Some people play sports for fun, but Jazmine Castrejon plays for other reasons. She plays volleyball because she loves it and helps her social skills by forcing her to talk to other people. There are always going to be fears while playing a sport and Castrejon says that she is scared everyday she plays. But, she doesn’t let that stop her from doing what she loves. Castrejon is scared that she will hurt her wrist or leg when playing and does her best to prevent this.
Castrejon explains, “Some lessons that I have learned playing volleyball is that you have to always communicate with your teammates.” She tries to always communicate with her team everytime she is on the court with them.
For instance, Castrejon explains that you must always have your teammates back but also mustn’t be too dependent on them. She says one has to help their teammates while also being dependent on themsevels. There will also be times that teammates will have disagreements amongst each other.
There are always going to be challenges that we are going to have to face in life. Castrejon had to deal with having a bad connection. She wasn’t getting along with a teammate very well and her coach had noticed, so she paired them together constantly. It made them both realize that they have to put on makeup in order to play well together. She says “We made up and now we play even better than we did before.”
Holly Lubben is a player on the volleyball team with Jazmine. Lubben says that Castrejon has helped others grow within the team. Jazmine helps her team whether it’s encouraging words or actions. For instance Castrejon helped her teammate Jackie who didn’t know how to play. Jazmine taught her how to play. Jazmine made sure to practice with her and cheer Jackie on every opportunity she got. Castrejon makes sure that if the team makes any mistakes they are fixed. Soon after Jazmine explains that she loves playing volleyball because it makes her feel like she is free.
“The reason I play volleyball is because it’s my escape from reality.” Following that, Jazmine says that it’s like she is a bird flying through the sky, and she doesn’t have any worries in her life when playing.
Castrejon feels that volleyball is great for helping her get away from all her worries. She feels like playing volleyball calms her down and keeps her in the moment. Whenever the team is playing her mind isn’t on anything else but the team. The one thing she thinks about is how she is going to do great out on the court but Jazmine misses work due to volleyball and she still manages to balance it all.
Castrejon says that she keeps up with her work by doing anything she can in her free time. She also tries checking in with her teacher to see if there is anything she can do for the assignment ahead of time. Jazmine also tries emailing her teachers to see if she is able to get an extension on assignments if needed.
She says that volleyball wouldn’t be the first choice for a career. Castrejon hopes to become a detective in the future. If becoming a detective wasn’t something she planned on doing in the future. That’s when she would consider volleyball as a career.
Castrejon says that “volleyball is a good sport because if you are a quiet person you have to get out of your comfort zone and talk to others.” Many things and people can help you in sports and one of the many people that has helped Castrejon is her coach.
Castrejon says that many people have helped her but there is one person that has helped her tremendously.
She says that her coach has helped her a lot. She says “ she always brings us up after each play, she doesn’t make you feel like it’s all your fault. She actually participates in our games. And she makes sure we practice on what we didn’t do at our previous game, so that we can improve for the next game.” Castrejon seems to be a great role model for others due to her hard work and dedication.
Castrejon wants to be a role model for others so that they can have someone to lean on.
One of Castrejon’s teammates says that “Jazi is a very hardworking player and does not give up till she accomplishes her goals.” Castrejon likes to have a positive attitude when it comes to volleyball and wants her teammates to be motivated to do better.
Castrejon says she isn’t a big fan of big speeches because she feels overwhelmed by them which is what she tries avoiding when motivating the team. Her goal is to try and be an example for others. She hopes that her team will be able to see her as a leader to follow.
Castrejon’s teammate Holly says that she motivates her team to do better. She will make sure that everyone is giving their all during games and practices. Jazmine also checks to see if her teammates are doing well. Holly states that “ what she does is she will tell us we can do this and to not give up. She also says to believe in yourself.”
Castrejon always tries to push her teammates to do their absolute best.
For example, a teammate wasn’t having a great day and thought of giving up. Castrejon then told her teammate “ you got this be aggressive and get that ball over I know you can do it. You told us not to give up so you don’t give up!” Castrejon cheers on her team and tells them to fight till they get to the finish line.
Castrejon inspires some of her teammates to try and do better. A teammate of hers said that her happiness is inspirational and overall amazing. Her teammate Holly says that “ she always comes with a smile on her face with a positive attitude” which is what inspires her. Castrejon is viewed as a positive figure on the team for her work ethic, attitude, and friendly demeanor.
“I honestly have only been playing for two seasons but when you’re with the right team and have an understanding coach who validates you and your teammates feelings, it’s one of the best experiences.”
