At 15, I’d collected a dozen pen pals around the country. They were women and men in their 40s and 50s, and they all wanted something from me. They wrote to me often, hoping to convince me that my life could change because of them — and they were right. They were Division I volleyball coaches who’d spotted an inkling of potential in me.

The NCAA recently reported college recruiting generally happens sooner for girls than boys. Over 37 percent of female volleyball players on Division I teams were contacted during their freshman year of high school, which means we were courted by college coaches before we went to our first homecoming dance.