Athlete Interview: Rebekah Day of One Wisconsin 17 National & Luxemburg-Casco
Wisconsin is full of talent in the 2020 class. Several players have verbally committed and many to some of the nation’s top college programs. Some will be going to the ACC, Big East, Horizon League, Missouri Valley and the SEC. Rebekah Day could potentially be the next commitment. As a junior, she took over the reigns of her varsity squad at Luxemburg-Casco and earned Division 2 All- State Honorable Mention honors.
Day stands at 5’7 but plays much bigger. She brings a lot to the court, including quickness, smart and even distribution, athleticism, and strong defense. Day also continues to display growth that indicates a lot of potential as she progresses through her final year as a prep digger. Prep Dig Wisconsin got a chance to ask Day some questions and learn more about her experience and current path to the next level.
*Are you involved in any other sports? If so, when did you know that volleyball would be the focus of your future at the next level?
~I used to play competitive tournament softball, but I dropped the sport right before high school so I could put all my focus into volleyball. I realized that I didn’t have the passion for softball as much as I did for volleyball. In my free time, I condition, weight lift, and do yoga to stay active.
*Can you describe the general personality of your club team? Are there any teammates that stand out to you in specific ways (i.e. leadership, effort, personality) that you’d like to highlight?
~It’s still very early in the 2019 club season, but I can tell you that I want to make this team the best it can be. I am a driven and hard-working volleyball player, and I hope that I can be a positive leader who influences each girl on the time to work to her potential. I love being surrounded by other players who share the same goals as I do, and some of my club teammates in the past have become my closest friends through the years.
*Compare your high school volleyball and club volleyball experiences. What do you enjoy about both of those settings?
~My high school volleyball team’s chemistry has always been unbelievable. Our program moto at Luxemburg-Casco is that we are a family, but we really are. I love playing with those girls, and I know they have my back and I have theirs. Love, protect, and trust.
~Playing club volleyball is always new and challenging. Building friendships and getting used to new teammates is always fun. Also, new teams are a great way to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
*How did you get started in volleyball and at what age?
~When I was a toddler, I always used to go to my mom’s practices with her, so I definitely grew up around volleyball my whole life. (My mom was a varsity head coach and middle school coach in our neighboring school district where she taught). I joined a YMCA volleyball league when I was in kindergarten, and that was when I really started to find my passion for the game. Here I am, with the same passion heading into the most important years of volleyball in my life.
*How has the recruiting process been for you so far?
~The recruiting process has just recently started for me, and it has been a challenging, but fun, process. I wanted to make sure I was ready for this level of commitment. It is exciting to hear back from coaches who believe that I am the type of player they are looking for in their programs. I know this upcoming club and high school season are very important for the recruiting process, and I am excited for the opportunities that hopefully come my way.
*What are your current and future goals with the sport of volleyball?
~My goal for my upcoming senior year is to make a return trip to state in 2019 and to be a leader on and off the court. As for college, I hope to find a school that fits my academic and athletic goals and be in a program that is competitive and allows me to continue to play the game that I love.
*What has your club experience been the past few years?
~I started out at Wisconsin Volleyball Academy (WVA) Flyers, one of the satellite programs when I was in 7th grade playing up on the 14 Black team. The year after that, I went down to Appleton to the WVA main program, first joining one of their Spring teams when I was 14. I enjoyed the increased level of competition, which pushed me to try out for the National level teams when I was 15. One of my favorite WVA seasons was my WVA 15 season, as I was surrounded by some incredible athletes. All of the girls on that team are significant key players on their high school teams around the area, and they are often the girls you see on TV and in the media for being standouts on their teams. I continued to love the adventures and travels with my WVA 16s team, with many memories made as we traveled together to Orlando for nationals. I love the volleyball friendships we have created together.
*I see you are with One Wisconsin. How has the club merger of WVA and Green Bay Power affected you or former teammates of yours?
~With any merger, it takes time because both programs were in existence for many years. At WVA, we always looked at the Power girls as competitors and looked forward to playing them on the court. Now some of those same competitors are my teammates, and we are now coming together with common goals. We are now one of the largest volleyball clubs in the state, and we look forward to representing One Wisconsin.
Fun questions:
*Do you have any pre-match rituals?
~My high school team jams out in the varsity locker room, and then we go upstairs to sing songs from “Pitch Perfect” in the hallways, a special past tradition from previous teams in our program. After that, we meet up with our “Jersey Girl” for the night, giving her our jersey and escorting her out onto the court for our pre-game warm-ups.
*Favorite food you can’t live without?
~Anything BBQ! I put BBQ sauce on just about anything!
*Favorite volleyball memory/accomplishment?
~By far, my favorite volleyball memory is my sophomore season when our Luxemburg Casco team made it to the WIAA D2 State Tournament championship match. It was amazing to see almost half of the Resch Center filled with our Lux Casco family and friends to support us. As for accomplishments on the court, I have worked very hard through the years to be ready to lead our varsity team as their setter. I am proud of being named D2 All-State Honorable Mention and being on a team that finished one match short of a return trip to the state tournament.
*Have you thought about what you will study/major in at the college level?
~I am undecided, but I am leaning toward a degree in the science/medical field. Everyone tells me I will know when the time comes.