When Lydia Grote, an outside hitter from the University of Minnesota, was asked about her family connection to volleyball at Big Ten Media Day, she thought of her sister and smiled. “She has had such great experiences in college. She’s someone that pushes me, and she knows really well how to push me.”

Grote’s sister knows how to push her because she’s been in Grote’s shoes before. Marin Grote, who played at the University of Washington, is now a professional volleyball player with the Grand Rapids Rise in the Professional Volleyball Federation. For all of Lydia’s career, she’s been able to look at her older sister’s journey to understand the expectations of her own collegiate career and beyond. Her sister has also been there to give her advice and help prepare her for the road ahead. The sport is a connective tissue between the sisters and in their family.

Like with the Grotes, the pursuit of volleyball wasn’t random for many athletes who currently dominate the college sport. Many active and former players come from volleyball families and had siblings – or even parents – lead the way. Many of these players learned their love of the sport from the family members who played before them. To them, the sport is not only a passion but a unifying force within their family, which helps them feel supported, prepared, and inspired.

An active player with a family member who played before them can look to that sibling, parent, or whoever to understand the road ahead. This type of advice and insight is something Grote frequently asks of her older sister. “She’s someone that is so stable,” Grote said.“I can talk to her whenever and she offers such great insights.”

Other players, like Mckenna Wucherer, another outside hitter at the University of Minnesota, are able to learn from their older siblings while they simultaneously share the court. “I have two older sisters,” Wucherer explained. “The oldest sister, Miranda, played four years at Northern Kentucky and then played her fifth at Minnesota. I actually got to play with her.”

“Miranda coaches at Northern Kentucky,” Wucherer continued. “I'm really close with her. And to be able to see how much love she had for the sport was something I really admired. And she's someone who I can go to at any time and ask for volleyball advice.”

And for the Wucherers, the volleyball connection goes beyond the siblings. Wucherer’s mom, who passed away from breast cancer when she was three, played volleyball throughout high school. “I wanted to follow in my mom’s footsteps just because I lost her when I was young,” Wucherer explained. “Just being able to represent her on the court was something I wanted to do.”

Volleyball is also a mother-daughter connection for Mia Tuman, a setter from Ohio State. Her mom, an alum of the US Women’s National Team, is both a loving parent and a powerful mentor for her daughter as she develops her career. “She’s such a strong role model for me,” Tuman said. “I couldn’t even imagine my journey without her presence and guidance through the volleyball world.”

Beyond her emotional support, to put it simply, Tuman’s mom just gets it. “In the volleyball world, she was everything,” Tuman said. “She’s just so supportive and someone I could talk to about everything. She’s been through it, played at the highest level …” Tuman’s mom not only gives her an authentic support system, but she gives Tuman an extra reason to want to win – her mom knows how it feels to be this type of champion, specifically.

Other players also look to their family members as role models. Caroline Barnes, a libero for the University of Illinois, grew up watching her older sisters play. “It was incredible…” Barnes reflected at Big Ten media day. “They are such good role models for work ethic. My one sister is a national champion, so how much cooler could that get?”

Barnes’s sisters set incredible standards that she’s inspired to live up to. Likewise for Madisen Skinner, the outside hitter from Texas who is widely considered one of NCAA volleyball’s best talents. Skinner has won three NCAA championships in her three years in the NCAA (one with Kentucky and two with Texas), but her aspirations go beyond the collegiate level. Her older sister Avery just played with Team USA at the Olympics, and Skinner has her eyes set on joining her.

“[My sister] is the reason I started playing volleyball,” Skinner told Us Weekly in a recent interview. “Fingers crossed Avery and I will be playing together on the same roster competing for Team USA. That’s definitely my next goal that I’m working towards.”

Having a volleyball alum in the family can make all the difference for an active player. They can learn from their family members and go to them for advice, and they never lack a person for whom to try hard. And if your volleyball-playing family member is still in the game? They could just push you all the way to the Olympics.