Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

A stereotypical question many college students are faced with is “what are you going to do in college?” When a student finds the answer, the question expands further to “what will that do for you?”

Volleyball setter Leila Holt is an art major and focuses her art on “portraying a feeling. It’s more for my mind and emotions. Art is more of me,” said Holt. What used to be a hobby is now a drive toward making her art piece better than the last, as well as better than the competition.

But Holt’s no stranger to those questions being raised. During her first two years, the now-junior was just brushing by, prerequisite after prerequisite, for completion of her liberal arts core courses. Not dead set, at the time, on where exactly she’d put her vision towards, a few art classes helped paint a picture for her future.

In her younger years, Holt drew up early passions in softball, hula and volleyball among other things she’d find interest in. The first game changer, however, was volleyball, a sport she’s loved since elementary school. Growing up in Manoa, Hawaii, she played ball at Kamehameha High School where she helped her school win state.

Soon after graduating, she stepped foot on Western’s volleyball court into a class of seven recruits. Throughout the years, she’s earned her battle scars and stripes, through knee and elbow scrapes from hard floor digging dives and slides, to keep a game alive.

Last season, Holt led her Western squad in assists which elevated her to eighth all-time for the school in that category, with 1,239 assists. 2017 didn’t go as planned for the Wolves, however, finishing last in their division.

“We have such great talent on our team, it’s just the cohesion which hasn’t kind of clicked,” said Holt.

Next season, Holt will enter her senior year as a team leader. Her experience benefits the Wolves as she played all but one game during her first year and started in half of the games; an experience which, according to her, has led her to taking on a “motherly” role to the many newcomers.

“It won’t be hard, you’ll be fine,” she expressed adamantly to her younger volleyball teammates in passing. Her mentorship role is something she learned on and off the court, as she grew up with five siblings — a few of which have also played collegiately in different sports — and in the collectivistic nature of Hawaiian culture.

Ever the veteran and leader, Holt has found a home in volleyball and it’s also managed to weave smoothly with her artistic side.

With her eyes set on art as the major, she’s just getting started, and following completion of her LACC’s and art classes she’s taken thus far, is eager for more.

The transition in both art and volleyball for Holt is based on one commonality: both free Holt from all the world’s stresses.

“Volleyball is my physical escape. I have to constantly work out for it, but it’s also a very mindful thing. Art is more for my mind and emotions.”

At this point in her portrait of life, Holt has found harmony between the two, but volleyball’s rigorous in-season schedule has kept Holt on her toes; “(Volleyball) does take a lot of mental stress and also emotional stress. But art helps take away from that.”

Holt credits professor Kim Hoffman for the decision in helping choose art as her focus. Hoffman and Holt discussed that very relationship between majoring in art and competing in volleyball and how the combination may be difficult, considering the busy schedules both environments provide.

“But (Hoffman) came to me one class period and he had the change of major form, handed it to me, and told me ‘write your name down’ … and so if he sees potential in me and thinks that I could do it, then of course I’m going to do it.”

It’s not uncommon for students to regret a degree choice. In fact, it’s common that students venture their whole education discontent with their major. But majoring in art, Holt says, is the best decision she’s made.

“I’m so happy with it. I see everyone stressed out with finals and things, but for me, I don’t get that type of stress anymore. It’s more of ‘I’m stressed about if my project is good enough.’”

Whether it’s ceramics, sculpting, drawing or painting, it’s no longer about just doing the work, but about her strides in progression piece after piece. In her room, she was befuddled at old drawings she pinned to her wall — drawings she came to reflect back on and vehemently took down soon after. Holt, therefore, has become her own biggest fan and critic.

“If you don’t see something wrong with your piece, then you’re never going to get better. There’s always something that you could’ve done, or could still do to make it better,” Holt said.

And while many may have a particular art piece or painter they’ve become inspired by, Holt enjoys studying and taking away bits and pieces from all aspects of art she’s seen: “I like artworks that you can think about, also seeing and wondering what it is or whether it makes you feel a certain way.”

Art is an escape from social anxieties, a release into the creative process and a place where one can get in the zone and work through for two to three hours, in the eyes of Holt.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu   

Photo by: Paul F. Davis