RACHEL FRICK RISES UP FOR VOLLEYBALL SEASON

By Hannah Davis, Providence Day School Class of 2008

At the high school level, a ‘student athlete’ is defined by one’s ability to juggle a varsity sport, club ball and academics.  This is an ability often overlooked by those that do not invest such significant amounts of time training, practicing, traveling and studying to ensure success in both the academic and athletic realms. 

For Rachel Frick, a rising junior at Providence High School, accepting the ‘student athlete’ role seems to be second nature.  Her club volleyball team, the Carolina Juniors 16’s SLAM, travels every other weekend to compete in tournaments in locations as far as Indianapolis, Indiana.  While she does admit that this lifestyle can be overwhelming at times, Frick accepts it as the standard routine of any student athlete. 

At this level of volleyball, there is no off-season.  When club ends, school workouts literally start the next day, but even with this continuation, Rachel seeks additional work with a personal trainer at the Jewish Community Center to increase her vertical jump.

How does one reach this competitive level and master the skill of time management as well as Rachel? Simple.  She has been doing it since seventh grade when she first started playing volleyball for South Charlotte Middle School.    Rachel’s best friend since third grade at Elizabeth Lane, Lauren Johnson, was her initial launch into the sport of volleyball as she grew up playing with Lauren and her sister.  Rachel finally decided to try out in seventh grade when they were first eligible.

Like many athletes, Rachel is driven by the possibility that she may have the opportunity to play volleyball at the college level.  This drive comes from a simple love for the sport.  According to Frick, “there honestly doesn’t have to be a motivation—it’s just that I love the sport so much that all I want to do is play and get better while doing it.”  Spoken by a passionate athlete.

While Rachel wants to play in college, she doesn’t want to limit her schools at all, as coaches aren’t technically allowed to talk to her until September of her junior year.  That being said, Frick loves the University of South Carolina as she has been to a few of their summer camps, and she enjoys the entire atmosphere of the school.  The comfort she feels at the South Carolina may be the result of her family’s support for the school as well.  “My brother goes there too so It’s the only school my family talks about.  My grandpa played football there so it’s kind of turned into a family school.”

As Frick continues receiving criticism and advice from coaches throughout her volleyball career, the best advice she’s received came from her coach Shannon Wells.  “How do you play when nobody is watching?” she would ask her.  According to Rachel, “It would always make me focus that much more and want to play that much harder.” 

With the volleyball powerhouse that is Providence High School, Rachel Frick will certainly be a crucial element to the team’s success and may very well sport the Gamecock uniform that her family so vehemently supports.  Best of luck in the next two years!