Volleyball

Okay so I figured since my blog name and profile picture is focused around volleyball I should at some point write about the sport... So here we go! I started playing volleyball in fourth grade and I'm going to be honest, I was not very good. Before volleyball my main sports were cheerleading, dance and gymnastics. I loved cheerleading and gymnastics, it was so much fun getting ready, performing for huge crowds and meeting new people everywhere I went. Dance was my passion when I was younger, it was a great way to just clear my head and set my self free. I still love dancing but the only dancing I do now is at dances and in my house and car. As I got older juggling dance, cheerleading, gymnastics, volleyball and softball got to difficult; I had to pick my favorite two and I chose volleyball and softball. I was never truly serious about volleyball until I started travel ball in 8th grade, I believe. All the time and money my parents and I were spending was starting to pay off and just in time for tryouts as a freshmen at St.Mark's High school, one of the best schools in Delaware for volleyball. I knew one person going into tryouts and that was the one and only Abbie Mirabella. Abbie and I have been playing volleyball together since fourth grade and she one of the best volleyball players I have ever met and it was an honor playing with her all these years. Anyways, going into tryouts I had the right state of mind, freshmen team sounds awesome. I was going into expecting the worse hoping for the best and lucky for me I got the best. My freshmen year I was lucky enough to make the JV  team at St. Mark's and played for an amazing coach, Coach Strocko, or as I call her Strocko Taco. The team consisted of a great group of girls and it was so much fun. I gained a lot of friends through it and some are still my best friends. The season was coming to an end and but my volleyball career as a freshmen was not. After our last JV game the head coach Nancy and Strocko pulled me and my great friend Tayler aside and gave us the greatest news of all time. They told us we had been pulled up to the varsity team for the state tournament (greatest day ever). I will never forget this day, considering it was amazing and I happened to be eating a cupcake at the time the news was shared and I was so shocked my jaw dropped and the cupcake preceded to fall out. Besides the embarrassing moment, Tayler and I were the first to be pulled up and we were completely honored and grateful. That year, the team went on to win the state championship against Ursuline; the longest game ever considering it went to five games and was neck and neck the entire time. I met some great players that season, Steph Zampini (player of the year), Sam Hall (funniest person ever), Kathleen Wilmonth (prettiest ginger), those were just the seniors but it was an honor playing with all of them. For the next three years I would continue my reign on varsity and would soon become a three year started. My junior year we won the state championship against Archmere, we swept them in three. It was a crazy victory and we were now two time state champs, hoping to make it three next year. Sadly the next two years we would not go on to win the state championship but we still ended up with third both years. As a senior I have never lost at the bob and I thank all the amazing players and coaches for those accomplishments. I met great people along the way who I now consider my family. Lauren Talley, an outstanding volleyball player and my big sister, Kylie Truitt, the best princess volleyball player out there and the greatest big mama, Carly Crajewski, the prettiest and smartest alien and Julia Saccucci, so beautiful and fun. There are so many more people I could name but they haven't graduated yet. St.Mark's Volleyball was the greatest four years of my entire life. I played for some of the greatest coaches around, the prettiest and most talented group of girls, the most amazing fans and of course the most loving family and friends. As a senior I was lucky to be named captain along with two other great volleyball players, Abbie Mirabella and Claudia Seemans. By the end of all four seasons I ended with two state championships, two third place finishes, never losing at the bob, first team all catholic and second team all state. I could not have done it without all the people listed above, my family, fans, friends and so many more. St.Marks volleyball taught me more than I will ever know and it is still hard to think it is over, but the memories will never be forgotten. I am undoubtedly lucky to continue my career as a volleyball player next year at Chest Nut Hill college, playing for a a great coach and the best group of girls. I have never been more excited or nervous for something but I have a feeling I'll be okay. Volleyball at high school and travel has taught me so much, not only about the sport but about life itself. I could play all day and never get tired of it. It is so much fun, so exciting and a great way to escape unnecessary drama. I love volleyball and everything it has put in front of me.