"FOR THE RECORD" with Alex Droogsma & Katy Troutman
Seward
County
Community College
sophomore volleyball players Katy Troutman and Alex Droogsma are giving SCCC volleyball fans an all-access look into what is happening this season with the Lady Saints Volleyball Team. Troutman and Droogsma, both record setting performers as freshmen, will be writing journal entries giving fans an idea of what life is like, for SCCC volleyball student-athletes, both on and off the court.
JOURNAL ENTRY #2
Alex Droogsma
A.D. - When people ask me where I'm from I immediately start preparing in my head how I'm going to explain where little ole
Denver City
,
Texas
, is because not surprisingly, not too many people know. My hometown is such a special place to me because it's where my mom was born and raised, and where my grandparents still live today. It's a typical small, one-square mile town of about 3,800 people. Everyone knows everyone. My town is the epitome of the phrase "southern hospitality". The people are willing to do anything for anyone else if they're ever in need. Everyone waves when driving by, holds doors open for each other, and says "Yes Sir/Yes Mam" regardless of age.
I was able to go home over Labor Day weekend, and I enjoyed it because it doesn't happen very often. It seems like nothing changes when I go back. Everyone likes to catch up and get an update on life and how volleyball/school has been going. It feels like I've been gone
for more than two years but each time I'm there it all feels the same... just like home.
It was such a great atmosphere to grow up in because each person that was a part of my life through grade school and high school truly cared and impacted my life in such a positive way. I was able to build strong relationships with those people because although we were all busy and had our own lives, they all intertwined in some way, shape, or form. Seeing familiar faces all over town like the grocery store (which by the way, there's only one), the gas station, or the post office was not uncommon.
Looking back now, I've come to appreciate the small town life I grew up in. The people are what really make it special and unique. Their encouragement, friendship, and the closeness we share is what I miss most. And while at this point in my life I'm drawn more towards the bigger city because of opportunities and experiencing what life has to offer there, I'm truly a small-town girl at heart.
Katy Troutman
K.T. - As many people know, I am from
Broken Arrow
,
Oklahoma
, a mile outside the
Tulsa
city line. I started playing volleyball my 7th grade year in Kingwood, Texas, and my love for the sport carried over when I moved to Oklahoma, but it was in Tulsa where I excelled in volleyball and started to become noticed as a player. I played varsity volleyball for
Tulsa
Union
High School
for three years and club volleyball in the off-season. Our teams made it to state twice placing 2nd and 4th at the 6A level and in club we went to nationals in
Houston
,
Texas
, my sophomore year.
We traveled around the country in club and that’s what I miss most about high school, as well as going to football games with my family. My parents love watching me play volleyball and they promote everything that my siblings and I have accomplished in sports and in school. I think that sometimes they admire us more than we absolutely adore them. They call to ask me about school and sports, and they even make the six hour trip to Liberal to watch me play. My parents, coaches and friends encouraged me to carry on with volleyball at the college level. I came to
Seward
County
to continue playing competitively, and so far I have played with and against ranked teams and All-American players. I still love the sport and I love competition after all these years of playing.
