JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Capt. Abby Hall can’t get enough of volleyball. Hall, a program manager and chief of the directors action group with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, has been playing competitively since she was 10 years old. “I love it!” said the captain, who was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2012.
Here, Hall talks about what playing volleyball for the Air Force means to her:
Why compete in volleyball?
Volleyball is a challenging, dynamic sport. I didn't know the Air Force had sports teams until my junior year in ROTC and my instructor (retired Maj. Jason Glenn) told me when I get on active duty to look it up. He had been a coach previously at Air Force Sports and thought I would be able to earn a tryout.
When I got my first opportunity to try out, I took full advantage and have applied every year since. Air Force volleyball gave me friends and mentors I may have never met had I not taken the opportunity to apply. Being able to meet peers from all services and other countries really put into perspective the one team, one fight mentality. It was a great opportunity to meet and play with and against NATO Air Forces at the U.S. Air Forces in Europe tournament last year, an experience I will never forget. The sportsmanship of everyone is what really stands out to me – high-fiving an opponent for good plays across the net, sharing jokes and laughs. It was respectful, fun and something I really appreciated.
What's your experience in volleyball prior to the Air Force?
I played volleyball all four years in college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida. My senior season in 2011, my team finished sixth in the nation, which is still a program best. Before that, I played club volleyball at KIVA (Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy) for nine years, winning an (Amateur Athletic Union) National Championship my last season with them in 2008.
Since competing in volleyball, for the Air Force, what have you gained from an athletic, military and personal perspective?
I've gained lifelong friends and mentors that I highly respect and value their opinion. As the saying goes, it is a small Air Force, and being able to hear their perspectives as a young officer has given me insight to jobs and careers I may have never known about otherwise.
What are you bringing back to your duty station by competing in volleyball?
Not a lot of people know the Air Force offers these sports teams. Each time I have gone out for the Air Force volleyball team, I come back and bring awareness to my unit of all the great experiences I've had on these teams encouraging them to apply or just to get involved in base leagues.
How is competing in volleyball building your readiness and resiliency with your fellow Wingmen, your duty station and the Air Force as a whole?
Readiness and resiliency are fundamentals in the sport of volleyball; quick reactions and bouncing back from the loss of a tough set are key to winning matches. Competing in volleyball with a team that has never played together epitomizes readiness and resiliency. We must go through the first three stages of teambuilding, forming, storming and norming, quickly so we can perform at our matches. This happens in as little as three days to one week. It really challenges the team, mentally and physically, to be their best for their team and ultimately the Air Force.
For more information on trying out for Air Force Sports, visit www.myairforcelife.com.