Samantha Daniels '14 Recruiting Profile

It has always been my dream to play college volleyball. I have worked really hard in all of my seasons to get me to where I am now. This past club season I ended up tearing my ACL and having to have ACL reconstruction. I am in recovery as of now and I will come back stronger than I was before my injury. I am even more determined now because of my set back. I have realized that I want to be the one to decided when I am done playing volleyball, not have my injury be the one to tell me. I will now have to miss out on my senior year season for school but watching from the bench will allow me to learn a different aspect of the game and be a better all around volleyball player. So my number one goal as of right now is to over come my injury, be stronger than before and while on the bench during school season to be a reliable and inspirational teammate. My goal in the long run is to play college volleyball and lead my team on and off the court. 

To give an update of where I am at now, I have made it to club volleyball.  My senior year of volleyball, while it was a learning experience and it made me stronger, it also was very challenging, discouraging and frustrating.  In the end, I must be honest and say I was glad the season was over.  At the award ceremony I learned that this experience was not only for me.  It was also for all the rest of my team.  They all nominated me most inspirational.  I have always known my attitude on the court mattered but I hadn't realized what it meant to my team from the bench, what it meant that I showed up for every practice and every game and by the end of the season I was practicing with my team.  My physical therapy and all the hours on the gym on my own put me back on the court three months earlier than my surgeon predicted.

Now I am playing club and am glad to be back on the court.  My first tournament was in January and was very challenging.  I was slow to react and I did not feel the leadership role was mine anymore.  Since then I have concentrated on those two aspects.  I am coming back!

In February I signed to play with Columbia Basin College.  This is my local community college.  I am very eager to start practicing with them and to be part of this team.  My plan is to continue onto to a four year college.  I will continue searching for my fit and continue to grow as an individual and as a player.