Kadin Hamilton shares his experience as Junior Captain of the volleyball team during a phenomenal season.
What motivated you to join the volleyball team?
I used to watch people play volleyball all the time…my family members play for fun. I saw the stuff they did, and I wanted to replicate it. Like, be good at it too.
What other activities do you do outside of volleyball?
I play video games once in a blue moon. I swim…once in a blue moon.
What kind of training do you do for volleyball?
Honestly just play volleyball, that’s literally it. Play with people who challenge you, and you get better. Just kind of how I do it.
What are three reasons like being in a team sport?
Volleyball gives me a connection with the community that you can’t find in other ones. It teaches you a lot of good skills, like teamwork, and how to be a good leader.
How has practice gone in volleyball meets?
My teammates make practice fun, they all bring a certain energy. We keep the mood up, I’m playing with my friends. We all encourage each other, it’s nice to see everyone improve.
What is your favorite memory of being in volleyball?
I remember the first practice I had, where I met the first team I was on in freshman year. It was a surreal experience– like I was really stepping up. It was definitely a different level than when I played in middle school.
What is the best advice you have received from a coach?
Exhale before you pass and before you serve. Deep breaths are necessary, especially in a game like volleyball. In volleyball you don’t need to rush, you have time, so it’s better to do something efficiently rather than just “get it over with.”
How do you balance extracurriculars with your schedule?
I see them as two different aspects of my life, and I have to make the right time for them. The organization is so important like you cannot get lost. Literally recently, when we were taking our APs, I had a game or a practice before every single one of them (laughs.) I would go home and pass out, and I wouldn’t be able to study because I was so tired. So– MY advice is to manage your time.
Do you feel like having a Salesian audience boosts your performance?
Yes! Absolutely! Completely! When there’s an audience there supporting you, it gives you an extra reason to play. You’re not just playing for yourself. And having an audience helps keep the morale up, it’s very hard to be down in the dumps and in your head when you have a crowd yelling for you.
The Salesian Spectator 