Like any other student athlete, senior Chelsey Heaps of the UVU women’s volleyball team knows very well the importance of maintaining balance on the court and in the classroom. Take the fact she landed a spot on the Great West Conference All-Academic team in the fall of 2010 and the GWC All-Conference Second Team for volleyball.
“It’s tough but you just have to learn how to balance your life,” Heaps said. “The life of a student athlete is very demanding. If you learn how to prioritize your time and make good priorities it’s very doable.”
Heaps demonstrated early on in her life how “doable” it is to be successful as a student athlete. In high school she earned a 4.0 GPA and was the senior class valedictorian, she was also named the 3A Division MVP by the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News, only a few of the many achievements she earned. Heaps is an exercise science major at UVU. Her plan after graduating is to earn another Bachelor’s Degree in nursing.
Outside of school and volleyball, Heaps has another part of her life that drives and supports her. That support comes from her husband, UVU baseball player Austin Heaps, who knows the demanding and busy schedule student athletes deal with.
“Both of us being athletes, we understand what it’s like and we can support each other,” Heaps said. “It’s awesome to see him there in the stands. He is just a great support.”
Support will be big for Heaps on the field as well. She will be returning to fill a large gap left behind by very key players that have since graduated and left the team.
Heaps is excited for the opportunity to step up and has been working hard to prepare for the upcoming season.
“I knew last year that I needed to become stronger,” Heaps said. “I’ve been working a lot in this offseason with the UVU trainer. I think that is going to help me a lot to be a stronger player and stepping up to be stronger for the team.”
For Heaps, returning support to her teammates is equally important. Her experience, positive attitude and desire to win are key parts of being a leader on and off the court.
After what Heaps has already accomplished and what she is doing to prepare for more, her confidence for the upcoming season is already ahead of the curve.
“I am really excited for our team this year,” Heaps said. “I really like my teammates and I think we can have a very successful team.”
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