Shine On!
Hey there! I’m super excited to introduce you to the idea that has been floating around in my head for a while now. Before I begin to share Shine On Volley, I thought I would introduce myself. My name is Sarah Schmid Spegman and I’m a professional volleyball player from Denver, CO. Growing up I played many sports, so many in fact that my nickname on my first club volleyball team was Sporty (still used to this day by coaches that have known me forever). I loved many sports growing up, but my deepest love and passion was and is for the sport of volleyball. I knew volleyball was the one when I couldn’t wait to go to practice each day and would spend hours upon hours practicing against the garage at my house (much to the dismay of my family and neighbors). I started club volleyball at the age of 14, played throughout high school, and went on to pursue my dream of playing DI volleyball, graduating from the University of Denver- Go Pios! I spent a year after undergrad getting my Master’s Degree and teaching license in elementary education, fully planning on starting a teaching career right after that. But, as the year went on, I learned how much I missed playing my favorite sport everyday, and researched how to continue my volleyball career by getting advice from previous coaches and teammates who were now playing or who have played overseas. So, once I put together some video and found an agent, I went on to sign my first professional contract in Sweden. I’ve since played in Switzerland and France, and can’t wait to continue the journey onward and explore more countries while playing the sport I love!
What is Shine On Volley?
Shine On Volley is a community and a place to share lessons learned, struggles faced, and encouragement along our journeys. I’ve been playing for over 12 years, and have been in almost any situation you can think of. Being on a successful team, being on a middle of the pack team, being on the last team in the league, having amazing coaches, having difficult coaches, having teammates that mesh seamlessly, having teammates that don’t even speak the same language, being in great shape, having a chronic injury, being all- conference, to sitting the bench all season are all some of the situations I’ve been in, and I would love to teach you what I’ve learned, help you become a better version of yourself, and encourage you to shine on no matter what season you are in. My ultimate vision is to create a community where we help each other become the best versions of ourselves, on and off the court.
Why did I start Shine On Volley?
Playing overseas is the most rewarding yet challenging experience I’ve ever had in my life. The seasons are 8 months long, you’re away from your family, you’re in a brand new country and have no idea what is going on 70% of the time because you most likely don’t speak the language, and you’re playing almost every single day for 8 months straight. While it is amazing and I get to play a sport for my job while getting to travel, I think people often overlook how difficult it truly can be. This past year in particular has been THE most difficult season of volleyball (and maybe even life) that I’ve ever been through, battling a shoulder injury, not having the appropriate resources, sitting the bench, going through a mental block in my game, playing the highest level of volleyball I’ve ever played but not playing well, planning a wedding long distance with my medical school student fiancé (now husband) that ultimately got postponed, getting surgery on my original wedding date, and of course dealing with all the lovely repercussions of the coronavirus. While this has been a tough year, I’ve also grown so much and have had so much time to reflect that I wanted to share what I’ve learned not only this year, but the past 12 years of playing competitive volleyball. I love teaching, I love coaching, I love learning, I love sports; and I wanted to create a place where I could combine all of these passions of mine- so Shine On Volley was born!
What does it mean to Shine On, anyway?
We all know how many ups and downs there are in sports and life in general. It feels like a wild roller coaster ride at times. Shining on is about seeing our challenges and failures as an opportunity for becoming our best selves, for growing through the dips and valleys of life, and letting no one and nothing take away our light. It’s knowing we are valuable and going out and showing what we are made of. Shining on is about becoming our best, most beautiful, strongest, passionate, hard working selves and setting our sights HIGH and going after them with purpose and focus. To shine on is to dream big and to treat any obstacles that come our way as stepping stones that will only propel us higher. It’s about finding the beauty in every day and being grateful for our experiences.
Where do we go from here?
I’m very excited to have you here! I will be posting weekly blogs on my website and a lot of content on Insta. There might be some courses and other fun things available in the future too! So subscribe, give us a follow, and join us on this journey as we navigate the roller coaster ride together. And always feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions at all. Let’s shine on together!