By Kyle Durgin-

For most girls that participate in volleyball the game is just that, a game, but for Marissa Stark a junior at Mount Vernon High School volleyball is life.

“It is all I do,” said Stark when asked how often she plays and trains for volleyball. “Marissa first started playing organized volleyball when she was around 10 years old” said Marissa’s mom Roxanne Rolland. Roxanne did not play volleyball in high school, but had a lot of success in basketball. Stark’s older sister Ali Stark was very successful at a young age and this is what got Marissa interested. She began playing with a local club team for one year then began playing for the Iowa Rockets much like her sister. She made the Iowa Rockets team through a tryout process that every player goes through every year. She still plays for the Rockets and is also now a key component of her high school team.

“Marissa is very motivated, she always has a positive attitude and works hard,” says Lauren Gross a teammate of Starks. She is pushed to succeed by Ali who is playing division one volleyball for the University of Illinois-Champaign. “When I see her play at that level it gets me pumped,” says Stark. Marissa practices every day after school for two hours during the school season. She also lifts three times a week to help her stay ahead of the competition. When the season ends for most it is just beginning for Stark. She immediately begins practicing with her club team twice a week for two hours. When club competition begins Marissa doesn’t have a free weekend. She travels all around the U.S. playing against the best competition in the nation. The club season lasts for eight months leaving Marissa with around a month until the school season begins again. You would think that she would use this month to relax, but she doesn’t. Marissa has attended multiple volleyball camps during this time off at Iowa State University and the University of Illinois-Champaign.

Marissa is not the only one working hard for her to succeed. Her family has put a lot of time and money into her volleyball. She goes through a pair of shoes and knee pads every year. The Iowa Rockets Volleyball Club is not cheap by any means. “The club registration fees are approximately $400/year and you must also register through USA Volleyball which runs around $45/year.” said Roxanne. This cost does not include travel, “We typically spend in excess of $2,000 per club season on travel related expenditures,” said Roxanne. When asked if she minds the cost Roxanne says, ”The cost is worth it from my perspective, It allows players to compete at a high level, improve their skill level and travel all over the U.S. and to make memories and friendships of a lifetime.” Both Marissa and her family are very committed to her life as a volleyball player.

All of the hard work is paying off. “Marissa has proven herself to be a solid member of both her club team and her high school team,” says Roxanne. Her club team has won countless tournaments and received multiple national championship bids. Marissa was a member of the 2010 state champion Mustang team as a sophomore with her sister. “She’s very fast, she can dig almost anything and her serves are incredible,” says Gross. She recently earned all conference and all district honors in this year’s high school volleyball season. Marissa also lead her team in digs and service aces this season and ranked among the top liberos across the state (all classes). When asked if Marissa is a leader Gross said, “Marissa is THE leader, she is always talking on the court and she provides constructive criticism.”

Marissa’s hard work is not only getting her conference and district honors; it is getting her noticed by division one colleges. She recently visited the University of Iowa and got a full tour of the program’s facilities including Carver Hawkeye Arena. When asked if college volleyball is in Marissa’s future her mom said, “Marissa definitely has the skills and ability to play division one college volleyball for many tough programs across the country, time will tell if she also has the desire and/or heart to take it to the next level.” From what she has shown in the seven years she has played, having the heart and desire to play at that level should be no problem. When Stark was asked about her future she said, “I am ready for whatever comes my way, I am just going to continue to work hard and I know it will all fall into place.”