2008 Woodie Awards
RSSSpafford shows stability and leadership
10 Burning Questions
By Courtney Molinaro
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: Sports
The Mountain Hawks' volleyball team has seen a lot of changes in the past four years, but one thing has remained permanent- the effort of senior co-captain middle blocker Shannon Spafford. Out of a freshman recruiting class of six, Spafford is the only Hawk left, she leads the team in kills this year with 176.
Q: Obviously, the volleyball team has been through a lot in the past couple of seasons. How do you stay positive despite the adversities and defeats?
A: I think the most important thing for us to remember is that it is a new season and the past is the past. We all know that no matter what happens we are all there for each other and believe in one another. Staying positive comes with teammates' encouragement and the belief that we have trained very hard to accomplish great things.
Q: You are the only senior left on the team, why? How does it feel to be one of the few upperclassmen?
A: When I came in freshman year I had six girls in my recruiting class, and they all decided to leave the team for their own personal reasons. It was very difficult to have my teammates leave, but I managed to deal with it. It can be stressful at times being the only upperclassman, but I know that I am also setting an example for the younger girls on the team and they look up to me.
Q: What is the hardest workout your new coach has made your team do?
A: This is a difficult question, because while we have had some hard workouts, at the end we always had a feeling of accomplishment. So in a way it made us forget about how "bad" the workout actually was. Probably some of the most difficult workouts were conditioning, but isn't that what the point is?
Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals, superstitions or food you have to eat?
A: I like to listen to music before games and usually keep to myself for a little before we go to the locker room. I can't eat a lot before games, so the food depends on what is around and small and I won't feel during the game.
Q: Obviously, the volleyball team has been through a lot in the past couple of seasons. How do you stay positive despite the adversities and defeats?
A: I think the most important thing for us to remember is that it is a new season and the past is the past. We all know that no matter what happens we are all there for each other and believe in one another. Staying positive comes with teammates' encouragement and the belief that we have trained very hard to accomplish great things.
Q: You are the only senior left on the team, why? How does it feel to be one of the few upperclassmen?
A: When I came in freshman year I had six girls in my recruiting class, and they all decided to leave the team for their own personal reasons. It was very difficult to have my teammates leave, but I managed to deal with it. It can be stressful at times being the only upperclassman, but I know that I am also setting an example for the younger girls on the team and they look up to me.
Q: What is the hardest workout your new coach has made your team do?
A: This is a difficult question, because while we have had some hard workouts, at the end we always had a feeling of accomplishment. So in a way it made us forget about how "bad" the workout actually was. Probably some of the most difficult workouts were conditioning, but isn't that what the point is?
Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals, superstitions or food you have to eat?
A: I like to listen to music before games and usually keep to myself for a little before we go to the locker room. I can't eat a lot before games, so the food depends on what is around and small and I won't feel during the game.
