Dear Previous Coaches and Players,

As some of you know, I've taken the fast track through high school. This year, I chose to dual enroll full time at Kennesaw State, rather than finishing out my senior year at Kennesaw Mountain. It was not a choice that I took lightly, but in the end it is a choice I do not regret (so far). However, this choice led me to say goodbye to the sport that has been my outlet for almost all of my life.

Volleyball is a sport that I fell in love with at such a young age. I remember my first year of travel season like it was yesterday. I remember being the little girl watching the older girls play, and wondering how they could jump that high and hit the ball that hard. Suddenly, without me even noticing, I'm that older girl. I can jump that high. I can hit the ball as hard as they did. So as you can imagine, quitting this sport has been very difficult for me. I don't regret it, but it has been difficult looking for other outlets, and writing has been as close as I can get to having something like volleyball, which is why I decided to address this open letter to all of you.

Since I am no longer a player, I thought I would express a few things that are much clearer to me now that I'm a spectator.

It's the oldest line in the book, and some days you may shake your head and wonder why you're in the gym, but do not take your sport for granted. I know there are some days when you walk in the gym and you're just not feeling it, so you go through the motions and do whatever it takes to get you through practice, but don't take for granted the fact that you have something to push yourself through. You won't have volleyball for the rest of your life. Walking into the gym should be like taking a fresh breath of air.

Second, I know you may not see it now, and I know that sometimes you may not like them, but understand that your teammates are the only ones who understand your struggles. Being on a team was like a gift that I didn't know the meaning of until it was in my past. When you come home from a practice that ran late, and you have mountains of homework and studying to do, always remember that your teammates are the only ones who understand what you're going through in that moment. Lean on each other. It'll bring you closer as a team.

Thank your coaches when you get a chance. Most coaches are not paid, and they could be spending their time and energy elsewhere. They have lives, just like you. While you may not want to thank them as you run mass amounts of suicides and trudge through conditioning, eventually remember that they want the best for you. Their goals are the same as yours, and they want to do everything they can to help you get their.

Put in the work and expect results. If you are putting in a solid amount of hours, and pushing yourself throughout your training, there will be guaranteed results. They may not be immediate, and you may be frustrated, but trust the process and continue to push through. At the end of the day, your teammates will look to you if they are in need of a little extra strength.

Following these tips, I would like to take a moment to thank any and all of the coaches that have put in their time to better my volleyball performance. I may not have understood it as a player, but as a spectator I see now that you were only trying to push me to my limits and beyond, and that has shaped me into a stronger person, not only through volleyball, but also through life.

Lastly, I want to take a second to wish all of my previous teammates well. Whether you're finishing out high school or advancing into college, I know that I've built relationships with some of you that will last a lifetime, and for that I couldn't be more grateful. I wish all of you the best on your seasons and in life, and I'm so excited to see what God brings into all of your lives this year and for years to come.

Much love,

Abs