Annabelle Whitehead

Since middle school, my whole life has revolved around volleyball. I initially fell in love with the sport as a seventh grader when I was recommended to try out because of the massive growth spurt I had experienced the previous summer. After that first season, there was no turning back. I continued to pursue my newfound passion and began playing year-round club volleyball that same year. Volleyball gave me a new purpose and a way to grow as a person and a player. I moved to the high school team when the eighth grade school year came around, which was an entirely new world for me coming from middle school. Though I had a successful start to my career, it didn't come without its challenges. When I began playing in high school, I had a rough start. I didn't make my high school team in my first year, which was a total shock because I played on the team in eighth grade. However, this setback forced me to come back stronger. Due to reasons outside of my sport, I had to transfer schools as a sophomore. I made varsity all three years at my new school while continuing my club volleyball pursuits. My club volleyball journey differed significantly from my school volleyball because it was more consistent, and every year for the club, I made the teams I wanted with many of the same teammates. Through this experience, I was able to make lifelong friends, including my roommate here at UGA, who was a part of my club volleyball team. Eventually, my eight years of volleyball ended, and though I was sad to leave the court, I'm excited to begin my new adventure at UGA.