At a young age, many children are thrown into sports by their parents. However, this very occurrence helped foster senior Kaelyn D’Eon’s love and passion for volleyball. After beginning her journey in fifth grade, D’Eon plans to continue her devotion for her sport as she moves into Fitchburg State University (FSU) to play Division III volleyball.
Although D’Eon started playing volleyball competitively in fifth grade, it wasn’t until around seventh grade when she realized that this was the sport for her. Joining the Mill City club volleyball team in middle school kick-started her deep-seated passion for the game.
“I’ve been playing club [volleyball] for so long [and] I don’t think I would be where I am today without [it] because I did it long before any school program,” D’Eon said.
Heading into high school, D’Eon realized that she not only enjoyed playing the game, but learned valuable life skills such as time management and creating structured schedules as well. Although D’Eon played high school volleyball for the love of the game, it wasn’t until junior year when she started getting serious about continuing her career into college.
Throughout her junior year, D’Eon started reaching out to various coaches at nearby colleges, while keeping in mind her passion for nursing. After touring many schools, D’Eon was eventually hooked by the dynamics of the FSU team and their renowned nursing program.
D’Eon was able to gain first hand experience of the Fitchburg volleyball team as she attended their tournaments and saw how they melded as a team. Although she reached out to the coaches in the fall and winter of her junior year, D’Eon started getting more invested in the school towards the end of her junior year. This change came after D’Eon was able to visit the team in the spring.
D’Eon’s interest in FSU only grew as she discovered how accessible the university truly was. As D’Eon has some learning disabilities, this aspect of the school was incredibly important to her. Since FSU is a smaller school, they have many resources and support opportunities for students on campus.
According to D’Eon, the nursing program also especially intrigued her as it is known to be incredibly good and to have almost a 100% National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate.
D’Eon’s first-hand experience of the school only grew as she was able to shadow a student to get a feel for the class environments.
“I’ve been [to FSU] a lot and it was great,” D’Eon said. “I honestly decided as soon as I got there [and] I saw the dynamics. I was like, ‘Oh, I really like this place.'”
Whilst D’Eon is the one physically on the court, she credits much of her skill development to her club coach.
“Coach Skyla, I’ve had her for two years at Mill, and she was the one who really helped develop my skills and kept me calm when the [recruiting] coach would come and I’d be like, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s here,'” D’Eon said.
Not only have her coaches helped her throughout her journey, her teammates who have played beside her for years have supported and encouraged her as well. According to junior and varsity volleyball player Isla Hummer, D’Eon is always kind and uplifting.
“D’Eon is genuinely one of the funniest and nicest people I’ve ever met, and she brings that energy everywhere,” Hummer said. “She’s super easy to communicate with and her energy is always so nice and it boosts the energy of everyone around her. She celebrates every point and her energy helps keep me up even if I’m not playing my best.”
According to WA Girls’ Varsity Volleyball captain Norah Schweitzer, D’Eon is an incredibly positive athlete who is always determined to improve and help better her teammates.
“It really helps having different coaches and teammates because it really teaches you to get along with people and sometimes you make friendships you never thought you would make because people come from all different walks of life, especially on club,” D’Eon said. “I think that especially on the school team we all really strive to make each other better. It’s a healthy competitive environment and I really like going to practice everyday.”
As D’Eon approaches the end of her high school experience, she is excited to meet new people and be a part of a college team. According to D’Eon, going into college with a group of girls she already knows makes the process a little less daunting. Although college is a very different environment and much more competitive, D’Eon knows that it will make her a better player and is ready for the change.
Entering not only into the time-consuming nature of collegiate sports but also the rigorous nursing program FSU offers, D’Eon is ready to tackle any and all of the work that comes her way.
“It’s going to be a lot of finding those little chunks of time in between practices [and] it’s going to be a lot of time management. [It’s] definitely going to be a learning curve during the first year,” D’Eon said. “I’ve been kind of fitting in my homework through practices my whole life, so it’s just a little more [homework] now.”
Even though D’Eon is a little nervous about entering into a new environment, she is even more excited for the new experiences that she will gain.
“I just love volleyball, so I’m very excited to be able to continue it for four more years,” D’Eon said.