Athletes are like recipes.
2 cups of strength.
1 cup of agility.
1 cup of speed.
But like a good meal, a good athlete is made by more than just collecting the raw materials. Cooking temperatures, time and the tools used to make your meal are just as important.
Volleyball is no different. Athletic feats like blocks, digs and serves are impressive but the life skills developed on the court play an equal role in an athlete's success.
Perseverance and
dedication are two of those life skills at the core of what makes a volleyball player.
Kaylyn Morris spoke to us about what the sport has taught her about perseverance.
“When I was 15-years-old I struggled with anxiety while going to school and playing volleyball. Volleyball and all its aspects, has taught me to never give up. Always fight to be the best you can be personally and on the court. I have learned physical and mental strength.”
You will often here, " _______ is the ultimate team sport," include volleyball on that list. A healthy team environment can create a culture where a 15-year-old girl who is struggling with anxiety can be unshackled from that.
“I had my first anxiety attack at an away tournament, my parents weren't there at the time and my coaches were there for me more than I could ever have asked for. Without them and my teammates, that year could have had a very different outcome. I didn't often feel my anxiety while playing because that's what I loved to do, and I was doing it with the people I love.”
This environment is not created at random. Kaylyn felt comfortable enough around her volleyball family that she could work through her anxiety with them. We often credit personal mental strength or toughness as being the factor that allow us to fight anxiety. It does matter, but what about those around the individual, their support system. Without that intact dealing with anxiety in a healthy way could instead becoming debilitating.
Volleyball didn’t allow that to become a reality for Kaylyn.
This is what healthy athletic environments do for athletes. Kaylyn experienced what could have been a very negative and dark period of her life. Instead, she grew and became a leader and a better member of her team and community.
“My team is my family, even now that we are no longer a team.”
Volleyball has an innate ability to mold, and change people.
Kaylyn is now a coach for the Fall River Fury 16U Girls team. She has that same opportunity to help mold, as her coaches and teammates did for her.
It is not surprising that Kaylyn would choose to coach, this is the cyclical nature of a good sport. Life skills are tough and transferred down from mentor to student. This relationship is not always as obvious as say the Karate Kid and Mr. Miyagi. Coaches and even teammates may not realize the positive effect they have on their players and peers.
Dedication, needs an environment which allows it to foster. Kaylyn had that environment on the volleyball court.
“I have learned so many of my leadership skills from volleyball, I've made friends for life, and overcome so many obstacles. I am thankful for everything volleyball has opened my eyes to, and that I can always turn to what I've learned in my volleyball experience to life experiences.”
In some instances, players in Kaylyn’s situation may fall by the wayside because they don’t find the support they need on a team. They may decide to quit, and hang up their sneakers and pack away their knee pads.
Volleyball gave Kaylyn the ability to persevere, and in return she has given volleyball her dedication to the sport.
Thank you to Kaylyn Morris for sharing a bit of her experience in volleyball with us for our Life Skills project. If you are a coach, parent or player interested in sharing some comments about what volleyball has taught a player or coach off the court, please submit them to Tim Stephenson at vnscoordinator16@gmail.com
