Q&A: Natalie Mitchem spikes the ball into her future
- Elisa Reamer
- Jul 5, 2020
- 3 min read
Natalie Mitchem, 19, has been playing volleyball for eight years now. She will be entering her second year of college and is still going strong within the sport and dedicates her entire life to succeed. I was fortunate enough to ask her some questions about her role as a college athlete attending Ball State University in Indiana.
Dreamereamer Blog: Why did you choose volleyball over any other sport?
Mitchem: “I never had an interest in any other sports and when I started playing volleyball, it just stuck with me ever since.”
Q: Have you tried any other sports?
A: “I have not played any other sport.”
Q: What are some awards/trophies you have won?
A: “I have won many tournaments, but the biggest ones were nationals my junior year of club volleyball and the MAC Championship my freshman year of college.”
Q: How is being a college athlete different than high school?
A: “There is more demanded of you in college. In high school, you are expected to perform well and behave. While in college, you represent the school, so there is more asked of you-behavior and performance wise. In college, your team is also all on the same page of competitiveness, while in high school, there are people that feel they don’t have to care.”
Q: How has volleyball shaped/impacted your life?
A: “Volleyball made me who I am today. It made me disciplined, more responsible, more accountable for my actions, etc. It also gave me countless friendships and memories that I will value forever.”
Q: How do you balance the sport with your school and social life?
A: “At first it was hard to balance my social life, school and volleyball, but after a few years of club volleyball, it became easier to know what to give more time to and what to not give too much time to.”
Q: Do you have an athlete that you idolize, if so, who are they?
A: “I don’t necessarily have an athlete idol; I just look up to all the people that are better than me and strive to be as good as them.”
Q: What does an average week of training and practices look like?
A: “In college, my schedule looks like: practice from 3:30-7 (including lifting) Monday-Thursday/Friday (depending on away games). For away games, we usually leave Thursdays after practice and come back Saturday night. We have Sunday’s off and games always on Friday and Saturday.”
Q: What are some good luck charms that you have that you must have at each game?
A: “Surprisingly, I don’t really have any good luck charms unless I use a hair tie for a long time and grow attached to it.”
Q: Any advice for athletes wanting to continue in college?
A: “My advice would be there are hundreds of girls that want the same position as you. You have to stand out from them and prove to coaches and teams how you are different than the rest if you want to continue in college, especially at a high level.”
Q: Would you consider playing volleyball professionally after college?
A: “Yes I would consider playing professionally after college, but we will see how my body feels about that in the future.”
Thanks for reading and thank you to Natalie for the interview,
Elisa Reamer
“There is so much Life in front of you, my dear, Embrace it while You can feel the energy in your hands.” -Clear Blue Skies, RH Fowler
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