Tamie Boudot – Luxemburg, North Carolina

Already balancing high school and volleyball inspired me to pursue my dream of playing high-level college sports in the US while earning my degree, which led me to Volley USA.

Moving to the US was naturally a big adjustment, it really is a whole different world! However, my teammates, coaches, and the community made me feel instantly welcome. Sharing the daily student-athlete experience with girls my age who understood the exact same challenges made it so easy to connect and build lifelong friendships.

The US season is relatively short compared to European club systems, which was one of my biggest physical adaptations. Playing two to three games a week can be quite challenging for your body. I also wasn’t used to long bus trips, but those away road games ended up being some of the best team-bonding experiences!

Once the fall season ended, things calmed down, and spring gave us time to focus and work on technical details and personal development, which I liked.

Academically, the system was also different. As an Exercise Science major, my first year was filled with general education credits. While these were fairly basic, I liked having the flexibility to choose my classes, and the professors were always supportive when travel conflicted with coursework.

What amazed me most, though, was how big sports culture is in the US. The scale and hype around college sports are unlike anything else in Europe. Almost everyone at my school was an athlete, which made it really easy to connect to other people and other student athletes from different countries! Going to support other sport teams is really fun! There is so much pride, respect, and appreciation for student-athletes over there, and being part of that intense sports environment was easily one of the best parts of the experience.

Overall living abroad pushed me out of my comfort zone, helped me grow as a person, and undeniably shaped me as a volleyball player. I am forever grateful for the memories, the vibrant culture, and the lifelong friends I made along the way!