For the first time in her life, freshman Serena Warner is not in a class of her own. But although she is hitting the books in a new atmosphere, hitting the hardwood is old school for her.
Warner was the captain of her home-school team, the Texas Tornados, and played club volleyball as well before joining the Bobcats this fall.
The decision to home-school both Serena and her sister was based on flexibility, their mother, Veronica Warner, said.
“My mom was on a lung transplant list, “ she said. “It is easier to take them with me if my mom needed care. If they were in school, they could not miss too many days.”
Serena Warner’s grandmother received the lung transplant but died about four or five years ago. With fewer concerns about family health, the Warners decided to continue home schooling.
Veronica Warner said neither Serena nor her sister minded being home-schooled because both were able to complete their work quickly and do things they enjoy.
“With home school, there is not a lot of busy work and they can get tasks done,” Veronica Warner said. “They both like to read.”
Serena Warner said her parents asked her about enrolling in school every year, but they always opted for home schooling, though it was a difficult decision. She added that she thought she would miss out on various high school experiences.
“I think some things you thought you were missing out on, maybe going to prom and different stuff like that,” Warner said. “But I really liked the flexibility, especially when I got into club (volleyball) and I didn’t have to go to school Monday morning.”
Mrs. Warner recognizes the stigma that surrounds parents who home-school their kids. One stereotype is that students who are home-schooled are social outcasts, but Veronica Warner says otherwise.
“People think they are weird or that they live like Little House on the Prairie,” she said. “People think they are not socialized.”
She said they might even be over-socialized because they interact with so many different peer groups, including volleyball teams.
“People asked me where I went to school,” Serena Warner said. “ ‘Oh.’ That’s the typical response people give you. Most people don’t understand it, they think they’re the weird spelling-bee kids, but a lot of us are not. We are really involved in athletics, youth groups, tons of other things.”
Home-schooled athletes are permeating college rosters. Veronica Warner pointed out a number of athletes on Division I rosters. Two brothers that play on Liberty University’s men’s basketball team were home-schooled.
Home-schooled athletes used to undergo an intensive process to receive a waiver for eligibility to compete in the NCAA. Now, all they have to do is go through the NCAA Clearinghouse.
The fact that Warner was home-schooled drew coach Ryan Theis to her.
“We were immediately drawn to the home-school thing, just in terms of a great family atmosphere,” Theis said. “Her parents made her do things on her own. She is very independent and good at task management.”
“She is without question one of our most analytical and smartest players. (She brings) a high level of maturity to the freshmen class, which I love.”
nr225008@ohiou.edu
