Written by Holly Pashley
From Douglasville, Georgia, Cameron Dobbs played for A5 Pure Volleyball club and landed a spot on the Hurricanes volleyball team at the University of Miami. After suffering multiple concussions in a short time span she developed post-concussion syndrome and medically retired with just 2 seasons of NCAA volleyball under her belt.
Cameron went on to become an assistant coach at Miami while pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in communications. She graduated in 2020 and immediately began a Journalism graduate program at her alma mater. Cameron wants to spread awareness about the impacts of concussions and post-concussion syndrome. She wants to share how she changed courses after medically retiring, and found a new role that kept her involved in the sport that she loves.
Interview with Cameron Dobbs
Holly: Talk about your schedule in high school that allowed you to become a high-level athlete and student. What advice would you give yourself back then, and to current athletes in the same position, going through the recruiting process?
Cameron: Oh goodness, where to start?! My days in high school looked like this: 6 a.m. wakeup, 7 a.m. drive to school (25 mins away), 8-3:15 p.m. sit in school, 3:15 p.m. drive (1-2.5 hours) north with one of my parents to my volleyball club, eat dinner at a local Panera or Jimmy Johns, then do homework in the car until practice. Some days, the practice would end at 10 p.m.
Gathering my gear, I would head home around 10:15 p.m., arriving home just before midnight, and working into the wee hours of the night. Bedtime was 1, 2, 3, 4… a.m. A few hours later, and the routine repeated. Life looked like this for six years, and I do not regret one minute of it. The long days and short nights prepared me for college and pushed me to earn full scholarship offers from schools all around the country. Most importantly — the hard work led me to be a Hurricane, a title that has truly changed my life. If I could give advice to my younger self, I would tell her to relax, let go, and let God. Everything is in His control. Simply, do what you can, do your best and be your best, play where your feet are, and know that your hard work WILL pay off.
Holly: What is the most impactful piece of advice you have ever been given and how did it impact you?
Cameron: The best piece of advice I have ever received is simply this — play where your feet are. No matter what, no matter where. As an athlete, playing where my feet are directly correlates to my time on the court — or lack thereof. If I am a starter, I will play where my feet are, being the best teammate I can on the court. If I am benched on the sidelines, I will cheer loud and proud helping my team succeed.
Now, as a medically retired student-athlete turned assistant coach at the University of Miami, I play where my feet are from the sidelines. Calling out plays, communicating with teammates, and coaching to the best of my ability.
When I was severely concussed, I played where my feet were knowing that my goal was no longer to accumulate ACC accolades. My goal was to heal. My playing field was no longer three practice courts, an Olympic weight room, and a track to run on — my playing field was three doctor’s offices, attending appointments for vestibular, cognitive, and psychological therapy.
Playing where my feet are grants me grace. It encourages me to not stay where my feet are, but do my best, be my best, and play where my feet are.
Holly: How do you handle those that may criticize what you have been through? Do you think that being a woman athlete makes the criticism harsher?
Cameron: For starters, I have had an overwhelming support system my entire life. I value true friendships and honest relationships, so I have not received much harsh criticism. But at the end of the day, you can be the sweetest, juiciest peach ever … and some people still won’t like peaches. Haters gonna hate. It’s a fact of life. I’m a naturally positive person and try my best to focus on the good, so I just brush off the harsh criticism, take it productively if possible, and move on!
Holly: What advice would you give to someone who is dealing with an “invisible injury or illness” such as a concussion or a mental illness?
Cameron: Simply stated to an extremely complex conversation, find a community with a safe space and support system. Talk with those you trust. It helps — I promise. Give yourself grace. Identify triggers of sadness and attract triggers of joy. Of course, play where your feet are.
Holly: How do you feel that your experience with your injuries has shaped who you are today? What have you learned about yourself in the process?
Cameron: My experience with injuries has entirely shaped me into the woman I am today. It has taught me so much. While being injured, I began struggling with mental health. Through my depression and anxiety, I learned a LOT. I learned that it’s okay to say no and treat yourself with rest. I learned it’s okay — to not be okay. I learned that my identity is not rooted in my performance on the court or in the classroom. My identity is rooted in Jesus Christ, and I learned to play where my feet are.
Struggling with these issues myself opened my eyes. They ignited a passion I never had before being injured. With the inspiration for a platform to showcase the passions, personalities, and perseverance of Hurricane athletes, I founded the nonprofit UNCUT Miami Inc. All in aim to humanize athletes by sharing their passions and personalities beyond just their play on the court, to refuse to shy away from our struggles, to share our battle scars — those seen and those unseen — and to encourage all that “alone” is not in our vocabulary.
Holly: In your role as an assistant coach at Miami after your injury, what have you found your coaching style to be? Have you been influenced by any former coaches? Do you plan to continue coaching in years to come?
Cameron: My coaching style most definitely mimics the coaches who have coached me along the way. I find myself constantly speaking the same language that I’ve heard as a player. Being an outside hitter, defensive specialist, and middle blocker at the University of Miami, I am a byproduct of their system through and through. The words I say in practice and games are the knowledge I have learned during my four years in Coral Gables!
One of my biggest pet peeves in players (besides bad attitudes) is a quiet athlete on the court. There is no good excuse for shyness and silence during a game, match, or practice. Being the loudest in the gym was engraved in my mind since my years playing club through middle and high school at A5. We were taught if we didn’t talk, we wouldn’t play. Now being a coach myself, I see the importance of communication from a whole new perspective.
Holly: Have you found that any stigmas around female athletes have affected you? If so, have you done anything to combat that?
Cameron: There’s clearly a mismatch in revenue between male and female sports. Men’s sports generally have more fans and higher ticket sales. Obviously, that frustrates me. Women’s sports do deserve recognition, TV time, and attention.
However, stepping back, I am fully aware that if our college football team at Miami wins games, we benefit from the income they make. Even being a sports journalist going into the industry, I am aware it is a male-dominated industry. That awareness shifts my mindset, and I know I have to work that much harder. I am proud to see movements for equal pay and recognition growing. Let’s continue to fight for women’s rights and women in sports. After all, we belong, we are valued, and we are necessary.
