I am a referee l for a sport that is a little different than others. I referee co-ed adult volleyball in the sand. People ask me, “How did you start refereeing co-ed adult volleyball?” Well, here’s my story. I started playing volleyball when I was 8 years old. Both my parents played, so I grew up around the game and was excited to start my journey. I began with recreational volleyball then played competitive indoor club. However, my journey started to evolve in 2020 when Covid shut everything down. Since nothing was happening indoors, I discovered sand volleyball, also known as beach volleyball. There was a beautiful place in the mountains with four sand courts and endless practice time. That is when I fell in love with beach volleyball. I found comfort in the sand. At 15 years old I was training at an indoor sand facility and when my training ended, there were adults arriving to play. I saw there were referees, and since volleyball is my life and I know all the rules, I thought, why not become a referee and help others learn and enjoy the game? I asked management if they would hire me, and they did! It is four straight hours of officiating four matches in a row. I was nervous and a bit scared, but I was up for the challenge. Refereeing adults has taught me more than I thought it would. It has given me confidence, patience, plus the understanding and appreciation of the responsibility's referees have. Most of the adults are kind, understanding, appreciative and truly fun. I look forward to refereeing. But I have had my challenges and have learned to adapt as there are different skill levels and I adjust how I make calls depending on the level. I have learned to stand my ground and stay calm under pressure. I have had players yell in my face, broken up arguments, and handled strong personalities. These experiences have pushed me emotionally and, but they also made me stronger. There have been moments when I wanted to quit. But I chose this job because I want to help others learn and enjoy volleyball. Since I was 15 when I began refereeing, I was not driving yet. So, my Mom started refereeing with me. It has been great to have this experience with her. She now officiates girls and boys high school and indoor junior’s club volleyball. I am proud of her. Four years later I still refereeing even though my time is limited now that I am playing D1 collegiate beach volleyball. I’m majoring in Sports Management and want to pursue coaching or owning a volleyball club. But I will not give up refereeing. Through refereeing I developed leadership, emotional strength and it has shaped who I am, a woman dedicated to helping other enjoy the beautiful game of volleyball.

Why do I want to play beach volleyball in college? If I could, I would play it all day, every day! I feel incredibly blessed that I get to play the best sport in the world. Nothing beats it. However, I am from Colorado and that has its challenges. A landlocked state with 5 months of winter. Don’t get me wrong, we have warm days and can be outside, but often the snow is falling. My love for beach volleyball started in 7th grade, it was 2020. No one was playing their sport, but in the foothills of the mountains, there were 40 kids learning this crazy sport called beach volleyball. My mom took me one day to the Flourish Club and I was hooked. That summer I was there 4 days a week, 3 hours a day. Loving every second! In the winter of 2021, I decided to give up indoor volleyball and pursue beach 100%. With beach I get to use all my skills…serve, pass, set, block, and kill! It’s just my partner and me. No one subbing in. I have learned and continue to perfect the mental strategy of the game. So, I have come across many challenges. The club Flourish eventually closed, court availability is limited and finding high level training is difficult. I have found ways around these challenges by traveling for training, competing in big tournaments, partnering with girls from other states, training with women and doing semi-private lessons. I work out at 5:45am to increase my strength, endurance and vertical jump. The challenges have not stopped me from pursuing my dreams of playing beach volleyball at the Division 1 level. I am proud to share that I am committed to the University of North Alabama and will be starting there this August. I decided to play beach volleyball in college because it’s my passion. Being part of the fastest growing NCAA collegiate sport is exciting. I want to play at the highest level, be challenged, do my best, perform every skill and compete on a team. Another challenge is Colorado has one university with a beach program. It is a strong D2 program, but I want to play D1. By attending UNA I will be 1,200 miles away from home. Education is expensive itself, but the travel costs will add up. My parents have been my biggest supporters with their time and covering the expenses endured these past five years for me to pursue my dream. However, my dad retired from the steel industry and is on a fixed income. My mom, who works with older adults, was forced out of her job two years ago. She’s never made much money, but now her income is significantly lower. By applying for scholarships, I am doing my part to help cover the cost for my education. I plan to study Sports Management and have a career in sports. I love athletics! Currently I am a member of the Colorado Women’s Sport Collective. At events I meet women in the sports industry which are opening my eyes to different opportunities. I am the 2025 Ambassador for Team Speed, the gym where I work out at. Lastly, I am coaching beach volleyball to 14U girls. I am still figuring out the exact direction my career will go, whether it’s management, marketing, events or media, but ultimately, I want to coach! My goal is to help beach volleyball to continue growing and make a lasting impression on youth and young adults. Just like those who coached and helped shape me to who I am today.