Mia Slade '22 Recruiting Profile

By the time I began playing volleyball, I knew I wanted to strive to reach the level of collegiate volleyball.  I first stepped on the court fall of my sophomore year, and that season played Varsity for The Prout School. I was an outside hitter for my team, sometimes switching it up to opposite hitter and defensive specialist.  Throughout my first year, I learned so much about the sport from  trying out new positions, watching others around me, asking questions, having an open mind to new techniques and observing other teams' strategies as well.  After my first high school season, I fell in love with the sport and decided to pursue joining a club team. I made the 16-2 team under Brian Warburton and Mike Harrington at South County Volleyball. After Club season I couldn't stay away from volleyball and began playing beach volleyball for South County as well. Throughout playing, everyday I would see myself improve in my skill, my mindset and my confidence as a player and teammate.  After the summer, I began thinking more and more about my collegiate future, and began thinking about playing beach or regular volleyball in my future as a student athlete. The next year, we played our high school season as a Fall II sport, and I played as a starting Varsity Outside hitter and maintained that position on the court the entire season. Prout battled throughout the season, making it to the Semi Final match, and I was later granted MVP and Most improved.  Throughout this season, I learned more about myself as a player, seeing my awareness on the court and smart plays along with my teammates contributing.  This season led right into my club season, where I played on 17-2 for South county coached by Daniel Perry under Mike Harrington.  I continue to grow as a player, advancing my skill on and off the court, and becoming as versatile of a player I can be.  

Prior to playing volleyball, I was a gymnast, Indoor and outdoor track athlete, where I did Hurdles, Long jump and short distance race.  Starting at a young age, I was a gymnast for 12 years of my life. I was pushed throughout my gymnastics career,  undergoing numerous knee, back, ankle and shoulder injuries, and resulted in an end for that aspect of my life.  However, this sport taught me so much that can contribute to other sports, making a very versatile athlete and teammate. I was level 6, level 8, and level 9 state champion, along with reaching the podium at Regionals and going to Nationals once at my last year of level 9. My gymnastics career ended at level 10 due to knee injury, but could not have been more happier fro where it ended up bringing me.  Coming from a solo sport, team sports were new to me. I soon realized I loved being surrounded by a group of girls who are always there for each other on and off the court. 

Throughout my college search, it has become so important to me that I value the school in academics, the environment, the community, the atmosphere and along with the athletics. I want to be able to see myself at a school whether I am playing volleyball or not, and still be overjoyed to attend that school. Stated before, once I started playing volleyball, I knew I wanted to pursue a higher level in my future, and would love to be apart of that athletic community. In the classroom,  I have always been interested in my studies, striving as a high honors student, maintaining high grades in each of my classes. I am currently enrolled in numerous IB classes that my high school offers.  I am proud of how I have grown as a student and look forward to exploring new studies that I hope to put towards a career in my life. 

I have always valued positivity in life, and contribute that to my play on the court and within a team.  A team is so enriched by positivity, leadership, love, and support by every player on the team, whether in play or on the side line. I have grown to see that it is so important, especially because it shows the sports' true colors and how fun playing can actually be.  As a player, I am versatile when it comes to hitting in specific placement areas, working around the block, finding tip spots and more. Along with hitting techniques, my defense is important and valued as well.  Working to watch the hitters hand on the opposing team, adjusting my positioning on the back line and always on your toes to make quick action.  Passing is where the action of the game starts, and I have worked so hard to become consistent and to target with my passing. Being on the shorter side as a hitter, I have worked so hard to improve my vertical jump to reach new heights for my hits over and around the block, and also blocks on my side as well. Overall, my skill set has vastly improved and I continue to strive to become a better player!