Sean Carey and his teammate after winning a national championship in club volleyball Sean Carey
Saint Xavier’s outside hitter Sean Carey wasn’t always into the sport of volleyball, but simply opening up a door to a new path led him to being where he is today.
Carey’s father made sure Carey and his siblings were involved in a sport and he started off playing basketball. His volleyball career began with him playing in fifth grade when his parents and sister encouraged him to try playing.
Although Carey’s dream was to play basketball in college, it all changed when his friend’s mother signed up Carey and his friends to play at a park district.
“I ditched basketball completely… I [played] it ever since,” said Carey when he talked about him playing volleyball for the first time.
Volleyball has given Carey many things in his life, including his friends. Carey’s friends are a big part of his life, they motivate him to do better in every aspect of his life.
“I have made lifelong friends through this sport, it also helped me get into college,” said Carey.
Getting a scholarship to play the sport he loves, here at Saint Xavier, gave Carey a chance to advance his career to another level. In high school he won a state championship with Niles West High School, as well as winning a national championship playing club volleyball.
When Carey played for Niles West he played for varsity all four years he attended there. In one game Carey had 16 kills which is a hard feat to accomplish at the high school level.
His strong play in high school allowed him to commit to Saint Xavier, his collegiate career starting in 2022.
Playing very competitive sports at a high level such as volleyball takes a lot, so when making the transition as a high school athlete to a college athlete is a very big jump.
“I had to learn a lot of new techniques and [had to become] a lot more physical so I could compete at this level,” said Carey.
In his time at Saint Xavier he has made his presence known by being in the rotation for the team.
In the 17 games that Carey has played this season, he has 80 kills, eight assists, six aces, and 94 points.
Now that Carey is a junior and understands what being a college athlete is, he has matured and learned the game which has led him to get on the court and show what he can do.
Adapting to college level sports is mentally and physically tasking, so it’s easy to get discouraged when your back is against the wall. This leads to poor mental health, and the mental health of an athlete is something to be taken seriously.
In the aspect of a physical sense of an athlete it takes dedication and good work ethic, two qualities that Carey believes are key when it comes to being a college athlete. When being an athlete for so long the body becomes wear and tear which does leave a question: will I continue to play after college?
When asked about playing professional volleyball , Carey said “It depends on how my body feels after I’m done with college volleyball.”
Whatever Carey decides to do after college he has time to figure out what that is, but in the meantime he is focused on being the best athlete he can be.
The sport of volleyball has been a blessing sent from up-high for Carey. The friends, memories, and future that has given to Carey has been nothing but great to him.
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