From Volleyball to Dentistry: A Journey of Perseverance and Passion by Ava

From Volleyball to Dentistry: A Journey of Perseverance and Passion by Ava - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

My involvement with volleyball has been a huge factor in my educational journey, and my development as a young adult. Before I started playing volleyball, I was the type of kid who struggled to stick with things where I did not immediately excel. I am proud to say that I could not be more different today.

Bruce Cao was a big part of this transformation. I met Bruce for the first time when I was 15, walking into a competitive volleyball club in a bright rainbow tie-dye tee shirt, smiling and ready to go, hoping to earn a spot on any national team. Despite my cheerful appearance, I was in a great deal of back pain, but I ignored it so I could push through the tryout. I really wanted to graduate from local parks and rec volleyball to making a competitive national club team. Surprisingly, Bruce Cao pulled me aside after the tryout ended and told me to get my mother. The three of us sat down in a gym office, and he offered me a position on his top 15s national team. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and I was overjoyed.

The next day, the pain in my back was so intense I went to a spine specialist at Duke for an x-ray. I was diagnosed with a lumbar spine stress fracture and was restricted to a back brace and off the court for 8-12 weeks. I was devastated. I would miss my first high school season and be behind in club season. Then, I had to tell Bruce what had happened. He told me it was going to be okay, and I was going to come back from this. I really didn't believe him at the time.

After three long months in a custom back brace, I was allowed to return to practice and training. Typically, extra training with a coach outside of practice requires costly private lessons which would be a financial strain for my mom. Bruce spent 1-5 hours with me in the gym every day after school, training me for no extra cost. He yelled at me, encouraged me, got frustrated with me, and pushed me very hard. He did all this because he believed I could become a high-level player. When the season started, I was the worst player on the team, surrounded by experienced girls who were stronger, more agile, and could jump higher. Bruce gave me an opportunity to improve by having me come to practice early and stay late. Bruce told me that I was by far the "least athletic person on the team," that I "had no jump," and that I was "too short to be a great hitter." I worked hard to disprove him, putting all the techniques he taught me to use during games. Bruce made me believe that I could play Division I volleyball. I began making my college plans while playing on his team, but not getting much attention from college coaches. I never lost hope that I could achieve my dream. I just continued to stay focused and believe in myself.

Fast-forward three years and several coaches and teams later, you will find me officially committed to playing volleyball at the College of the Holy Cross next year on a partial scholarship. After my year with Bruce, I became a starter on my school team. I mentored the younger players just as Bruce mentored me, pushing me when needed and encouraging me when appropriate. I would not be the hardworking, honest, driven, and ambitious person I am today if I never played volleyball and benefited from Bruce Cao as a coach.

Through improving my game by getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, welcoming challenges, and being okay with not being great at something on the first try, I have grown as a player and, more importantly, as a student and a person. I opted into the International Baccalaureate program and have earned all As to help my chances of being recruited to a high academic school. As a result, I have received a more well-rounded and in-depth education about the world. I have learned that nothing worth doing is easy. I have gained lifelong friends and mentors. Through sports, I have gained the ability to jump high and hit that leather ball pretty hard, but more importantly, I gained confidence and a strong sense of character that I will keep with me in my educational and professional career.

My career goal is to become an independently practicing dentist. I spent a lot of time in the chair at the orthodontist growing up with braces from ages 7 to 14. My adult teeth were so deformed that if I had not received appropriate dental care, I would have no front teeth, and have trouble getting people to look past my teeth to take me seriously. This past summer, I explored the dental field more by shadowing my dentist, Dr. Raj, to see what the day-to-day looked like for him. Seeing the various tools used for procedures, seeing a crown get printed in just 45 minutes, and witnessing the level of patient interaction confirmed my career goal. Appreciating how much dentists and orthodontists have improved my quality of life excites me to do the same for others in the future.