Sarah Khan '18 Recruiting Profile

Hi Reader! First of all, thanks so much for taking the time to read my personal statement! I can't wait for you to get to know me better as a person off the volleyball court. I would like to go to a college that pushes me both academically and athletically, so I think that an "Ivy-League type of school" would be the ultimate fit; however, I am very open to any other schools that can make me strive to be a better student and athlete. My major is undecided, for I am only a freshman, but I intend to graduate at the top of my class in both high school and college. As of now, I'm still very unsure of what I would like my career to be, but I'd prefer that I will be able to interact and communicate with other people, for I find myself to be quite talkative and lively. I think that I am a good candidate to be part of a college team because I am easily the most competitive person I know both on and off the court. Even if my team is just going through a drill, I always strive my hardest to make my side the winning group and take home the bragging rights at the end of practice. The same quality holds true in the classroom. I refuse to slack on my grades, so a coach will never have to worry about me in that aspect. As a freshman, I have the most demanding schedule out of anyone in my grade, and as soon as I start to struggle in any classes, I take it upon myself to immediately fix the problem. I am self motivated to complete my assignments to the best of my ability, so I can reach my fullest potential as a student. I feel I am the very definition of a STUDENT-athlete and not an ATHLETE-student. School is my priority, and athletics is what drives me to get the good grades, so at the end of the day I can throw myself into volleyball. My goal is to be the valedictorian of my grade, and I am on the right track so far. I think what sets me apart from other athletes is my drive to be the best. Everyone wants to be the best; however, not everyone wants to put in the endless effort to work to be the best. Even though I don't have the strongest skill, I have to STRONGEST WILL  to practice to improve my skill. Nothing is ever going to be good enough because "good enough" isn't the best. It doesn't matter where I am because if there is a ball, I'll be practicing. My volleyball club might as well rent out the bathroom for me to live in, so I can save the time with driving back and forth to gym, for I am always near a court whether I'm practicing, there for a clinic, at a private lesson, playing at an open gym, coaching, or just there because I like being surrounded by the sport. I am the epitome of a "gym rat," and the coaches can't seem to get rid of me. Over time I have become very responsive to criticism and coaching because I actually respond best to when someone straight-forwardly telling me what I need to fix. Giving me instruction doesn't take very long, for my feelings are never hurt by tough coaching, so people don't have to beat around the bush to communicate a message. I'm able to recognize where my flaws are, and I am not afraid to ask for help to fix them. The one thing that I can definitely improve upon is my focus while I'm playing, so I intend to keep that as my priority until I am able to achieve that as a goal. This game has changed me as a person, and my teammates have become my best friends. My coach has also had a tremendous impact on how I see myself as a person and how I carry myself; she's undoubtedly my biggest role-model, and that definitely holds true for several of my teammates. I really want to continue the sport in college because I think that in order to keep myself on top of things academically, I need to have an athletic motivation that makes me smile at the end of the day. I like being part of a team because I can form bonds with other people that share my love for volleyball. Also, nothing feels better than getting a dig that makes everyone on the bench and in the stands stand up and scream. I love the sport, but more importantly, I love the people that come with it. To me, volleyball isn't a sport; it's a lifestyle. My coach always starts the practice off with a quote that has to do with the theme of the practice, and I have grown to love thinking about the significance of these sayings, so here is my favorite one: 

“Offense sells tickets, defense wins games, but rebounding wins championships.” - Pat Summit

This is my favorite because it shows that if you put in that extra little effort to cover someone, you can stop a block. With a stopped block you can win a point. With a point you can win a set. With a set you can win a game. With a game you can win a championship. When something big is on the line, it's the little things that add up.