MY STORY

My entire life has revolved around sports like planets around the sun - always there and always moving. The three things that I can always depend on in life are gravity, my parents, and the fact that I have practice in the morning. 

Childhood

I grew up in a small town in northern California. It's a small heaven for people who live their lives adventurously and outdoors. With this, I was brought up mainly as a ski racer at Squaw Valley. I followed my older brother's footsteps and grew up on that mountain. I skied for as long as I could without feeling like there was something else that called me more. That thing was volleyball. 

​

Volleyball 

I found the sport sitting next to the courts on the beach at Donner Lake waiting for someone - anyone - to let me in their game. Those summers introduced what would be the greatest gift I could have ever received, a love for volleyball and the opportunity to play. I started playing indoor in 5th grade for a small local club called Pinnacle Truckee which later grew to have a few different names. I loved it but always felt there was more. I found out there was when I was invited by a friend to drive to Rocklin, CA for a clinic at a bigger club called NCVC. I found life here. Girls jumped higher, hit harder, played smarter, and strove for more - I needed to be a part of it and begged my parents to drive me twice a week for practices. Thankfully they agreed and through their sacrifice and support my dreams grew. Nothing about it was perfect though. Year to year I had issues. In my 14's year I broke my leg in a skiing accident and couldn't play. (My parents still took me to every tournament and practice.) Because I didn't play the previous year, I only made the 15-2's team and was crushed. Although by the end of the season I was brought up to the 15-1's and was invited to Junior Nationals with them. My 16's year was the year I almost left the club because the coach of the team also coached at Sacramento State and he legally couldn't coach me, thanks to the NCAA. In lieu of leaving, I decided to stay at NCVC when I was offered a spot playing a year up on the 17-1's team. The next few years at NCVC were great and I eventually committed to play D1 for the very same coach that couldn't coach me when I was 16, but now he was at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Fate has a funny way of working. 

​

Cal Poly

I was offered a full-ride scholarship to play volleyball on the central coast of California and committed instantly. I loved the area, the coaches, and most importantly, the opportunity to play the highest level of volleyball I could grasp. I spent the first two years behind a 6'4" transfer from UCLA, and while I hated watching from the bench, this girl taught me more about resilience, grit, and the game in general than I could have ever hoped. I was an apprentice to an extremely talented player and was given the opportunity to fill her shoes when she was finished. In my first full season as a starter and junior in college, I fell deeper and deeper in love with the game. The speed, competition, expectations were another level and I loved it. I was eventually named 1st team Big West, 3rd team All American and was invited to play on the US Collegiate National Team. Covid took away the last one and what I am about to talk about next has taken me out of the gym for most of the recent history. 

​

Injury

I have dealt with small bouts of injury through my career but nothing like this that I am dealing with now. On April 24th I completely tore my ACL and PCL, and partially tore my LCL, MCL, and patella tendon. Hearing the words out of any doctor that you have hurt even one of those is devastating. To hear all five to the breath out of my lungs. I was terrified, horrified, and grieving over my career but gathered myself enough to find hope that I will get through this and return to the court. My dad came and wrapped me in a big hug in the hospital and told me this wasn't the end. The next day he drove me home and the next stage of my life began. I spent four weeks in physical therapy trying to get my knee ready for surgery and when it was finally time, my parents drove me to Stanford for the procedure. As I am writing this, I am almost 6 weeks post-op. PT and the daily work are anything less than easy. It's painful, frustrating, and often discouraging, but there are also great days. There are days where I really get to see progress and my work paying off. The next year of my life will be filled with both of these types of days and I can't wait to share them with you! You will see me on the court again because I have way too much unfinished business. 

​

xoxo 

- M #15

​