Riley McDonough '22 Recruiting Profile

Playing many sports throughout my life has taught me what being a complete athlete really means. It is not only excelling at a sport, but also being a supportive teammate and never settling for mediocrity. Starting off playing mostly individual sports such as ski racing, taught me that I only have myself to blame for poor execution and not my teammates. It encouraged me to always play my best to benefit my team in anyway possible. I first became interested in volleyball through my mom, who would teach me basic skills in the driveway. Moving into middle school, where I could play for my first team, I grew to love the sport, to a point where that was all I wanted to do. My mom saw my passion for the sport and suggested club volleyball, that is where I brought my skills to the next level and enjoyed more competitive play. Through playing volleyball, I have learned that being a part of a team is more than just winning, it is also making friends and creating bonds that further make your team excel. This was precisely my experience during my freshman year, when my high school team went undefeated and captured the state championship. Our success was only partly due to talent, we were all supportive of each other and we all worked hard to do our part. My academic goals consist of maintaining honor roll and challenging myself in higher level classes for the remainder of my high school career. I plan to attend a four year university or college, but have not determined the field that will challenge and excite me. One of the biggest obstacles I overcame was discontinuing participation in other sports that I enjoyed in order to make time for the sport I loved. Looking back at that decision, I am glad I made it, because I would not be as devoted as I am if I had focused on many sports at once. Some unique skills I possess include always being a supportive teammate, having a great attitude towards all players and coaches, and even as a highly competitive athlete, I still love to have fun even in the most challenging of circumstances.