by Nathan Reck

Working your way through a high school sports ranks from the freshman team all the way up to varsity is often filled with obstacles, but along the way you also develop strong bonds and connect with many of your teammates who you play alongside for up to four years.

For seniors Deirdre Pajares and Shelby Tamura though it has been much longer as they have played alongside one another since they were 12 and next year will make thirteen as they both prepare to continue playing volleyball next year at New Mexico State.

While they both were drawn to New Mexico State for a variety of reasons both are excited about joining the Aggie volleyball team and working hard to make an impact as freshman. The Aggies failed to make the NCAA tournament at the end of the season, but have become regulars in the end of the year tournament over the years.

“I was sold on the university when I went to the summer camp,” Tamura said. “The coaches and players showed a genuine respect for each other and a strong passion for volleyball. It seemed like a good package because NMSU has my major, graphic design, the location is in a beautiful and open area, and they have a strong volleyball program.”

Pajares expressed similar excitement over attending New Mexico State and continuing to play alongside Shelby.

“I love absolutely everything from the volleyball program, to the coaches, the players and Las Cruces is uniquely beautiful,” Pajares said.

In terms of continuing to play together both players are excited and looking forward to working hard to make an impact as freshmen.

“It is my goal to make a big impact towards the program my freshman year so in order to do that, I will have to work hard to prove myself,” Tamura said.

While playing together should provide a sense of comfort for both players continuing athletics at the college level causes some nervous tension for each of them as well. Deirdre in particular is worried about having to come back from a knee injury that ended her high school career.

“Since I blew out my knee halfway through the season, I have to work twice as hard as everybody else to get court time and need to learn to play at a division one level of play again,” Pajares said.
Shelby holds a different set of concerns as she looks at the academic side of playing a DI sport in college.

“I’m most nervous about juggling school work with all the traveling we will be doing each week,” Tamura said. “I’ll need to stay focused, but I figure if other girls can do it so can I.”

So as they prepare to move on to another level of competition both players are experiencing a variety of emotions from the excitement of continuing a sport they each have grown to love and being able to play along side one another to the nerves that come with not knowing all of the details of how things are going to work next year.