My Volleyball Story: Amethyst Harper

Each Wednesday throughout the summer, Montana volleyball student-athletes and coaches will tell their volleyball stories. Read, in their own words, what the sport means to them and where their passion and drive comes from.

My Volleyball Story: Amethyst Harper

Even though I wasn't able to start playing until I was 8 or 9 years old, I fell in love with the sport of volleyball when I was 5. I was introduced to volleyball by my mom and sister. My sister started playing volleyball in high school and I was always around when she played. Our family became really close to her coach's family, because my mom was like the team mom, so I soon became the team little sister.

We would go early to practices and I remember just playing with a volleyball in the corner or shagging balls while my sister was practicing. Growing up, I always wanted to be just like my sister. She is the real reason why I started to play volleyball.

My earliest memory, and probably the overall funniest moment of my volleyball career, has got to be when I was playing on 12s and we played a 14s team for fun. I ended up getting FACIALED! My coach called a timeout because of course I was crying – I was only 8 or 9 at the time – and in that huddle, I uttered the words, 'Coach when do we get our helmets?'. That was definitely a pivotal moment for my future in volleyball because she explained to me that we would never be getting helmets. Now here I am, years later, no helmet but still playing! Amethyst Harper_young

The reason I continued playing is completely different. I continued playing not just for myself, but for my parents. My mom and dad both realized how much I valued the sport and how special it was to me. My dad started picking up more jobs and working himself extra hard in order to earn enough money to go to tourneys. We never flew because it was too expensive, but I am really thankful that we didn't. I got to do a lot of sightseeing by driving to tourneys as far as Dallas, Texas.

If it wasn't for both of my parents bending over backwards for me so I could follow my dreams – whether it be my mom helping me do a ton of fundraising for club or my dad crawling in attics in 105-degree weather for an extra job – I definitely wouldn't be where I am at today. My parents are my rock, especially with me always being a daddy's girl!

I always thought that if I was able to be good enough to earn a scholarship then it could be like I was helping my parents get me through college so that they didn't have to worry about it. It was my way of giving back. I never thought I would make Division I, that's for sure. I always thought I was too short or was not good enough to play at that level.

Amethyst Harper vs. Northern Colorado

Come to find out, other schools thought otherwise. Offers started to roll in, and I was so surprised. The most appealing was U of M, for sure. Even though my dad was very upset with me going so far, he understood that it was just me following my dreams and was supportive of the idea once he settled with the fact that I would be so far from home.

Amethyst Harper

When I think of volleyball, I don't think of it as a hobby, or just something I do to pass time. Volleyball is my life. I could not imagine my life without volleyball, honestly.

There are days that I crave to play volleyball. Dead week is my absolute least favorite week of the year, especially when you have a team like ours at UM! Playing at UM is so special, not only because of the coaches, but the teammates are all so amazing. Alli, Janae, and Dana all look at us as more than just volleyball players, but as people who go through regular, normal stuff. They understand that so much, and I can say this from personal experience!

Then there's our support system. The community that surrounds UM is so vibrant, uplifting and supportive. I am so happy to be a GRIZ and would not change this experience for anything!

July 15 – My Volleyball Story: Wallingford
July 8 – My Volleyball Story: Horning
July 1 – My Volleyball Story: Hallisey
June 24 – My Volleyball Story: Moreno
June 17 – My Volleyball Story: Garrido
June 10 – My Volleyball Story: Vander Ploeg
June 3 – My Volleyball Story: Godwin
May 27 – My Volleyball Story: Gleasman
May 20 – My Volleyball Story: Nestegard
May 13 – My Volleyball Story: Semadeni

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Amethyst Harper

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