a very caring person that would take my work seriously.  Personally, I also know families that lost infants due to unfortunate circumstances.

Some of my interests include hanging out with my friends and working out. I would not be the person I am today without my friends and family. I enjoy working out because I like leading a healthy and active lifestyle.

Volleyball is such a special sport that has been a part of my life for so long, I can’t imagine not playing it at the next level.   I know I can do it.