In the Game Perspective: Erin Higgins

Erin, a match-up specialist at Team IMPACT, lends her unique and multi-faceted perspective on our mission and vision, and its impact on collegiate athletes.

From 2008 to 2012 Erin played volleyball for University of Missouri – St. Louis. She recalled her time as both a gift and honor “to play the sport you love.” After graduating, she started her career as a Youth Trauma Specialist in a local school system. A few years later she gave her love of volleyball another shot, this time in a role in the coaching staff at Truman State University and then DePaul University. All of her experiences led to her current role as match-up specialist at Team IMPACT.

Erin sat down with us to share more of her unique perspective of former student-athlete, coach and now staff.

There’s not a day that goes by that I am not thankful to have had the opportunity to play collegiate volleyball. What a gift it is and honor to play the sport you love, and if you’re lucky like me, with great teammates and coaches.

As the years went by, and they went FAST… I learned that accepting failure and learning from your mistakes was the only way to find success. Sometimes picking myself back up was easy, and sometimes I hit my own rock bottom. Nonetheless, I am who I am today because of those failures; because my teammates and coaches believed in me even when I didn’t, and because I ultimately learned there is so much joy in overcoming adversity and seeing your full potential.

The GOAT, aka Michael Jordan, once said “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”  As an athlete, in my career, and in my personal relationships, there is no success without the people I surround myself with and work alongside with. When you take a step back, see all the beauty in collaboration, and realize all you can accomplish when working together… there is no better feeling than sharing that success.

When I was introduced to Team IMPACT, it was an immediate yes and want to give the opportunity to my student-athletes. Coaching and being part of my athletes’ lives will always be a one of the biggest highlights of my life. They changed my life for the better. In adding Team IMPACT to our program, we had the chance to change the life of a child AND shape who my athletes are as young women. Now, who doesn’t want to be part of that?

Once we started, I soon realized that the success of Team IMPACT was not just about the flash and glam. There was pure and unconditional love within the organization, and the mission was worth changing my career for.  A year later, I can confirm the magic is real, and I could not be more thankful to share that magic with my colleagues, and our amazing children and student-athletes.