Sara Doebel, Volleyball Senior, Athletic Training
Clyde, Ohio
I WILL be a part of an OAC championship team
I WILL be the best leader I can be
I WILL go to graduate school
Volleyball senior Sara Doebel is the perfect example of an athlete that excels both on the court and in the books. Along with being a major cog on a squad that went 24-9 last season, Doebel had the highest GPA of any athlete on campus. This distinction led to the volleyball team earning the highest cumulative GPA (3.8) of any varsity team at Capital last school year. Doebel recently talked with sports information assistant Bryan DeArdo about this year's team, how she balances school and sports, and what she gets into in her spare time.
BD: What were your feelings when you found out that you had achieved the highest GPA of any athlete on campus last year?
SD: I think that's a great honor because we spent so much time in the gym but still found time to thrive in school.
BD: You helped lead the volleyball team to the highest team GPA on campus as well. What does that say about your teammates and the volleyball program in general?
SD: It shows that we can put our minds toward doing anything. It also shows where our priorities are, which is in the classroom. That is what Coach Briggs always tells us.
BD: How do you properly balance school and athletics?
SD: You just have to make time for both. If that means staying up later, then that's what you do. I like to have things done so that when I step on the court for morning practices, my focus is on volleyball and making my teammates and myself better.
BD: What do you and your teammates do when you are not studying or playing volleyball?
SD: All of the seniors live in a few houses, and the underclassmen hang out there as well. This summer, everyone that is living on campus goes out to eat together, and we'll play volleyball at the Cap Center.
BD: Did you play any other sports growing up?
SD: I played basketball throughout high school and some softball. I also like to play tennis.
BD: How were you introduced to volleyball?
SD: I started playing when I was in fifth grade, loved it and kept going. I really have a passion for the sport.
BD: What has been the most enjoyable part of playing volleyball for Capital?
SD: I'm just really competitive and love winning, and I love volleyball. This program has really made me grow as a person. I've become more of a leader. It's really taught me a lot about myself. Coach Briggs does a good job at that.
BD: How will you embrace being a leader and senior on a team that is welcoming 12 incoming freshmen into the program?
SD: I'm very excited for it. I want to show them what this program is all about and show them the reigns. I want all of them to be good so that we can win games and that they have a great time.
BD: Coach Pam Briggs says that this could be one of her three best teams in the 16 years that she has been at Capital. With that being said, what are your expectations for this team in 2009?
SD: We all think the same thing. We have six seniors coming back, and we know what to expect this year. We met in the spring to discuss what we need to do in order to get that OAC championship.
BD: What is the best aspect of being a defensive specialist?
SD: I love just being able to dive all over the floor, and getting the balls that no one thinks that you're going to get. I just love knowing that when the ball gets served to me that I'm going to get the best pass possible to our setters to make sure that you're going to get a kill.
BD: What is next for you after Capital?
SD: I'd like to go to graduate school and hopefully I'll start doing some visits later on this year. I'm traveling with Americheer this summer and working with them, which has been really fun.
BD: How have your classes at Capital prepared you for school and your future career?
SD: We have the best professors here. The clinical work that we have is great. The hand-on experiences we get here really put us in position to be successful in the future.