Sarah Sponcil’s Journey from Great Hearts to the Grand Rapids Rise

Sarah Sponcil is a Veritas Prep alumnus who graduated the Great Hearts academy in 2013. Since high school graduation, Sponcil’s journey has included playing college volleyball, an Olympic career, and most recently playing for a professional indoor volleyball league, signing with the Grand Rapids Rise, part of the Professional Volleyball Federation (PVF).

Sponcil found the curriculum to be a challenge for her when she transferred in her seventh-grade year. “The first thing that comes to my mind is that it was a very hard school for me. I was not the best student, but I worked really hard,” she recalled.

Sponcil’s parents recognized that the rigor of the school was difficult for their daughter, but they say it was her persistence and determination, something she uses on the volleyball court, that carried her through to her senior year. “I give her credit that she grinded and made it through, and it really helped her when she got into college,” said her mother, Lisa Sponcil.

“It was just very demanding but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Sarah. “I think it prepared me so much for college. I always encourage kids when I go back and talk to keep sticking with it because it might seem hard, but they’ll probably thank their parents for sending them there when they look back.”

Sponcil, along with her sister, excelled in volleyball growing up. “When we first got the girls, both Rebecca and Sarah, into volleyball when they were six and nine, it was really just to keep them busy and have a sport to give them confidence. But as they both got older they were both really good and the we kind of started thinking that it was possible to go to college and play ball,” said her mother. Her father, Wayne Sponcil, agreed.

“I committed going into my sophomore year at Veritas to go to Loyola Marymount [University],” said Sponcil. She went to California and played two years of beach volleyball and three seasons of indoor volleyball. “I ended up going to UCLA and committing to them for a full ride for my last indoor season in 2017 and then I played two years for the Bruins on their beach side, where we won two national championships in ‘18 and ’19.”

Her parents remember when she was in high school, Sarah had a collage on her wall that she created out of magazine clippings of famous professional beach volleyball players. Her father remembers her saying, very matter of fact, “I’ll be in the Olympics one day!”

And she did. Sooner than even she expected. “To be honest, I didn’t know it would be this fast. Especially being told you’re an Olympic hopeful. You’re third in the race and we’re the youngest American team to ever go represent the U.S. and that was shocking you know. I’m like, ‘Oh, the Olympics, maybe when I’m [in my] late 20s.’ But being 24… it was a whirlwind. Lots of emotions, highs and lows, but it taught me a lot.”

Lessons that she would take with her to her now professional career. “Coming into the PVF, I haven’t played indoor in 6 years, and I knew that there’s bigger girls. The game has changed, there’s more powerful hitters and more advanced setters and I’m blessed to have been picked up by a team,” she said humbly. Sponcil says she looks forward to continuing to play hard and hopes that her story can continue to inspire young student athletes.

“Looking back, I’m so grateful to have gone to Veritas, just for the education alone. They teach you how to think. They teach about the truth,” she said. “I was proud to go to a smaller school and still make it and still do really well and help my team. I’m so grateful that my parents sent me to Veritas.”

“Not in the moment,” she chuckled. “But now I do.”

You can keep up to date with Sponcil on her website, https://sarahsponcil.com.

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