Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Voices - Tessa Mendez, Volleyball
8/29/2007 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 29, 2007
"You are definitely not getting to Colorado today," the flight attendant at the ticket counter in Harrisburg International Airport scowled at us. It was a very early Thursday morning, and we were scheduled to be in Colorado that afternoon to compete in the Air Force Academy volleyball tournament. Apparently, our flight had been canceled due to inclement weather. However, a little thing like a flood in the Midwest wasn't going to stop the Bucknell volleyball team. We were determined to get to Colorado, and our coaches immediately began pulling strings and searching alternate itineraries to get us there.
Sure enough, two hours after our encounter with surly airline attendants, we were in Baltimore ready to board a plane that would eventually get us to Colorado Springs. It was a long day filled with airport food and unexpected delays, but we finally got to the Springs. Happily, even though we got in so much later than we expected, we still had a chance to practice and found time to get in a substantial meal.
The next morning, before our first game, we had the opportunity to visit the Olympic Training Center stationed in downtown Colorado Springs. We spoke to a sports psychologist who trained the athletes living at the center and walked around the gorgeous state-of-the-art facilities. Talk about pre-game inspiration! When we ran out onto the Air Force Academy's volleyball court later that evening, we remembered the essence of competition that we had felt at the training center and everybody's adrenaline was high.
The first match of our 2007 season was against Portland State, and it took us a little while to work out the first game jitters. Even though we lost the match, there were moments when we played great volleyball, and we quickly identified areas of our game that we needed to improve upon.
After our loss, we regrouped and got a good night's sleep. The next morning we played Chicago State. We won the match in three games, and even more importantly, we fell into a rhythm that allowed us to string several good plays together at a time.
After the game, we went to the small town of Manitou Springs. While we walked up and down Main Street, we got to experience old-time Colorado flare. That evening, after a little down time, we took on the Air Force Academy for the final match of the tournament. The excitement in the gym was palpable from the first point, as many of the cadets had come out to support their home team.
We were neck and neck with the Academy the entire match, and needless to say, it was extremely intense. For those people who aren't intimately acquainted with Bucknell volleyball, intense may seem to be an overstatement. However, between the raucous fans, and our even more raucous bench, the gym was filled with noise. We lost three heartbreaking, close games, but we gained the championship experience. We learned, and some of us re-learned, exactly how important mental toughness is to any competition. In our preparation for Patriot league play, this trip provided invaluable experience about the attitude of a winning team.
Throughout the weekend, we saw the exciting potential of our freshman class. Several of these new additions to our team were able to step in at key moments of the tournament and make important contributions, and even those players who did not get as much playing time were invaluable reminders of the team spirit and passion for the game.
As a Colorado native, this trip meant a lot to me. I was proud to represent my university in my home state, and it really showed me how much I have grown and matured since high school. My educational experience at Bucknell has prospered beyond the limitations of the conventional classroom setting; connecting the books with reality.
All of us on the team are thankful to the great family members who acted as fans, chaperons, caterers, and chauffeurs all rolled into one. We are also especially grateful to the university and the program that allowed us to have such a unique experience and enrich ourselves outside the traditional classroom environment.
- Tessa Mendez, Sr., Bucknell Volleyball
