Shelby Jackson '12 Recruiting Profile

My name is Shelby Jackson and I'm a senior in high school at Faith West Academy. I am 5'8 1/2 and 135 lbs, and I've been a 4 year varsity starter, and am also a team captain. I have played club for 8 years, and not only have I played volleyball state side in California and Texas, but I played in tournaments all over Asia when my family and I lived in China. I've received the awards of Honorable Mention All APAC, which is a tournament equivalent to State Championships, in the season of my junior year I received First Team All-District. The positions I have played are setter, outside hitter, right side hitter, and defensive specialist. Ever since I was little, I told my parents I was going to play volleyball in college, and I was going to play in the Olympics. Even though my goals have changed over the years, the want and even need to play volleyball has never expired. I work very hard to be a leader on and off the court and to be an example for not only younger players, but also my peers. It is always my goal to give absolutely EVERYTHING I have in practice as well as matches, no matter how tiring it may be physically and mentally. I truly believe communication and energy help drive a team, and do my best to keep both elements thriving on the court and have a genuine passion for the game in every match. My teams mean the world to me and I will do everything in my power to help them and to be the best teammate I can be. Because family is extremely important to me, it would be nice to stay clse to Texas; but, I've also been in interested in many schools outside of the state, and enjoy the social diversity and difference in scenery. I'm mostly interested in smaller schools at the D-2 or D-3 level, but I'm open to a wider variety of schools. I will be applying for the FAFSA after January 1 of 2012. I'm still undecided in what I would like to major in, but I've considered international relations, sports medicine, and education. As a collegiate athlete, I would like to play on a team where I can really make a difference and really enjoy playing with my team, as well as play as a freshman. I would love to play at the highest level possible, but I also want to keep realistic goals with balancing volleyball and school.