As a senior at New Prairie High School, Margaux Jarka was looking for a place to continue playing college volleyball. A four-year standout for the Cougars, Jarka was looking for a school with a solid education and a commitment to athletic excellence. She found it at the United States Military Academy in West Point.
“When I came for my first visit here and I stepped [on campus], I knew that it was the place for me. More than just the beauty of this place, it is what it has to offer,” Jarka said. “A chance to be here where there is so much tradition and to be around the same people who have the same goals in life as I do. It really piqued my interest and it was very intriguing to me.”
For the last four years, the Rolling Prairie native has walked the same grounds as American iconic generals MacArthur and Patton, to name a few, who called West Point home in their college years.
“It’s amazing,” Jarka said. “I absolutely love it here. It is beautiful here and the amount of tradition here is unbelievable.”
Jarka said the time away from La Porte County has been beneficial.
“Well, I have developed here as a person,” she said. “Here at West Point, they develop you in terms of leadership skills and they put you with a bunch of people just like you and I will say that I have grown both intellectually and as an all-around person. I feel more confident in my ability to lead people. I really am the same person. In a way, I am still the same person. But I have matured.”
The leadership skills she’s learned at West Point paid off when she was named team captain for the season. Jarka was also selected by the Patriot League as Jarka was named a Preseason Player of the Year candidate and garnered one of seven places on the Preseason All-League squad. In 2012, Jarka was on the All-Patriot League second team and in 2011 was on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team.
“It is an honor,” Jarka said on being a preseason candidate. “But then again, I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for my five teammates helping on the court around me. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. And I owe it to them. That’s an honor for all of us that our team was chosen and I am flattered to be honored.”
She credits Coach Alma Kovaci for the success the team has had over the past four years.
“Coach is absolutely amazing,” Jarka said. “She has this passion for the game that I have never experienced with anyone else. Just this love and she cares about the game and she transfers that to her players. I can’t explain it how much she loves volleyball. We really respect her as a coach because she played the game and she knows it so well.”
On September 6th and 7th, Jarka had an opportunity to play against family and friends when Army came to Valparaiso University and played in the Valparaiso Invitational. The Black Knights lost to Valparaiso and Eastern Michigan, but defeated Rhode Island.
The following week, Army played in The Service Academy Challenge at the Pentagon, defeating Air Force but losing to Stanford and Yale.
With her West Point career winding down, Jarka is looking forward to the future. After volleyball is over, she will finish up her degree in Environmental Geography before graduating in May as a second lieutenant.
“I am not sure what job I will be doing in the Army, but it is a five-year commitment,” Jarka said.