Vivian remembers how proud she was throughout her 12U membership season when she realized find out how to overhand serve. On the younger age of two Vivian was identified with third diploma coronary heart block, and it was unknown on the time what her bodily limitations could be. Nonetheless, after two coronary heart surgical procedures to insert, change and preserve her pacemaker, she persevered. Right now, as a junior in highschool, between college, membership, and seashore seasons, not solely is she competing in volleyball year-round, she’s main and galvanizing others round her to guide a wholesome life.
Vivian has grown up dwelling with coronary heart block and a pacemaker and he or she understands the significance of dwelling a coronary heart wholesome way of life. She has used her expertise as a pediatric coronary heart affected person as a motivator to offer again and promote coronary heart well being by her involvement with The Whitney Younger American Coronary heart Affiliation Membership at her college. Because the Vice President of the Membership, she helps manage the Coronary heart Stroll in Chicago, and different occasions in her space to assist cardiac sufferers of all sorts and ages. She even had the particular alternative to take part within the Coronary heart Stroll as a coronary heart survivor.
As well as, Vivian is a Cardiac Survivor Ambassador and engages with the Arms for Hospitals Membership. The membership places collectively little care packages and optimistic hand written notes to people who’re hospitalized. The thought is to offer a little bit of positivity and assist to these sufferers who may have it throughout an extended and aggravating hospital keep. Beginning on the age of two, Vivian has participated within the annual Cardiac Survivor Day on the hospital the place she is handled. Annually, pacemaker recipients come along with their households to rejoice, share their tales, and be a assist system to 1 one other. As she’s gotten older, Vivian started volunteering to talk on the occasion to share her story.
“I wish to share my story as an athlete and the way I’ve not let me pacemaker outline who I’m. I’ve needed to bear surgical procedure as soon as throughout my volleyball profession. At age 15, I needed to sit out of my membership season for 4 months as I recovered from surgical procedure and didn’t really feel my finest earlier than or after the surgical procedure for fairly awhile,” shared Vivian.
Though she wasn’t on the courtroom, it was so vital for her restoration for her to really feel a connection to her group and he or she needed her group to know she was supporting them even when she couldn’t play. One week after surgical procedure, Vivian was at her group’s event supporting them and volunteering to take the stats for the sport.
“It was a lesson of resilience to get again on the courtroom as soon as I used to be launched to play. I by no means thought I might be as sturdy as I used to be earlier than the surgical procedure but I’ve confirmed to myself I’m stronger than ever,” said Vivian.
She plans to share that story on the Survivor Day this September and hopes to offer hope to the youthful children who’re newer to the pacemaker journey.
Since September 2023, Vivian has held the place of Government Board Occasions Coordinator for her college’s Wholesome Minds Membership, tasked with organizing occasions to boost consciousness about psychological well being. Wholesome Minds promotes and acknowledges the significance of psychological well being. As Occasions Coordinator, Vivian helps form the actions that the membership will lead. As membership members, Vivian and her classmates goal to guide actions that vary from bringing the varsity neighborhood collectively by organized video games, to coming collectively to write down optimistic messages and displaying them on our bridge walkway for everybody to see and be reminded of optimistic affirmations.
“Volleyball has been a platform for me to guide and make a distinction. I’ve realized a lot from my teammates all through the years and I imagine they’ve realized from me as effectively. Now we have taught one another braveness, confidence, resilience, belief, and the flexibility to get again up once we really feel knocked down,” stated Vivian.
Like many pupil athletes juggling busy schedules, Vivian has needed to work by many events when she has felt emotionally or mentally challenged. When she is on the courtroom, she makes use of respiratory workout routines to assist lower any nervousness she could also be feeling. She steadily depends on her buddies, coaches, and her mother to speak by a few of the challenges she faces. “Whether or not it’s a problem at college, with buddies, or with the game, I discover that leaning on others to speak to and get recommendation is most useful.”
Vivian aspires to not solely play collegiate volleyball, but in addition to observe in her mother’s footsteps and develop into a nurse, particularly a Nurse Practitioner and maybe focus on cardiology so she will maintain youngsters and younger adults identical to her. Vivian’s mother is her function mannequin and her largest fan within the stands, and he or she feels she wouldn’t be who she is as an athlete with out her assist. She additionally seems to be as much as her membership coach as a mentor.
“Coach Delaney has supported me emotionally and bodily and is actually my mentor. She places the additional time in with me on the courtroom and can also be at all times providing me the most effective of recommendation in the case of the softer abilities of the game. She is at all times reminding me what “distinctive” seems to be like on and off the courtroom and I work exhausting to aspire to be simply that.”
We sit up for following Vivian’s distinctive journey as a pupil athlete and optimistic chief.
Vivian was awarded the 2024 JVA Athleader Award after being nominated by her Membership Director at Chicaog Elite Volleyball. Chicago Elite Volleyball (Chicago, IL) is a member of the Junior Volleyball Affiliation, a non-profit group devoted to enhancing the junior volleyball expertise for gamers, coaches, golf equipment and followers.
To study extra in regards to the JVA Athleader Award click on HERE. For associated studying for junior volleyball athletes, click on HERE.
