Alisha L.

2020 Volleyball Schedule:

DUE TO COVID-19 ALL TOURNAMENTS POSTPONED 

Five words you can use to describe yourself on the court.

• Supportive

• Focused

• Assertive

• Calm

• Confident

Five words you can use to describe yourself off the court.

• Observant

• Cheerful

• Caring

• Supportive

• Fun

Describe how you work in a team with your partners.

With my team I try to encourage them the way I’d want to be encouraged. The same thing goes for being challenged. I want us to win and lose together.  Everyone plays an important part in the success of the team. I like to think my role is keeping myself and others calm. I let my teammates know they’re not alone and that we can do great things together. 

What are your interests outside of sports? Why do you like them?

Outside of volleyball, I play a lot of video games and read books. They both give me a break from reality and ease my stress. There are so many different genres that everyone can enjoy. Fantasy is my preferred genre for books and video games but I sometimes find myself exploring the self-help section at Chapters. I particularly enjoy spending time with friends and family. They’ve introduced me to so many games. Almost everyone in my family plays video games. I love playing with them. It’s our quality time.

What program would you like to attend in school?

I am interested in Computer Science and Kinesiology. Two very different programs that I think I’d excel in. Computer Science is really exciting. It works my brain out really well similar to solving puzzles. Kinesiology on the other hand, allows me to explore the science of body movement. This could also improve my athletic development.

How do you envision your school life in college/university?

I think my life at college/university will have a strong focus on education and volleyball. I see myself concentrating on academics to earn my degree. Volleyball would be just as important for my overall health and fitness. It will definitely be a huge part of my social life. I hope to be a part of a team who is extremely close, studies and spends time together outside of practice. 

From 13U I knew I’d be playing libero. The coaches I had from 12U – 14U made it a point to tell me that I’d be ‘incredible’ in this position. I didn’t even know what a libero was when they said that to me. My coaches made sure I was always focusing on improving my passing skills. They’d sort of tease me about how tall I was. I secretly thought that they may have just disregarded any big blocking positions for me later on. I was a leftside waiting to be put into the libero position.  

Fast forward to last year when I reached 15U. Height became a big smack in the face for me. I already knew how short my parents were and that I wasn’t going to be a 6’8” middle blocker. This thought didn’t sit right with me. Everyone on my team was growing or had their growth spurt but I was still sitting at 5’2, 5’3 at best, the shortest on my team. Even if I wanted to be a libero at the time I couldn’t because the OVA doesn’t allow liberos until 16U. I was stuck as a leftside who was only subbed into the back row. That year I kept thinking “If I were a little taller would it be different?” or “Could I have changed anything?” Those questions make me laugh today. I realize that I couldn’t do anything about genetics but I can only continue to improve my volleyball skills.

In February 2020 our team went to the Capitol Hill Washington tournament and I got to play libero. That tournament changed what volleyball was to me. For our first international tournament, I was extremely satisfied with how I played. I experienced the satisfaction of digging a ball that was supposed to end a rally, and how amazing it was to receive a ball from the opposing team’s best server. My team put their full trust in my defence that weekend. A couple of my teammates even told me “I feel so much better when you’re on the court.” Hearing that made me starstruck. I couldn’t believe that I made them feel that way. That sold the libero position for me. I was so proud of myself and what I accomplished. I want to continue to make my team feel they can depend on me. 

That said, I know I am not a perfect libero yet. I understand how competitive this position is and that’s exactly what motivates me to get better. I know my fundamentals are strong but can always be improved. There will always be someone who is better than me. So I have to push myself in order to reach and surpass their level. Quarantine has helped me reflect on myself and what I want. I’ve realized what I need to do to reach my goals. Pursuing a volleyball career will have its fair share of highs and lows but it’s definitely something I want to experience.