More than a sport

Volleyball senior reflects on four years as a Bulldog athlete

Senior Hannah Guy is entering her final year in the program and has posted consistent numbers for the team. Torch File Photo

Story by: Ferris senior right-side hitter Hannah Guy

These past four years have been the most exciting years of my life and I wouldn’t change a second of it for anything. 

Prior to coming to Ferris, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I knew that I did not want to go to Ferris—I didn’t like the idea of going to a school so close to where I grew up. After some thinking, I decided to go on a visit and just check out the campus and team. It was the greatest decision of my life. The coaches and team were all so welcoming and I knew immediately that Ferris was my next home. 

My experience as a Ferris athlete was much different than many others. I was not the stud who was getting All-American honors or even one who started every game. At first, this was hard for me to grasp. In high school, I was used to playing in every single game and not coming out for a second. 

One night after practice, I decided to go to Fellowship for Christian Athletes. I spent about an hour there with other athletes and got to worship and listen to a message from Pastor Mike. That night changed my life drastically. Pastor Mike’s message was about sports being so much bigger than playing time. It’s not about the physical aspect of playing the sport but the players and coaches you get to surround yourself with who help you to develop into the person you’re meant to be. 

This was so eye-opening for me. I may not have always been on the court during games but I was always on the sidelines serving my teammates by pouring my heart and soul into encouraging them. During practice, I pushed my teammates every single day and worked my tail off to make them all better. 

These four years have taught me that the sport of volleyball is so minute in comparison to the things it has taught me. I have made some of the greatest friends and memories of my life here at Ferris. I’ll never forget the 8-hour bus rides to Michigan Tech, the Euchre tournaments, sore knees from preseason, team talks, plane rides to Florida or Colorado and free chocolate milk after practice. 

While my time here is coming to an end, I don’t regret coming here for a minute. I am so thankful for the experiences I was able to share with my teammates and coaches including three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) conference championships, three GLIAC tournament championships and making it to Regional Finals multiple times. 

Like they always say: once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog. 

For more on the Ferris volleyball team, click here