Volleyball has become a huge part of my life and has shaped who I am today in many ways. Thanks to this sport, I have gained a strong character and developed a discipline that I bring to every area of my life. From a young age, I learned responsibility, order, and the idea that even when you don’t want to do something, you still come and take responsibility for it. This mindset has helped me far beyond the court. I am truly proud of the person I have become thanks to volleyball, and I am grateful for this growth.
There are also many positive changes associated with this. I have acquired a strong and athletic physique, which has a balance between musculature and physical fitness, in which I feel confident. Volleyball has also given me something even more valuable — people. New acquaintances, friendships and unforgettable memories. Some of my closest friends were my teammates in Samara, and that period of my life still means a lot to me. Sometimes we argued, like any team, but those moments were nothing compared to what we shared. Sport has also changed my way of thinking — it has shaped my worldview, made me more focused and helped me to look at situations in everyday life in a different way. And, of course, volleyball gave me the opportunity to travel a lot — to different cities of Russia, such as Kazan, Moscow and Astrakhan, and later to Cyprus, exploring almost the entire island during competitions and training camps.
But at the same time, volleyball has its own difficult sides. Professional or semi-professional sports and health do not always go hand in hand – after eight years of performing, I can say that I always feel some physical fatigue or discomfort, even if there were no serious injuries. It also shaped my personality in a way that not everyone can keep up with me. My character has become stronger, and sometimes it creates a distance between me and people who are more sensitive or less stable, and I realized that not everyone stays, and that’s okay. Another disadvantage is time. Volleyball takes up a big part of your life. Despite the fact that I manage to arrange a personal life and relax, I sometimes think about what it would be like to live a more “ordinary” teenage life.
And emotionally, sports can be very stressful. My mood is often connected to how the training session or game went — how I performed, whether something worked out or not. On difficult days, when things don’t go as planned, it can have a big impact on me. It’s a bit like a relationship—sometimes satisfying, sometimes exhausting, but always important to me. And yet, no matter what, volleyball remains something that I truly love, and I can’t imagine my life without it.
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