THE STORY BEHIND LINCOLN PARK’S LIBERO

There’s a lot of work that goes into sports, specifically volleyball.

This interview highlights a volleyball player from Lincoln Park, Ivy Smith. Smith is a junior writing and publishing major, who is also libero on Lincoln Park’s volleyball team. Here, we discuss how she first got involved in the sport, her experiences from coaches and competition, and how volleyball has influenced her mindset both in and out of games. 

“How did you first start getting into your sport, and how has your perspective changed on competing from when you started, to now?”

“I started playing volleyball in 6th grade. Up until that point, I had done competitive gymnastics basically my entire life, but during COVID, I realized I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. My parents signed me up for a recreational-volleyball league, and I kind of fell in love with it.

“My mom suggested that I try tennis, instead, because she thought I was too short, which is probably true, but that made me even more determined to play volleyball. The reason I started volleyball in the first place was because I had forgotten what I loved about sports with all the competition and pressure from gymnastics. Volleyball was just fun to begin with, with little pressure and something new to learn. I take it more seriously now, though. But starting volleyball definitely helped me have a healthier relationship with competition.”

When it comes to coaching, Ivy values honesty, and authenticity most.  

“If I’m repeatedly making a mistake or just being dumb, I want to know. I know not everyone is that way, but I’ve benefited most from coaches who say it how it is. On the other side of that, I appreciate coaches who don’t let my performance affect how they see me as a person. When I was younger, if I performed badly, I felt like it reflected on my character. I’ve been fortunate to have coaches who have shown me otherwise; though. They push me to be my best on the court. But off the court, they’re still there, even after the worst games of my life.”

“How do you handle pressure or setbacks?”

It’s common for there to be stress or mental blocks for athletes.

“Generally, I handle pressure pretty well, but I think that comes with practicing for those moments, so I’m prepared. If I go back to serve on game point, I might have to take a deep breath, but it’s more productive for me to remember that I’ve done that 1,000 times before rather than how I might miss. If I do encounter setbacks or fail in high pressure moments, though, I tend not to handle that well. If I’m having trouble with something, I kind of become obsessed with it and think about it and practice it as much as possible. I’ve gotten better at accepting setbacks, but I could definitely improve.”

Through wins and losses, sports typically have a way of teaching you things you don’t always learn in other settings.

“I’ve learned a lot of important lessons from sports, and it has shaped me into who I am in countless ways. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that you can’t know if you don’t try, which is kind of cliche, but true. Volleyball is really fast paced, so a lot of times, you don’t have time to think about if you’re fast enough to get to a ball or something. You just have to train yourself to always try, and every once in a while, you do something that not even you knew was possible.”

Lastly, we’re ending with Ivy’s greatest sports accomplishment.

“I made the all-section team this year, which has been a goal of mine since freshman year, so that was cool. It felt like a full circle moment and kind of made me feel like I might be doing something right. My teammate, Patty, also made the all-section team, so it seems like we’re on the right track as a team, and it makes me excited to see what we can achieve this upcoming season.”