Question

Jacki Jing
562 Maple St.
Dallas, TX 75215


March 21, 2018

SportsNews

854 Commerce St.
New York, NY 10103


Dear Editor,


I was pretty excited recently when I saw a SportsNews article titled, “Why Volleyball Is So Popular.” As a former NCAA Division I
volleyball player, I was excited to see my favorite sport featured on your website. My excitement quickly turned to disbelief as I
read your article.


In particular, I was insulted when I read the following passage: Athletes go where they find success. Basketball is a difficult sport
to master. Unless you’re willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will
not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball, those barriers are lower.

Basketball is an incredible sport. It requires talent and athletic ability. Yet the exact same is true of volleyball.


Just like basketball, it takes years to hone volleyball skills. Volleyball requires long practices in the gym (or in the sand) multiple
times a week. Approaching, hitting, serving, passing—these aspects of volleyball may not look hard. However, playing at a high
level requires an athlete to master a very specific technique for each skill. In this regard, volleyball is no different than basketball.
Anyone can pick up a ball and shoot it at the basket. But it takes a lifetime of practice to be as good as the best NBA and WNBA
players. The ladies on the Olympic volleyball teams might make it look easy. That’s because years of practice have refined their
movements so they appear fluid and graceful.


I remember being a gangly, awkward teen. I had to choose between volleyball and basketball. Every person chooses his or her
own path for different reasons. I don’t think one sport is better or harder than the other. Personally, I chose volleyball because
it required work. I had to learn how to control my body. I had to learn how to do more than just jump high. I had to learn how to
swing hard and sharp. I had to think fast, move quickly, and use strategy. I had to bleed and I had to sweat just as hard as any
other elite athlete.


I am tired of hearing that volleyball is easy. I resent that this article implies volleyball players have somehow chosen an “easier”
path. More young women are choosing to play volleyball because it is tough. It is competitive. It is fierce and fun. That’s it.
As for the young women out there who are thinking about volleyball, I can tell you right now it is my life and my passion. I was
not able to become an Olympian. Yet at 30 years old I still play as much as I can. And believe me, I still have not mastered it. I am
always refining my skills and my knowledge of the game.


Volleyball changed my life. When I think about playing in high school and college, it brings back memories that make me tear up.
My teammates are my sisters. I am still friends with some of my biggest rivals from college. The relationships you form when
working that hard at something stay with you forever.


I still hold close to my heart some of my biggest wins and hardest losses. I’ve learned what is necessary to perform under
pressure. I’ve learned how to push myself mentally and physically. I’ve learned how to work with a large group of people. I’ve
learned what it takes to achieve what I want. I have experienced the highest highs of my life on the volleyball court.

SportsNews, volleyball is not girly. It is not any less athletic. It is just awesome.


Sincerely,
Jacki Jing



Use the guiding questions in each column to help analyze Jacki Jing's letter.

Author's Background
(Who is the author? What do we know about them?)

Circumstances of Text
(What event or situation led to this text?)

Evidence Revealing Perspective
(What words or phrases show feelings or opinions?)

Impact on Message
(How does the author’s experience shape the message?)













Explore & Apply





Question​

Answers​

What influenced her to write?​

​

How do her experiences shape her message?​

​

Evidence of perspective and tone​

​

Impact on message​

​

How might this article have been different if written by a basketball player?​

​



p

Answer 1

Here is an analysis of Jacki Jing’s letter using the guiding questions and answers for the Explore & Apply section.

Author’s Background
- Jacki Jing, a former NCAA Division I volleyball player.
- At time of letter she is 30 and still plays regularly.
- Deep personal and emotional connection to volleyball (calls teammates “sisters”; describes the sport as her life and passion).

Circumstances of Text
- She read a SportsNews article titled “Why Volleyball Is So Popular.”
- A passage in that article implied volleyball is easier / has lower barriers than basketball; she felt insulted and wrote a letter to the editor (dated March 21, 2018) in response.

Evidence Revealing Perspective
- Direct statements of feeling and opinion: “I was pretty excited… My excitement quickly turned to disbelief,” “I was insulted,” “I resent that this article implies…”
- Descriptive, forceful language emphasizing difficulty and commitment: “I had to learn… I had to bleed and I had to sweat,” “years of practice,” “tough,” “competitive,” “fierce and fun.”
- Defensive/rebuttal phrases: “Volleyball is not girly. It is not any less athletic.”
- Uses personal anecdote and vivid memory to support viewpoint (high school/college experiences, lifelong practice).

Impact on Message
- Credibility (ethos): Her NCAA D1 background and continued play make her a knowledgeable source; personal experience strengthens her authority.
- Emotional appeal (pathos): Strong, passionate language and personal stories make the letter persuasive and compelling.
- Specific examples (practice, skills, technique) function as logical support (logos) to rebut the article’s claim.
- Potential bias: The message is subjective and passionate, which may alienate readers who prefer a more neutral tone, but it effectively counters the perceived insult.

Explore & Apply — Questions and Answers

What influenced her to write?
- The SportsNews article that suggested volleyball has lower barriers and is easier than basketball; she felt insulted and compelled to correct that mischaracterization.

How do her experiences shape her message?
- Her NCAA Division I experience and years of playing give her firsthand knowledge of the sport’s demands. She uses specific training details, memories of teamwork, and ongoing practice to argue that volleyball is as difficult and athletic as basketball.

Evidence of perspective and tone
- Evidence: “I was insulted,” “I had to bleed and I had to sweat,” “I still have not mastered it,” “Volleyball is not girly.”
- Tone: defensive, passionate, proud, assertive, emotional.

Impact on message
- Her experience makes the message credible and persuasive; personal anecdotes and strong language create an emotional connection and effectively refute the article’s claim. The passionate tone emphasizes sincerity but may reduce perceived objectivity.

How might this article have been different if written by a basketball player?
- A basketball player might reverse the emphasis: defending basketball’s difficulty and athleticism, listing specific basketball skills and training demands (shooting mechanics, dribbling, footwork, conditioning), and perhaps arguing that basketball has higher physical/skill barriers. The tone could be similarly defensive or proud; the writer would likely use personal anecdotes and comparisons to highlight basketball’s complexity and commitment required.