Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

If someone would have told me when I was in ninth grade that I would ever be playing my last season of college volleyball in seven years, I probably would have laughed.  I can remember back to the days of serving against the wall with Dan Dries, being SO frustrated that I couldn’t get the ball over the net.  Not to sound cocky, but if I do say so myself, I’ve come quite a long ways.  There are just a few people I need to thank for that.

First of all, I need to thank my family.  Every single one of them has supported me throughout my entire athletic career.  And even though my parents may have thought that I should have been a setter when I was younger (it’s a double every time, right coach?), I’m just glad I followed in my sisters’ footsteps to become a middle…after a growth spurt anyway.

To my parents: First of all, thank you for paying for all those tournaments and new J.O. uniforms and the shoes and well, the list goes on, because without all those experiences, I probably wouldn’t still be playing.  Also, thanks for coming to every match; it means a lot to me to see you up in the stands supporting the team and me. Thank you, Dad, for being there after every match to tell me what I did well, along with what I could have done better.  Every single one of those comments made me a better player. Thanks, Mom, for dealing with all of Dad’s yelling in the stands (yeah, I do hear it sometimes…), as well as being there afterward to give me a hug and support whatever I wanted to do.

To my sisters:  Kristy and Missy, I have looked up to both of you throughout my entire athletic career.  Seeing both of you succeed in high school, and then continue on to the college level gave me the confidence to do it myself.  Kristy, even though we may not have hung out the most while you were in high school and college, I always strived to be as good as a player as you were.  I’m not so sure I succeeded, but you’ve been there to tell me how to block better, teach me how to run a slide, or give me dirty looks when I do something wrong on the sand court ?, you have made me a better player.  I can remember watching you run a slide and slam the ball down and thinking that it looked like so much fun! I wanted to play like you.  Missy, I’ll never forget playing volleyball with you off of the garage roof—I’m not sure how much Dad liked it, but we sure had fun.  You’ve been a great athletic role model, as well as a good role model in the class room (thanks for all that math help!). Thank you for being at all the matches you could this year; I look forward to your hug after every match, even if I am crabby. Both of you have both been the best role models a little sister could ask for—thank you.

And then there’s little sister Laura.  Oh my, what to say about you ? I know you think that I think you’re annoying (and you are sometimes), but you’ve also been one of my best friends.  While Missy and Kristy thought it would be funny to tell us the Grand Canyon was a small hole in the ground, you played house with me.  And as we’ve gotten older (I can’t believe you’re in college!), we can talk to each other and watch our favorite shows all day together.  Thank you for being one of my best fans and friends.

To my family: I LOVE YOU!!! Thanks for everything!

To Adam:  Thanks for making it to the matches you can, I know your busy and that volleyball isn’t the most fun thing for you to watch, but it means a lot to see your face in the stands.  And I’m sorry for getting mad at you when you told me I played good and I responded with “How would you know? You don’t know anything about volleyball!”  I’m glad I didn’t scare you away from the rest of my matches!

To my fans:  Of course this includes all my family and Adam, but also to my friends who have supported me in high school and college—Abbie, Kathryn, Kelli, Lezli, Megan, Sam, and everyone else who I know I’ve forgotten. Thank you for taking the time to come cheer me and the team on, it is greatly appreciated!

To my coaches:  First of all, thank you to Rick Schacht and Dan Dries for letting my play on the P.I. Rage volleyball team starting in 7th grade…and then inviting me back the rest of the years.  I’m not sure what you saw in me after that first year, but I am most definitely grateful you gave me a chance! I will forever keep with me those experiences of winning MSF tournaments, and most of all Star of the North.  Dan, thanks for serving against the wall for hours with me—I owe you.  Rick, thank you for everything, you’ve been a huge influence on my athletic career, I love ya! Also, thank you to my middle school and high school coaches—Mr. T, Anita Hunskor, and Kristin Sinning.

And then off I went to my college career.  I believe this started when I went to the SMU camp in the summer of 2005.  I met both Coach Lester and Rick Mischka.  And, ironically, I met Tessa at next summer’s camp while working the camp as an incoming freshman.  To start off, I’d like to thank Rick.  You are a big part of the reason I came to Saint Mary’s as my coach at camp in that summer of ‘05; you were so easy going, fun to be around, and fun to play volleyball with.  I’ll never forget the volleyball coach I had who always wore the colorful swim trunks, had his tongue pierced, and always made the game fun. Next, I’d like to thank both Tessa and Ashley.  Both of you have contributed in making our volleyball program something to be proud of.  I’m so thankful for all the time and hard work you put into our team.  Tessa, thanks for making me a better defensive player (by never hitting the ball right at me how I like it), and for pushing this team to new limits.

Coach Lester, thank you for all the work you have put into me as a player, starting at camp when you worked with me on my slides and ones.  You have pushed me to work hard and become the best player I can be.  You gotta be crazy to give a scrawny, 5’8” middle a chance at college volleyball, but you did—thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime.  I also need to thank you for showing me your passion of the game.  Your passion and hard work have helped grow this team, and it is my hope that it continues to grow.

To my teammates:  First, I would like to thank the teammates from J.O. Volleyball.  All those years of play-dates and tournaments are unforgettable, especially Kentucky nationals, MSF every year, and Star of the North. Playing with this team was an honor, thank you.

Next, a huge thanks to my SMU teammates.  The team has been a family away from home for the last four years…some girls come and go of course, but we all love each other the same.  If it weren’t for the team my freshman year, I probably would have never made any friends.  We spend almost every waking moment together during season, and in the off season, we eat together and still play and hang out together when we can.  One of the reasons this team can win is because of our teamwork.  We don’t just win because of talent, but because we work together and pick each other up. I hate that my time with this team is almost up (let’s keep it going as long as possible!!), but I am so very grateful for having the opportunity to play with each and every one of these talented young ladies.  I love you guys!!!!

It’s been amazing, right?  Endless peppers with that pepper partner of mine, being a lone middle with Ku (until Harstad converted part-time, thanks by the way!), playing “would you rather” on the bus, Erika being flabbergasted when Court stuttered at that tourney, mittens and squeaky shoes, pregame high-fives, eating Subway all the time, doing imitations of coaches and teammates, beating up on Brit (I’m sorry about that…), deep court exchange, WHOOSH, team dinners, Dig Pink, yummy cookies from the caf, hotels with domestic violence, Pomme!, Court wearing socks with flip flops, the Welly train, and the amazingness goes on.  And I can’t forget our trips to D.C. and Greece.  I’ll always remember doing Solja Boy on the plane and coach getting embarrassed, going to the Smithsonian, doing the memorial walk at night, and of course, kicking all the Maryland teams’ butts! And in Greece, staying up way past my bedtime, going to Kong where no one danced, listening to Marisa talk….all the time, T getting yelled at for using a bathroom in Kalamata, seeing Olympia where the first games were held and getting yelled at for sitting on some old rock, Lindsey and Erika laughing at something Marisa said, the yucky olives, Pam saying “Oh wow!”, playing on slippery Greek floors and in gyms were people smoked, the humongous water bottles, delicious ice cream, etc, etc.  And all these memories, plus so many more, could not be shared with a better group of people!  The last four years will forever have a place in my heart.

I’d like to give a special thanks to my fellow seniors—Court, Pam, and Brit.  You guys have been wonderful.

Like I said before, it’s a shame that I have to be a senior and my time is almost up, but (and I hate to admit it) I suppose it has come at the right time because I think I’m getting too old for this!

Once again, thank you to everyone.  It has been awesome.