Leaving the structured world of college sports is a journey few talk openly about. On this episode of The Human Athlete, Jared Markiewicz sits down with Peyton Sewell, a former Division I volleyball player, who’s transforming what it means to “win” off the court.
Finding Volleyball and Competitive Fire
Peyton Sewell’s love affair with volleyball didn’t start with years of childhood club tournaments. Instead, it began in middle school, after dabbling in a handful of other sports she admits just didn’t fit. “I was the first kid that was able to do an overhand serve… ever since I started playing, I just really felt like it was something I loved doing. It was just something I was really good at.”
That fire translated quickly to competitive goals. She wasn’t just content being a team member, she wanted to break norms, like making varsity as a freshman, even when her high school had never done it before.
From Illinois to North Dakota: Chasing Bigger Dreams
Growing up near Rockford, Illinois, Peyton Sewell had to create her own volleyball path, driving sometimes over an hour to practices. After an initial (and quick) commitment to Western Illinois, she switched gears, seeking both a higher level of play and a program that felt right. The result: a scholarship to the University of North Dakota, then a top 50 program.
But the collegiate journey was rocky. She encountered three head coaches in four years, including one who left before her first season began and another who departed amid Title IX violations. “[I] wish it would have went better, but I’m not mad that it went the way it did, because I learned a lot… like, if I were to ever be a coach, I know how I would not treat players.”
The Hidden Cost of Change and Burnout
[The conversation] turns honest about burnout, a reality overshadowing many athletic journeys. Peyton Sewell openly describes the mental exhaustion that eventually outweighed her competitiveness. She recounts moments of dreading practice, feeling isolated, and wondering if she should transfer like so many do today.
Social media, surprisingly, became her escape and lifeline. Pre-NIL, Peyton Sewell built a TikTok community of over 300K followers by sharing behind-the-scenes moments of the college athlete experience. But rapid rule changes and university restrictions forced her to stop. “It was so confusing not being able to post my life,” she admits, a first taste of the identity crisis to come after sport.