Athlete Feature – Abbey Bybel Thompson

How old were you when you first started playing volleyball?

I have an older sister named Emily who is four years older than me and played club ball so the first time I started touching a volleyball and peppering was around first grade. I played on my first club volleyball team when I was in 4th grade and fell in love and played ever since 4th grade throughout college. 

How old were you when you started playing club volleyball?

Just answered that in question 1- whoops 🙂 I was in 4th grade when I started playing on my first club volleyball team. 

Who had the biggest impact on your life/who did you look up to when you were younger and why?

When I was younger and had just started playing volleyball, I looked up to my older sister Emily. I wanted to be as good as her, wear her same jersey number and do everything like she did. I wore her number all throughout my club ball days and also in high school, #3. I was heartbroken when I got to college and found out that an upperclassman had already claimed #3, so I chose #1 for my college days at SMU.

What was your favorite club volleyball season and why?

My favorite club volleyball season was my junior year of high school. I loved the group of girls I played with that year. I think 6 of us were already committed play volleyball in college, all at the D1 level. We all had very different personalities which was super interesting and our skill level on the court was dynamite when we all came together and played like loyal teammates should. I had never played with a team that was so encouraging, uplifting, and who truly cared about one another. 

What is your favorite part about volleyball? 

My favorite part about volleyball is GAME DAY! I used to wake up so excited on game days. I loved the atmosphere and the locker room energy, pre-game meals with teammates, warm ups, introductions and game time. What you’ve worked so hard for all week during practice, you now get to bring it to the court and have a little fun friendly competition and enjoy the moments with your teammates. 

Where did you go to college and why did you choose that university?

I went to SMU in Dallas, TX.  (fun fact: almost went to TCU)

From the moment of my official visit, I fell in love with all of the coaching staff, the way they ran their program, and their values. What really sealed the deal for me on committing to SMU was when I got to meet some of my potential fellow teammates that were coming in at the same time as me and also getting to spend a day with the girls that were already current SMU volleyball players. I felt a sense of calmness about being in their presence and I was accepted for who I truly was. 

What position did you play in college?

I grew up always being a middle hitter/blocker and was recruited by SMU for that position, but during my freshmen year at SMU, they decided to move me to an outside hitter/six rotation player which I loved way more than being a middle hitter. I loved never coming off of the floor and I also loved that I didn’t miss anything in the game. 

What was your most memorable collegiate match and why?

My most memorable collegiate match was when we played TCU at SMU. We went five sets with them and I remember how intense and crucial every single point was. Every single one of my teammates and I left everything we could out there on the gym floor that day.  We couldn’t let our rivals beat us on our home turf 😉

What was your favorite part of playing volleyball in college?

My favorite part of playing college volleyball was being a part of such a neat team. There is nothing like a team dynamic and being a part of it. The relationships and bonds that you make during your four years spent on that team stay with you for a lifetime.

What was your major and why did you choose it?

Applied Physiology & Sport Management – At the time, I thought I wanted to stay in the Dallas area and possibly work for a sports team or a sports facility, my mind changed after I graduated, of course.  Now I am currently back in school for Occupational Therapy and will graduate May 2020. 

Throughout your career, how did you handle adversity? Whether that be an injury, playing time, a bad day, or an argument with a teammate?

Thankfully I never had any serious injuries that put me on the bench. I had a concussion one time in high school and I also got one in college, I had a stress fracture in my foot that required me to wear a boot when I was off of the court, but I was still able to practice and play in games.  That didn’t really set me back or bother me too much, so I didn’t ever have to handle adversity with injuries. 

However, I did come face to face with adversity when it came to bad days, practices or games.  My dad has always been my go-to man. He has been very hard on me from a young age, but he has also been my biggest encourager and supporter when it comes to my life and the game of volleyball. Anytime I would have a bad day, practice, or game in college, first, I talked to God, I have always been very strong in my faith and then after sitting in the moment I would call my dad and kind of vent to him/ask his opinion on how I handle and then I would adjust and do things differently the next game or practice.  I always reminded myself and still to this day at 25 years old remind myself that – every single day is a blank page and a fresh start for me. I can either dwell on yesterday or try to make the most out of this new day that I’ve been blessed with. 

What role did your mind play in getting you through the tough times that collegiate sports throw at you?

I didn’t truly understand how serious the mental part of the game was until after my first year at SMU. I was mentally weak and started to exercise and train my brain to become mentally tough.  When I first started out, I was scared to death to have to receive a serve in serve receive, this was because I had always been a middle and never really played back row. A majority of the time, middles got subbed out, so this was a whole new role for me, and it had me nervous for sure. I eventually stopped being scared of the ball coming to me and while I was standing back waiting on the opponent to serve, I would tell myself, “serve the ball right at me, I dare you.” I wasn’t actually confident, but I was faking myself out and telling myself, “I want the ball, give it to me, I can do something productive with it.” I did this from my sophomore year until my very last collegiate game and I wasn’t faking it by the time my senior year rolled around. I was 100% confident in myself and my ability as a player. 

What are you doing now?

I am currently back in school for occupational therapy! There are days I really question why I went back to school haha, but I absolutely love the field I am in and have great instructors that make our learning experiences so extremely fun! I am excited to graduate May 2020, take my board exams and hopefully find an awesome job that I am super passionate about. As of right now, I want to work in an outpatient clinic with pediatrics. I am hoping to be back in the Dallas or Houston area within the next year or two. 

How did playing volleyball prepare you for life after sports?

Being a part of a team, any sports team really, can prepare you for life after sports. There are a lot of qualities that athletes possess, especially athletes that played at the collegiate level. College athletes master time management skills, communication skills, they are driven, have a very hard work ethic, are team players… the list goes on.  I think each of the skills and attributes that I listed above carry over naturally into the real working world after you close the sports chapter of your life. 

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would?

NEVER LIMIT YOURSELF! You are fully capable of ANYTHING that you put your mind to.