Aligning with the club's mission to develop fearless and empowered individuals, FIERCE is proud to support dual-sport athletes that shine on and off the field. Included amongst FIERCE's dual-sport athletes are Lilly Hutchison (06-07G NL, volleyball), Elyse Osborn (09G NL, water polo), and Julia Ramsey (06-07G NL, tennis). Below, each athlete shares insight on their perspective as a dual-sport athlete.
1. What drew you to the sport?
I was drawn to Volleyball because I had always loved to watch and play it with my mom. She played when she was younger and I wanted to follow in her footsteps by trying it. I began playing in elementary school with all of my friends, as I did with many other sports, and decided to stick with it because it was fun!
My brother got me into water polo. As an outsider, I thought that it was an insane sport. It is very physical. The objective is the same as soccer, get the ball in the goal, but in a completely different way. Right away I was hooked. It was a challenge that I just had to try. An added bonus was that everyone was so welcoming and supportive.
Initially, I was drawn to tennis because of the coach I had when I was a kid. The more I played the more I began to fall in love with the sport and the people that came along with it.
2. In what way has your second sport helped you as a soccer player?
Volleyball and Soccer have allowed me to learn time management and resilience. Being able to balance practices and games, overlapping schedules, and team events in both sports has developed my mental strength as an athlete. It is important to me that both teams I am a part of know how I am committed to them. By playing both sports, I have become more well rounded, which develops skills that enhance my abilities as a soccer player.
I started playing water polo as a field player. As a soccer goalie it was fun to have this different perspective. This year I transitioned to the goalie for my high school water polo team. As goalie, I have to be aware of what is happening in the whole pool and be very intentional with my communication. I've tried to apply this intentionality to soccer. In addition, water polo has increased my fitness level. Continuously treading water and elevating my body out of the water in bursts to stop balls has strengthened my legs and core. My arm strength has greatly improved too as I am required to accurately throw the ball down the length of the pool.
Tennis has helped me both mentally and physically with soccer. The physical aspect of tennis has allowed me to have better footwork, a strong core, and agility. As for the mental side, tennis has challenged me deeply. It certainly isn’t easy being completely by yourself on a court where you can only blame you. Tennis has helped me manage my anger (I am super competitive) and learn self motivation and confidence.
3. What is your favorite memory from your second sport?
My favorite memory from playing volleyball is the trip our team takes every year to Sinton for a tournament. It is an amazing bonding experience full of laughs and memories that brought me closer to my teammates, much like the trips I take with FIERCE!
This past high school season was a huge growth year for our team. We lost a bunch of seniors the previous year and really had to redefine what our team looked like and how we worked together. We started the season slow with a devastating loss to RRHS. Our hopes of winning district seemed to slip through our hands right from the start. We didn't play RRHS again until the very end of our season. It was a tough fight with both team's defenses holding strong. We ended up winning 3-2 and based on our season record, won the district title! It was the first time our high school girls team brought home the title and I am so proud to be a part that team.
One of my favorite memories in my tennis journey was going to playoffs last year in high school. I have never seen so many people be so happy to have the opportunity to keep playing the sport they love. However I will mention, when you have such great teammates, every moment is memorable.
4. Are there any other insights you would like to share about being a dual-sport athlete?
If I had advice to anyone who is playing two sports currently, it would be to enjoy the different excitement and challenges that each one brings. Playing two sports has definitely built character and allowed me to develop as a person and athlete!
I love the challenge of playing another sport. While a few of the skills may crossover, each sport offers unique challenges that push you in different ways.
Being a dual-sport athlete can seem overwhelming and draining at times. However, there are so many benefits that come from it. Obviously there are the given benefits like working different muscle groups and cardio, but small things such as the complete polar opposite teams that I get to be around in soccer and tennis have become the things that I cherish most. So my advice to any dual-sport athlete is to be appreciative of the opportunities you get of being a part of multiple sports. One of my favorite things about tennis is just how extremely different the environment is from soccer. The crazy thing is I love both sports regardless of how different they are.