Jules Hall Leads By Example

Olivet volleyball junior Jules Hall continues to improve, on and off the court, in Comet career.

By Braeden Jones

OLIVET, Mich. — For most of her life, Jules Hall has been surrounded by volleyball. Her older sister played volleyball, so Jules wanted to give it a try. She officially started playing on her first competitive team in 6th grade, and after that, she was hooked. After six years of hard work and perseverance, she found herself playing volleyball at the University of Olivet.

Hall played in all 27 games this season and finished in the top 10 on the team in both blocks and hitting percentage. 

“She’s phenomenal. She is one of the best hitters in the conference, in my opinion, and so I just think overall, like she’s a great person and a great athlete,” said head women’s volleyball coach Jenessa Neal.

As an upperclassman, Hall has become one of the key leaders on the team.

“Jules is incredibly energetic, competitive, and supportive. She pushes each teammate to be the best that they can be and encourages competition,” said freshman outside hitter Payton Smith.

But despite the accomplishments and compliments, Hall has had to battle her own personal struggles.

“One struggle I’ve had to overcome is learning to separate who I am from how I perform in volleyball,” said Hall. "For a long time, I felt like my value depended on how many blocks I got or whether I had a good practice. If I messed up, I took it personally.”

Hall started to invest in other hobbies and focus on other aspects of her life, such as being a good friend, daughter, and teammate.

“Over time, I had to learn that my identity isn’t based on stats or plays. I’m more than what I bring to the court. Once I understood that, I became more confident and relaxed, and honestly, I became a better teammate,” Hall said.

Hall is currently a junior studying insurance and is preparing to have a strong final season next year.