Becca Wight began her junior year with a bang; she was granted a full-ride athletic scholarship to The University of Virginia. Wight received this scholarship due to the time and effort she put into developing her skill in her sport of volleyball. Her dedication is clear because she has achieved what so many high school athletes aspire to accomplish, but what has her journey as an athlete been like?

Wight gives credit to her coaches and her brother, who plays basketball at William and Mary, for their support and inspiration.

“Growing up my brother’s dedication to his sport inspired me to do the same in mine,” Wight said.

Because of Wight’s everyday access to an athletic role model, it was easy for her to learn what it takes to excel as a high-performance athlete. She was also very inspired by one of her first real coaches who she affectionately calls “Ronnie”

“He was the first person that helped me make that jump to a higher level of volleyball,” Wight continues.

Going from a low-intensity program to a high-intensity program was scary for Wight. This took her from being just another tall girl to a seasoned volleyball player. Rising to her full potential raised a much greater problem for Wight: jealousy. As she got more recognition for her sport, people began to doubt how hard she worked to get there.

“Yeah, people definitely say things to try to fluster me,” Wight reflects.

As is the case for many stars, with fame comes doubters. Many people feel as if they need to bring Wight down because of her success, they feel spiteful that Wight is doing what they cannot. While all kinds of people give Wight their unsolicited opinion, the most vocal are often males. Whether that is a result of their struggle to see a woman succeed or because they are simply mad they couldn’t take their athletic career that far is left to speculation. Regardless of the rationale behind these comments, it is undeniable that many female athletes have shared this experience. Wight acknowledges that this is something she will most likely continue to face, despite her success. Ultimately, she refuses to let negative comments affect her.

“Don’t let what they say get you down,” Wight said. “Their opinion doesn’t matter.”