A Girls Memory

[Hannah with her parents at one of her volleyball games.]

Some call it ability, others call it a talent but Hannah Swanson calls it a dream. Living with it, doing it and loving it, Hannah enjoys playing volleyball at any chance she can get.

Many times, in first and second grade, she’d find herself watching her sister, spike, hit, tip, and serve the volleyball and an interest was born that had lasted and still lasts. As life went on, she would on occasion play with her family. “A lot of summers we would just go outside and play a game or two with the family or even with some neighborhood friends. It’s an interest of the whole family,” she says. They would teach her the basics and she played and practiced.

Hitting the teen years, Swanson soon joined her school team. Playing from seventh grade to tenth grade, she grew in her knowledge and love of volleyball. After games, her family would encourage and coach her on what could be worked on. Expressing her level, she says, “I would say that I’m okay! I’m pretty good at blocking and serving, but I don’t have the technique down for hitting very well. Also, since I’m tall, being in the back row is sometimes a challenge.”

Now a junior in school, Hannah Swanson, can no longer play volleyball because of some stomach issues. If life hadn’t taken this course, Swanson without any doubt says she would return to playing volleyball. A dream she wishes to fulfill.

Though she is not able to play, memories still do exist. Some highlights that she remembers most are the games. On a particular game, she served about 10 times in a row to comeback and they won the game. Another memorable event that occurred was when their volleyball team all wore pink jerseys and they sold pink shirts for fans, to raise money for breast cancer research.

Volleyball had left smiles and hopes of something more for Hannah. She shares a piece of advice, “Always believe in yourself and don’t let other people bring you down, play because you love it and want to have fun, and play the best you can, even if you aren’t the best.”