Annie Kaminski, a Small Town Idaho Girl
By Doug Link
Every year, thousands of high school student-athletes dream of playing college sports. That dream can be daunting for the best of them, let alone a kid from a small town in Idaho.
Annie Kaminski grew up in Bellevue, Idaho, with a population of around 2,500. Her hometown is located in the Wood River Valley, about 18 miles south of the Ketchum/Sun Valley resort area in the central part of the state.
Kaminski moved to Bellevue with her parents, Craig and Heidi, both high school teachers, and her older brother, Drew, when she was in the fifth grade. Craig played football at Utah and is a member of the school’s Crimson Club. As an avid Utah fan, he regularly took the family to sporting events at the school throughout Annie’s childhood, exposing her to various sports.
Like many children, she was encouraged to play sports by her parents. She grew up giving several a shot, like cross-country skiing, soccer, track, basketball, and eventually volleyball. Her introduction to volleyball came when she tried out for her middle school team.
“I would say my dad introduced me to volleyball,” said Kaminski. “He really was a big reason why I tried a lot of things. He would say, you never know unless you try. So, I did a lot of different sports to see what I liked. I tried cross-country skiing for a year and stuck with it to the end. I absolutely hated it, but I had to try it.
“When he first suggested volleyball, I was very against it because soccer was my thing then. But I gave it a try and ended up really liking volleyball.”
To support Kaminski and her teammates' volleyball interests, her parents, and a few other families, started the Wood River Volleyball Club. It provided more exposure and experience by traveling to youth tournaments.
Her parents took it a step further when she was in high school when she joined the Idaho Crush Volleyball Club in Nampa, Idaho.
“Going into my junior year of high school, I had already committed to Boise State. But I wanted to get more high-level experience, so I traveled to Nampa twice a week to play for the Idaho Crush, about a three-hour drive each way. Looking back, I think, how the heck did that work? But I give major props and appreciation to my parents, who sacrificed their time to drive. I can't even imagine that now.”
During the drives back and forth between Bellevue and Nampa, Annie and her father, who was the primary driver, spent the time bonding.
“On the drive, my dad and I usually just talked about our day. Other times, I tried to get my homework done, read a book, or listen to music. On the way back, I would always make sure I stayed awake so I could help my dad look out for animals on the road. Now it’s hard for me to sleep in the car because of that. I always stay awake.”
When asked what she likes most about volleyball, she says it’s the competitiveness and pace of the game.
“I think volleyball was a great competitive outlet for me. Growing up, I was really into soccer and basketball, but being physically competitive in contact sports was not good for me because I got way too aggressive. So that's something I love about volleyball, where you're in a group on the other side of the net. I love how fast-paced volleyball is. There's something so exciting about each different point, and I think that's fun to watch because there's just so much going on all the time.”
Playing college volleyball was not Kaminski's goal growing up. However, some solid exposure to what the sport could be like at a high level convinced her to take a chance at college ball.
“At first, looking back, I don't really think I thought too much about playing in college. I'm from a really small town, and our team primarily played small teams in tiny gyms. Then we went to one of the big national tournaments, and I watched some of my age's open teams. I had no idea volleyball was like that; it was very fast paced. Those girls were going to high-level DI schools. I think that was the moment I thought volleyball seems really fun and something I want to be a part of. So, that was probably what sparked my college interest a little more. I saw how those teams were, how they interacted with each other, and what their skill levels were. I thought playing with those types of athletes would be inspiring and knew that college volleyball could be an option.”
She became familiar with Boise State when she started playing in middle school and into high school. Her older brother – by four years – attended Boise State when she was in high school.
“I was in middle school when my family decided to go watch a higher level of play, so we traveled to Broncos’ games. My brother also went to Boise State. I had been a fan of the Broncos for years before I committed. I went to all the games I could and loved the environment.”
The process of becoming a Bronco began when Kaminski's father contacted the Boise State coaching staff about her interest in the program. She also started attending their camps and clinics to get noticed.
“Our coaching staff got to know Annie as a middle school volleyball player from up in the Sun Valley area,” said Boise State Head Coach Shawn Garus. “She would come to camp in the summer, and then we would see her at our games in the fall. So, we had known of her for a long time when we started recruiting her.”
Garus and the staff were impressed with her commitment to volleyball and the steps she and her family took to prepare her to play at the NCAA Division I level.
“Once she committed, she made a huge sacrifice to drive all the way to Nampa, probably three hours each direction, through the wintertime, to play on an elite club team. That showed us how this kid from a small mountain town in Idaho was going to be a successful college player because she and her family were making the commitment to get her the training she needed. She was passionate about it and did really well.”
Coach Garus and his staff have always thought highly of Annie’s effort, competitiveness, and leadership. Garus says she is the type of student-athlete that benefits a team on and off the court.
“Once we learned about her interest and the time and effort she put into becoming a better player, we started learning about her character, which was off the chart. I said we have to get this kid. She was the type of person who's going to make your gym better every single day, the kid you're going to have a lot of fun with when you're with them six days a week through the fall, and you're traveling with all around the western part of the U.S. You benefit from having a person like Annie in your program, where she is quick to laugh, easy to be around, and has a good time. She’s just such a gravitating teammate that people want to play with her.
“She's one of the most respected leaders we've ever had in the program here at Boise State. I feel like it has been a little intentional with her wanting to be a teacher and a coach down the road that she has learned how to be demanding and hold people accountable, but in a human, I care about you way. That makes her a really special leader.”
So why did Kaminski pick Boise State over her father’s alma mater?
“I just liked the city of Boise a lot more, and I felt as though I had my experience on the campus of Utah because I grew up there,” she said. “My dad was an alum and member of their Crimson Club, and we were always attending events there. I kind of just wanted something different, and I love the city of Boise, so it was an easy choice.”
She does not take for granted the opportunity she has earned to play NCAA Division I volleyball. It is not easy to earn a spot on a roster in any sport, especially if you are from a small town in Idaho. She graduated from Wood River High School – a 4A school – in Hailey in a class of about 240. She is the only member of that class who plays DI college sports.
“It's kind of interesting to put it into perspective about my playing for an NCAA DI school; it's really cool. I'm very blessed to have had this experience and to see the sport of volleyball grow to where it is today. It's cool to think that it's more important here now and that people are starting to notice us Idaho girls; it proves that we don't need to come from a big state with a lot of people to be able to compete at the highest level.”
She has enjoyed her overall experience, the team's culture, how the coaches treat the student-athletes, the sense of being a family, and getting along with each other.
“What I like most about our coaches is that they value who we are as people and that they've picked people for the team who really make it feel like a family environment. I've loved getting to know different types of personalities and how to work with different types of people because, in the real world, everyone is different, and you have to learn how to work with everyone. I think it's important to know that they care about me as a person and not just as a volleyball player.”
The master's student has learned a lot about herself and life from the coaches and from playing volleyball, which has helped prepare her for what comes next after volleyball.
“There's a lot that goes hand in hand with learning, like lessons in sport. But I think the bottom line lesson that I've learned from both the coaches and from playing is that your hard work and your grit do not go unnoticed, and just because you're not maybe where you want to be, if you work hard, and you put in the hours you will get to where you want to be.
“When I started at Boise State, there were a lot of very talented, awesome people ahead of me, and I had to keep working to earn a spot on the team. There are a lot of people (student-athletes) now who transfer if they don't get what they want. But I think one of the things I have learned, perhaps the biggest lesson, is that if something's not how you want it, then you need to work harder for it. I understand that now; I know that's how the real world is; nothing is handed to you.”
Over the years, Kaminski has made many memories at Boise State and as a Bronco volleyball player.
“My best memories are more about the people I’ve met, that I am surrounded by every day and the relationships and connections I‘ve made. It’s hard to explain; it is more just a feeling that I will remember forever, all the lessons I've learned as a student-athlete, not only being a student-athlete but a student-athlete here in Boise. I've made really close friends. I think that my favorite part about my teammates that I will remember is just having that relationship, having that bond, because no one else really knows what you're going through on a day-to-day basis other than the people who are going through it with you.”
Kaminski was a redshirt senior during the 2023 campaign with one year of eligibility remaining. Initially, she did not expect to return to the team after a five-year Bronco career and graduating in May. However, coach Garus set as one of his goals to rerecruit here for a sixth year.
“I told her to take the winter off,” Garus said. “I knew she had another year of eligibility, and she knew she had another year. So, I told her to go take a break; your body needs rest. But I'm going to rerecruit you when you return. Thankfully, I didn't have to do much of a hard sell; Annie wanted to talk and to know what I was thinking. How did I see it working out? I think we had a lot of the same goals in mind, including winning a championship, and I'd love to see her play a big part in that.”
One reason she decided to return for her sixth season was the Boise State experience at matches and the support of Bronco Nation.
“I could go on about the support our fans give us,” Kaminski said. “The Boise State fans were one of the main reasons I decided to play again. One of my favorite things is connecting with people who support you and look up to you. I can think of at least seven or eight fans off the top of my head who I know personally, who know me personally, and come up to me after matches and ask how it's going and how you are doing. I think that's really special.
“I remember plenty of times when I was that same little girl sitting in the stands, completely enamored with high-level players. So, being able to be that someone for someone else is my purpose and my why. I love teaching young kids. It's also a good life learning lesson. It makes you realize that you're in the spotlight, that people and little kids are watching you, and that you need to be performing, not just when you are on the court, but when you are off it by being a good person, do good things.”
As for life after volleyball, time will tell.
“I'm not really sure what I will do after Boise State, I’ve thought about taking some time and travel, go see the world, live a little bit of a different life. But I will end up being a teacher, definitely a PE teacher, hopefully in the Boise area. I love teaching and being around students every day. I love making a difference in their lives, making an impact.”
The Broncos open the 2024 campaign Friday, August 30, at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., against the Arizona Wildcats, followed by contests versus Tennessee State on Saturday and VCU on Sunday.
The Broncos' home opening weekend is September 13-15, when they host CSU Bakersfield, Gonzaga, and Idaho State in the Boise State Classic.
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