No matter the sport or the activity, if you are a senior or participating in said activity for the final time, you want to go out with a feeling of accomplishment knowing you leave as the best.
Senior volleyball player Madison Kamp has had quite the four years at Bradley and on the court at Renaissance Coliseum. In her Bradley career, Kamp has seen the volleyball program reach some new heights and some new lows.
For the first time since 2005, the Braves made it to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) tournament last season. Sadly, the Braves are still winless this season, sitting at 0-18 overall.
The lone senior on the Braves squad said the record and the season have not been the easiest thing to endure, but without a doubt, she has grown for the better because of them.
“This season is definitely the hardest thing I’ve had to go through and obviously the exact opposite of what I expected,” Kamp said. “It hasn’t been easy because 90 percent of what we do is working for that 10 percent and having that 10 percent be a zero and that be the only thing people see. So, I try not to focus on what other people think and focus on our team getting better each day.”
Kamp tells of a story on a recent road trip when the team played valiantly, but the result didn’t show. After the match, the team went back to practice and Kamp had everyone on the squad say what they were going to do differently that next week or even that next day.
This example is one of many that Kamp says the team tries to look at even through a tough season like the one the Braves are enduring.
“We find things to focus on every single match, even every single set we play,” Kamp said. “It’s not always about wins and losses because we know this game [of volleyball] is about the team and how we are getting better. It’s important that we continue to grow together and not apart like some teams would with a season like this.”
Kamp has garnered many awards and honors over her career, including MVC All-Tournament Team last season and currently ranking tenth all-time in Bradley volleyball history in assists with 1,794.
Although volleyball is her number one love, the hospitality leadership major said she knows that there is life after volleyball and that she loves to be involved in multiple things around the community.
“I love to have my hand in everything,” Kamp said. “I’ve been very fortunate that the athletic department has let me explore my other interests as well. I’ve been able to work in Bradley admissions and work at a hotel in Peoria.”
Coach Jenny Maurer says that Kamp is a great player, but the leadership she brings to the court is what sets her apart from her teammates.
“For any senior, you start reminiscing because you feel every moment is the end,” Maurer said. “Madison has played such a key role, especially in the offseason, to bring us together as a team.”
Kamp’s leadership will go a long way as she notes she has helped star freshmen Jamie Livaudais, Afton Sobasky and Taylor Thiele acclimate to the college game.
“I’m so proud of how far they’ve come so far this season and it shows on the stat sheet every single match,” Kamp said. “Transitioning from high school to college is hard in itself, but then to go from high school to a Division I sport is even harder. So they have done a great job, and I love that I can help them along the way.”
Although this isn’t the way Kamp envisioned her senior season playing out, she maintains a positive attitude and a dedication to giving it everything she has until the final match.
If that is all a player can be remembered for- that she gave it her all- Kamp’s career here at Bradley has been a success no matter the record.
