Meet Esperanza beach volleyball player, Stanford commit Clara Stowell
YORBA LINDA, Calif. — Recent Esperanza High graduate, Clara Stowell, is headed to Stanford this fall on a full athletic scholarship to play beach volleyball. Clara, 18, has been playing volleyball for the past 10 years. Her hard work and perseverance will serve her well as a Tree, Stanford鈥檚 unofficial mascot. Clara鈥檚 future goals include leading her team to an NCAA championship and eventually going pro.
These goals are no small feats, but Clara is used to overcoming challenges. She and her high school teammate, Jenna Smith, made it to the beach volleyball CIF playoffs for the first time in Esperanza鈥檚 history. She was also one of the nominees for Esperanza鈥檚 Athlete of the Year award.
Clara鈥檚 success is largely due to her dedication to improving her game and communication with her partner. In beach volleyball, teammates have to rely heavily on each other to figure out the game and their opponents. The two work together to accomplish big plays and win tight matches.
Clara enjoys that aspect of beach volleyball, describing it as a super positive environment, without a coach yelling at you the majority of the time.
鈥淔inding the best way to communicate is the key to success. You must stay vocal even when you get down,鈥� says Clara.
Beach volleyball has taught Clara how to be patient and understanding.
She tells us, 鈥淢ost of the time, your partner knows when she messes up. You don鈥檛 need to add pressure, so just stay encouraging and do your best to help her do her best.鈥�
Clara describes herself as a very positive and optimistic person. Before each game, Clara and her partner do a dynamic warm-up, which includes lots of high-fives. She also loves to listen to rap or Taylor Swift music during warm-up, often splitting AirPods with her partner.
To be great at your sport, you need to be willing to learn and adapt. Clara has learned from her past mistakes in the game by walking it off and focusing on making a better play in the next rally.
The best piece of advice she鈥檚 ever received was, 鈥淒o not go back to the bad play that just ended. Focus on the next one and find a way to win that point.鈥�
One such mistake was targeting the wrong player. In beach volleyball, it becomes clear which of your opponents is the weaker player and which is more consistent. In such occasions where Clara targeted the wrong player, she just communicates with her partner and switches it up.
Clara changed her game completely by listening to her coaches鈥� advice about blocking. She was encouraged to wait longer when seeing her competitors shooting or off the net. She now gets so many more blocks and touches.
Besides playing volleyball, Clara coaches at an indoor and beach volleyball club called Tstreet. Clara is very social and always surrounded by people. In her free time, she loves to hang out with her friends, often jamming and listening to music or going to the beach.
She also enjoys going to the driving range and swinging at golf balls. Clara loves grabbing a treat or snacking on her favorite fig crackers and goat cheese from Trader Joe鈥檚, along with some grapes. One of Stanford鈥檚 mottos is 鈥淔ear the Tree,鈥� and Clara is sure to give her opponents something to fear on the sand. We wish Clara all the best as she takes her beast mode to Stanford.
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