“All good things must come to an end” is the quote that stuck to me when beginning to write this post. I had to pause and collect myself for a minute.
Looking back at my past four years of Fayette Volleyball, I get emotional and cheerful. It’s bittersweet. If you’re an athlete, I think this video below will make you feel some type of way.
My senior teammates and I were heartbroken when making this video on the bus ride home after our final game of the season and final game ever after we lost to Penn State Mont Alto in the first round of conference playoffs. Especially because this was the first time Fayette Volleyball has been on the losing side of the spectrum in my four years as a player.
When I look back on my four years as a member of this team, there are numerous achievements and moments I could talk about, and I’ll get to that. But first, I wanted to talk about the biggest lesson I’ve learned from volleyball this year (and last year because of covid) and that was to never take anything for granted. Although my senior season didn’t go as we had hoped for, I still believe there are lessons learned in every situation and outcome. Of course I was devastated, heartbroken, and emotional for days and weeks after our loss, but my outlook changed after I heard the tragic news of a player from Penn State York’s volleyball team passing away on her way to practice during the time of playoffs.
I thought to myself, yeah we lost a very important game that ended our season, but this team lost an actual life. Our loss couldn’t even compare to their loss. I couldn’t begin to imagine losing one of my teammates, let alone having to continue to compete in games in the next few days after this. That situation changed my entire outlook on us losing. Even though we lost the game, we didn’t lose a player, and we got to come home with our full team.
Ok, enough with the sad stuff. I want to reflect on the accomplishments and memories Fayette Volleyball and myself has made. This season, we had a very young team and had a select few players that have had court time in the previous years. We were a talented and special group of girls, but just couldn’t seem to find our groove against certain teams. One accomplishment we made as a team this year was being the only team in our conference to beat the number one seed which was Penn State Mont Alto.
This year was very different because we didn’t travel as much, and that meant we didn’t have as many overnight trips as usual which is where the bonding and unforgettable memories are made. I was fortunate enough to experience this in years past with the team. Missing out on an entire season last year due to covid affected me personally and the team.
Personally, I watched myself grow and develop as a player and leader on and off the court over the years. This year I was named captain alongside two amazing players, Pasepa Buwawa and Kristina Aeschbacher. I was also given the libero jersey which meant a lot to me as I always looked up to players like Chanel Porter and Machaela Hall who wore the libero jersey in prior seasons. At the end of the season, I was awarded the John Fritz Sportsmanship Award by the PSUAC Volleyball Conference.
During my time at Fayette, I’ve also been a member of the Women’s Basketball and Softball teams, but nothing has been the same as Fayette Volleyball. We are all truly sisters and family here. There wasn’t one day that I dreaded going to practice. I was actually always extremely excited about practice as this was my escape and outlet to all of the outside things going on in my life. Plus, the sport of volleyball is pure enjoyment for me. It’s super thrilling to get that perfect pass, set, and then kill as a team. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. And I think all of my teammates can say the same.
I want to talk about a few things that we have done as a team that make Fayette Volleyball so special and memorable. Our coaches Samantha Swetz and Janelle Cooper introduced us to something called “big and little sisters” where an upperclassman is paired with and underclassman and serves kind of as a mentor to them. I loved this idea, and I still keep in close contact with my “big sister” from freshman year, Morgan Pytlak. She became one of my closest friends and still is. My “little sister” this year, Kamden Miller has become one of my best friends as well. I truly consider the whole team to be my sisters.
We also did something called “Secret Sisters,” which is exactly what it sounds like. At the beginning of each season, we would write our names on a piece of paper with a list of a few different things we like consisting of things like candy, snacks, drinks, etc. Then, we put them into a bucket and each pulled a name out to be our secret sister for the season. Before every home game, you would buy your secret sister a small gift or leave a word of encouragement in their locker. Then, at the end of the season, we would reveal our secret sisters. This was something we all looked forward to doing each year.
Here is a video from my sophomore year of my secret sister revealing who they were to me.
On top of that, we also had something called the “Let Go Bucket.” This was an opportunity for players to write down something that has been bothering them or something they are struggling with that they need to let go of as soon as they walk into the doors of the gym before practice. This was so they can have a solid practice and not have their minds elsewhere. We would crumble the pieces of paper up, and they were never read by anyone. At the end of the season, they were disposed of.
I know this post is lengthy, but I haven’t even gotten to the fun stuff yet.
Keep reading to hear about and see pictures from Fayette Volleyball’s biggest victories and memories.
Rewinding to my freshman and sophomore years, Fayette Volleyball made numerous achievements. My freshman year of 2018, our team’s overall record was 23-9. We were named PSUAC Conference Champions which were held at State College and made a huge run in the National Tournament held at Virginia Beach. Penn State University Women’s Volleyball Coach, Russ Rose even handed our medals to us individually. We ended up placing third at Nationals which was huge for us as the previous season’s team consisted of only nine players. This was an extremely successful building year for Fayette Volleyball.
My sophomore year, our overall record was 30-3, and we were named PSUAC Conference Champions again, but this time we were also named USCAA National Champions! I can’t even begin to explain those moments and feelings, so I’m just going to share them in images below.
We also had the honor to be recognized at one of Penn State University Volleyball’s home games. This was such an amazing feeling as we walked onto the court and heard the crowd proudly cheer for us.
I’ll forever cherish the memories I have made with my teammates and best friends on and off the court. Volleyball awarded me the opportunity to experience things that most college students don’t get to. From the sweat and blood on the court, to the long bus rides, tears, team dinners, overnight trips, holiday gift exchanges, banquets, and the list could go on, there isn’t any other way I would’ve wanted to spend my last four years at Penn State Fayette. Even though this chapter of my life has closed, I know that I will hold the memories and friendships in my heart forever.