The transition from high school to college is nothing short of overwhelming. As an 18-year-old freshman two years ago, finding my way here at Shenandoah University could have been a lot worse. It's hard to find friendship when you're thrown into a whole new environment with people you've never met. Every year there's "Welcome week" which includes an array of special events specifically designed for the freshman to interact and get to know one another. I missed out on all of them, unfortunately. Between unpacking, setting up my new home away from home and 3-a-days volleyball practice, it's safe to say I didn't meet any of my peers (aside from my teammates) that week.
If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have done things any different. The bond that my teammates and I share now started that first day of "Welcome week" and will indefinitely last for years to come.
Being the small, division III liberal arts college that Shenandoah is, the opportunity to be a part of a "sisterhood" is hard to come by, and for that, I'm grateful to have been given the chance to be a part of something so special. Being a student athlete is so much more than practicing and performing when the time comes, and that's what playing volleyball here has taught me. My freshman year, under head coach Sarah Pelster, we struggled tremendously in conference play, ending up last in the division. However, a majority of our losses were a result of inexperience on the court.
In the 2010 season, my second year playing here, our coach was promoted to a new level in the athletics department, leaving our team to find a new head coach. To almost all athletes, losing a head coach, especially one that recruited you as a freshman, is a big deal. The hunt was on and Dr. Wayne Edwards made sure that the coach he hired was going to be a good fit for our youthful yet promising returners and recruits. After several interviews with prospective coaches, the final decision to bring Jaime Terezeni from the New England region was made. Her track record as a volleyball coach was impressive and we were more than excited to see what the 2010 season had in store.
Coach Terezeni's style was something that many of my teammates weren't used to, but the addition of her into our family was nothing short of perfect. Her desire to improve brought a new twist of hope to our program. Being a young mother also added to the equation because she made her family a part of ours, bringing Rynne, her daughter, and her two sons William and Nolan to a bunch of our home games and almost all of our away trips. The fresh start was exactly what we needed.
A daily reminder of struggle, what motivates me?
This.
This.
Over the course of these 3 seasons, our chemistry has become more than just a "teammate" thing. While we're in season we spend a majority of our days together, on and off the court, from practice to lunch and dinner, to games and traveling. We've grown together as women, learning how to accept each other’s flaws and weaknesses, and turn all of our ups and downs into learning experiences. I know that no matter what’s going on in my life at any given time, my teammates will be there for me at the end of the day. Having a support system that strong is a rarity. We laugh, cry, win, try, fail, and succeed together, and that is something I’ll look back on one day and truly cherish.
Very well written and i can relate... Playing sports in college is more than just being teammates but building relationships and developing a bond that can help you outside of college when you're a little bit older.
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