by Alyssa Molden, Contributing Writer
I was a member of the varsity volleyball team at Asbury all four years. Volleyball was my life. I loved — and still love — the sport. If I’m being honest, I originally came to Asbury to play volleyball, so I never imagined myself playing anything else until this year.
In August, I realized that my time as an athlete was quickly coming to an end because I was beginning my last volleyball season. I have played sports since I was old enough to walk, so I was looking for a way to extend my time as an athlete. I was friends with some of the girls on the women’s basketball team and played basketball in high school for a couple of years. Once the thought crossed my mind of playing basketball, I couldn’t shake it. It just felt like the right thing to do. I am still grateful that Coach allowed me to play.
Playing two sports was not easy. As with any sport, both volleyball and basketball required dedication. I had practice every day and games almost every weekend from August until February. It was also difficult to go from being a leader on the volleyball team (being able to show freshmen where to go/being sure of where to go in drills and in games) to being shown where to go by freshmen on the basketball team because it had been a while since I played.
I often felt lost in basketball practices and at times felt incredibly frustrated with myself for not knowing where to go. But I didn’t once regret playing both sports this year. Even though we didn’t win conference, my last season of volleyball was amazing; I got even closer with my teammates and was able to help lead my team. Basketball showed me how rewarding it can be to be outside of my comfort zone. The number of varsity minutes I had for basketball was limited, but I enjoyed getting to know all of the girls on the team. They quickly became some of my closest friends and I can’t say enough about how accepting they were, especially the other seniors, Bailey Brown and Shelby McDonald.
After volleyball season ended, I was able to get a glimpse at what it meant to miss being an athlete. Because of this, I was able to more fully appreciate the opportunities that basketball gave me to be part of a team and just enjoy playing a game I love. I already miss having practice every day and traveling to games almost every weekend. Despite the challenges, I am so thankful I had the opportunity to experience two sports this year. I will always remember the friendships made and the lessons learned during my time as an athlete at Asbury.
