Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerstin Jenkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kerstin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was six years old, my dad handed me a volleyball. At the age of sixteen, he sat me down and told me that he would no longer pay for club volleyball if I weren’t serious about getting an athletic scholarship. I knew I wanted to play at the next level, but I lacked confidence due to the state of my grades. Growing up, I struggled with ADD and dyslexia. I was never put on medication, so I had to learn to cope on my own.
As a senior in high school, I had college letters coming in left and right. The University of Houston was my dream school; however, I became greatly discouraged after their coach told me I was not tall enough to play for them. My parents suggested attending a junior college for the first two years and then transferring to a division one school. I had preconceived notions regarding junior college and the idea of enrolling made me cringe. My perspective changed when I received a full-ride scholarship offer from San Jacinto Junior College in La Porte, TX. There were many benefits, such as: being close to home, receiving a weekly allowance, sharing apartments with teammates, and small classroom sizes. With the pros outweighing the cons, I made the decision to sign a two-year contract with San Jac.
After playing collegiate volleyball for a year, social influences began to control my life. I started drinking, partying and even doing drugs. My life was headed in a downward spiral of destruction and I needed rescuing. Luckily, there is a God who sent the ultimate rescuer, Jesus.
Of course, like so many girls before me, I met a boy who I thought could fill the void that only Jesus could fill. I began attending church in hopes of winning the approval of this man, but looking back, I can clearly see it was Jesus drawing me to himself. I became involved at Life Community Church in La Porte, where I volunteered in the baby nursery during the first service. As I took care of the precious babies, I learned a lot about how Jesus was taking care of me. This was life-changing! I met some of the greatest people who deeply cared for me and where my life was headed. My second year at San Jac was different. I began watching a live stream young adults ministry every Tuesday, called “The Porch” (which changed my life). I began to pursue Jesus and was slowly becoming the woman God designed me to be. I realized I could actually use volleyball to glorify God. I began to train harder in the gym and was more consistent in my rehab and stretching. In a short time, I became the six rotation starting outside hitter, providing hope for my transferring process.
My sophomore year at regionals is where all the four-year university coaches gathered to scout who would be the best fit for their team/school. This was my best tournament yet. Afterwards, I received an email from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX. Upon researching the school, I noticed it was only about 45 minutes from “The Porch”. It was evident God had plans for me in the Dallas area. When I visited the campus, everything felt perfect; the class sizes weren’t too large, the campus was beautiful, the team was very talented, and overall just felt as if I belonged there. At the end of the visit, the coach offered me a scholarship and I committed immediately.
A few short months later, I packed up my life and moved to Denton. The transition was hard at first. I had no friends other than my teammates, I needed my GPS every time I left the house, and I was homesick. Eventually, I got plugged in at a church called Watermark. Once again, I met genuine Christ-followers who reflected a life I wanted to live and developed life-changing friendships.
I always envisioned moving back to Houston after I graduated, but God had other plans. I am currently a nanny and head volleyball coach for the number-one ranked volleyball club in Texas and number-two in the nation. Seeing these young athletes grow every week gives me such a sense of accomplishment. I love my life in Dallas, Texas and needless to say, Houston won’t be getting me back any time soon.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It wasn’t NEVER a smooth road. Contrary to popular belief, not all volleyball players are tall. I am considered a short outside hitter. Therefore, I had to work harder than anyone else. I was constantly comparing myself to other outsides and went above and beyond to increase my vertical.
As I mentioned earlier, my grades were awful, that being said, it was incredibly hard to get into a school I deeply desired. I never had the drive to perform well in school but when I found out an athletic scholarship was on the line, it gave me a little more motivation.
TAV – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I work for an organization called Texas advantage volleyball. We are ranked number one in Texas and number two in the nation. TAV is a great environment and the girls love coming to practice. I coach 13-year-olds, and they have the attention span of a squirrel, so I try to keep things fun. There’s lots of laughter going on while on the court but we’re serious when we need to be. What I enjoy most about being a coach is that I can relate to being a 13-year-old volleyball player. I understand comparison, I know how bad it sucks to ride the bench, I know what it’s like to beat yourself up over a silly little mistake. At the end of the day, I want my players to understand that I am their coach and I’m here to make them better athletes, but they also know they have someone to look up to. They know they can communicate with me about anything going on in their life, rather it’s volleyball related or not.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I would define success as achieving a goal you have set for yourself.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2800 N Interstate 35E
Carrollton, TX 75007
United States - Website: https://www.ascvb.com/
- Phone: 817-545-4551
- Email: info@texasadvantage.com
Image Credit:
Jorge Diaz
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
