The bell rang as students straggled behind in the commons while senior Gabi Teper sat on the wooden bench by the North Gym, talking about her start in the Bellevue Junior Sports Association, her life as a volleyball player, and being the only senior on the Bellevue West volleyball team.
“I saw a poster for BJSA, so I started playing at BJSA,” Teper said. “And these two girls played volleyball at Bellevue East, actually, and they told me that I had a lot of potential from where I was starting, and then they just really encouraged me to try playing club next winter.”
Being an undersized middle blocker can be a challenge, Teper uses that to up her work ethic.
“I’m not very tall,” Teper said. “ It kind of makes me feel like the underdog sometimes, I can’t jump the highest, yeah, but it pushes me to almost work harder.”
Something else that pushes Teper through her senior season is the new chapter that is beginning.
“I’m in my last couple weeks playing, because I’ve been playing for, what, seven years now, so it’s weird saying that I’m almost done,” Teper said. It’s happy, sad, and exciting, but, I’m excited to start a new chapter in my life, and stepping away from sports.” Teper said. “It kind of just it almost like pushes me.”
While Teper’s future is bright, volleyball isn’t part of the plan.
“I’m not planning on going to college for volleyball,” Teper said. “I would like to, but I think for my career path, it’s just more beneficial to focus on school instead of expenses and actually going to a school where I’m going to get a great college experience.”
With the end of the season in sight, Teper wanted to share her biggest advice for underclassmen and incoming volleyball players at Bellevue West.
“If you push yourself the hardest you can, and you just prove yourself to your coaches, if you’re just a good teammate overall that is what’s gonna get you places, rather than just raw talent,” Teper said. “You just have to trust God’s plan, keep pushing yourself as hard as you can, but also, don’t get down on yourself. Make it something that you actually want.”
