The Collegian

Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Mary Petrides

The rich, low sounds of Goltermann's Concerto No. 4 filled the tiny white practice room as sophomore Rachel VanderWall's fingers, painted with purple polish, dance up and down the fingerboard.

Two hours later, Rachel donned blue-laced shoes and a gray T-shirt and sent a blue, white and gray volleyball flying over the net.

Rachel said that, in fifth grade, she began playing cello because she liked its sound. She has taken private lessons both at home and at Hillsdale. During high school, she played in her school's orchestra and the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. She plans to join the Hillsdale College orchestra this spring, when her volleyball schedule is less intense.

Rachel plans to major in biology but said if she didn't play volleyball, she would major in music performance.

"It's my biggest passion," Rachel said. "I love music."

Volleyball coach Chris Gravel and Rachel discussed her cello playing before she came to Hillsdale. It would not be possible for Rachel to play both her sport and her instrument at a collegiate level.

"If you're going to be a cellist, and make that a big part of your life, and if that's your focus, there might not be time for volleyball," Gravel said.

Rachel said she decided to play volleyball in college because this is the last time she will be able to play the sport competitively.

"I just wasn't quite ready to be done with the sport yet," Rachel said.

Rachel was not able to obtain a locker for her cello last year, so she stored the instrument in Gravel's basement.

"[It] was nice, because it also exposed a nice type of music to your 7-year-old daughter," Gravel said.

Rachel's mother, Carol VanderWall, said Rachel's cello teacher disliked her volleyball playing because it made her fingers vulnerable to injuries.

Rachel's two younger siblings also play sports and an instrument. Carol said playing cello has made Rachel more well-rounded.

"I think it just broadened her scope of things," Carol said.

Rachel said playing cello has strengthened her fingers in a way that's helpful in volleyball, but more importantly, it has given her the ability to persist.

"Playing a piece can be really frustrating if you can't figure it out," she said. "She still has to learn it and practice it."

She said sometimes the same applies to volleyball.

"You just kind of suck it up and do it anyway," she said.

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