My favorite athlete to cheer for on Team USA is T.J. DeFalco, an incredible outsider hitter for the U.S. Men's Volleyball Team. DeFalco is an inspiring athlete on and off the court for not only his level of play but also his resilience and drive. T.J. DeFalco’s career is a testament to the power of ambition and persistence. His persistence is evident from his ability to play at a collegiate level and study as a full-time student while playing with the national team. His volleyball has taken him all over the world for international competitions but has also drawn him to move abroad and compete professionally in Italy, Poland, and Japan. The ambition it takes to leave behind everything you have known to move to a foreign country where you don't speak the language is incredible. Watching him play makes it clear that to succeed in anything one must have enormous ambition and persistence, bordering on insanity. Drive is one of the most defining characteristics of T.J. DeFalco’s game. His ability to rise to the occasion in crucial moments has earned him a reputation as one of the most reliable and dynamic players in international volleyball. He has worked hard over the years, from his college career in Long Beach to every international competition and foreign league he has competed in. Winning difficult games is one thing, but succeeding in overcoming language and culture differences, and learning to work with different personalities globally, is a different kind of inspiring that anyone can apply to their daily life. T.J. DeFalco’s impact extends beyond his accomplishments; his leadership and commitment to Team USA have inspired young athletes like myself to pursue the sport with the same level of dedication. T.J.’s impact is not limited to hitting percentage or the number of aces scored, but also in the way he interacts with his teammates and builds them up when they are down. His success is a reflection of his hard work and his trust in those around him. In volleyball, you can't win alone but DeFalco excels at working with people around him to produce the best results for the team as a whole. As a volleyball player myself, T.J. DeFalco’s ambition, drive, and impact motivate me to work harder and never lose sight of my goals. He has also taught me about persistence and drive which has inspired me to work off the volleyball court. Watching him compete on the world stage reminds me that success is built on consistent effort and a commitment to both personal growth and the success of the team. So, I will always cheer for DeFalco, even if he is not winning games, because of his inspiring behavior and persistence.

My sophomore volleyball season was very interesting. I had worked extremely hard during the off-season, I go to a very small school so I was expecting to get a spot on varsity. That didn’t happen. The day teams were assigned I was very disappointed, the coach had put me on JV. The varsity spot I wanted going to a freshman who had never played my position before. After practice ended coach took me aside and said, “You have the skill to play varsity, but I need someone to be a leader on JV.” When the coach said that to me, I should have been happy that the coach acknowledging both my skill and my leadership ability, but that did not stop me from wanting to be on varsity. Never the less, I became JV captain. I was really disappointed, I wanted to be on varsity and I was angry that I wasn’t. I blamed the coach and the other players, thinking that it was their fault that I hadn’t got a spot. I mean, I had worked hard, and I had improved a lot, so why couldn’t they see that? Never-the-less, I gave my all in games, fighting as hard as I could. It wasn’t until about partway through the season when I began to understand. Up until then, I had played every minute of every game all season. It was our team's serve and the whistle had already been blown. I looked around at my team and I realized something was wrong. I saw the floor ref preparing to blow her whistle after the serve. Then it hit me, we were out of position. Before I knew it I was telling the server to toss up the ball and just let it drop. She was skeptical, but I told her to trust me and she did. The ref blew the whistle again as the ball hit the floor, signaling that the play had reset. I ran over to talk to ask the ref for a position check. We got it, and the server nailed the point. As we were celebrating I glanced over at the bench and saw the coaches beaming with pride, and suddenly I was excited as well. It was then that I finally realized what coach had wanted. I had gained an understanding of the game, confidence in my knowledge, and then taken initiative. Even though I was unhappy about being on JV at first, now I know that without that experience I would have never improved nearly as much. I got so much game time and experience leading a team, without which I would not be where I am today. Now I am junior and the coaches are asking me to run captain's practices, and instruct the players when they can’t. I still have a long way to go, but I am grateful for that season.