Whether it has been three months or three years, no matter how long one has been in college, it is a tough job to handle. Imagine being a full-time college student and a full- time athlete. Welcome to future Southern Oregon University student Laura Friar’s life. After graduating and playing with Bellevue College for two years, she will be headed to SOU in the spring.
Oregon may not seem so different from Washington but packing up and moving to a whole other state can be quite a nerve-wracking experience . Luckily for Friar, all she feels is excitement. “I’m looking forward to moving with having a completely new experience. It will be a lot different but I’m excited to play at the next level and challenge myself more,” said Friar.
Friar’s journey began in her freshman year of high school. She stated, “My friends convinced me to tryout my freshman year of high school. So I decided to give it a try!” Friar admitted that if it wasn’t for her friends, she would be playing basketball today. From freshman year all the way into college, she has dedicated hours upon hours to the sport she loves. When asked how much time she currently dedicates to volleyball, she answered, “It depends on if it’s on or off season. As of right now, my Southern Oregon coach has me on a five day workout routine.” In the springtime when she has school and volleyball, “it will seem like a full time job,” she said.
Thus far, Friar has taken volleyball very seriously. Friar is currently majoring in Education-Biology and is hoping to become a teacher along with being a volleyball coach. As far as preparing for her future career, she is getting plenty of practice. Currently, she coaches a volleyball club on her off seasons and also coaches at summer camps that involve working with kids aged 10-18.
While it seems that school and volleyball dictates a large portion of Friar’s life, she surprisingly does have time for herself. “Outside of volleyball, I like to hang out with friends and family, watch movies, cook, workout and watch the Seahawks,” she added.
Juggling anything beyond just college seems to be impossible, this future SOU volleyball star proves that any goal is reachable if one works hard and sets their mind to it. If you’re one for college volleyball, make sure you keep an ear and eye out for Laura Friar! Without a doubt, this won’t be the last time you hear about her.