When you ask a volleyball player what inspired them to start playing, the answers usually range from watching professional athletes on TV or simply liking the game’s fast pace. But for one high school athlete, her inspiration came from someone closer to home – her sister.

“Well, my sister started it at first, and I’ve always had this desire to kind of be in and follow in her footsteps and do what she does. And I started playing and I fell in love with it just as she did,” freshman Sara Gonzalez said. 

This bond with her sister marked the beginning of a journey that would take her through intense competitions and unforgettable victories. Her volleyball journey didn’t start at school but through a sports club, where the love for the sport truly began. 

“It was an independent club. I started it at a different club than she was, and we just had tournaments together,” Gonzalez said. 

Gonzalez’s first taste of competitive volleyball was through a local club called Extreme Athletics. 

“It was just basically to see if I was really into it as much as my mom thought I was. And then I decided to move to a bigger club, Alamo [Volleyball Association],” Gonzalez said. “It was more competitive, and I wanted to be all in the sport and just go all the way.” 

With her sights set high, she pursued playing different positions.

“For club, I’m a libero, and for high school, I am a DS (defensive specialist),” Gonzalez said. 

These roles have given the young freshman the flexibility to contribute to her team in different ways, often as the backbone of defense. The turning point for her, she says, came during nationals, where her passion for volleyball became official. 

“When we won nationals in our division, the feeling that I felt was something that I had never felt before, and it was – such a feeling of happiness and an accomplishment because everything that I had worked super hard for just came to be,” Gonzalez said. 

The national victory wasn’t just a game – it was a showcase of effort, time, and perseverance. 

“It was the USA Volleyball Girls Junior Nationals and it was my thirteenth year,” Gonzalez said.

But the road to success wasn’t without its challenges. With having to balance school and volleyball, it can be a juggling act. 

“I always try to make a – designated time to do homework, extra assignments, and it can get really overwhelming,” Gonzalez said. “ I find that having a good relationship with your teachers also helps, because the more that they like know what you’re doing, the easier it is for them to kind of understand what you’re doing and why you’re missing, and that they can give you that extra help that you need.”

The toughest part of her journey, however, was finding her confidence. 

“It was really hard at one point where I – had a lot of self-doubt and – had so much negativity in my brain,” Gonzalez said.

That all changed when a certain coach came into her life, one that helped transform her mental game.

“I’m a way better player because of that and I will thank her forever because the way I play is completely different,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t let things get to my head. I know how to control my emotions on the court, and that helps me help my teammates because I’m not, like, so focused on myself.”

Gonzalez says that that bond with her coach has been crucial, and even today, their connection remains strong. 

“I still train with her. I’ve been training with her for three years,” Gonzalez said. “She doesn’t coach at my club, but she – has all the knowledge, all the power you could possibly think of in volleyball.”

As for the future, the dream is big: collegiate volleyball. 

“Some of my goals are to play collegiate volleyball. I’ve gone to a few like college coaches’ camps, and they’ve gone really, really, really well,” Gonzalez said. 

In the world of sports, where mental strength is just as important as physical, her journey showcases the highs and lows that come with striving for greatness. From following her sister’s footsteps to carving her own path, she’s ready to spike her way to the top – one game at a time. 

“My biggest dream is just seeing myself on a court with college volleyball players and living my dream,” Gonzalez said.