Sophia Esherick '20 Recruiting Profile

At the age of eight, I started to play volleyball in a United States Youth Volleyball League. I quickly fell in love with the sport and continued to play on my middle school team. When I was 12, I joined my first club indoor volleyball team at the California Heat Volleyball Club. It was an amazing experience and helped me grow as a player as I learned about different positions and sharpened my skills primarily as a defensive player. After that season, I continued playing club volleyball for a different club called Rise VBC. I played libero for my 14s, 15s and 16s seasons on National travel teams and helped these teams achieve the SCVA (Southern California Volleyball Association) Gold Division all three years. My 15-1 National team placed 15th out of 192 teams at the Colorado Crossroads tournament. The highlight of my volleyball career was when my 15-1's team beat the TAV Volleyball Club 15-1's team who later went on to go to Nationals. This past season, I was the starting libero of the Blue Crush Volleyball Club 18-1 team. I played up this year and was the defensive captain that helped our team reach the SCVA Division 3, keeping a Gold Division standing throughout the entire season.

Although not the most successful, I grew the most this past varsity season when we failed to qualify for the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) championships. The disappointment last season gave me the chance to reflect on my skills and re-focus my efforts to become a better libero and challenge for the CIF championship this year. Volleyball is a vital part of my life because it has given me the opportunity to work with so many great people, play with incredible teammates and has provided an escape for me. I have developed such a deep passion for the game through the memories it has given me, whether it be the challenges I have faced or the amazing rallies I'll never forget, and I hope to be able to make new memories on your team.

My goals in college are to discover and excel in my field of interest and to grow as an individual.  I want my college experience to guide me to become who I am meant to be. I plan to take classes that I have never had the opportunity to take and I want to experience the thrill of conducting original research.  I have learned the value of teamwork, commitment and sacrifice over the five years I have been playing competitive volleyball. I'm looking for a program that will be a good match for me athletically as well as academically as I wish to challenge myself in college. I know that I have the talent and drive to not only play on a college team, but also possess the work ethic to make an impact on your campus academically. I am currently the number one student in her class of 490 and an IB Diploma Candidate. I have learned how to excel in athletics, academics and multiple extracurricular activities concurrently. It is in my DNA to continue this success as a player on your campus!