Margaux Arntson '14 Wins Female Amateur Athlete of the Year
The Tacoma Athletic Commission will honor Margaux Arntson '14 as the Dick Hannula Female Amateur Athlete of the Year during the Distinguished Achievement Awards tonight at 6:00 pm at the McGavick Conference Center in Lakewood. The Awards recognize local athletes for their accomplishments for the 2017-18 school season.
Margaux played varsity volleyball for four years at Annie Wright Schools and then at Claremont McKenna College, graduating last May. She was named D3 all-American first team, and her Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team won its first ever division title last November.
See below for Margot's article from the last edition of Strength magazine about being a college athlete.
Congratulations Margot. Go Gators!
Athlete's Perspective
by Margaux Arntson
Long before I stepped onto the volleyball court at Claremont McKenna College, I knew it was a privilege to play a sport at the collegiate level and something I never wanted to take for granted. I, like many other young women, had dreamed of playing at the collegiate level for years but was uncertain about my chances. Now, four years later and at the end of my college career, I can look back so fondly at the memories I’ve made as a student-athlete at a competitive liberal arts college.
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Margaux played varsity volleyball for four years at Annie Wright Schools and then at Claremont McKenna College, graduating last May. She was named D3 all-American first team, and her Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team won its first ever division title last November.
See below for Margot's article from the last edition of Strength magazine about being a college athlete.
Congratulations Margot. Go Gators!
Athlete's Perspective
by Margaux Arntson
Long before I stepped onto the volleyball court at Claremont McKenna College, I knew it was a privilege to play a sport at the collegiate level and something I never wanted to take for granted. I, like many other young women, had dreamed of playing at the collegiate level for years but was uncertain about my chances. Now, four years later and at the end of my college career, I can look back so fondly at the memories I’ve made as a student-athlete at a competitive liberal arts college.
There were many highs, such as winning the NCAA Division III National Championship this year and cementing CMS Volleyball’s spot as the best D3 volleyball team in the nation. In addition, playing at the collegiate level has allowed me to connect with a unique group of students with the same passion for the game as me. The relationships I formed with my teammates extend well beyond the gym, and I lean on them for support when school gets hard or one of life’s many roadblocks presents itself.
That being said, there were also times when I questioned my place on the team and my ability to make a genuine impact. Spending so much time in the gym meant it was harder for me to connect with my classmates who weren’t athletes. In addition, there were times when professors were unsympathetic to classes missed because of game-day travel and other athletic commitments. These tougher times challenged me to find a healthy balance between school and sports. In the process, I discovered a better understanding of myself and the interests I hold dear.
This is my advice to anyone who is thinking about joining a collegiate athletic team: look at college sports as the icing on the cake. Find a team that compliments the academic experience you want to have in college, has a strong culture that you enjoy, and is made up of coaches and players you admire and can rely on. Successfully doing so will allow you to tap into an incredibly powerful network, one that will hopefully support you well after practice ends and the net is put away.
