Why volleyball has been ‘an escape’ for Edmond Memorial star Kathrin Rowe

EDMOND — Kathrin Rowe didn’t need much time to deliberate.

As the 2022-23 Gatorade Oklahoma Volleyball Player of the Year, she had a chance to apply for a grant that would benefit a charitable organization of her choice.

The Edmond Memorial setter decided to support Epilepsy Foundation Oklahoma, and her reason was personal.

“I wanted to put it toward something that I care deeply about,” Rowe said. “Even whenever I had seizures as a kid, I felt like volleyball was an escape, so I just felt like I should give back to the cause.”

Rowe, an Edmond Memorial senior, enters this week’s Class 6A state tournament as one of Oklahoma’s top high school volleyball players. She stockpiled 338 kills, 337 assists and 350 digs as a junior, garnering multiple awards after leading the Bulldogs to last year’s state title.

And with increasing recognition, Rowe has used her platform to show why volleyball means so much to her.

During the past winter, Rowe was selected for the Gatorade Spotlight Grant, which presented Epilepsy Foundation Oklahoma with $10,000.

More: Oklahoma high school volleyball: Classes 6A-5A state schedule, scores

The organization supports research, public education and other efforts to benefit those with epilepsy, a disorder characterized by recurring seizures. More than 41,100 Oklahomans have epilepsy, according to the foundation’s website.

For several years, Rowe was one of them, and volleyball allowed her to keep playing sports when other options were uncertain.

When Rowe was 6, she had her first seizure. She experienced several more between the ages of 6 and 11, and since epilepsy involves a disruption of nerve cell activity in the brain, Rowe underwent brain scans. As doctors tried to find solutions, Rowe sometimes stayed awake through the night and had sensors attached to her head to monitor brain activity.

They realized medication worked, but Rowe couldn’t overheat. Although she played soccer, a doctor suggested she try indoor sports instead.

Rowe turned to volleyball because of her older sister, Victoria.

“I’ve always followed what my sister does,” Rowe said. “She started playing volleyball, so my parents put me in it as well.”

Rowe thrived on the court, but at times, she had to sit out to prevent seizures. That wasn’t easy when she yearned to be active.

“I’ve always been a team-first person,” Rowe said. “Obviously, I wanted them to know what was going on, but sitting out, I just wanted to be out there with them. It was hard to not constantly be there with them, but they understood it was for a good reason.”

Eventually, doctors tried carefully weaning her off the medication, bringing it back if she had another seizure.

After a healthy year with no medication, doctors declared Rowe seizure-free.

Throughout her high school career, epilepsy has no longer affected her.

And she’s continued to blossom on the volleyball court, playing all six rotations.

More: Vote for The Oklahoman's Landmark Fine Homes fall high school athletes of the week

“Obviously, Kat is an incredible talent,” said Edmond Memorial coach Natalie Murray. “She’s a generational talent. Every once in a while, you get a player that just kind of defies the laws of gravity, and Kat’s one of those players.”

The Bulldogs are 27-5 as they aim for their second straight Class 6A crown, and Rowe is playing a major part in this push.

But she enters this state tournament week with a different approach from last year.

Rowe once envisioned herself as a college volleyball player. After proving she had the skills, she gained interest from schools and paid attention, having conversations with a few recruiters.

Then Rowe realized she wanted something different. She said she’s ready to open the next chapter in her life, ending her volleyball career in high school and joining her sister as a student at the University of Oklahoma. Rowe is considering studying either psychology or business.

“It’s definitely bittersweet because obviously volleyball has been such a big part of my life, and I don’t know what life is like without it,” Rowe said. “Every practice and every game, I just try and cherish it.”

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs begin state tournament play against No. 5 Broken Arrow at 11:15 a.m. Thursday. As they aim for another first-place trophy, Rowe is taking her coach’s advice to stay in the moment.

She reminds herself of the joy she had when playing volleyball alongside her sister.

She also remembers the way volleyball constantly uplifted her throughout the stress of dealing with seizures.

In her application video for the Gatorade Grant, Rowe candidly shared that story.

“Volleyball helped me escape from that,” Rowe said. “I felt like giving this money to that cause would just mean so much to me because that was one of the most important things I’ve went through in my life and why I’m here today.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why volleyball is ‘an escape’ for Edmond Memorial star Kathrin Rowe