Houston Congenital Heart Disease Scholarship

Half the Heart, Twice the Fight September 14, 2021 was the last day of the season for Mt Juliet Middle School’s sixth grade volleyball team. It was also my last day as their coach, a position I have held since I was a sophomore in high school. In those three years the team has never lost a game, and many of the players have gone on to more advanced teams in both school and travel-ball leagues. The path that brought me to this point has been both difficult and rewarding. It all starts before I was born… At an ultrasound appointment my parents learned I had a congenital heart defect. Known as Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome with Tricuspid Atresia, a condition in which the right ventricle of my heart never formed. This condition meant I would be faced with medical complications, surgeries, and an unknown quality of life. I was born on November 10, 2003 in Albuquerque, NM. At just three days old I was medically flown to Stanford Hospital where I had my first open heart surgery. From 2003 to 2007 I had two heart catheters and two additional heart surgeries. Today, the two chambers of the left side of my heart are the only operational chambers, and rerouting of some of my major veins and arteries have allowed this to be a functional situation. Because of this configuration I am prone to tire easily and this has also likely impacted my growth: while my brother is over six feet tall, I stand just over five feet. Early on my parents made the decision to allow me to be as active as I could be and to participate in any sport I desired. Despite the increased risks of injury they were determined to allow me as normal a childhood as possible. At a very young age I participated in both cheerleading and gymnastics, but it was at nine years old when I discovered volleyball and was offered a position on a competitive travel team. I fell in love with the game. From then on it became a year round sport alternating between school and travel teams. I loved everything about it – the relationships I formed with my teammates, competing, travelling, and the game itself. As I grew it became increasingly difficult to keep up with my peers. Sometimes I would tire early, especially in tournaments that took place in higher elevations like Gatlinburg. Then, during my freshman year, I tore the labrum in my hip. The resultant surgery and recovery would keep me out of the game for my sophomore and junior year, and losing such crucial developmental time coupled with my increasing stamina issues brought me to the painful realization that my volleyball career was likely finished. I was devastated. The thought of losing such a large part of my life and my identity was almost more than I could bear. It was the third week in May of my freshman year that I heard an announcement the middle school was holding tryouts the following week for the upcoming school year. Whether it was my desperation to be a part of the game or the chance to share this sport with others, something compelled me to drive down to the school to see if I could assist in any capacity with any of the team’s activities. The school’s head coach, Mrs. Serbin, suggested I begin working with the younger girls on their fundamental skills. Within days she turned over the coaching duties to me. I have found tremendous joy and satisfaction watching the growth and enthusiasm of the girls I have coached. As I close this chapter to attend college in the fall, I hope I have instilled in them some of my passion, work ethic, and absolute love of volleyball. And I hope someday to find my way back to the game.