Get to know North Idaho College volleyball player Kayla Freed
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — My name is Kayla Freed and I am a sophomore student-athlete at North Idaho College. I am currently in my second season of volleyball for NIC and it has been one of the best experiences of my volleyball career. I have been playing volleyball for about 11 years now and it has made a huge impact on my life.
Being a part of a team has taught me a lot about myself and being an athlete in general. I have been on many different teams and have had several coaches, but my NIC coaches have been the most inspirational of them all. My coaches have taught a lot about being an athlete, but they have taught me more about being a good person.
They always tell us at the start of a season that they are here to make us good athletes, but importantly they are here to make us better people. I have learned a lot from my coaches the last couple years, but there are two things that I have learned that I will never forget.
My head coach, Kelsey Stanley, has taught me how to not only be a good athlete, but also a good person. She taught me that communication is key and to have confidence in myself. In volleyball, the game can not be played without good communication, and this is the same throughout life.
When it comes to confidence, Kelsey always wants us to be confident in everything we do not only on the court, but in our day to day lives as well. She tells us that if we tell our minds that we are confident and we are going to be successful, then it will happen. This is so true, because I have practiced it, because of her, and I have grown a lot as an athlete and importantly as a person.
My assistant coach from last year, Robin Reese, taught me a lot as well. One of the things that I will never ever forget was when she told me, 鈥淚t is not about the amount of minutes you play, it鈥檚 about what you do in those minutes that will make a difference.鈥�
I am a middle blocker and I only play three out of six rotations. I may not be playing all the time, but when I go in, I do my absolute best to make a difference. After Robin told me this, I realized I could use this in school, coaching, and in life. Being on a team surrounded by amazing and supportive teammates and coaches has really shaped me as a young woman.
Sports can be so impactful and beneficial and I definitely think everyone should try being a part of a team sometime in their life. This can include a sports team, a choir, a band, or even a business team. Having the opportunity to work with others and create something meaningful and wholesome, is the greatest opportunity for everyone. It definitely has given me a lot of amazing opportunities.
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