This summer, junior Anaya Dubé officially announced her verbal commitment to the application process to Yale University to play Division I volleyball.
Dubé said she began playing volleyball in fifth grade as a way to participate in a safe physical activity. Although she played several sports growing up, she eventually chose to focus on volleyball.
“I like the energy and the competitiveness of being [on] a team sport and having that energy with your teammates,” Dubé said. “There’s something special in volleyball. You get to compete, and you get to just celebrate with your friends after every point.”
Dubé started playing on a competitive club team in seventh grade and played on her former middle school’s top team, known as the “A” team, in both seventh and eighth grade. During her first year at Greenhill as a freshman, she made the varsity team and has continued to be a three-year varsity member.
Dubé earned All-Zone honors for the Southwest Preparatory Conference during her first season at Greenhill.
“I remember my freshman year I was clueless. I was new to Greenhill [and] I didn’t know what to expect,” Dubé said. “I just did the only thing I knew how to do [which] was play volleyball, and I had a great time.”
As an upperclassman, Dubé has taken on greater responsibility for the team’s success, including serving as a role model for younger players. She said her experience has also strengthened her confidence in handling pressure on the court.
Although she enjoys both, Dubé said playing volleyball for Greenhill differs from competing on her club team. Greenhill offers a more local, lighthearted level of competitive experience, while her club team has a more serious atmosphere.
That competitive environment however, had shaped Dubé’s strong drive to perform well both on and off the court.
“It made me want to go after every ball, and it even translated into my life, too,” Dubé said. “Now, [I] like wanting to be first, wanting to do the very best that I can, putting all the extra work, just to get to the point where I want to be.”
Over time, Dubé’s commitment to the sport led her to realize that she wanted to continue playing volleyball in the future, including college.
“I really loved the sport to the point where I couldn’t imagine my life without volleyball,” Dubé said.
Club volleyball also gave Dubé opportunities to compete in numerous qualifiers and college showcases, where she could demonstrate her skills to college coaches. Connections through her club coaches gave her more opportunities to showcase her potential.
For Division I women’s volleyball, college coaches can begin contacting prospective athletes directly on June 15 after sophomore year. Before that date, athletes can reach out to college coaches to share their tournament schedules and send video highlights.
Yale was not among the programs that contacted Dubé on June 15, but its coaches later reached out later, expressing interest in watching her compete at an upcoming national tournament.
Following the tournament, Dubé attended a two-day camp at Yale, where she played under the guidance of the Yale coaches. She said she performed at her highest level during the camp, leading to further communication with the program.
Beyond the opportunity to compte at a higher level, Dubé said Yale’s sense of community played a role in her decision. She found the atmosphere similar to Greenhill’s.
“I’m really looking forward to playing in that competitive environment,” Dubé said. “I can’t wait to play volleyball at that higher level.”
