ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON https://spotted.iupui.edu/
Shakana Norfleet originally had no intention of playing college volleyball – or staying in Indianapolis for that matter. Residing from Nobelsville, Ind., she had her eyes set on going to school in New York, but a last-minute change of heart and her love for volleyball impacted Norfleet's future significantly.
During her senior year of high school, Norfleet was ready to start fresh in a big city and was communicating with another university about joining their volleyball team. However, she discovered that the school's health program did not offer her the same opportunities that other universities could to advance her career in the health field.
Immediately after graduating high school, Norfleet scrapped her New York plans and put herself back into the recruiting process. During that summer, she talked with several colleges in the hopes of getting picked up by a team and finding a school that would benefit her life after college. Many emails and conversations with college coaches later, IUPUI came her way.
"(The school in New York) did not have a great health program or good resources surrounding the school," she said. "I loved the health resources at IUPUI and I connected to the team here a lot better than the other university. If I was going to commit to a school for four years, it was important to me that I was able to feel comfortable around the team, and I felt very welcomed here."
Norfleet joined as a first-year middle blocker in 2018 and has been part of the team her entire college career. It's no surprise that her volleyball days at IUPUI have become some of her most cherished memories. Letting loose with her teammates on road trips was the best way for her to get mentally prepared before playing against other D1 colleges.
"I love traveling. Even though we couldn't explore as much when we were in the cities, it was definitely a time to connect with teammates," she said. "Whenever we were on the road, I felt our relationship get stronger and we started to learn about each other."
Getting accustomed to the student-athlete lifestyle was challenging at first. Norfleet had to find a way to be wholeheartedly committed to volleyball, academics and a social life all at once. Luckily, through the resources on campus, a load of stress was taken off her back.
"You really have to have a passion for your sport because you are playing 24/7," she said. "You rarely get a break. If you don’t have a passion, you will get burned out. The Athletics department has a lot of resources for us to use, which has been helpful to balance everything."
I loved the health resources at IUPUI and I connected to the team here a lot better than the other university. If I was going to commit to a school for four years, it was important to me that I was able to feel comfortable around the team, and I felt very welcomed here.
Her outlook on being a student-athlete quickly changed though. During her sophomore year, she suffered from a meniscus tear in her knee after lifting weights, which resulted in a few surgeries and a large break from playing.
"After my first surgery, I still had a lot of pain because it was basically bone on bone, so I had to get another surgery on my knee to repair it," she said. "I struggled to fully heal after the two surgeries."
While sitting on the sidelines for two seasons, Norfleet realized there were bigger lessons to learn from the sport.
"Volleyball has taught me many life skills that I need in the real world," she said. "Most importantly, there is more to me than just being a volleyball player. I discovered other interests and things that I care about. It has taught me the importance of teamwork and chemistry, a skill that can be applied to all aspects of my life."
Through her athletic and personal experiences in the classroom, Norfleet continues to mold into a better person and healthcare professional. She's even gone a step further to pursue a Spanish minor.
"I fell in love with helping people," she said, "And it's so important to me to be able to communicate with more than just people who speak English. When it comes to a career in health, I will be able to help more people."
As Norfleet is just a few months away from graduating, IUPUI has set her up for whatever she wants to achieve in the health field and beyond. She hopes to either travel abroad to Barcelona and utilize her Spanish minor or earn another degree to be an anesthesiologist assistant.
And while her personal volleyball career has come to an end, Norfleet hopes to get involved with her high school team so she can mold and mentor young volleyball players to become driven college athletes.
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