Parsons on Rebuilding Her Game Postpartum, Navigating the Unknown, and Competing as a New Mom

But after giving birth to her son Ezra via cesarean section in January, her timeline for recovery hit several roadblocks.

“When I was cleared at six weeks to resume working out, I was like, ‘Great,'” she explained. “And so then I started, and I started too fast. I think any athlete could probably understand. When you get cleared from an injury, you’re full speed ahead.”

The reality didn’t match her expectations. The C-section had impacted her core strength significantly, and her body began overcompensating in ways that created new problems. Leg and hip issues arose, making simple movements, like getting in and out of the car, painful. She couldn’t lift her legs without effort.

“I’ve been injured many times, but nothing quite like this,” she said. “There was a point where I was like, ‘Am I ever going to feel better?’ Because there were just certain things that I just couldn’t do that I’ve never had to deal with before.”

She backtracked and started physical therapy twice a week for two months. The exhaustion from sleepless nights with a newborn only intensified the frustration caused by a body that wouldn’t cooperate. 

“There were a lot of days where I was struggling and just didn’t know if I would get there,” she admitted. “Living in that kind of unknown is hard.”

But Parsons had navigated uncertainty before. She had her fair share of ups and downs during her collegiate career at Minnesota before she broke out as a senior, averaging a conference-leading 4.20 kills per set and leading the Gophers to the national semifinals. 

She described her younger self as having a “perfectionist mindset,” and credits off-court personal development as an avenue that led to her on-court breakthrough.

Volunteer work became an outlet, and it was while volunteering at Athletes in Action’s Ultimate Training summer camp that she met her husband, Jameson. Growing in her faith and establishing an identity outside of volleyball helped her overcome the challenges of sport.

Her professional career overseas prepared her for uncertainty in different ways. From joining one of the world’s top leagues in Italy right after graduating with Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio, to claiming a German Bundesliga title with Allianz MTV Stuttgart, and helping Japan’s NEC Red Rockets to the SV.League and Empress’ Cup Championships, Parsons learned to adapt to different leagues, cultures, and situations where she never quite knew what came next, all while living an ocean away from her loved ones. 

That period of Parsons’ career equipped her with mental strategies that have served her well throughout her postpartum journey.

“I feel like we live a lot of times internationally with contracts, not knowing where you’re playing again. You are constantly living in this unknown,” she reflected. “And so in that moment, I was like, trying to remember how I dealt with those situations when I just didn’t know for sure if I was going to get back or if I was going to feel good.”

When the opportunity for Athletes Unlimited came, Parsons wasn’t quite sure she was ready, but she signed on anyway. A few weeks of preseason preparation and a four-week competition felt manageable, and it gave her a realistic goal to work toward.

“I kept saying, ‘Okay, seven weeks, I can do a seven-week season,'” she explained. “At that point, I wasn’t ready to commit to a seven-month season, which is what the other leagues are.”

She released any expectations about her performance and focused on the process. Having a concrete goal helped during the difficult physical therapy sessions and the adjustment to motherhood. All summer, baby Ezra tagged along and became popular with her training partners.

“All the people I trained with, they loved it,” she recalled. “They were like, ‘Water break!’ And, you know, a little baby time.”

As she became satisfied with her physical progress, Parsons signed with the Omaha Supernovas ahead of the AU Pro Volleyball Championship start in Omaha. The timing felt right, and the organization’s support made the decision easier.

On the court during AU, Parsons has had to adjust her style of play to match what her body is capable of now. Instead of relying on power, she’s mixing up her shots on offense and returning to the crafty approach that defined her early career.

“I’m usually a little more crafty. I’ll throw in a tip and find different ways to score,” she explained. “So I’ve almost had to go back to that. I don’t need to be my strongest right now. I can use the shots that I’ve used before pregnancy. In my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, I have to get strong again. I have to get powerful again.’ But that will come the more that I play.”

Even with the challenges that come with her return to the court, the AU experience has exceeded her expectations. When she arrived at her hotel room in Omaha, she found it prepped with a high chair for Ezra. That small gesture represented the larger support system she’s found throughout the competition. Even her AU teammates have become built-in babysitters who jump at the chance to spend time with the now nine-month-old.

“The relationships that are already built here, and just the quality of people that are here, and also the quality of play too…It’s really competitive, and it’s just so fun to even be in a practice, getting reps with these girls and getting stronger as a player and learning from other people,” Parsons said. “The way that I’m able to move is still a work in progress. I’m definitely not there yet, but the people have just made it so worth it already.”

Now she’s soaking in every moment as she shares this chapter with her husband and son.

“Being able to play a match and immediately go off and I get to hug my baby–this is literally a dream come true,” she said. “Or I even see him during the game, or I hear his sounds, because I just know his little voice. It’s really so special.”

Parsons has a little extra motivation on the court as well. She’s playing for Athletes in Action as her Athlete Cause, the ministry where she met her husband years ago at Ultimate Training Camp.

“We still love, whenever we have the chance to go down to campus or go to one of their events, we’ll still really make it a priority to get to go do that,” she explained. “So to be able to have that be my cause here just made sense, and it was nice to have a story behind it too.”

For other players considering a return to professional volleyball after having children, Parsons’ advice centers on patience and grace. She’s looked to players like Carli Lloyd and Foluke Akinradewo as inspiration, and now finds herself in a position to be that example for others.

“Your body just changes,” she explained. “I feel like my body probably won’t ever go back to exactly how I was before pregnancy, and I had to learn how to be patient with that.”

The growth of professional volleyball leagues in the U.S. has made this path more feasible than ever before.

“Now that there are so many leagues in the U.S., it is an option, and it’s so doable now, which I think is really, really cool for the sport and for women’s sports in general,” she said. “I would encourage anyone to do it if they have the desire.”

After AU wraps, Parsons will transition directly into her next chapter with the Supernovas. She’s already gotten to know Omaha during the AU season. She also has some familiarity with her future coaching staff, as six of her 10 international medals came while playing under current Supernovas Head Coach Luke Slabe, who served as an assistant coach for the National Team. 

But for now, Parsons is focused on AU and the memories being created with Ezra courtside.

“AU has been wonderful, and I think it was a great decision for me and for my family. I think Ezra will be able to look back on this and have a lot of really, really fun memories, and my husband, too. I think we’ll look back and be like, ‘This was a really cool thing to do.’”

Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.