Contact: Ashleigh Jones, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
 
Oct. 30, 2017- Returning to the volleyball courts after a season-ending ACL and meniscus tear following her sophomore season, senior North Central College women's volleyball player Claire Vrabec is back on the hardwood with vengeance.
 
Originally from Lemont, Illinois Vrabec recalls her earliest memories of volleyball rooted in her third-grade park district team. Like many young athletes she had tried other sports such as basketball, but when the time came to choose a sport in middle school, she picked volleyball.
 
"I loved to play the sport," said Vrabec when asked why she had stuck with volleyball into college. "I just wanted to play it out for as long as I could because it was something that I loved to do-- even when I was hurt I loved watching it."
 
As her skills developed over the course of her high school career, she became more serious in her pursuit to play at the collegiate level. Utilizing her year-round club volleyball experience Vrabec looked to bolster her chances to attract offers amongst the intense competition.
 
Thanks to the encouragement from some of her favorite club coaches, Vrabec was finally met with a tough decision between two colleges: Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis. and North Central College.
 
"For the longest time Carthage was my first choice," said Vrabec. "I believe in signs and stuff, and I remember I was sleeping over at my best friend's house senior year. I woke up the next morning, and it was getting close to having to make a decision soon. I looked outside, and on the window seal, there was a little Cardinal. And that is what actually made me decide."
 
That decision proved to be worth her while for some of her best volleyball memories stemmed from her first two years with the Cardinals.
 
"My favorite memory as a Cardinal occurred during my sophomore year when we beat Millikin in five sets," said Vrabec. "They were top in the conference. It was a crazy game because we were down by some much, but we came out of nowhere and ended up winning."
 
Finishing her sophomore year at the top of her game Vrabec was preparing to step up as a leader on the court as a junior.
 
"On the court, I try to be as loud as possible, I try to smile, and keep everyone upbeat," said Vrabec. "Positivity is a big thing, and leading by example is something that our team likes to do."
 
Her love for volleyball permeates many parts of her daily routine, so much so that during her off-season she even takes time to help run kiddie camps. That passion for sharing her knowledge and talents for the game helps her to see the game of volleyball from a new perspective: the sideline.
 
The summer just before Vrabec's junior year during one of the camps, Vrabec did a demonstration that took a turn for the worst, and she ended up tearing her ACL and her meniscus.
 
"When I realized what had happened I was like 'I am not going to be able to play volleyball-- next year I am out for sure,'" she said.
 
As she predicted, Claire was sidelined her junior year, yet by sitting on the sidelines, she learned how to lead from the bench and push her teammates to succeed in a different way than leading by example.
 
"Sitting on the sidelines from a coach's perspective the game is completely different," said Vrabec. "I think that being injured in a way helped me grow as a player. It actually made me less scared on the court. Even with my big brace now, I'm not as hesitant as I was before."
 
Missing out on last season motivated Vrabec to came back ready to work, and with the help of a positive shift in the team dynamic, the transition back on the court went smoothly.
 
"I had faith in myself, but I kind of wanted to prove it to myself and to others that I was ready," she said. "I have heard from so many people who have come to our games this year stating that 'the whole team dynamic is so different;' you can see that we are actually having fun."
 
The atmosphere on the court is in direct correlation to how the team interacts with each other off the court.
 
"The team atmosphere is like a family--our coaches are always looking out for us, and we are always looking out for each other," she said. "We love to do things together as a team. And this year we have grown stronger as a team, we are more like one unit, that is something that I love specifically about this year." 
 
With Vrabec's senior season coming to a close, and classes picking the encroaching future is a bit surreal for the Marketing major looking to go into advertising.
 
"Advertising is what I would love to go into," said Vrabec. "My top choice in relation to advertising would be in the realm of sports."
 
Before she can take on the real world, Vrabec and the team will have to take on North Park University and celebrate Senior Night on Oct. 31, at 7 PM. Come out early and pack the stands, or follow along with live stats and streaming HERE.