Elise Matheson '19 Recruiting Profile

    Throughout my three years of high school volleyball, my team and program have been competitive in the sport, but I value other things about the team as much, if not more, than the play on the court. My coach is very admirable and one of her many sayings is that “you’re a person much longer than you’re a volleyball player” and the program is meant to improve that person. Each summer the returning varsity players take a leadership training course with my coach. At the end of each summer, as we prepare for the upcoming season, we establish core leadership covenants as our program’s focus. We sign contracts, reflect on them at practice, and wear words of commitment on our practice shirts. Beyond those tangible displays, we also honor our covenants and the commitments we make every day to our team to improve as a player and a person. I am most proud of my relationships with my teammates and that both 2016 and 2017 varsity teams have achieved the highest accumulative GPA in Washington state.

    I love volleyball and the competition it brings to my life, but there is also much more.  I have other hobbies such as hanging out with my teammates, spending time with my family, traveling, mountain-biking, and hiking. So far high school has been a great experience for me socially and educationally. I have formed many relationships at school and have learned copious new and challenging things about the world we live in. In 2007 my family lived in Washington DC for a year.  We have traveled there since and across the western United States as well. These experiences have shown me that I enjoy new places and experiences. I have begun to see the immense opportunity for new adventures, career paths, and room for personal growth in my future.