Jacob VanOoyen '23 Recruiting Profile

Volleyball has not always been part of me, but since it has been it is all that I am. I started playing volleyball my freshman year after enjoying the sport since middle school. During recess in middle school, I would spend my free time just passing a ball with the girls who played at the time. People would make fun of me because I was playing “a girl's sport”.  When high school came around I tried out and made the varsity team my freshman year. I remember it exactly. I was wearing a bright tie-dye shirt to be noticed by the coaches,  we had just finished the tryout for the most part and were playing kings when the coach called out “ you in the tie-dye come here”. I thought I was going to be cut but I made the varsity team. Since that day my whole world has revolved around the sport and I have loved every minute of it. But I don't just play the sport, I help little boys like me feel comfortable playing it. I helped start a youth league in my area for middle school volleyball, coached middle school boys and girls, create and design apparel and jerseys, and even get other schools to join ours so they have the option to play volleyball as well.  This sport has saved me in more ways than one and I want to help others find that joy it brings me. It is the least I can do.  I will bring that same dedication and passion for the sport to any team I play with. It has been the goal of my coaches to see me mad on the court because I am always there supporting others when they are having a bad game. I hope that I can not only be a good player but a role model because you might have a little kid like myself looking up to you.  Thank you so much for viewing my page and hope you can find a possible future with me as a player.