Soccer was too slow of a game for Kayla Cornett, so she switched to volleyball during her freshman year at Wylie E. Groves High School. It was a good move that ultimately scored her an athletic scholarship to attend Macomb.
“I love the fast pace of volleyball,” says Cornett, who played for the Birmingham Groves Falcons for four years. “My (Macomb) volleyball coach, Irick Gardner, has inspired me. He taught me how to give 100 percent and love the game unconditionally.”
Cornett balances her studies and court time with a part-time job in a tanning salon. She also commutes to campus from Beverly Hills in Oakland County where she lives. But, she says, it’s all time well spent.
“This past season on Macomb’s volleyball has been awesome. I have met so many girls and have made many new friends,” offers Cornett. “It has also taught me skills that I use on the court as well as off the court.”
A business major for now, Cornett is still exploring her career options and has found Macomb to be an excellent place for discovering herself. No matter what she decides upon, she intends to have a side job coaching a club team once she finishes college. Cornett is hoping another volleyball scholarship comes her way, which will help her choose a college or university to transfer to after she graduates from Macomb. And, by then, she also hopes she has settled on a permanent major.
“Macomb has made my transition from high school to college very smooth. Class size is about 30 and that makes it easier for you to work with your peers as well as getting the extra help from your professor if you need it,” says Cornett. “I would recommend Macomb to other students, especially if you are unsure what you want your major to be.”