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| Kailey played for Our Lady of Mercy H.S. and Paradigm Volleyball Club |
When most athletes pick a college to play for, they go through the normal recruiting process: visit campus, meet the coach, the team, etc. You skipped much of that process and committed to Fredonia before ever meeting Coach Braun or the team. And I don't think it was an impulsive decision because I know you went through that whole process at several other schools. Can you tell us about your college search process?
When I began my college search, I honestly had no idea where to begin. Before breaking my ankle in 2013 (junior year), I was counting on being offered a full ride to some huge volleyball school. By the time senior year rolled around, most of my friends had completed their applications by the middle of December. I, on the other hand, was just beginning to really look into schools I was interested in.
I decided to attend Fredonia on the last possible day you can commit. I didn’t choose it because it was the last option. I chose it because it was the perfect match for me. I come from a small, close knit community and I believe that is exactly what the Fredonia community is like.
You're from a small town well outside of Rochester (York), about a 40 minute drive from where you went to high school, Our Lady of Mercy (a private school). Why'd you go to high school so far away?
One day, my best friend and I were talking how much we “hated” our home districts (hers being Geneseo and mine being York). Like most young teenage girls who thought they were in a predicament that could never be solved, we looked up Mercy. The first picture we saw on the website was of my cousin who looked extremely enthused to be wearing an oversized plaid skirt and navy blue polo. It was at that time that a “pros and cons” spread sheet was made. Deciding to go to Mercy was an “ in the moment” kind of choice.
You played for a very well-known volleyball coach in Rochester, CJ Denk, for both your high school and club teams. What was that like?
Anyone who has played under CJ knows that the minute you walk into the gym your focus is on improving the game. Whether personal play or team play, advances can always be made in the area of skills or volleyball IQ. It is never asked that a player be perfect because volleyball is an imperfect game. It is asked that you play “good” with maximum effort.
Luckily for me I enjoyed playing on every team he coached. It would have been a long seven seasons if I had not! Some girls find him to be an extremely intimidating coach. He is constantly correcting you (sometimes by yelling) and showing you the skills that are needed to be a successful volleyball player at the higher levels.
When playing on a team for CJ, it is not just a team. It is a family. You want to play better for the person next to you. You want to be better for yourself. You are there when a teammate is struggling. After playing so many seasons under CJ, I'm excited to see what the Fredonia program has to offer.
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| C.J. Denk, head coach at Our Lady of Mercy High School and director of Paradigm Volleyball Club |
When playing on a team for CJ, it is not just a team. It is a family. You want to play better for the person next to you. You want to be better for yourself. You are there when a teammate is struggling. After playing so many seasons under CJ, I'm excited to see what the Fredonia program has to offer.
And you ride horses? Tell me about that.
Horses have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandparents have
In the Genesee Valley, ponies are passed around from family to family. Once the last rider in a family outgrows a pony, the pony is passed on to a family that has a rider that will enjoy the pony for the time being.
The last pony that I mentioned, Little Creek, was given to me as a present for my birthday. He was only green broke when I got him. This means that he had only had a rider on him a few times. This pony taught me so much about life. I would go out in the field to catch him and he wouldn’t come. Just as I was about to hit my breaking point, he would come trotting up behind me as if saying, “ You didn’t think I would just stay out here by myself?!” He taught me that if there is an obstacle in front of you, jump it. When things aren’t going your way, find a field and take off running through it.
The bond between a horse and rider is unlike any I have ever seen. You can look at your horse and see what he is feeling just through body language and he can do the same to you. It’s a bond that can never be broken.