 |
|
| Cassie House | |
As we countdown to the final home match of the 2016 New Mexico volleyball season, we’ll post an interview with each of the Lobos’ four graduating seniors. The final installment in our series features Cassie House, a senior outside hitter from Rio Rancho, N.M.
Q: What was your educational experience at UNM like?
A: Being a student-athlete is no walk in the park and balancing practice, lifting, school, homework, sleep and other obligations was tricky. Going to school at UNM was a good experience for me and I am proud to say I have a degree from the Anderson School of Management. I always did well in school to be able to play volleyball, but it was so refreshing to find a school that made me want to do well in school to learn more and be able to apply myself after college. Going to school at UNM gave me a new appreciation for my education.
Q: What was your playing experience at UNM like?
A: I have grown so much as a player and a person in my time at UNM. There are few places I have been to that give the same feeling that playing in Johnson Gym does. The entire program continuously challenges you to grow as a player, person, and teammate. Addressing my entire college career and what it was like is one of the most difficult things to do. I have loved it. I cherish the victories with my teammates, the pit drills that pushed me to work harder, the losses that drove me to learn and want more, the practices that left me aching yet so satisfied, the weight lifting that drove me to want to out work any competition, the trash talk with teammates that brought us all to compete hard against each other and work harder together, and the travel that always made me so grateful to have this opportunity. I would not trade all I have learned here for anything.
Q: Why did you choose to play at New Mexico?
A: I was recruited very young, being tall and athletic but knowing nothing about volleyball and having no training at all. Once the recruiting process started, I asked countless people about how to pick the right school for you. Everyone always said that the second you step onto campus or into the gym, it will just feel “right.” The day I stepped into Johnson Gym, it felt right. Something about it captivated me and I knew it was where I wanted to spend my college career. Ben Wallis, an assistant coach at the time, was another reason I came to UNM and even though he is no longer here, I am thankful for him leading me to this program.
Q: What was it like playing in your home state?
 |
|
A: Playing ball in my home state and being able to represent the place I grew up was one of the most incredible things about playing here. I loved being able to play in front of the same crowd and people that got to watch me play in high school and who have seen me go from an uncoordinated high school kid to a college athlete. The best part about it is being able to relate directly to the young girls that I have been able to serve as an example to. Being able to watch the young girls I have coached or talked to in high school and throughout my career at UNM and talking to them about how they can one day be a great player warms my heart. Playing to represent my state is something I will forever be incredibly proud of.
Q: What are some of your favorite memories from your playing time at New Mexico?
A: I will forever cherish all the laughs. In four years, I have shed countless tears from laughing with my teammates, whether it was laughing from getting through a hard practice or something dumb someone said. My favorite memories cannot be specified or categorized because they all run together into priceless moments that make up my entire career. Making rough travel trips inside jokes, making games out of drills, teasing and talking trash to each other, traveling the country and the world… picking a few of the memories would be too hard.
Q: What are some things you’ll miss about playing volleyball at New Mexico?
A: I will miss the feeling of standing on the floor at Johnson Gym, having my sisters around me, the crowd screaming and cheering, fighting and grinding and competing with my team. I will miss the hominess that playing in Johnson has given me. It’s a sense of belonging and satisfaction to stand in front of fans and teammates who believe so much in you and having the opportunity to make them proud.
Q: What things are you most proud of from your time at UNM?
A: I am most proud of the connections I have made and the people I have gotten to meet. Athletic accomplishments are easily forgotten, but the people I have met, the young girls I have been an example and role model to, and the people who have told me that they are so proud of me is what I am most proud of. Absolutely nothing compares to the feeling I get when a group of young girls and boys swarms me after a game to get me autograph and tell me that they want to play like me when they grow up. I am most proud of the times that fans have told me that they are proud of me. Playing well and making athletic accolades are the reason that all of the past things happen.
Q: How was it being coached by Jeff Nelson?
A: Jeff has an incredible amount of volleyball knowledge and being able to learn how to process the game and make better decisions was incredible. He helped me grow as a person by teaching how to navigate through diversity and challenges.
 |
|
Q: What would you tell the next generation of Lobo volleyball players about playing at UNM?
A: I would tell them to play with their hearts on their sleeves. That pain and loss and failure are all part of the job, but they are also the struggles that make victory and overcoming obstacles so much sweeter. I would tell them to take yelling and confrontations as opportunities to grow and mature, to learn how to take the meaning behind the message and make the change to make yourself better. There is so much beauty in trying so hard and failing harder and standing up and going back at it.
Q: If you could go back to your first year at New Mexico, what would you want to tell your younger self about college?
A: I would tell myself to take advantage of every chance to play, every hard lesson to learn, and to pour my heart and soul into my game. It is so easy to get caught up in life and school and so many other X factors that can take away from your career. I wish I could tell myself to roll with the punches and open my mind and heart wide open to learn more and play like every chance was my last.
Q: How was it like traveling to Australia and Europe?
A: Being able to travel and play are some of my favorite memories from playing college ball. I have always had a curiosity and fascination for traveling the world and seeing all the different cultures and landscapes and to be able to pair that with my love for volleyball is one of the most incredible feelings. Seeing a single sport spread across multiple cultures and nationalities is incredibly humbling and makes passion for the game that much more prominent.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: After graduation, I plan to get a contract and play overseas for a few seasons and then come back to the states and begin my career and pursue a professional career in beach volleyball.
Q: What has it been like playing both indoor and beach? What’s it been like starting a whole new sport?
A: Playing both indoor and outdoor has been one of the best things that has ever happened to my volleyball career. Outdoor has taught me so much about myself, about my game, and about how I can become a better player and overcome obstacles in my game. The control it teaches you and how to watch the court have helped me immensely as an overall player, indoor and outdoor. The addition of sand renewed my love for the game again.