A new door opens for Self

Bethany Self may have played her last game as a Portales Lady Ram, but an opportunity has arisen for her to expand her skills to the next level.

The volleyball coaching staff of New Mexico State University, invited Self, 18, of Portales as a walk-on in 2008 fall season. She will have to report by July 7 to begin practice with the Aggies.

The NMSU coaching staff watched Self play volleyball at a game in Roswell.

“Coach (Ruth) Chavez walked into the locker room after the game and said that NMSU’s coach had been watching the game,” Self said. “I was hoping that they were there to watch me while going over every mistake I made in the game.”

Self spoke with the coach and was contacted a couple weeks later with the walk-on offer.

“The coach told me that I had  a lot of potential,” Self said. “I was excited, so was my dad who was right behind me as I was talking to the coach.”
“It is a tremendous feeling to have NMSU ask Bethany to join their team,” Rod Self, Bethany’s father said.

While visiting NMSU Self said she felt small in comparison to her potential future teammates.

“I felt tiny, I have been the tallest girl on the team since my  junior year,” Self said. “I was literally looking up to the members of the team.”
Self knows that the transition to collegiate sports is going to be an endurance trial in its own.

“I can only imagine what two-a-days will be like when practice starts,” Self said. “It is going to be hard to balance classes and practice but I’ll just have to suck it up if I want to compete at that level.”

Self has loved sports and had a competitive nature as far back as she can remember.

“I have always loved playing sports and winning,” Self said. “I can remember playing basketball with my brother Rustin, sister Rachelle and my cousins.”

Self did not take a liking to volleyball right away. Her sister Rachelle and cousin Jaytha Culpepper first introduced her to the finer points of the sport when she was in second grade.

“When I was younger I was all about basketball,” Self said. “I like gymnastics and figure skating, but I was not all that wild about volleyball.”

Self eventually took interest in volleyball and helped the Lady Rams claim two state championships. Self has also earned two state titles in tennis and one in basketball. She still thinks back to how it should be two championships in basketball.

“If I could redo any game, it would be last year’s state basketball championship game against Hope Christian,” Self said. “It was a day of everything going wrong, the refs, crowd and injuries. If we could have another crack at them and just have a regular day I think we would win.”

Self attributes a large part of her dedication, motivation and love for sports to her family.

“When I was in fourth grade I watched my brother Rustin win state in basketball,” Self said. “From that moment on I wanted to win a state championship.”

Self has had many coaches while playing sports but one particular coach has been there through it all, her father.

“My dad has always worked with me helping me to become a better player,” Self said. “My mom Liz was my biggest cheerleader. She would always tell me I played great even when I felt that I had not done so well.”

Through the years Rod and Liz have spent a lot of their time at games. In the past four years they have been to at least four separate state championships to watch Bethany play.

“All the ups and downs, long road trips and hours every moment it was all worth it,”  Liz Self said.