They say the road to achieving your dreams isn’t always a straight line – and mine definitely wasn’t. Coming from a small town where high school sports were important, but competitive volleyball opportunities were limited, I knew I needed more. That hunger pushed me to join a club team in Louisville – an hour drive each way, three nights a week. This was a game changer. Suddenly, I was surrounded by high-level athletes and coaches who challenged me in all the ways I had been craving. It wasn’t easy, but I loved every second of it. I knew I wanted to play at the next level. I was chasing a dream, and I thought I had my path all figured out. But sometimes, the most meaningful journeys begin when things don’t go according to plan.
After high school, my plan A was to attend and play volleyball at the United States Naval Academy. However, during spring break of my senior year, one month before I was going to graduate, I received a rejection email from the school. It was the hardest “no” I’ve ever received. Not only was I denied from my dream school, but I thought my shot at playing college volleyball was gone too. The other coaches I’d been talking to had already moved on, as they could no longer wait for my decision.
So, I pivoted. I chose to attend the College of Charleston… as a NARP. And honestly, it was great. The school was beautiful, the city was amazing, and everything was perfect on paper. But for some reason, I wasn’t happy. I couldn’t explain it at first until I realized exactly what was missing.
In November of my freshman year, I remembered the NCAA volleyball tournament was going on and decided to turn on a game. There it was: Fairleigh Dickinson University, led by David Nguyen, against powerhouse Texas in the first round. They were getting crushed, but I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had met Coach David at a volleyball camp a couple of years earlier and had even been recruited by the school he coached at before FDU. After the game, I shot him a message congratulating him on making the tournament and, more importantly, sharing how much I missed the game.
The rest is history – history that David, our team, and I are still writing together. He took a huge chance on me, invited me to visit, and gave me the opportunity to reconnect with the sport and community I had been missing so deeply. I will forever be grateful for that. David didn’t have to respond to my message, let alone welcome me back into the volleyball world, but he did. That’s when I truly understood that everything happens exactly as it’s meant to, nothing is a coincidence. I was being given an incredible second chance, and it was time to work harder than ever to prove to my future coaches, teammates, and most importantly, myself, that I could do it.
Over Christmas break, I toured FDU and knew it was where I was meant to be. I made the decision to transfer in the fall. The spring semester was all about preparing mentally, physically, and emotionally. I soaked in those final months as a regular student because I knew what was waiting on the other side. Soon, I’d be packing my bags in South Carolina and starting fresh in New Jersey, a place I never imagined myself in, but one I can’t imagine leaving now.
Looking back, it all makes sense. The heartbreak of rejection, the unexpected detour, the quiet whisper in my heart telling me something wasn’t right. It all led to a wonderful opportunity I never dreamed of. “The journey won’t always be pretty, and even when you arrive, it won’t always feel easy, but the dream is always worth it.”
I’ve realized the most painful heartbreaks can set you up for the most rewarding experiences, so be patient. There is a carefully pieced-together plan already laid out for you, you just have to trust it. God is good, and you just have to let Him be.
At first, I was taken out of the game, but I put myself right back in it. Knowing what it feels like to be without it has made me appreciate every lift, practice, game, and opportunity so much more. I believe that when someone really has fight in them, it’s so hard to just put it away.
It just goes to show you: you should never give up on what you’re called to do.
