Emma (Parker) Adkins '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Emma Parker Adkins (I go by Parker or PK for short), and other than school and hanging with family and friends, I live and breathe volleyball.

After the first day of my first clinic in March, 2013,  I knew I wanted to play. I went to 14U tryouts hoping to make a regional team, and I made the top national team. I was dumbfounded! We had an awesome club season making it to Nationals.

At the 15U tryouts I made the top team again, but the season was not so awesome. A few days after our first tournament, I was walking to lunch with a few teammates after a school early release day when I was hit by a car. Fortunately there was no head injury, but I had many scrapes and bruises with the worst part being a fractured ankle. I was devastated when I found out I was going to have to have surgery and be out the rest of the season. I knew one thing though. I was not going to let it be the end of my playing volleyball.

After surgery and six months of rehab, I was released from physical therapy. I had less than a month to prepare for 16U tryouts with the additional challenge of wanting to move to a national team at one of the top five clubs in Dallas/Fort Worth. Working with my sports injury trainer, we developed a solid plan. The hard work paid off, and we achieved the goal.

There is no question about my wanting to continue to play beyond high school, and I am thrilled to be committed to Stevens Institute of Technology where I will play competitive volleyball and excel academically.  I am excited for what the future holds!