I would like to nominate Sianna DeCarli for the 2021 Lance Vermeil Scholarship Award. Sianna was a volleyball athlete for Western Oregon University,and had aspirations to become a strength coach from early on. We do not have GA positions at WOU, and we only have 2 FT coaches, so having student-athletes who are Exercise Science majors AND have an interest in strength and conditioning is always very valuable for our department, as they already have an idea of what this career looks like and know how we run our sports performance program.
Unfortunately early in her time volunteering with us, COVID-19 shut us down. Throughout the shut down, Sianna kept in constant contact with me and was in here helping me clean, sanitize, plan and organize the room for the moment we were able to open our doors again. She was very giving in her time to do whatever she needed to do to help, learn and get her foot in the door. Once we started training again, Sianna decided to forego her last season of Volleyball in order to concentrate on her Strength and Conditioning career. She decided to do her internship for the CSCCa and has done a phenomenal job, far exceeding the hours she needed to sit for the exam.
With all the restrictions on training sizes, cleaning, planning and sanitizing, Sianna received a lot more experience than she probably expected, but she has just soared in her confidence, abilities, command and presence. I have counted on her to warm up groups, set up the room, run small training groups and cover teams when I have to run to another team. She controls the room with respect, passion and grace, and has been a huge asset, one I didn’t know I needed. I’m not sure things would have run so smooth in this craziness without her help this year!
Sianna is now USAW certified, is planning on sitting for her SCCC exam in May, and has been offered a GA position at Delta State University. I am so proud of her and will be sad to see her go, as she was a very valuable part of our staff over the last 2 years, more so than I ever could have predicted, but I look forward to watching her career blossom and take off. She is a bright spot for us in this last year and I am honored that she chose to follow in our footsteps. That is why I believe she is deserving of this award, she gave so much of herself this past 1.5 years, quitting a job and deciding to not play her last season of volleyball so that she could become a Strength and Conditioning Professional, that is dedication, passion and perseverance in my opinion.
