Guinevere "Gwen" Kalinowski '20 Recruiting Profile

When I was first figuring out the kind of person I am, I wanted something I loved to call “my thing”.  Something that I could dedicate myself to fully, and be willing to sacrifice other things I loved for it. Volleyball quickly became the main interest in my life, and my main passion. I was little, so it stuck as something that I simply loved and enjoyed. As I grew older, I eventually wanted to play competitively, rather than playing as a pastime. It’s amazing how volleyball continues to play a huge role everyday in my life. Off the court, I’m no longer afraid to communicate with others and keep an open mind while doing so as well as learn to trust and respect their decisions. If it’s required to work with a team, shouldn’t it be required in everyday life? There are plenty of things that include teamwork and trust, but volleyball has a special factor. It’s quick, the trust is immediate, reliance on another can change the course of action within a second. That bond with a team is sister-like. Add to that the fact that we all have the same opinion of this game we love, and it fires an excitement in me whenever I’m on a court. It’s impossible not to love it. For a team to work the way it should requires dedication, love, trust, forgiveness, and an open mind. After all these years of playing first in YMCA then club then school, I’m happy to say I possess all of these traits and abilities. Playing is never tiring, playing with people I trust makes it even more enjoyable. Playing with an open mind and forgiveness means knowing teammates and yourself are going to make mistakes and knowing that's ok. It’s inevitable, but recovering and not holding a grudge creates room to continue through a game, practice with full energy, and grow as a player and leader being fully ready to fix the mistakes and get the next point. I have had the fortunate ability to be able to both set and hit. Setting is one of the more complex positions in the game, and it’s what I’ve always loved.  When I first set a ball, I quickly connected to it. I love analyzing and making a decision in less than a second, while needing the physical skill to make it happen. It’s helped me improve on leading a team and connecting with them in a positive way. As a setter, my role is to keep the energy going throughout the game and never give up on my team. I have a leadership quality to bring up the team in a way that isn’t bossy or demanding, but encouraging and positive. I’ve experienced that if I begin losing hope, that kind of attitude spreads. As fun as high school playing is, I feel that in college it’s the same, but double everything. Double the work ethic, the team connection, the dedication. It’s something I’d love to experience and carry on throughout my college life. Besides all the seriousness, playing is ridiculously fun. I probably shouldn’t look forward to diving and flying to save a ball since it means something went wrong somewhere, but I always hope the chance will pop up. And, I always envision myself getting to that ball in time. Every second something unexpected can happen, and you’re always on your toes. Every single moment is exciting, especially every moment I’m able to make hours of practice a reality during a competitive game. My love for this sport is infinite, and I’m so excited to work with whoever is willing to give me a chance to keep playing the game I love!