Boots With The Fuuuuuur

It was a challenging week for the Panther volleyball team. The week started out by playing in our home opener Tuesday night against the Iowa Hawkeyes. We had a great crowd that brought a lot of energy and really got the team pumped, and Iowa a little skittish. It was a very exciting five-set match, unfortunately the Hawkeyes came with the W. Although we suffered another loss the team had much to be proud of, for instance Julie’s wicked 21 kills and Myanna’s stealthy 18.

The only real problem I had on the night was the fact that one of our warm-up songs just so happens to be “All Star” by Smash Mouth, and you all know how I feel about that song. Nails on a chalkboard people!

Friday at practice we were gearing up and talking about ways we could beat Florida. Because there is never a dull moment with Susie, she had us laughing by writing on the board Flo Rida not Florida. For those of you who don’t know Flo Rida is a “rapper” (I use that term very generously because I think he is awful) who is from Florida and because he has as much creativity as I do in my left toe, he chose the name Flo Rida. Susie made the clever reference to the rapper and then started dancing and singing his lyrics “shorty got them apple bottom jeans, boots with the fuuuuuur.”

Before I tell you about the games we played at Marquette, I would like to take this time to thank the people in charge of playing the warm-up songs. I was so excited when I heard “All Star” by Smash Mouth played and making its mark as being played at every single tournament we went to this preseason. If anyone cares, yes, my ears are still bleeding.

Number-four ranked Florida showed up with some serious hops and mad blocks but unfortunately no apple bottom jeans or boots with fur, which was a bummer. Florida is the highest-ranked opponent we have ever played, and played they did. Committing on Rachel right away and insane jump serves restricted us a little, and we ended up losing in three.

Sunday we headed back to the Al to take on Marquette to wrap up the tournament. Things really didn’t go as well as it could have - put it to you this way, I got Susie’s book thrown at my feet. Marquette came out right away with no hesitation and basically kept constant for the entirety of the match. But not all frowns! Both the Taylors had pretty solid games, Golabowski collecting 10 digs in the back-row and the always cheerful, fun to watch Grubs got herself in the game and showed Marquette’s outside hitter that she wasn’t afraid of her, and got a bunch of touches on blocks.

Our preseason schedule is now over after this weekend and a big part of it was overcoming obstacles. Obstacles in which every team out is overcoming now as well - new roster, game plan, game mentality, and especially for us a challenging preseason. Michael Jordan said, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around or give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

This week starts conference play and the Panthers are home! I expect to see every single one of you at Friday night’s game against Oakland and Saturday against Wright State. And to the students reading this, you get in for free if you bring you ID and parties don’t start until after 9 anyways. I don’t want to hear about how you are poor and can’t afford to get in or about how there is some “killer” party somewhere around campus in someone’s basement. It’s going to get busted anyways, so we’ll see you at the game.

Lastly, for all you Twitter folks out there, follow me @kHegewald24 for Katelyn’s Corner for pictures and updates about the team and also @SusiesSidekick where I’ll be posting the all wisdom and humor of Susie Johnson. See you all Friday!

A Great Day To Be A Panther

Another weekend down! I know you all missed me, but due to some last-minute class scheduling I was unable to take the trip to Ohio last weekend to watch the Panthers take the Akron Invitational title. No need to reach for the tissues, I am back at it and ready to tell you all about this past weekend as we took on the always welcoming city of Mad-Town.

I knew it was going to be a great weekend about 20 minutes into the trip for two reasons. One, everyone got their chips! Let me explain, I am basically in charge of anything food-related during the season and Jimmy Johns is a staple for our bus ride meals. Every time we order from there, we always seem to an encounter with what I like to call the PCC. The Phantom Chip Changer (PCC) is a mythical creature who likes to mess with our Jimmy John chip orders so we either come up short a bag or someone doesn’t get the chips they wanted. But no devilish minions were cause this weekend by the PCC, and that is most definitely a win in my book. Reason number two is very simple; no one’s heads were in trash cans because of motion sickness and lack of bus driving skills.

Keeping in with the theme of food, our Thursday night dinner was pretty sweet. We walk in and get escorted up to the top of what seems to be a loft type area, and we are overlooking the entire restaurant/bar. Between Susie looking over the balcony with a huge smile on her face screaming, “Woo, isn’t this so cool!” (which indeed it was) and her trying to squeeze players into a picture with the balcony scenery in the back, it’s easy to say that we all had an extremely fun night. Sadly, our next sit down meal on Friday was a little lacking in the fun category, and for some of us the food category as well. Susie got noodles with pesto; which in reality was pesto, with a little bit of noodles, sorry Suz.

We played Kansas Friday morning, and lost in three. We then ended the day with a big win against Bowling Green! The girls saw an awesome opportunity to work together, work hard, and just play volleyball, and played they did. An outstanding effort as a team, a game that was fun to watch and not to mention they definitely deserved that win.

We stayed for the Wisconsin-Kansas game, and the Badger Band was there to impress once again. Having the band there was such a nice break from the constant repetition of the song “All Star” by Smash Mouth. Maybe it was just me, but if I never hear that song again in my life, I’ll be okay, because it literally got played at least 87 times. Nonetheless, you could find some of our team and most of the coaches dancing and singing along with the band, especially to my personal favorite, Sweeeeet Caroline (Bum Bum Bum).

Speaking of singing, after Kansas beat Wisconsin in a crazy five-set thriller we got to hear a very enjoyable number on the way back to the hotel. Our bus had a microphone and our bus driver was more than willing to turn it on, and yes, you guessed it the one and only Susie Johnson was singing to us of all. It was throwback Friday in the Coach USA and Susie was center stage! It was a lovely performance, myself and the whole team loved it, even Lindsey and Nikki were involved some backup singing. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time they all sang this song together. Bravo coaches!

Saturday we played the Badgers, we fought hard but lost in four. This weekend was all about opportunity, in my opinion. I absolutely love pre-season for one main reason; opportunity. I love that we go hard and play top ranked teams, teams that probably over-look us which gives us all the more reason to go in there and come out on top. We are a team that works hard and takes these risks and opportunities and evidently I believe, is going to play into our benefit when it is all said and done.

Before I sign off here with my themed quote of the week a huge shout out is in order to UW-Milwaukee’s very own student-athlete Paula Kuiper for her outstanding performance at the Miss America pageant Sunday night! Myself and all of UWM were watching and cheering for Paula, what a great job she did and she looked absolutely stunning!

To end, it was a very good weekend in my eyes, we played hard and just had an all-around good time. This weekend was a great opportunity for us to get better and take a giant step forward, which we did. Until next time… “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky

Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up

And the Panthers are back! The women’s volleyball team is back in the gym, and I could not be more excited.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m Katelyn, junior student manager of the team. I may also be labeled as that girl who sits on the bench and catches scarves, books, pens and sometimes even heavy necklaces that Susie throws when she gets frustrated. I’ll be writing a blog every week for the team, and the many endeavors we encounter.

This last weekend of August was our first pre-season tournament in Michigan, the Western Michigan Bronco Classic. We all get on the bus, pumped and ready to go, but little did we know that by the time we got to Locust and Oakland two of people on the bus were already racing to the trash can ready to blow chunks. Our bus driver, great guy don’t get me wrong, but a little harsh on the brakes, gas and turns.

We get to the park and ride to pick up Susie and well, let’s just say, some things never change; Susie comes on the bus with more bags, suitcases and purses then I own all together. I may tease her about the amount of stuff she has but dang, I will ALWAYS envy that women’s sense of style. Touché Susie Johnson, touché.

We went 0-3 on the weekend, losing to Oklahoma, Northwestern, and Western Michigan. We put up an insane fight and took Northwestern and Western Michigan to five games. A major shout out to the entire Panther team for playing hard, and proving to everyone and themselves that they took every opportunity over the summer and in pre-season to make them better as individual players and as a team.

My blogs after today will be a little more detailed about our games and probably a little more humorous and light but not this first one.

While traveling on the bus Susie played “ESPN Films 30 for 30: Survive and Advance”, a story about the 1983 NC State basketball team and Jim Valvano. I knew of the team, and of Jimmy V, but never the in-depth story behind it all. If you have not seen the documentary, you need to, today. I don’t care your opinion on sports or basketball, it goes way deeper than that, this is a must see by everyone.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I believe that this year, this team is going to make history. I don’t know exactly what, and maybe it won’t be made into an ESPN film, but people will know about us this year, I guarantee it. How am I so sure? Because. I know I should be a lawyer right.

I believe we are going to make history because after spending more than 10 years in the volleyball world and now starting my third year at the Division I level, I can tell this team is going to stop at nothing to do the impossible. No disrespect to the teams before in the Milwaukee program, and I know that those were hard-working teams as well. This team is hungry, this team has 16 passionate women that will not stop and won’t ever give up.

And that is how I sign off today, with one of the most famous quotes in sports history said by Mr. Jim Valvano, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”