Lyons Township
* Sports plans: Volleyball at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio); NCAA Division III
* College major: “Mechanical engineering.”
* Reasons I chose Case Western: “Its excellent engineering school and ability to help me find co-ops, along with the amazing clubs and social environment it offers. For volleyball, the care that (head coach Karen) Farrell has for the team and the opportunity to play an amazing sport with teammates that also put an importance on academics was a large driving factor for me. When I first started talking to Coach Farrell, I wasn’t planning on playing in college and had been visiting the school while they were hosting a AAU tournament. I loved watching the team and decided to pursue it a few weeks later, and I’m so happy I did.”
* On playing college sports: “I decided to play in college because of the love I have for the sport and the amazing opportunity to travel to play in other amazing cities.”
* What I learned from high school sports: “Something that I learned from playing in high school (for my school and for my club) is that just showing up to practice is not enough. It’s showing up to the weight room, and for your teammates, and for the team-bonding activities. I grew most when I was getting to know my peers and when I didn’t have as much stress on my shoulders during a match and was able to have fun.”
Compiled by Bill Stone