Taking it to the Next Level – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 23, 2006
by Stacey Freyer
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As the door of opportunity opens, Ohio State junior Ami Stevens is no stranger to stepping through. Since her high school days at Centerburg High School, this Buckeye outside hitter has seen her dreams come true and her future in volleyball continue on to the next stage.
The story begins when Stevens was a young girl dreaming of one day winning a state high school volleyball championship. She got a sneak-peek in 1991 when Centerburg played in the state tournament for the first time.
“I watched the 1991 team go to state for the first time and that drove me through high school,” Stevens, who was 5 years old at the time, said.
In 2003, as a high school senior, Stevens led Centerburg to a victory over St. Henry in the state championship game to accomplish what she considers one of her greatest accomplishments in volleyball.
“We did win my senior year,” Stevens said. “It was something that was neat for me to see come true over the years.”
After accomplishing a state championship, she chose NCAA Division I volleyball and to compete in the Big Ten.
Chapter two began in the fall of 2004 at The Ohio State University with Stevens wearing scarlet and gray.
In her first season she started 34 matches and brought in numbers which would help her be named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Not only did she accomplish numerous personal goals and step in as a shining newcomer, but she experienced one of her greatest moments in volleyball. “Definitely my freshman year playing to go to the final four was a big moment,” Stevens said. “We lost, but just being in the NCAA tournament, one point away was a big moment. That is why you come in here and practice everyday to get better and better.”
The setting of chapter three took a small twist in 2005 when Stevens represented the United States Women’s Junior Olympic team in the Under-20 World Championship in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey.
“It was a neat experience to play overseas,” Stevens said. “There were teams with different languages and each country had a different style of play but it was still the same game.”
The United States finished with a 1-4 record with a lone win over Japan. Even still, the experience helped Stevens grow as a player. The skills and lessons she learned overseas gave her a leg up on her sophomore season at Ohio State.
“Confidence in my ability was one of the big things I learned from playing on the national level,” Stevens said. “You bring that to the team with everyday being more consistent. That is a big thing when you get up into the national program. The players are more consistent. They are good, but they are good all the time so I’m just trying to do that here and in practice all the time.”
Chapter four was back on familiar ground where Stevens took advantage of the lessons she gained. She recorded a career-high 26 kills at Bowling Green, a career-high 28.5 points at Northwestern and was ranked 10th in the Big Ten in kills per game at 3.44. The exceptional season brought up yet another opportunity for Stevens; to be a member of the 2006 USA National A-2 team.
Staying on native ground chapter five took place at the 2006 U.S. Open Championship in New Orleans where Stevens was named to the all-tournament team.
“It was a good experience overall because you get to play with other players around the country and you learn how they are successful with their skills,” Stevens said. “It gives you a good variety of not just being here at Ohio State. Not only do you have some of the best national players you are playing against, but the competition is just a little bit higher.”
The skills were not the only thing Stevens took from playing at the tournament, but she took in a whole new perspective of the sport. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was a reality check she had not seen before.
“To play in New Orleans was a big eye opener,” Stevens said. “You saw houses demolished and it put in perspective that volleyball is just a game. Then you look at how lives were affected by a national disaster. It just puts in perspective sports are sports and to take care of your family because they come first.”
Stevens’ personal religious beliefs and support from her parents have kept her going with volleyball. The small pushes and words of encouragement from her family and teammates gives her momentum and the will power to keep moving forward.
Moving forward is exactly what Stevens plans to do in chapter six. The support and national playing time will encourage Stevens to have a successful junior season. Stevens was preseaon All-Big Ten pick for the 2006 season. She is eager to see how the chapter turns out.
“I’m so excited,” Stevens said. “I know other people I’m going to be playing against because I played with them, which makes the competition that much more fun. It’s going to be fun to play against people I already played with. Also, my teammates are awesome. You come in here and practice every single day but without them you can’t become the best player you can be.”
The next chapters can not be written yet, but by the looks of Stevens’ improvement and skill, this story may not be a short one. Playing on a national team has increased Stevens’ defense and the basic knowledge of the game. By playing faster and with a better overall skill level, added chapters are sure to come.
“I want to go as far as I can with volleyball,” Stevens said. “I don’t want to stop. I love the game. I’ve always said once the game is no longer fun that is when it is time to stop. It has been fun. As long as it stays fun I want to keep going.”
For Stevens, playing volleyball has been nothing shy of living life as a dream. As each chapter ends, another one opens with a bigger accomplishment and a new dream come true. All she can hope for now is to close with a story-book ending.
