Flying High

Spartan Allyssah Fitterer, ’17, is like a Swiss Army knife. She’s an athlete, an artist and an inspirational leader. Volleyball is her sport. And it’s whisked her from her native Canada to MSU, to Hawaii and back. The rigors of athletics shaped her in many ways. Recently, she refleected on her sports career in an email exchange.

On MSU: My journey was kind of a fairytale. In eighth grade, MSU’s then-associate head coach, Russ Carney, discovered me at a volleyball tournament. I was a six-foot tall string-bean of a human. To my surprise, shortly after, MSU asked me to sign a letter of intent. Even though I received other others, I already felt connected to MSU.

Playing career after graduation: I wanted to go pro. But I had just rehabbed from shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, NCAA-level beach volleyball teams were reaching out to graduating seniors about using their finnal year of eligibility. So, I started looking at graduate programs. The University of Hawaii was No. 3 in the standings at the time. I contacted the coaching staff there, sent a game video and within two weeks, Hawaii offered me a scholarship to play beach volleyball. I studied intercultural communications on one of the most diverse campuses in our country.

Moving from indoor courts to the beach: I can’t stress how different indoor and beach volleyball are. The skills and technique differ. The environmental factors change how the ball moves. But the essential details remain the same. During the first couple of weeks playing on sand, I couldn’t breathe. Imagine sprinting in sand for two hours, then add jumping and heat-wave-worthy temperatures. I was a fifth-year senior and I was asking freshmen players for tips. It was humbling.

How collegiate sports shaped me: Busy days became the norm. Pushing myself past what I thought was my breaking point is empowering. Failing and continuing to strive for improvement becomes how you operate. The challenge is moving from a mandatory structure and organizing your own routine. I find if things aren’t contributing to my goals, I have trouble justifying them. Sometimes I wish I could just “be” a little more often. I’m increasingly learning how to do more of that.

Life after college sports: Volleyball will always be a big part of my personal growth. But it doesn’t define me. When you commit to playing a sport at an elevated level, you sacrifice other things. You learn to function in a whole new world, which is exciting and challenging. Now, for the first time I can try things I avoided for fear they’d affect my performance. So, I’m going on challenging hikes, climbing, skiing, taking boxing classes and staying up late to talk on the phone with my sister. I’m eating chocolate cake. I’m not worried about how high I can jump or how fast I can move in the gym and I can focus on working out to be healthy and happy. I don’t have to play through injuries, and I can do yoga when I’m sore. The only pressure I feel to perform athletically is the pressure I put on myself, and it’s oddly freeing.