Finding a Place to Serve: Becky Barrett’s Life Beyond the Volleyball Court
10/14/2026 8:12:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
For Becky Barrett, helping people has become something of a habit.
Sometimes it means something obvious, like pursuing a career in elementary education. Sometimes it means something less visible, like working behind the scenes in Purdue Fort Wayne's athletic department to make sure a game day runs smoothly.
And sometimes, it is as simple as noticing that someone could use a hand and stepping in before they have to ask.
"I think I'm definitely always looking for ways to help people, even if they don't ask for it," Barrett said. "How could I make this situation better for them?"
That instinct has followed Barrett from her hometown of Athens, Illinois to the Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball program, and now into the classroom as she prepares for a career in education.
Barrett grew up in a small community where everybody knew everybody.
The town's population is roughly 2,000, and the intimacy of that environment shaped her in ways she appreciates more now that she lives in Fort Wayne.
Back home, the grocery store was a 20-minute drive, and not even within the city limits.
Growing up in a small town meant a close-knit community where people knew where one another lived, what they drove and what was happening in each other's lives. Barrett remembers that as one of the best parts of her childhood.
"You do have just a really close community," she said. "Growing up, you never feel like you're alone."
That sense of community also gave Barrett an early example of what it means to make an impact on other people.
Her mother is a teacher and spent years coaching volleyball in their hometown. Barrett watched her build relationships with generations of students and athletes.
The clearest evidence came away from school.
Children would see Barrett's mother at the grocery store or while out on a walk and immediately light up. Former students still recognize her years later.
"They'll just be so excited to see her," Barrett said.
For Barrett, that stuck.
She is now studying elementary education herself, carrying with her a front-row view of the profession.
Her mother can be intimidating enough in class that even difficult classrooms settle down when she walks in. But outside the classroom, those same students are eager to see her.
Barrett sees that balance as something worth emulating.
"She seems a little scary in the classroom," Barrett joked, but it's like the perfect amount."
* * *
Barrett's path toward Division I volleyball began to take shape around eighth grade.
Growing up surrounded by other small towns meant that being a standout athlete could attract attention quickly. By her freshman year of high school, Barrett began to believe playing at the collegiate level was a realistic possibility.
At one point, she narrowed her choices to two schools. She even considered attending a community college close to home.
Then Purdue Fort Wayne entered the picture.
Barrett visited campus in June before her senior year of high school. There were not many people around yet, but she liked what she saw and, more importantly, liked the conversations she had with the coaching staff.
It felt like home.
Playing Division I volleyball has provided Barrett with experiences she could not have imagined growing up in her small town.
She has traveled to different parts of the country with her teammates, occasionally getting the chance to see a new city or visit a teammate's hometown along the way. But some of her most meaningful experiences at Purdue Fort Wayne have come away from the court.
Barrett works in the athletic department's equipment room, an opportunity that has introduced her to athletes and staff members across the department.
It has also changed the way she sees a college sporting event.
Before working behind the scenes, it was easy to see game day as something relatively simple: arrive, set up the net, play the match and go home.
Now she knows how much happens before the first serve.
She sees the equipment staff prepare for officials, stock locker rooms with snacks and water, and make sure countless small details are taken care of. She watches the media services staff work through a maze of cables and equipment to prepare livestreams and statistics. She sees ticketing staff place individual seat covers for season-ticket holders.
None of it is particularly visible to the average fan.
That is precisely why Barrett appreciates it.
"Knowing that aspect of it, of how much work people do put into it, I appreciate it so much more," she said.
And that knowledge has reinforced her instinct to help.
"If you guys are helping me have a smooth game day, I want to help you guys back," she said.
The equipment room has also expanded Barrett's definition of community.
She has met athletes from sports she otherwise might not have encountered and learned pieces of their stories.
What interests her most is how different people can arrive at the same place from completely different circumstances.
"By just looking at a person, you have no idea maybe what hardships they came up with, or maybe they were really successful all throughout their career," Barrett said.
Those relationships have become part of what she values about college athletics.
She has learned who is good at what, who can be called when help is needed and how much a network of people can matter.
As Barrett looks beyond college, she is not sure exactly where she will land.
For now, there are more possibilities than answers.
But one thing seems clear. She'll be helping people.
She is a Division I volleyball player who has learned to appreciate the people working behind the scenes. She is an education student learning how much goes into creating a classroom. She is a small-town kid who has embraced the opportunities of a bigger city without losing her appreciation for quiet. And through all of it, the common thread remains service.
Barrett is looking for ways to make things easier for the people around her, whether that means helping a teammate, learning from another athlete, preparing for a game or eventually standing in front of her own classroom.
For Barrett, making a difference does not necessarily require a spotlight.
Sometimes, it's just doing what needs to be done.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
