My First College Visit

            On Friday I visited the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. The coaches had seen me play recently at a club tryout in Waterloo, Iowa. They took me aside after the tryout and told me how excited they were about me and wanted me to come visit some time. Nothing is more reassuring than having someone believe in your dreams, and they did and I wanted to see what their volleyball program was all about. I scheduled a visit and before I knew it the day had come for my first visit.

            It is a 5 hour drive from Cedar Rapids to the Sioux Falls campus, so it’s not that bad but still a pretty long drive. When I got there with my parents we met with admissions and then took a tour around campus with a tour guide and the assistant coach. The campus is pretty small so it didn’t take that long to see all of the buildings. I got to see the freshman dorms, upperclassman dorms, classrooms, the science department, the athletic center, the volleyball team room, and the best part was seeing the volleyball locker room. We walked into the locker room and hanging in one of the lockers was two #20 jerseys, a backpack, a volleyball bag, and all of the clothing items the players receive but with my number on them. When I saw that, it suddenly hit me that my dream of playing college volleyball could actually come true.

            After that we went out to eat with the coaches to a restaurant called Grille 26, and then to the women’s and men’s basketball games at Sioux Falls. I hung out with the team there and got to know them and what they like or don’t like about Sioux Falls. I know one of the player’s pretty well because we went to the same high school when I was a freshman and she was a senior. So after the game I spent the night in her dorm room with her and her roommates that also play volleyball. It was fun, they really made me realize that I could be a part of that soon. In the morning the coaches picked me up and we met my parents at a pancake place for breakfast. We talked and ate probably some of the best pancakes I’ve had in a long time. After that they took my parents and I to see the athletic complex where the team lifts weights and conditions. The football stadium, soccer field, and track are just behind the complex. It is really nice and they were talking about the future plans of having three volleyball courts put in so that they could practice there instead of where they play.

            The whole experience was awesome and I could really see myself playing and going to school there. It just scares me because college is coming so soon and it seems unreal. Best of luck on your college visits!

Word Count: 500