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| Kim Hill, 2A Volleyball Player of the Year, and her home coaches, parents Bradd and Terri, reflect on how sports have shaped their family. |
| Photo credit: JANET KENNY |
The physical toll may result in irreversible long-term effects, like early onset of arthritis, which the Hills view as a necessary expense.
“What’s the alternative?” Terri inquired. “I ask the girls, is it worth it? Not one of them has ever said no. The experiences, all those years, fabulous experiences, the relationships, winning, losing, dreams...”
At 17, Kim has toured the west with volleyball club tournaments where she plays amongst the best in the country while her parents scope out the top college scouts. “That’s been the funnest part about the last year,” Terri exclaimed.
Kelsey rejoined, “For you,” but then admitted, “It’s stressful but fun, learning about different schools.” They all agreed that the recruitment experience changed how and why they watched college sports. With Kelsey and Kim filling two bulky three-ring binders full of college proposals, televised games give the applicant a chance to play scout.
And has Kim decided yet?
“I have just [verbally] committed to Pepperdine,” Kim announced, explaining that though still in her junior year, “It’s early for volleyball.” As for her chosen course of study, she wavered between business and sports medicine. “I’m enjoying anatomy. Learning about the body is interesting.” She added that Pepperdine offers a challenging sports medicine program.
Though TV dreams drive the ambitions of many young players, this contender has a larger worldview. A stint in the Olympics could potentially lead to the professional beach volleyball circuit, and though Kim considers “trying the Olympics once or twice,” she admitted, “I get the feeling that once college is over, I will want to move on and get a real job. I’ll probably always be involved because I can’t image giving it up totally. I don’t know if I want my whole life to be year-round volleyball.”
Her parents would love to see their daughter in the Olympics, but they too, remain grounded. Their older daughters, who still play, now primarily focus on other interests. Kelsey cited physical constraints: “My body is almost to the end,” she said without regret.
Terri added, “In their senior year of college, they’re hoping their body will make it for one more season. You get beat up over the years.”
Yet they all acknowledge the difficulty of letting go.
“It’s such a part of your life for so many years, it’s hard to walk away. You want to keep involved,” Bradd pointed out.
“It’s part of your identity,” Terri agreed.
Kim remains optimistic. “If I want the experience, I can always stay involved by coaching.”
Whether interested in film studies (Shelby), family counseling (Caitlin), marketing (Kelsey), or sports medicine (Kim), the Hill girls understand that most of their lives will take place off the court. Sports, for the most part, remain a pastime for the young, evolved through self-invented backyard games to the established rules that govern the popularized team activities. High school raises qualification standards to meet the stakes that lay the school’s pride on the line. Kids learn the dance of the team dynamic, how to share and when to step up, as well as the grace of ceding to others. The Hills are competitive, but self-effacing, ambitious yet realistic. They never lose sight of the goal, which has remained true since the beginning, despite all the commentary and statistical analysis that dominates sports culture. Games are meant to be fun, as Kim said, “If you’re not having fun, there’s no point.” In this sense, after all of the hand wringing and speculating about their future, maybe kids have a more healthy perspective than all of us analysts who spend more time thinking about the meaning of sports than playing for the pleasure of the game.
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