Mary Siebert '15 Recruiting Profile

My name is Mary Siebert, and I am a Senior at James Island Charter High School in Charleston, South Carolina. I am a dedicated student-athlete, with academics always coming first. I have been attending Honors and AP classes since my freshman year and currently have a 4.1375 GPA. I am very serious about my school work, and manage my time well. High school has been a lot of fun thus far, and volleyball has been a big contribution to my high school experience. Volleyball has completely changed my life. It's not just a sport I play anymore. It's a way of life. I have gained many life long friends from playing throughout the years, and am sure I will continue to learn and grow as a person and an athlete, as I continue to play. From the age of ten years old when I first started playing, to now, seven years later, I have never been happier to be apart of a team sport. It's amazing the amount of talent one team can hold, not necessarily based on the pure skill level, but also the commitment levels, the mental aspect of the game, and the desire to be successful. I have been blessed to be on teams, where everyone has the same passion to work together as one to reach a common goal; to win. Teams like these are hard to come by, but made easier when Junior Olympic club volleyball makes it possible. I have played club volleyball for five years now for Carolina Islanders, and every year I have been placed on the Elite team, each year earning recognition as a First Team All Region player. Being apart of an Elite team requires more commitment, desire to play at a higher level, and the love of the game, all of which I possess. Playing school season and club season back to back is not enough for me. I began playing beach volleyball four years ago, and haven't stopped since. Beach volleyball takes a different type of volleyball player than the norm. Being tall isn't enough; the resistance of the sand, the strength of the wind, and the blazing sun are all factors that have to be taken into consideration. Every chance I get, on the weekends, or even after school, I'm out on the beach, bettering my game. Playing beach volleyball also improves almost every aspect of your indoor game, which I find very helpful. Being a shorter hitter, I use my quickness, power, and vertical to help set me apart from other players. It's remarkable how fast high school is going. It seems like just yesterday, I was walking into volleyball tryouts on August 1 in my freshman year, and now I'm a senior! Since that day, I have lettered on the Varsity team in my Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and currently also now in my senior year. During my Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years I was selected as an All Region player and MVP of my school team and was named the All State Player of the Year for 2013. As a Senior, I have named captain by my team, and was named to the All Region team, as well as being selected to play on the North South All-Star team. As a teammate, I push my teammates, with positive reinforcement, to be the best that they can be, and the best that I know they can be. When someone is having an off day, I feel as though it is my duty as fellow player to help them where I can, and pick up where they are lacking. As an individual player, I work myself as hard as I can, whether it be during practice, or in a championship game. You can't get better if you don't play like the best. Good game, bad game, I support my team and will stand by their side no matter what happens. I never hang my head low, knowing that I played to the best of my abilities, and left everything I had on that court. Outside of volleyball, I am a typical high school student. I have volunteered and have worked with the Buddy Walk, which is a program designed around helping those with Down Syndrome; Miracle League Baseball, which is a youth baseball league specifically for anyone with a disability; Marsh Sweep, which is cleaning up marshes, lakes, and ponds of trash; an Anti-Bullying Summit, which is to reduce and stop bullying; Pet Helpers. I have also been part of the Spirit Club at James Island Charter High School for my Junior and Senior year. To earn money I babysit, and tutor math and other subjects for various younger volleyball players. For fun I attend football games. I also enjoy going to the beach, to relax and hang out with friends. Playing at a collegiate level has been my dream since I became involved with the sport of volleyball. I crave the excitement and intense level of play that comes with being involved with a sport in college. It would not only make college that much more fun, but I would be doing something I love to do every day. It would be phenomenal to make my dream a reality. My challenge that I would love to conquer now is to have the opportunity to be considered for an position on a college level volleyball team.