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The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Hagemann makes varsity as a sophomore

Eyes focused, junior Rebecca Hagemann stares straight ahead while shouts of anxious fans echo in the gym.

She jumps up, soaring up through the air, hand raised over her head. With a whack, her hand smashes into the object coming toward her, and the ball goes flying over the net and lands just inside the line. The intensity of volleyball led Hagemann to her greatest experience in volleyball: making the varsity team as a sophomore at Palo Alto High School.

Hagemann began playing volleyball in 6th grade at Jordan Middle School. Volleyball was intense, competitive, fun, and immediately she was captured by the excitement of the sport. "I had played every sport possible, but never found one I really liked until I played volleyball," Hagemann said.

She devoted her time to improving and joined Vision, a traveling club team that had tournaments in places including Reno and Los Angeles.

Continuing to develop her skills, Hagemann made the freshman team at Palo Alto High School in 2002. As a sophomore, she decided to try out for the varsity. There were only six spots to fill and there were nine juniors ahead of her.

"I doubted I would make the team, but I went out for it anyway," Hagemann said. The tryouts were 2-3 days a week during the summer and every morning she woke up and took the half an hour walk to the high school. "I didn’t have a car and I couldn’t drive yet so I just walked."

The coaches sent everyone outside on the last day of tryouts. "We were then individually called in," Hagemann said. "It was really intimidating." She sat down in front of the three coaches and waited for the news. "They started with the bad stuff," she said. "They thought I could’ve done better during the tryout."

Hagemann then received the news she had been waiting for. "One of the coaches stood up and said, ‘We see you have potential, and we have a spot for you on the [varsity] team.’ I was really surprised." Hagemann said.

Hagemann was ecstatic. This was a huge step. She had gone from the freshman team to the varsity team without playing on junior varsity. "It was so unexpected, I was just really happy."

Immediately, she went to the team room where her new teammates welcomed her onto the team with smiles and tears. Everyone was excited she made the team.

Hagemann’s family was no exception. "They were really surprised and very proud." Hagemann said. "They took me out to Chili’s for a celebration dinner." This was a huge accomplishment in her volleyball career, so there was good reason to celebrate.

As the youngest on the varsity team, Hagemann was nervous at first. The 2003 team was comprised of juniors and seniors, and she was the only sophomore. But as the season progressed, she began to fit in with the team.

"There was a lot of drama, but I wasn’t involved because I was friends with everyone," Hagemann said. Last year, the team won only two matches, but Hagemann improved through practices and games.

Now as a junior, hoping to continue her career, Hagemann is planning on going to a small college somewhere in the Midwest though preferably not California. She is looking for a nice, peaceful place, which isn’t as crowded as Palo Alto. "Not Division 1, but probably a Division 2 or a Division 3 school where I can play," she said.

Hagemann is looking forward to a successful junior year. She and her teammates are now welcoming the new sophomores on the team this year. She has two more years before she graduates and goes off to college with many hopes and dreams to surpass there, too.

Hagemann, playing for her fifth year now, will always remember making the varsity team. "Making varsity was one of the most exciting things that have ever happened to me."

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