Varsity Freshmen and Their Role Models
By: Jaclyn Medel
When you hear the name YWLA, the first thing that may come to your mind is education and students in an intellectual environment. While these thoughts are true, there is more to YWLA than what others outside our school know. While on campus there is an environment that fosters leadership and support, it is not just as a student, but as an athlete as well. For example, YWLA varsity freshmen, Raquel Morales, relays how her upperclassmen teammates have contributed to her growing volleyball career. When asked about how playing varsity volleyball with upperclassmen has impacted her as a player, Morales responded, “I think it showed me that I need to push myself a lot more. I need to be better for them, especially since I am the setter.”
Furthering my interview with Raquel Morales:
Medel: How have the upperclassmen impacted your confidence as a player?
Morales: I think I feel extremely more confident in ways where I didn’t think I was able to do certain things, such as being a leader as a freshman. They (upperclassmen) are just very supportive of me and even the other 2 freshmen and they even help with school. It’s a family.
Medel: How has playing varsity volleyball with upperclassmen helped you build a new mindset to overcome new challenges?
Morales: I think it would be playing with those new players. You have to make new relationships to build those bonds to play better. At games it’s communication with each other.
The varsity volleyball freshmen have revealed that their upperclassmen teammates are very supportive role models. The upperclassmen are cultivating an environment for growth and positive development as well as paving an encouraging path for the new generation of volleyball athletes at YWLA.