Brooke Pehrson

Bengal Submission

Dear Volleyball,

I can’t believe after 11 years we are going our separate ways. It’s crazy to think of the ride we’ve been on and that its suddenly coming to an end. Thank you for giving me more opportunities than I could have ever wished for. Thank you for teaching me to work hard and always have a goal in mind. Thank you for putting some of the most amazing people into my life to not only learn from but to grow to love.

I always knew I wanted to continue playing from the very beginning. You gave me something to work hard for. You helped build me into the person that I am today. You gave me an escape from all of the other things that were happening around me. I could always count on playing and focusing on just getting better and having fun. It was easy to let everything else go and just enjoy myself.

I had some of the most amazing opportunities because of you. I was able to travel from state to state while having a blast with my best friends by my side. I met so many amazing people and built so many friendships that I never would have stumbled upon without you. I played at a Division I college and was able to not only get my bachelor’s degree but also begin working towards my master’s degree. I learned from some of the most amazing coaches in the game that not only impacted me as a player but as a person.

Although our time together appeared to be easy, I have to admit, our path wasn’t always smooth flowing. There were times I didn’t know how much longer I could go. Through injuries and tough times, I questioned you. But during these times I always came back around and realized the love I had for you and knew that our time together was short. I realized and understood we didn’t have forever together so I needed to take advantage of the time we did have. I learned to get back up during hard times and be passionate about the things that I do.

I now realize I have learned some of the most valuable lessons through you. I learned how to always dream big and work hard for anything I wanted. I discovered how to be a good teammate to and for all of the teams I’ve been on. I learned how to push through the hard times, because I knew there were always brighter times ahead. Through you, I gained confidence in the knowledge that I am not only a valuable athlete but a valuable person.

Though our times were not always easy, I now realize how blessed I was to have you in my life for the amount of time I did. You have blessed me more than I ever imagined and taught me more about myself than anything ever has. I could never say thank you enough. I will miss you more than you will ever know. Thank you for everything.

Love, Brooke