By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director
As the calendar turned to October in the 2021 junior college volleyball season, Hutchinson Community College freshman outside hitter Sophie Connor was in a slump.
She was having problems figuring out opponent blocking schemes. As that issue persisted, others cropped up and Connor's overall productivity continued to drop.
After a solid September, the freshman from Derby quickly lost confidence in her ability.
Before one match in early October 2021, Connor got a pep talk from a Blue Dragon Athletic Department staffer. She didn't play in that match and her feeling of failing continued to set in.
"Sophie came in last season playing like a high-level player and in the middle of the season, she let her mind get the best of her," Blue Dragon head coach Delice Downing said of Connor's freshman season with the Blue Dragons. "She didn't think she could hit around the block anymore and she struggled with the pass. Volleyball is very mental and all of it just got the best of her."
Through the first 20 matches last season, Connor was averaging 2.27 kills per set hitting .188 and she had just seven receiving errors in 150 attempts over 45 sets. Connor have a five-match stretch where she had 50 kills over 18 sets.
The Blue Dragons were 12-8 over those first 20 matches.
Over the final 15 matches, Connor's kills per set was up slightly at 2.31, but the attack percentage dropped to .131 and her passing began to suffer. The Blue Dragons finished the season going just 7-8.
"I've never played volleyball like that in my life, Connor said. "I knew what I was getting into (playing college volleyball), but really seeing it and playing against that competition was really an eye-opener.
"It became more than mental than anything. The way I was taking things, everything may or may not have been my fault. I just stopped believing in myself and I never got it back."
The offseason became one of "what happened" for Connor. She said she spent a lot of time trying to figure things out. Connor also spent a lot of time talking with her head coach.
Connor then started looking beyond the game of volleyball and found some clarity.
"This year I came in knowing my place and knowing that I can do this," Connor said.
"She's more hard on herself than anybody else is," Downing said. "After a lot of talks with her, she has opened up more to be a better team player. She is better at taking it after she makes a mistake. She fixes (the mistake) now and doesn't dwell on it."
Connor's soul searching looks like it's starting to pay positive dividends. The Blue Dragon outside hitter had a strong spring on and off the court.
On the court, Connor has gotten stronger physically and played with more confidence. She is working on different shots to combat what she already knows will be a strong block against her.
Off the court, Connor said she has grown spiritually, which has helped her, not just with volleyball, but her life in general.
"This spring, Sophie exploded and she decided to let everything go," Downing. "She's grown, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. She's being a strong leader now and that's something this team needs."
Another positive for Connor was the experience she had at the Ottawa University Showcase over the summer, where she opened a lot of four-year coaches' eyes.
Now riding a positive wave entering the 2022 season, which opens Friday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Connor looks forward to a strong sophomore season with the Blue Dragons.
"Last year when I was looking forward too much, that got me in trouble," Connor said. "Was I starting? Was I going to be the hitter? Now I worry about things like am I growing? Am I getting better as a person?
"I'm just going to go play-by-play, game-by-game, practice-by practice. I feel very confident now."