Madison Godding has learned that sometimes, you have to break before you can shine.
It is a lesson the Claremore senior libero/defensive specialist discovered during one of the most difficult stretches of her volleyball career, when self-doubt nearly convinced her to walk away from the sport altogether.
Then she came across a quote that changed her perspective.
"A glow stick has to break to glow."
The words stuck with her.
And after transferring to Claremore, finding a new support system and rediscovering her confidence, Godding has become an important piece of one of the most successful volleyball teams in Lady Zebras history.
"I saw it when I was kind of in my little rut," Godding said. "It just stuck with me. You go through a rough patch, and flowers need rain to grow. A glow stick has to break before it glows."
For Godding, that rough patch came during her time at Oologah, when the mental demands of volleyball began taking their toll.
As a libero/DS, she understood the pressure that came with a position where success is often measured by consistency and mistakes can be difficult to forget.
She also knew how quickly comparison could undermine confidence.
"Being a libero is hard," Godding said. "Earning a jersey is hard, and when you're constantly working at something and you're not getting it, it's hard.
"It's easy to fall into thinking what you're doing isn't working and spiral into, 'Well, I'm not doing this, this and this.'"
Unlike hitters who can make their presence felt with a powerful kill, libero/DS often do their best work keeping rallies alive and giving their teammates an opportunity to score.
It is a position that requires quick reactions, precise passing and the ability to move on immediately after a mistake.
Competition for playing time can be relentless.
"From the libero perspective, comparison is a really big issue across the board," Godding said. "Whether it's club or school ball, there's always a DS on your tail. You're constantly being compared to other players and their presence on the court.
"Volleyball is a very mental game. It's hard to stay up when it's a game of mistakes."
Godding has experienced both roles, playing primarily as a DS in club volleyball while also understanding the different expectations that come with wearing the libero jersey.
Although the responsibilities overlap, she believes the distinction involves more than simply wearing a different uniform.
"Having the jersey isn't a different standard, but it's a different mentality," she said. "You're there to pass, you're there to get the first ball, but it's different. You're there more as a steady presence."
For a while, the pressure became overwhelming.
Godding felt trapped in a situation where she couldn't find a way to demonstrate what she was capable of doing. She began questioning whether volleyball was still the right path.
"There was a little bit of a question before I moved about whether this was the right path for me or not," she said.
But instead of walking away, Godding decided to make a change. Her move to Claremore provided the fresh start she needed.
The change helped restore something she had been missing — confidence.
"Coming to a place where I'm celebrated for everything and just having a support system really helped with that," Godding said.
Her connection with Claremore coach Derek Jackson also played a role.
Jackson coached her in club volleyball after her sophomore season, helping reinforce her belief that she had found the right environment.
"I felt like I was boxed in, and I wasn't given a chance to get out," Godding said. "So when I got my opportunity to get out of it, I took it and ran with it."
The decision has paid off.
Godding has developed into a dependable member of Claremore's back row, helping the Lady Zebras continue an unprecedented stretch of postseason success.
Claremore entered this year's Class 5A state tournament ranked No. 2 with a 28-9 record, having qualified for state for the fourth consecutive season — the longest streak in program history.
Volleyball hasn't been the only activity requiring difficult decisions, though.
Before transferring, Godding was involved in FFA, following a family tradition that included her mother and brother. She raised hogs, an undertaking that demanded considerable time and attention.
"It's long hours. It's a lot of work," Godding said. "You have to constantly be working with them. You raise these hogs from when they're practically born to when they get put on another trailer."
Her mother had participated in FFA growing up, and her brother remained involved throughout high school. Godding was next in line.
But after transferring schools, she realized she couldn't realistically balance the responsibilities of raising livestock with her volleyball commitments.
She reluctantly stepped away.
"It was kind of a hard loss for our family for me to quit," Godding said. "But volleyball definitely filled that extra time."
Her family's agricultural connections remain part of her life.
Her grandparents maintain a farm with cattle, and Godding still enjoys being around animals. At home, she has two cats, Peaches and Sammy, and a dog named Kona, an Australian Shepherd-German Shepherd mix.
There is, however, one creature she would rather avoid.
June bugs.
"They crawl, they fly, they fly in your hair and they get stuck," Godding said. "I'm not a fan."
Living in the country only makes the problem worse.
"They are everywhere," she said.
Although Godding can laugh about her dislike of insects, she takes her future considerably more seriously.
After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in nursing, particularly in a field involving newborns and mothers. Neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery and ultrasound are among the areas that interest her.
"I love babies. I love helping people," Godding said. "It's kind of the best of both worlds."
Whether volleyball will remain part of that next chapter is still undecided.
Godding has discussed the possibility of playing in college with her parents and has been communicating with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and Seminole State College.
Those schools currently top her list, though she hasn't made a final decision.
Godding began playing club volleyball in seventh grade, though she isn't currently participating in club competition. For now, her focus remains on finishing her high school career and determining which opportunities make the most sense for her future.
And if there is one thing her experiences have taught her, it is that taking a chance is often better than wondering what might have happened.
When asked whether she had any regrets, Godding struggled to identify one.
"I don't think so, necessarily," she said. "I've taken a lot of chances that I'm glad I took, whether they worked out the way I wanted them to or not.
"I'm glad that I at least tried."
Now, as a senior on a state tournament team, she can look back on that difficult period with a different perspective.
She didn't quit.
She took a chance.
And she found her glow.