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!

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           Club Decisions

           Last club season I was faced with the difficult decision of choosing between two different clubs to play for, Rockets 16R or CIA 16-1. I had tried out for Rockets a couple weeks before I got a call from the coach saying that I had made the top 16’s team, that was probably the best feeling ever, but there were a few setbacks. He told me that I would be sharing playing time with another setter that was on the team. I knew the other setter and to be playing with her would have been a huge privilege but I knew that I needed to be playing as much as I could, in order to get recruited by colleges and fulfill my biggest dream, which is to play D1 Volleyball. I didn’t know how much playing time I would have gotten on 16R, if any at all. I was ready to work hard and earn playing time but I couldn’t have been for sure that that was going to happen especially since the other setter had played on this team last year. Still, I had made 16R and that was a huge accomplishment. I wasn’t ready to give up the idea of being on that team just yet.

            About an hour after I got the call from the 16R coach I got a call from the CIA director asking if I wanted to try out for CIA 16-1 because they needed a setter and they had watched me play before. I didn’t really know what to think but I thought I might as well go to try out and meet the coaches. At first, I was kind of nervous because I didn’t know anyone but after a while I was having fun and I didn’t want to leave. Everyone at CIA was so kind and encouraging, I loved the atmosphere they created in the gym. After the tryout they offered me a spot on the top 16’s team, and told me I had a lot of potential and that they wanted to continue to work with me to help me reach my dream. Even though I had my mind set on playing for 16R and it was hard to turn that offer down, I knew CIA was the best option for me. I was going to get to play the whole time and be the captain of my team. I was also going to be coached by people who believe in me and there is really no better feeling than that.

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2^nd Round Regional Match Part 2

          Going in to the 3^rd set we knew we had to play at the top of our game, because this was do or die. We struggled some in the beginning but kept with them until the end, when the score was 22-18 and Linn-Mar was ahead. My coach took a time out and asked who thought we were going to win these next 4 points, and I said “I do”. After that we took the court and won the next four points along with that set. The final score of the 3^rd set was 25-23 Kennedy. In the 4^th set,  not much was different. The score was back and forth the whole time, they would get a side out then we would and it went on like that, until we came out on top with an ending score of 25-23. At that point we definitely had the momentum going into the 5^th set because we had just won 2 sets in a row.

          I went up for the captains deciding set flip, I chose the side we had just won on, and Linn-Mar picked receive. We went in to that set really confident because after coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the match I knew anything was possible. I don’t really remember much from the 5^th set but I remember the score being 13-11 and Linn-Mar calling a timeout. During that timeout I told my team that the next point is huge, because that would make us 1 point away from winning. We got the next point, but Linn-Mar was right back in it with a kill to make it 14-12. Now the next point I remember very clearly. They served the ball, I set right side, Linn-Mar dug it up and attacked it back over flying at our libero’s face, she used both hands to try to get it up and it went flying in my direction. I dove for it with one hand and saved it from hitting the floor. We got it back over and then they hit the ball out of bounds making the score 15-12, which meant we just won that set and the match. It was at that moment that I remembered why I play volleyball and why I love it so much. We came together as a team and we made the biggest come back of all season. When we won, I was so happy I started crying and hugged everyone on my team. After shaking hands with Linn-Mar, we got tackled by our student section and my best friend and sisters came running to hug me. That was probably one of the best moments I have ever had in my volleyball career. I am so incredibly proud of my team. I cant describe the feeling of winning that match.

         

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2^nd Round Regional Match Part 1

            On Thursday of last week we faced Linn-Mar in our 2^nd round of regionals. We had the same record (27-11) as them and were tied, 1-1 in overall matches this season. They beat us in our first conference match, in 5 sets so we were really seeking revenge from that particular game. We prepared all week by watching film, reviewing their rotations and lineups, and improving our skills. We knew it was going to be a tough battle and we were going to have to stay strong as a team to get that win. We went into that game feeling confident because we had each other’s backs and knew we could do it.

            6 p.m. Thursday night we walked in the Linn-Mar gym and mentally and physically prepared ourselves for the match ahead. We did our usual locker room warm up and jammed out to music to get pumped up. We warmed up and before we knew it it was 6:45 and time for the national anthem and starting lineups to be announced. When the national anthem was playing and I was surrounded by my teammates and I looked up and said in my head please let us win this game, my teammates deserve this win. From that point on I knew I had to play for my team and leave everything on the court.

          When 7 o’clock came it was time for first serve. We started off strong with a 3-0 start but Linn-Mar came right back to tie it at 3-3. The score was really close throughout the first set but we let them get a few runs in the middle, and could never close that gap until the last few points. We ended up losing by 2, with the score being 25-23. The second match was very similar to the first. We had to work for every point, and every point mattered. The score was 27-26 Linn-Mar and what was clearly a carry on their side, counted as a point for them and they then lead the match 2-0. What happened next? Read my next blog to find out if Kennedy had the capability to come back and win.

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Our Road to State

          STATE… Probably every athlete on a high school athletics team has a goal to make it to state. It is a huge accomplishment and something to be proud of if you make it. I have never played in the State Volleyball tournament in Iowa but that is definitely one of my dreams. I can’t imagine the feeling of holding the state qualifying banner in your hands, surrounded by your teammates, and everyone is just enjoying the moment. I hope to someday have that feeling.

          This season our first regional matchup is against Washington tomorrow night at Kennedy. We played Wash last Tuesday and we dominated and won in 3 straight sets so we should beat them pretty easily. Our second matchup is against Linn-Mar on Thursday at Linn-Mar. We lost to them in regular season in 5 games, but we beat them in 2 straight sets to advance to the championship game in the Mississippi Valley Conference Tournament. I think we can definitely beat them if we are playing at the top of our game. If we beat Linn-Mar we will advance to play Dowling Catholic in the third and final round of regionals. We played Dowling once in a tournament and lost in 2 sets but the scores were close, and we had already had a long day, defeating undefeated West Delaware in pool play. I think we can beat Dowling if everyone is playing at the top of their game and everyone fights for every point.

          I know we can do it we just have to believe in ourselves and our teammates. I am confident we can make it to state and I am so excited for the journey ahead. 

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Example of a Recruiting Profile to send to College Coaches

After you have sent an introduction letter to a college coach they might want to know a little bit more about you, and learn what experiences you have had with volleyball in your past and any cool awards you have been given. It is very helpful to make a "Profile" of yourself just to keep all of your successes organized and so you can get back to the coaches that are interested quickly. 

Anna Fluent

Height: 5’10

Approach: 9’6

Standing reach: 7’6

Setter

Kennedy High School class of 2016

Hudl Link: (Insert link to Hudl)

YouTube Link: (Insert link to YouTube)

Junior Year

Metro Sports Highlight Player of the Week

Summer before junior year

Selected to play in the High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma with the Iowa Girls Youth National team

Selected through USAV HP to go to the A3 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Earned a bid in the Great Plains Open in Omaha to the USAV Junior Beach Tour Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Earned a silver medal in the High Performance in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Sophomore Year

Selected to play in the High Performance Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with the Iowa Girls Youth National team

5-1 setter for Club Iowa (CIA) 16 Black

5-1 setter on varsity for Kennedy high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1^st team all Mississippi Valley conference

1^st team all-metro

Varsity lettered

High Honorable Mention - Soph 79

Anna Fluent, 5-10 S, Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) – Fluent finished the season with 773 assists, 167 digs, 126 kills, 48 blocks and 19 aces. She earned all-metro and All-Conference First Team honors. “Anna is a remarkable athlete and student of the game,” Coach Michelle Goodall said. “Anna has fine footwork/setting skills and defending abilities. She’s a heady and crafty attacker as well, wreaking havoc for defending teams. Anna is highly motivated to succeed and pairs this attitude perfectly with her strong whatever-it-takes work ethic.”

Freshman Year

Selected to play in the High performance Championships in Des Moines, Iowa with the Iowa Girls Select National team

Named offensive player of the year on Kennedy’s sophomore team

Competed in the GJNC in Dallas, Texas with Iowa Rockets 15-1

(Include here your contact info., your coaches contact info, and a current picture of yourself) 

Word Count: 390

An Example of a Recruiting Letter That Could be sent to College Coaches

If you are looking to play volleyball in college and don't know where to start, an introduction letter is a good thing to begin with. You should introduce yourself as not only an athlete but a student as well. Another good thing to do is congratulate them on any recent successes they might have had, at recent games or tournaments they were competing in. You should also provide all of your contact information as well as your club and high school coach's names and contact info. Here is a sample of mine from this season that I used to send to schools I was interested in.

Dear Coach (Insert coaches last name),

               My name is Anna Fluent and I am interested in your volleyball program. I will be a 2016 graduate and I play volleyball for Club Iowa Juniors 16 Black. 16 Black is a national team who travels throughout the Midwest at various non-qualifying and qualifying tournaments. I run a 5-1 system on this team. My coach is (insert coaches name and any info you know about them and their past relations with the sport of volleyball, like where they have coached in the past and where they played if they played in college.) He/she can be reached at the information provided below.

               I play high school volleyball at John F. Kennedy High School, which is located in Cedar Rapids Iowa. This volleyball program has had great success in the past, by making 12 state appearances and developing many college athletes. I was selected for 1^st team all Mississippi Valley Conference and 1^st team all-Metro awards this past season which was my sophomore year. I have also had the privilege of competing on Iowa High Performance teams the last two summers. Education is also very important to me and currently I have a (insert cumulative GPA and the scale in which your school bases you grade point average off of) GPA. I am taking a college level Biology course because I am interested in but not limited to a health related field.

You can find updated volleyball information on me at universityathlete.com and video at www.hudl.com and on my YouTube page. Please include me on any camps and/or recruiting information about your volleyball program. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing more information about your outstanding volleyball program.

Best Regards,

Anna Fluent

(Include here any links to your film, your contact information, and your coaches' contact information.)

Word Count: 424