The VB banquet

[knapplc]

Hey all, the wife and I are Volleyball boosters and every year we attend the post-season banquet. This year's was pretty good, and very touching. I wrote up a little blurb about it for the JournalStar, and I wanted to share it with Huskerboard.

 

One thing I have to say - they should NOT allow these girls to wear high heels. I'm 6'3" and they TOWER over me in those things.

 

 

Here's my recap:

 

I had the great pleasure of attending the Volleyball banquet last night. The dinner was typically wonderful, JB was his typical awesome self, Coach Cook had his typical team excellence to talk about, and most of the seniors gave the typical farewell speeches. But it wasn't all "typical." One part of that night was very, very special.

 

Christina gave her speech in absentia, since she's playing in Puerto Rico right now. She's a great girl that we're all going to miss. Her usual intelligence and humor were well-displayed by her speech. Sarah gave a stirring speech during which she assured us that she never quit, never gave a half effort, never failed to try her utmost in practice, during a match or in the classroom. There wasn't a doubter in the room, Sarah. We know how hard you worked. Tracy gave a wonderful speech, at times funny, at times moving, at times deep. It is a wonder to see how she's grown as a player, a student and as a person.

 

These three stars, whose accolades would take pages and pages to list, provided a wonderful summation of their tremendously successful careers. It was an honor to listen to them speak.

 

Finally, Maggie Griffin took the podium. Maggie had no speech. Instead, she read a story - the story of her

volleyball journey. Her story was honest and from the heart. She told about her decision to come to Nebraska, her hard work and her dedication to the team. She told us about the hardest thing she's had to do in volleyball - tell her parents that she didn't get the starting job. Despite her hard work, she had been beaten out by someone else, and she would ride the bench that season, and the next. It was heart-wrenching listening to her story. It was a story of a girl who gave no less to the team than any other Husker, but whose contributions would never be seen by the fans the way a Pavan or Houghtelling or Stalls would. It was a tremendous story, and I feel blessed to have been there to listen to a Husker talk frankly about her life wearing Red - the 5:45 AM alarm that drove her mad, but the joy of going to practice or training with her friends, her teammates. Through all of her trials, through all of the issues, despite the lack of accolades her more famous teammates received, Maggie worked hard, both on the court and in the classroom, all with a heart heavy with disappointment that her career hadn't turned out the way she'd dreamed. It was wrenching to see a girl so talented, so intelligent, so dedicated weep as she recounted her story. All of us at the banquet were blessed to listen to the tale of one of our best, however obscure she may feel.

 

I have to disagree with Maggie on one point, though. While we can all agree that her name may never be featured prominently in the record books, and while she was never center stage while the biggest matches of her career were being won, I sincerely doubt that her assessment of her career is true. Maggie told us that she wouldn't be famous like her more well-known teammates, and she's right. But she told us that in a few years, she will most likely be forgotten. That I cannot agree with. I doubt a single person who listened to her speak will ever forget her words. I doubt she will be able to walk into a match at the Coliseum in the next five years without dozens of us who were there that night remembering her story, and swelling with pride that a girl like Maggie chose to wear our colors, to join our team, to join our family. Because despite her obscurity, despite her lack of limelight, Maggie Griffin exemplifies what it means to be a Husker, all the more so because of her dedication to the team, the sport and to us the fans, all the while knowing she would never get the opportunity to guide this team to a conference championship, or a Final Four berth, or a National Championship.

 

Greatness is not always displayed openly on the court. Sometimes greatness is displayed by the simple fact that each and every day, despite weariness, sadness and despair, a person simply gets up at 5:45, goes to the weight room, works and works and works and works, and stands with her teammates on the sidelines, providing support and encouragement when things get tough. That is greatness, Maggie. That is what we will remember about you.

 

The inscription on Memorial Stadium is covered by the facade now, but many of us still remember the words etched in that stone: "Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory." Maggie, you won very few victories as a starting setter in your career. Your goals were not met. But your glory, the glory you will never lose, is in the deeds you've done. Your sacrifice for this team, continuing through this very Spring, is far more glorious than anything most any of us will ever do. That is why you will not be forgotten, Maggie. Whether you realize it or not, you exemplify what it means to be a Husker.

 

Like you said, Maggie, you're not 6'0" like the press guide listed. No. To us, you're a giant. Never forget that,

just like we will never forget you.