Copy by Everett Pledger

Photos by Kenidy Shiffer

Romani Thurman, daughter of Scotty Thurman, is making her mark on the volleyball court just as her father did on the basketball court. Her parents have instilled in her a yearning for greatness, both on and off of the court. While she loves volleyball and devotes much of her time to it, her 4.0 is incredibly important to her as well. “It is very special and inspiring to me that I have the opportunity to follow in my father’s footsteps.”
Thurman says that her “favorite thing about volleyball is the team aspect.” She loves being able to work with these women day in and day out. In high school, she ran track, which she found to be a much more solitary sport. One of the things she loves about volleyball is “having the opportunity to bond with the women on the team and depend on them.” She started playing volleyball in eighth grade because she loved the energy that the women had on the court and she wanted to be a part of it. She spent her freshman year playing for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Originally, Thurman wanted to go to UNC because it was very different and far away and she wanted to discover herself, but decided after a year that Arkansas was a better fit for her. Thurman feels like a very independent person off of the court and being part of a team has
helped her learn to lean on people. She feels that this sport has taught her to understand that she needs people in her corner and that those people want to help her. “I am incredibly lucky to have a coach who prioritizes his players, Coach Jason Watson.”
Thurman has found that oftentimes, the mental health of athletes is put on the back burner. One of the most important things that Thurman has learned throughout her time in volleyball is that it
is okay to not be okay. While she loves this sport, she recognizes that there are hardships that athletes, especially female athletes face. These issues cannot just be ignored. “Female athletes have to battle for the same respect that male athletes receive,” said Thurman. Things are slowly changing, but equality in sports is incredibly important and we have to continue to work towards it every day.