Brooke Clair '22 Recruiting Profile

Volleyball has been a huge part of my life since I was a little girl. Every Friday night in the summer, I would watch my parents play sand volleyball. I watched and played on the sideline and it was my dream to someday play volleyball at the highest level.  I started playing CYO volleyball in third grade and was competitive from the start.   I joined my first club team when I was 10 years old, playing on an 11U regional team. The next year, I worked very hard, and it paid off, as I made one of the National Teams at my club. Since that point, I have played 5 years of National Level Volleyball.   My teams have qualified for the National Championships each year.   In 2019, my team, CVC 15 Black finished 20^th in the Open Division National Championships.   I was named an honorable mention Defensive Dandy by PrepVolleyball.com and recognized by the AVCA Phenom watch List.    

In 2019, I transferred to Gilmour Academy.    While Libero/DS is my primary position and where I expect to play in College, I have played OH and DS for my High School Team.       I had to sit out the playoffs in 2019, but in 2020, I was in the starting line-up as my team won the Ohio Division 2 State Championship.    I came into the game to serve, with our team down 12-13 in the 5th set and was able to serve out the match and get digs on two of the last three points.        I was proud of my team and it was rewarding to have all the years of hard work pay off with a state championship.

I continue working year-round to be the best volleyball player and teammate possible. I do this all while balancing my schedule and maintaining grades in school. Gilmour Academy is one of the top and challenging academic schools in Cleveland.  My love and desire to play volleyball at the highest level remains a focus in my life. I have been blessed with talents that allow me to compete with top athletes around the nation. My work ethic and desire will help me achieve my goal of playing the sport I love into and throughout my college career. My goal is to play libero for a championship contending college volleyball program.   I believe my skills will help any program compete for a conference championship and berth in the NCAA tournament. 

My goal is to be known as the player that never lets a ball hit the floor. I continue working on my skills year-round, training with my team and taking private lesson.  My goal is to play fearlessly while playing the biggest and most talented competition in the country. My fearlessness is a trait I see as a strength. While I know there will be losses, and I will make mistakes, I choose to learn from the mistakes, put them behind me and move forward. When I don’t feel challenged enough, I work hard to improve my skills. My goal is to be a libero, but I will play wherever my coach asks me.   This season, due to injuries, I played OH/All-Around in two tournaments.   At 5’7, I was undersized against players well over 6’ tall, but I was able to compete and was able to score a few set/match winning points.

I give 110% and hustle on every play, in games and in practice. My coaches tell me my fundamentals are high level and this is due to a lifetime of hard work.    Despite this, my coaches continue to work with me to get even better.  I go the extra mile on every play and if a ball is misplayed into the bleachers, I am running into the stands attempting to bring it back into play. On the court, I sacrifice every ounce of energy on every play as my competitive drive guides me. Whether the score is 23-22 or 23-5, I play with maximum effort. Although volleyball is one of the most important things in my life, I also focus on my academics. Even after a 3-hour weekday practice, when I’m physically and mentally exhausted, I will find the extra energy to study or finish a project. I don't settle for average but work hard to earn the best grades possible.      I understand that volleyball is my passion today and will lead me to success in college but applying my work ethic in school will lead to a lifetime of success.

I truly believe I have been blessed, and I hope that my hard work and natural talent, as well as my competitiveness lead me to a great opportunity in college.