CONGRATULATIONS Varsity Volleyball!

San Jose Mercury Athlete of the week Raquel Calderon ‘23 and MVP Anna Snigorenko ‘23 TALK ABOUT THEIR VOLLEYBALL CAREERS

What made your volleyball experience special at Mercy?

Raquel: Each of my four years playing volleyball have each been memorable to me. Throughout each year and with each team, I have met great girls/sisters and in return developed friendships. Freshman year I was one of three to be pulled up to the Varsity Team to play in the CCS playoffs, but making history the last two years has been even more exciting. The support from our faculty, staff, and sisters from different grades has made the experience rewarding. The team has worked well together—after all it is a team sport! We have been united as a school and motivated to push further in the sport. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be on teams with sisters who are smart, beautiful, and talented.

Anna: From freshman to senior year, I have loved my experience playing volleyball at Mercy. This sport has given me a chance to build unbreakable bonds with my teammates. Playing Mercy volleyball has genuinely boosted my mood and increased my drive to succeed. I am always my happiest when playing for Mercy not only because of my love for the sport, but also because of the love I have for the team I play for.

What advice would you give other student athletes?

Raquel: It is okay to feel overwhelmed when you juggle your academics and sports. At one point I was also playing in club volleyball, which meant I played and practiced all year long. I was exhausted and at times wanted to give up. The advice I have is no matter how tough times get, do not give up. I learned to restructure my time and balance everything I could in order to be happy doing it all. I love the sport, so I had to make it work. When you play on a team where everyone is supportive, it helps you want to keep playing.

Anna: Some advice I would give to other student-athletes is to always work hard, commit to every practice, set goals for yourself to accomplish, and never give up.

What kind of support did you receive as a Mercy athlete?

Raquel: As a student athlete you often become overwhelmed with schoolwork and the anxiety of performing well for your sport/team. All four years my teachers supported me doing well as a student athlete, as they understood the stress and little time I had for some assignments. I was too exhausted to do my work at times, so I communicated with them. They were always understanding and offered further help to make sure I did well in class. I have had amazing support from former AD Charlie Dougherty, current AD Ms. Hickey and teacher Mrs. Loftus. Charlie helped me with my anxiety my freshman year and was a great “cheerleader”. Ms. Hickey was very supportive, as she always made sure I was doing well as an overall person and not just an athlete. There were some rough days and the first thing she would do is give me a hug and let me vent to her. On those days I was overwhelmed, she would motivate me to go to practice and have fun. (And I always did have fun with the team!) Mrs. Loftus would show up to the games with her daughters for support. It was always great to see their smiles.

Anna: The entire Mercy community was our biggest supporter. Especially with going so far in the CIF playoffs, we always had students and teachers reaching out and congratulating us on our accomplishments. Personally, my biggest supporters were my teammates. I truly would not have played the way I played without their continuous support. Whether I messed up, or I just earned us a point, I was always receiving uplifting and encouraging comments from my teammates.

What is your fondest memory about your CCS Championship/Nor Cal Semifinalist journey?

Raquel: My fondest memory of the CCS Championship journey is when we went to Carmel to play Carmel High School. This was our second year playing there and by far our best scenic drive there. We stopped at Lovers Point to enjoy the ocean and eat before the game. It made us all feel calm and at ease. This was the moment where I realized “wow-this is it. We have to win this game because I don't want the season to stop.” We ended up sweeping Carmel in 3 sets even though their crowd was very vocal, which made the win even better. After our win, we went to Taco Bell to celebrate with baja blast freezes, truly a game winning treat!

Anna: The entire Mercy community was our biggest supporter. My fondest memory about our CCS Championship journey was winning every game in three sets and earning the CCS Championship title. I loved every moment of the bus rides to our away games and having all our Mercy supporters come out to our games to support us - “far and near.”