Determination and dedication pay off.
To most people, volleyball is a fun, competitive sport. To Savannah Griffith, it’s life.
At just 18 years old, the Strawberry Crest High School graduate received a scholarship to play volleyball with the Florida College Lady Falcons.
Griffith’s journey began at age 11, when she first stepped onto a volleyball court at Marshall Middle School. What started as an after-school activity quickly evolved into an all-consuming passion. By high school, she was playing competitively year-round, participating in both school and club tournaments. While she is largely successful now, Griffith’s journey was not always easy.
Despite a challenging start where her team lost every set across five matches in her first season, Griffith remained undeterred, maintaining an unwavering commitment to improvement. This resilience and dedication to growth shaped her development as a player, eventually leading to remarkable progress in her performance. Her talent and determination did not go unnoticed, particularly catching the eye of Joseph Smith, a volunteer scout for a recruiting company. While her impressive hitting percentage spoke to her technical abilities, Smith was most captivated by her natural leadership qualities and commanding presence on the court.
“She’s always interacting on the court,” said Smith. “Her ability to have good vision, to see where to hit it, and always have that strike…that’s her greatest ability.”
With every challenge, Griffith kept one thing centered in her life: God.
“Faith had pushed me to get better and given me a drive for something other than myself and my family to work for. God has really shown me the things I should work for, not only in myself but in volleyball,” Griffith said.
Looking ahead, Griffith has committed to Florida College on an athletic scholarship, where she’ll join one of the state’s top volleyball programs while pursuing a degree in Pre-Health Sciences. Her ultimate goal is to become a small animal veterinarian, combining her passion for athletics with her love for helping animals. The rigorous academic program, coupled with her athletic commitments, will present new challenges, but Griffith’s determination and work ethic suggest she’s more than ready for what lies ahead.
In the fall, Griffith is excited to meet her new teammates and begin this next chapter of her journey. She looks forward to growing not only as an athlete and student but also strengthening her relationships with her family, boyfriend, and God. Her support system has been crucial in getting her to this point, and she knows they’ll continue to play an important role in her future success. As she prepares for the summer’s end and the beginning of her collegiate career, it’s clear that for Savannah Griffith, volleyball isn’t just a sport—it’s a calling that has shaped her path and will continue to influence her journey forward.
