A few minutes in a friend’s backyard changed the course of Katarzyna Burda’s life. On a hot summer day, she learned how to pepper a volleyball across a backyard net and instantly fell in love with the game. At the time, she had no idea that simple moment would eventually lead to district championships, national competition, and college volleyball.
Before volleyball, sports were never the center of Katarzyna’s world. She spent her childhood dancing and participating in cheerleading, activities she enjoyed more for fun than competition. Everything changed after that first experience with volleyball. “That summer, my mother enrolled me in summer clinics, club open gyms, and my high school volleyball camp,” she wrote. “I have always been very determined to be successful when faced with new challenges.”
Like fellow KRVA scholarship recipient Marisa Guan, Katarzyna’s journey was built on growth rather than instant success. She often entered new gyms feeling nervous and unsure of herself. Volleyball challenged her in ways she had never experienced before, but it also became the place where she learned confidence, resilience, and leadership. Along the way, she discovered that some of the most important battles happen in your own mind.
As her level of competition increased, Katarzyna became extremely hard on herself whenever things went wrong. A missed swing or difficult match could linger far longer than it should. Over time, coaches helped her realize that mistakes were not signs of failure. They were opportunities to improve. “When I have bad games or start to struggle, I try to think about all of the cool kills I have had or good moments while playing,” she said. “It reminds me that I am a better player and these few mistakes do not define me.”
That shift in mindset changed the way she played. For years, she thought being a great hitter meant swinging as hard as possible. Today, she takes pride in being a smarter player. “I have been working on being smarter while playing,” she explained. “I started adding more tips and off-speed shots instead of hitting the ball every time.” She believes learning to see the game differently has made volleyball more enjoyable and has made her much more difficult to defend.
Her growth as a player eventually led to one of the biggest leadership challenges of her career. During her senior season at Parkland High School, injuries left Katarzyna as the only senior able to play on the team. She was expected to perform at a high level while also helping lead a younger group through difficult moments. “It was definitely hard in the beginning, leading the team, but also trying to do my best,” she said. “I learned how to be a leader by giving tough love but also being there for the rest of the team.”
Katarzyna made it her mission to build a stronger sense of family within the program. She wanted every player to feel supported and valued. That culture became one of the team’s greatest strengths. After a disappointing district loss the previous season, Parkland fought its way back and captured the District 11 championship.
The season brought some of the area’s highest individual honors, recognition that reflected years of work both on and off the court. Yet one goal still stood above the rest. Katarzyna and her club team earned a bid to Girls Junior Nationals, an achievement she had dreamed about for years.
Stepping onto the court at Nationals was everything she had hoped it would be. “I was so excited to play good competition,” she said. “Being able to play against the top teams in the U.S. made me so excited and competitive. I never knew my team would be good enough to get a bid and go compete, but we did, and it was the most wonderful experience ever.“
Competing against some of the strongest teams in the country brought a new set of challenges. Early in the tournament, Katarzyna questioned whether she belonged on that stage. By the end, she had a very different perspective. “By the end of the tournament, I had so much confidence, and I knew I could do hard things,” she said. “I also learned that mistakes and bad moments are part of the game, and the only things I can control are the controllables.”
Looking back, some of her favorite Nationals memories happened away from the court. She remembers dinner with her teammates at OPA, where they ate, listened to music, danced on tables, and enjoyed one final week together. Those moments reminded her that volleyball is about more than wins and losses. It is also about the friendships and experiences that stay with you long after the season ends.
This fall, Katarzyna will attend the University of Scranton, where she plans to major in International Business while continuing her volleyball career. She knows the transition to college volleyball will require her to prove herself all over again. Still, the lessons she has learned through volleyball have prepared her for whatever comes next. The same determination that started in a backyard years ago continues to guide her forward.
For Katarzyna, receiving the 2026 KRVA Achievement Scholarship represents years of hard work, perseverance, and growth. “Winning the KRVA scholarship means a lot to me,” she said. “I have put in so much work to get to where I am today, and now I feel that it was all worth it.”
Most importantly, volleyball helped her become the person she is today. The sport challenged her, pushed her, and taught her how to trust herself when things became difficult. “Volleyball has truly changed me into someone I am proud to be as a woman and an athlete,” she said.
