Star volleyball player has soft side

If you happen to journey into the GM building and see a statuesque young woman with a scarf delicately clipped back onto her head making everyone roar with laughter, you are looking at PCC volleyball player Aliyyah Abdullah. Some may describe her as a goofball, but others know that Abdullah does have a shy side.”The more time I spend with myself the happier I am,” Abdullah said.

Abdullah grew up in a huge sports family with eight brothers and three sisters.

“My childhood was a lot of fun. I had older brothers that pushed me into doing things,” Abdullah said.

She explained that she was thrown into volleyball not by choice.

“Volleyball just happened to be something I picked up along the way,” said Abdullah. Volleyball was also a sport she excelled at, winning MVP her senior year in high school.

Soon, however, a tragedy hit. Abdullah’s grandfather died last year and it changed her.

“This season I had nothing to lose.this season was for him, I just played all out every game,” Abdullah said.

And it showed. Abdullah is one of five Lancers to make the All-South Coast Conference volleyball team and was named to the regional 2010 All-State team.

PCC volleyball went all the way to the Southern California playoffs at Cypress College but did not make it past round three, ending the season with 22 wins and five losses. But Abdullah did not lift only herself up this season, she also lifted up her teammates.

“If someone’s down during a game, she will pick you back up,” said Miranda Doing, volleyball teammate and elementary education major. Abdullah said that PCC is helping her future by having an excellent coaching staff and with the star athletes that have come before her, it is easier to get noticed.

“It’s a nice little network,” Abdullah said. Not only the athletes of the past that have walked PCC hallways influenced her, Abdullah has a strong support system at home, with family members she looks up to.

“My mom is really smart, she is the sweetest person ever and I also look up to my big brother Husain because I’ve been in his shadow since I was little and I want to do everything he does,” Abdullah said.

Five years from now Abdullah pictures herself out of school, playing overseas and soaking up the sun. Abdullah’s advice to younger sports players and fellow students on how to accomplish your dreams is to strive.

“No struggle, no success. If you aren’t struggling you’re not succeeding. It’s not easy to get to where you want to be,” she said.