Many students have difficulty finding time to get their schoolwork done and be able to play the sport they love. However, for Minh Chuong, a student-athlete, that is a requirement that needs to be met every day. Minh came to the States when she was 6 years old from Vietnam with her mom and little sister. To her, the States was completely different from her home and she was not ready for what was yet to come. She started her academic journey in a private school at first, but was held back due to her lack of English she understood and spoke. However, this gave Minh the motivation to work harder to catch up with everyone else, and before she knew it she was moved into GT classes at Townley Elementary School. Her determination followed her into De Zavala Middle School. The door to try out sports had opened for her, and with the encouragement of her dad, she decided to try out for volleyball.
Volleyball brought out what “she was capable of doing while also bringing out some of the best friendships from it”. Minh’s competitive nature has allowed her to stand out when she plays, but she knows when it comes to being a team player. For her, volleyball was an escape from her cultural expectations and she “strives to go beyond what is expected of her” because she knows what she can do with what she was given. Minh continued playing volleyball as she entered Jack E Singley, but needed to commute to Irving High School.
“When I first saw the upperclassmen cooking in the kitchen during the Singley tour in 8th grade, I thought it would be so cool to have that hands-on cooking experience”. Minh’s specialty is culinary, and she enjoys learning about the art of cooking while gaining experience and being able to have fun with her friends. For the semester, she was in hospitality, serving tables at the Firebird cafe and other outside events. However, for this upcoming semester, she will be able to start getting to understand the art of food behind the scenes by being right next to the chefs. With this experience and learning, Minh hopes to open her own cafe shop when she graduates.
Her classes consist of AP Pre-Cal, AP language, AP Physics, AP World History, Spanish 2, journalism, and her specialty classes. With 4 AP classes, Minh is constantly on her feet with assignments and due dates that have to be met. She explains that during volleyball season, it is very hard to find a balance between her academic work and her practices and games. She adds on by pointing out that as a Singley student, her day starts out much earlier than the other athletes who attend Irving High. “Getting home after a game would be around 10:30 pm but if I had homework I would be in bed around 11:30 or 12. Then wake up the next morning at 6:00 am to not catch traffic.” Minh had to separate her school life from her volleyball life in order to find perfect stability while also being able to have fun. The weekends are her times to reset and be able to plan accordingly for the future and not feel so overwhelmed by everything. “I have a great support system that has helped me to not feel completely burned out”. Since volleyball season is only for the start of the school year until October. Minh is able to not feel so much pressure to stay on top of everything and be able to do things she enjoys like going for nature walks. Minh Choung is a great example of what a student-athlete should bring to the table and is proof that hard work does pay off. Go Minh!
