When Dreams Become Reality
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
FORT WAYNE - For many high school athletes, sports are a thing of the past once they graduate. To play college ball, the athlete must be in tune with their game, be a step above the rest and succeed at the sport they play.
For two local women, the dream of playing volleyball at the next level has come true. The dream to take their skills and apply them in a match, the dream to have fun, the dream to play and the dream to win.
As members of IPFW's women's volleyball team, Rachel Brown and Sarah Calhoun have earned the honor to play on one of Fort Wayne's elite college sports programs. With intensity, heart and a love of the game, these two athletes have proven that they belong on the Vollydon's volleyball team.
As a 1996 Whitko High School graduate, Brown was a multi-sport player talented in basketball and volleyball. Although the Whitko Wildcats struggled throughout her years, Brown was a consistent Three Rivers Conference All-Conference player.
During her senior year, she was voted the Times-Union player of the year in basketball. As a result, after her graduation, she had some important choices to make. When all was said and done, Brown chose volleyball over basketball and played for Anderson University. At one point during her spectacular freshman year at Anderson, Brown was ranked 12th in the nation in kills per game.
Despite her success at Anderson, Brown decided to transfer to IPFW after her freshman year.
"I was brought to IPFW by the lure of a good program," says Brown. "I knew I'd have to work for my position to keep it."
Brown started her career at IPFW as a sophomore and earned Most Improved Player at the end of the year. Her junior year, although, turned out to be the biggest trial of her career as a volleyball player and athlete.
During the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament last year, Brown landed wrong when falling onto another player and ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
"This is an injury that is season ending, not career ending," Brown said.
But with the injury happening late in the season and Brown not knowing about required rehabilitation, the injury seemed to end her college career.
"I knew if I wanted to play my senior year, I had to make some progress fast," Brown said. "Not playing was definitely not an option for me."
Brown did make the necessary improvements, but she wasn't completely ready to play at the beginning of her senior year.
"Rachel was just not physically capable of running the middle of the floor at the beginning of this season," first-year head coach Kelly Hartley said.
But with a lot of hard work, Brown has worked herself into the Volleydons' regular rotation. She is primarily a middle blocker for the team, and she leads the team in kill percentage. Brown recently received GLVC Player of the Week honors for her performance. During three matches played that week, Brown had 31 kills, 2 errors and 47 attacks.
"Rachel is playing like you would expect a senior to play at the end of her career," Hartley said. "She is focused and aggressive with lots of confidence."
Although it was never easy, Rachel has made it to this point with dedication to the sport that she loves. She is an example that hard work and persistence pay off in the long run.
Calhoun graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1997. She was voted co-MVP in volleyball her senior year. With a volleyball position available at Grace College, Calhoun decided she would stay close to home.
While a freshman at Grace, Calhoun was voted Defensive Player of the Year. She followed that by earning the same title during her sophomore year. After two solid years at Grace, Calhoun decided that a change was in store. She transferred to IPFW to play volleyball for the Volleydons.
But it wasn't her defense that caused coaches to scout her, it was how she served the ball.
"Sarah is our best server overall," Hartley said. "She serves the ball hard with aggressive movement."
Calhoun's average ratio of service aces compared to service errors leads the team this year. It isn't just her serving that is helping the team win, it is also her amazing defense.
"Sarah is a solid defensive specialist," Hartley said. "With a little more speed, she would be one of the best in the conference."
While only a junior, Calhoun still has one more year to help the team succeed. With a lot of positive results, and hard work in her past, you can look for her to get a considerable amount of playing time next season.
Hartley has led the Volleydons to a 17-6 overall record. Ranked as high as 25th in the nation earlier this year, the Volleydons are a strong team with good leadership. With three of their six losses coming from the No. 1 team in the nation, Brigham Young University (Hawaii), the team hopes to make it into the first round of the NCAA Tournament. By defeating the No. 1 team in their region, Grand Valley State University, last week, the Volleydons hope to move up from fifth place in the 24-team regional conference rankings.
"This being my first year, I've inherited a strong group with playoff experience," Hartley said.
The team will finish their regular season on the road and head into the conference tournament soon. But not without the help of Brown and Calhoun. The two combine with the team to provide a solid game of offense and defense, while having fun when they play, too.
"Rachel and I both play with a lot of emotion on the floor, while encouraging our teammates as we play," Sarah said.
Whether it is writing, singing, teaching, building, sports or anything else you can think of, almost everyone in this world has a talent. For Rachel Brown and Sarah Calhoun, one of their best talents lies on the principles of volleyball. From two area schools, these two have proven that staying dedicated, working hard, keeping good grades and enjoying the sport eventually pay off.
For two local young women, it is no longer a dream. No longer will they sit and wonder if they will ever be good enough; they are. For Brown and Calhoun, it is the dreams coming alive to paint the picture of reality.
To compete.
To win.
To play the sport they love. [[In-content Ad]]
FORT WAYNE - For many high school athletes, sports are a thing of the past once they graduate. To play college ball, the athlete must be in tune with their game, be a step above the rest and succeed at the sport they play.
For two local women, the dream of playing volleyball at the next level has come true. The dream to take their skills and apply them in a match, the dream to have fun, the dream to play and the dream to win.
As members of IPFW's women's volleyball team, Rachel Brown and Sarah Calhoun have earned the honor to play on one of Fort Wayne's elite college sports programs. With intensity, heart and a love of the game, these two athletes have proven that they belong on the Vollydon's volleyball team.
As a 1996 Whitko High School graduate, Brown was a multi-sport player talented in basketball and volleyball. Although the Whitko Wildcats struggled throughout her years, Brown was a consistent Three Rivers Conference All-Conference player.
During her senior year, she was voted the Times-Union player of the year in basketball. As a result, after her graduation, she had some important choices to make. When all was said and done, Brown chose volleyball over basketball and played for Anderson University. At one point during her spectacular freshman year at Anderson, Brown was ranked 12th in the nation in kills per game.
Despite her success at Anderson, Brown decided to transfer to IPFW after her freshman year.
"I was brought to IPFW by the lure of a good program," says Brown. "I knew I'd have to work for my position to keep it."
Brown started her career at IPFW as a sophomore and earned Most Improved Player at the end of the year. Her junior year, although, turned out to be the biggest trial of her career as a volleyball player and athlete.
During the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament last year, Brown landed wrong when falling onto another player and ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
"This is an injury that is season ending, not career ending," Brown said.
But with the injury happening late in the season and Brown not knowing about required rehabilitation, the injury seemed to end her college career.
"I knew if I wanted to play my senior year, I had to make some progress fast," Brown said. "Not playing was definitely not an option for me."
Brown did make the necessary improvements, but she wasn't completely ready to play at the beginning of her senior year.
"Rachel was just not physically capable of running the middle of the floor at the beginning of this season," first-year head coach Kelly Hartley said.
But with a lot of hard work, Brown has worked herself into the Volleydons' regular rotation. She is primarily a middle blocker for the team, and she leads the team in kill percentage. Brown recently received GLVC Player of the Week honors for her performance. During three matches played that week, Brown had 31 kills, 2 errors and 47 attacks.
"Rachel is playing like you would expect a senior to play at the end of her career," Hartley said. "She is focused and aggressive with lots of confidence."
Although it was never easy, Rachel has made it to this point with dedication to the sport that she loves. She is an example that hard work and persistence pay off in the long run.
Calhoun graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1997. She was voted co-MVP in volleyball her senior year. With a volleyball position available at Grace College, Calhoun decided she would stay close to home.
While a freshman at Grace, Calhoun was voted Defensive Player of the Year. She followed that by earning the same title during her sophomore year. After two solid years at Grace, Calhoun decided that a change was in store. She transferred to IPFW to play volleyball for the Volleydons.
But it wasn't her defense that caused coaches to scout her, it was how she served the ball.
"Sarah is our best server overall," Hartley said. "She serves the ball hard with aggressive movement."
Calhoun's average ratio of service aces compared to service errors leads the team this year. It isn't just her serving that is helping the team win, it is also her amazing defense.
"Sarah is a solid defensive specialist," Hartley said. "With a little more speed, she would be one of the best in the conference."
While only a junior, Calhoun still has one more year to help the team succeed. With a lot of positive results, and hard work in her past, you can look for her to get a considerable amount of playing time next season.
Hartley has led the Volleydons to a 17-6 overall record. Ranked as high as 25th in the nation earlier this year, the Volleydons are a strong team with good leadership. With three of their six losses coming from the No. 1 team in the nation, Brigham Young University (Hawaii), the team hopes to make it into the first round of the NCAA Tournament. By defeating the No. 1 team in their region, Grand Valley State University, last week, the Volleydons hope to move up from fifth place in the 24-team regional conference rankings.
"This being my first year, I've inherited a strong group with playoff experience," Hartley said.
The team will finish their regular season on the road and head into the conference tournament soon. But not without the help of Brown and Calhoun. The two combine with the team to provide a solid game of offense and defense, while having fun when they play, too.
"Rachel and I both play with a lot of emotion on the floor, while encouraging our teammates as we play," Sarah said.
Whether it is writing, singing, teaching, building, sports or anything else you can think of, almost everyone in this world has a talent. For Rachel Brown and Sarah Calhoun, one of their best talents lies on the principles of volleyball. From two area schools, these two have proven that staying dedicated, working hard, keeping good grades and enjoying the sport eventually pay off.
For two local young women, it is no longer a dream. No longer will they sit and wonder if they will ever be good enough; they are. For Brown and Calhoun, it is the dreams coming alive to paint the picture of reality.
To compete.
To win.
To play the sport they love. [[In-content Ad]]