​When Alexa Borgman walks into the classroom the kids immediately look up.Sure, Borgman is someone they look up to as a student teach – but she also stands more than 6 feet tall. For most kindergarteners, she is the tallest woman they have ever seen.While this could be an awkward situation, Borgman uses it to her advantage as a teacher.”A lot of times it has helped me connect with the kids,” Borgman said. “They ask me how tall I am and then want to know if I play sports. They look up to me (literally and figuratively). Most of them think sports are awesome and that really helps me break the ice with the kids.”More: How West Ottawa grad Alexa Borgman transformed into volleyball All-AmericanWhen they find out just how good of an athlete Borgman is, the wow factor increases fast.Borgman is an All-American volleyball player at Grace Christian University, and also started on the basketball team, a rare dual-sport collegiate athlete.The West Ottawa graduate just passed 1,000 career kills in her volleyball career.”It is really cool to see how much I have challenged myself as a player. When I was in high school, I was a person who got all the blocks, not the kills,” Borgman said. “I became a more rounded player in college and to see how far I have come in four years is really cool.”Borgman was a good player at West Ottawa, but not a great player. She was a great blocker, but not the huge offensive threat that she is at the collegiate level.Once she re-found her joy in the sport, everything clicked.”Something I stuck to this year is, ‘Count it all joy’ (James 1:2-3),” she said. “Feeling Gratitude and joy is a choice and that has helped me grow. I think just the fact that regardless of where I came from and what I have been through, you won’t find any poison or rage. I have just had so much fun and I love that. I used to play angry because I thought that was the best way for me to compete.”Last year, I realized when I was having fun I played so much better. It is not about the accomplishments, it is the people.”That naturally led to accomplishments. Borgman was the NCCAA Regional Tournament MVP, Regional Player of the Year and an All-American.This year, injuries have taken a toll on Grace and Borgman has had to play all the way round in the rotation.The back row has been a challenge that Borgman has improved upon match by match.”It has been a little rough. We are down to six players after injuries. But within three weeks we have moved up to the second spot in our region,” she said. “I am not a huge fan of the back row but I am learning. I am getting 15-20 digs a game, which is crazy for someone being 6-1. I get to hit out of the back row, which has been fun. Hitting looks a lot different. I moved to the right side with the lack of players. So I hit from the right side even in the back which has helped me adjust more.”Borgman is in the stretch run of her career before the next wave of student teaching in the spring.Teaching was always in the back of Borgman’