FORT SILL, Okla., July 6, 2017 -- "I've always been kind of tall," Molly McDonald says with a laugh as she ducks into the day room of D Battery, 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery. She is the executive officer (XO) for the battery, and along with cadre members and trainees, has just returned from a day at the range. It's been a muggy day, and McDonald has been on the range since early in the morning.
"It's just one of those things you get used to," she added after sitting down, her long limbs stretched out in front of her.
A lifelong sports enthusiast, McDonald has the build and the constitution of an athlete; she appears as if she'd be just as comfortable on the court as in the field. Often, playing sports can lead one to develop leadership and team building skills. For McDonald, that acumen and fortitude has recently carried her from battery XO to world class Army athlete.
When asked about the process, McDonald admits that she wasn't totally ready for the rigorous tryouts or the high level of competition, but that it was great to get back on the courts.
"It's hard when you're in this kind of role," she said, gesturing around the day room, "to find time to get out and train. So being able to play again was really great."
Having started playing the sport seriously at age 10, McDonald chose volleyball over basketball because she felt more passion for the game. That enthusiasm carried her through high school, when recruiters from various Division One schools began showing up at her high school matches. When she realized that she might have the chance to play in college, her approach to the game changed.
McDonald says she's always taken her sport seriously, but had never really considered playing in college. After a few campus visits, McDonald found herself at West Point, checking out the team, the program, and the school. She was immediately hooked.
"To be able to serve my country and play my sport was the perfect combination," she said.
Both of her grandfathers served in the military, and McDonald had toyed with the idea of a career in the military, but had not given it serious thought until being recruited by the school. That visit changed her life as a volleyball player, a citizen, and ultimately, a Soldier.
"When I saw what West Point could offer, and what I could do with an Army career, I knew it was the school for me."
McDonald graduated with a bachelor's in sociology and classed as a 13A, field artillery officer. She stayed on for an additional term at West Point and worked on the coaching side of the program. That gave her a chance to flex her leadership muscles, and she says she's grateful for the experience. After West Point, she attended Basic Officer Leader Course here, and volleyball got put on the back burner for a while. Rigorous training and studying left her with little time to dedicate to her sport, but she was always aware of it in the back of her mind.
"Most kids, when they're young, they dream of playing in the Olympics. After West Point, I knew I wanted to play for the Army," she said.
The opportunity to represent "her" Army came with a call for tryouts for the All-Army women's volleyball team. Though she hadn't spiked a ball in a while, McDonald entered the tryouts enthusiastically. Her command team at 1-79th FA worked with her to ensure that her duties and responsibilities would be maintained while she was away with the team.
"My command team really helped me out a lot. If it weren't for them, I don't know how I would have been able to play."
She says that during her time there, it was refreshing to see how everyone could come together to work for the benefit of the team.
"There was no division between officers and enlisted Soldiers, which was really great. We were all there to do our best and to be the best team we could be," she said.
McDonald recalls the best part about being a part of the All-Army team is that she was able to wear "USA" on her jersey.
"Usually, that's just for Olympians," she said. "So that was really neat. I was able to represent my country, my Army, and my sport."
After the All-Army competition, McDonald was selected for the All-Armed Forces team. The All-Armed Forces team was intriguing for McDonald, as it provided her a chance to see how other players train. She said she learned a lot from the other players and that she made some good connections along the way.
When asked about the correlation between an Army career and a volleyball career, McDonald said the comparisons are easy to make.
"In either, you're part of a team, so you have to know how to work well with others. It's the same principle, just applied a little differently."
McDonald has no plans to stop playing volleyball any time soon. During her time on the team, McDonald worked with physical therapists and trainers to improve her court skills, since she hadn't prepared much for the tryouts. She said that she's definitely not going to go into tryouts as unprepared as she did this year.
"I'll keep doing this for as long as I'm able," she said.
McDonald will be heading to Fort Bliss,Texas, later this summer and plans to seek out intramural teams once she's settled in her new role. She hopes that with continued conditioning, she'll be better prepared for tryouts for the All-Army team next year.
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