The Sparty Not Top 10 Countdown

When I started The Sparty Countdown, I premised it saying how I was partly inspired by SportsCenter's Top 10 and that I actually enjoyed the Not Top 10 the most. I thought that concluding my Countdown of the top 10 things I will miss most from college with the top 10 things I will miss the least would be a fun and funny way to sign off (and probably make it a whole lot easier to bid farewell!). So here goes, my Sparty NOT Top 10:

10. The anxiety felt before a summer run when you can see the heat rising from the 100 degree turf and the sun is beating on your back. I came to love the competition of the runs... but that feeling before they started? Will not for a second miss that.

9. Getting around campus. If you're a driver, you hate walkers. If you're a walker, you hate drivers. If you're a biker, well, good luck. Doing any of this in the winter when the sidewalks haven't been shoveled and salt hasn't been thrown... ha, that's funny. Getting around on campus always provided either some comical relief if you were the observer or near-death experiences if you were caught in the crossfire.

8. Not always knowing what's going on for volleyball. Being a big time planner and overly organized, the fact that information was frequently never shared until the last minute drove me crazy! I'm not going to miss feeling like I'm not in the loop for events in my own life.

7. Homework and Exams and Textbooks. Woo-hoo! No more papers! No more studying! Hopefully no more homework-like deadlines that get the best of my procrastination out! No more having work to do after work!

6. "An Unwise Business Decision" - aka getting punished in the weight room after going to see the midnight show of Harry Potter. Come to find out, our strength coach thought that our being out till 3am meant we were up to some shenanigans, hence the harsh DF+3 on every single exercise. It was just a movie premiere during the summer!

5. The typical college students' disregard for others. Vandalization... Theft (of 3 of my locked up bikes!)... Filth... Thumping, annoying basses blaring during the week... This I can live without.

4. Those dreadful, hard volleyball-drills - particularly Key Drill and 2-Person Pit. For those of you who know what they are... you know the dread, the pain, the fear of those weekly days in practice or worse yet when they were a sneak attack and caught you off guard. Eeeeh, stomachs and faces always dropped upon hearing those words!

3. 2-a-days and not being able to move because I'm so sore. Those 2 weeks were always so painful... sports bra sweat burns, sore hips and legs and elbows and shoulders, having to waddle up stairs, forcing myself to wash my hair because of the tired and sore arms... Now I will only be sore when I feel like it! Of course I'll still work out, but no need to train that hard and get that unbearably sore!

2. Packing up and moving all the time, especially during preseason. I hate packing and moving enough as it is, but to inevitably have to do it during every single preseason was the worst. Especially since it needed to be done during our breaks (which were typically used for naps in between 2-a-days). Poor timing for one of the worst activities.

1. MSU PARKING. They could have easily taken up the Not Top 10 all by themselves. They're Nazi's. Good luck ever trying to fight an unjust ticket or run into a building for 2 minutes without getting one or parking for class or a meeting when any event is taking place on campus. MSU Parking... I will not miss you!

How lucky am I, that when I get to come back and visit MSU and the people I love, I won't have to worry about these things! Things that I may be able look back on and laugh at... and things that may have helped me get tougher and stronger... but things that always filled me with a little dread and were never enjoyable in the moment. :)

The Sparty Countdown... #2 & #1

This is it! The best of the best! Here are the top 2 things I have come to love and will miss the most from college:





#2 - Competing on the Big Stage
Big Life. Big Stage. Big 10. We've all seen the commercials and heard the slogan, and wow, is it ever true. I have been so blessed to have competed for MSU in the Big 10 - the best volleyball conference in the nation - where every single night is a battle, most likely against a Top-25 team. Cathy would always give us the analogy that we were performers - actors you could say - and the court was our stage. We were putting on a performance for the crowd and in order for it to be a successful production, we had to get all of our 'lines' or 'acts' right and work together. Boy, am I going to miss that stage.

I'm especially going to miss that stage because I am a competitor through and through. And I don't think I ever felt more exhilaration and excitement competing than when I did on the big stage donning my green and white. It may have taken me most of my career to let go of any inhibitions and of the fear of making mistakes or not pleasing coach; but once I finally did let go, the complete freedom and joy that I felt and played with was indescribable. I loved playing volleyball and I loved competing! And I think the best part was knowing that all the while I was able to give God the glory because I finally figured out that it wasn't about me, or the stats, or coach, or even the wins (as hard as that is to say!). It was about using my gifts to their fullest and just having fun glorifying Him. And that is where my joy and excitement and competitiveness were able to flow from so purely.

Even more than missing the joy and freedom and excitement I felt competing will be all of the little things that went into game-day and my competition. Competing with my teammates and working through the struggles to have great team dynamics and chemistry... thinking through and practicing the game plan and strategy... the adrenaline rushing through me during a game and especially during the critical moments... the determination, the intensity, and the look of being in the zone and seeing it my teammates as well... the awesome physical and mental feeling of getting that huge block... the stare-downs... the overpass fisty 5-foot-line kills... being one step ahead of the competition and just smiling knowing that we're going to win and can't be stopped... and celebrating after a huge point (or even the little ones, in my case). Oh, what I wouldn't give for another 'jump spin-fist pump-stomp' combo celebration! I wish competing and playing could last forever (and I'm sure to many people it seemed like it did with my redshirt year!) but my achey-breaky-grandma body has had enough, and I think the NCAA has a few rules about my eligibility being up as well.... But competing for Michigan State University has definitely been one of my favorite things and something I will always cherish and carry with me.

#1 - My Christian Communities 

As if the rest of my countdown wasn't enough to prove God's goodness to me throughout my time at MSU, he richly blessed me with amazing Christian fellowship and communities: my church - Shepherd of the Hills, Athletes in Action, and our team bible study. These 3 communities in conjunction with most of my best friends - who are also fellow brothers and sisters in Christ - have been the most important people to me throughout my career because of the foundation we share on Christ and the way they have spurred me on in my faith. It's so obvious that there was something so right about all of these people, because after saying goodbye to each 'group' after my final meeting or service, I cried... a lot. It was hard and sad to say goodbye to the communities that have helped mold me and support me in my walk with the Lord. And I don't think I fully appreciated the ease and simplicity with which I was able to walk into these uplifting and sound communities. Being on a team, having an athlete campus ministry, finding a wonderful church... it was all just there. Now I know and pray I will always be surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, but nothing will ever quite compare to walking and living daily life with teammates and fellow Christian athletes in a similar environment.

Throughout college the importance of Christian fellowship has been made so apparent to me. God showed up in a BIG way and showed me that despite my resolve and stubbornness and firm convictions, I couldn't maintain true devotion with Him alone. I was weekly and daily fed the truth at church and encouraged and loved on by my congregation. I was able to be supported, poured into, and uplifted by fellow believers at AIA. And I was able to live daily life in fellowship and learn how to honor God in volleyball with some of my believing teammates. I was presented with differing beliefs and views which challenged me and made me turn to God, I was surrounded by friends that had the same convictions as me, I was held accountable in word, actions, and love by fellow believers, and I was poured into and challenged to have an outward-centered faith that didn't keep my salvation to myself. Although, again, it is painful to say goodbye to all of the amazing people that have impacted me and helped me stay on the straight and narrow path, I first of all know that my goodbye is simply a "see you later," and second I know God will continue to show up in my life and surround me people that will help me stay close to Him in the future.


In case you haven't been able to tell, I have loved and been incredibly blessed during my 5 years at Michigan State. These Top 10 moments and things are what I have come to love most and will always cherish. And I think the greatest part about all of this is that because the best of the best consist of all people and relationships, I can actually carry this part of MSU on with me into the future. I praise God for opening up the door for me to attend State in the first place and seeing me through safely and beautifully to my graduation today.

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances."

The Sparty Countdown... #4 & #3

What would my time here be without relationships? It was quite the toss-up to pick the rankings for my top 4; but I'm keeping it moving. At numbers 4 and 3 are some of the most important and impactful people I've had the privilege of meeting and sharing life with:


#4 - My 'Mates
No, I'm not Australian, but I needed a way to sneak more people into my blog :) By 'mates, I of course mean my roommates and teammates, both of which I'll miss terribly!

My first roommate off-campus of two years was Natalie. We not only went to the same high school, but we also both competed for MSU. Natalie was a golfer at State so we completely understood one another's schedules and time demands. Plus since we were on different teams, we were each other's perfect sounding boards. Although we may not have been together all the time because of our sport schedules, the time we did share together will always be cherished - especially our talks about everything under the sun - life, sports, MSU, class, teammates, religion, even politics! We had a great time together and I was bummed when she graduated and I had to leave our 'home'!

Having 1 year left at State after Natalie graduated opened up the opportunity for me to live with two of my best friends and teammates - Amy and Becca. At times this was a challenge because we were together so often (especially in the fall!) but it was well with any troubles - which inevitably only served to strengthen our relationship. Although our most meaningful and deep conversations always seemed to be away from the apartment when we went on walks, I will always laugh thinking of the random times we would get talking standing around the kitchen counters and Amy's chair and make it last for hours... all of us holding on to the time because they were few and far between. I only wish there would be more of these moments to come!

Expecto Patronum!

Spice up your life!

Aloha!

My teammates and being part of a team is something that I will also terribly miss about my 5 years at State. The commradarie, the changing dynamics, the support, the tears, the learning, the laughs, the inside jokes, the frustrations, the friendships.. the TEAM. With everything that we went through together - both on the court and off - there is no way that the relationships formed won't last a lifetime... for that I am incredibly blessed. Thinking back to freshman year - our Sweet 16 run, learning (after the intimidation phase) from the seniors, the Spice Girls freshmen Halloween costumes and dance, the Lip Sync (that we should have won!)... To sophomore year - all of us living in the dorms and hanging out together, playing at Breslin (and dropping chocolate at Cathy's feet!), going to the midnight show of Harry Potter and dying the next day at weights... To my redshirt Sophomore year - upsetting USC at home in 5, sledding in Muskegon... To my Junior year - going to Hawaii... To my senior year - going through The Program, doing the military warm-ups, getting the Jenison renovation, and undoubtedly leaving a footprint. The blood, sweat, tears, laughs, and smiles that we shared will forever be imprinted in me and provide warm and loving memories. And even greater than the memories are the relationships that were formed and refined from our countless experiences.

Seniors 2012

#3 - My Mentors
My life has been touched not only by my peers but also very greatly by elders and coaches. I have been impacted and learned an incredible amount from all of these people and am so incredibly thankful for their personal investment and commitment to me as an individual. My experiences at MSU would never be the same and I would not be as prepared for the next step had it not been for my loving, caring mentors who have also become trusted friends and confidants:

Red my strength coach. He taught me the importance of taking a risk. He helped me develop as a leader. He pushed and challenged the inner competitor in me. And most meaningful to me, he got to know me - really know me and my personality so that he could best connect with and coach me.

Lianna my athletic trainer. My mom away from home! I already shared how I frequented the training room, but Lili did so much more than just help with my aches and pains. She cared wholeheartedly about me and my entire well-being. She loved me and the whole team with a tough yet motherly love.

Mandy my academic coordinator. She was always there when I needed someone to talk to, she helped me figure out my school plans (and helped me graduate with 2 degrees in 5 years!), and provided sound, trusting, and much needed guidance. She was my trusted sounding board for all things MSU, boy, friend, anything related.

Cathy my head coach. She obviously pushed and pushed me to be my best on the court, but she also pushed me to be the best me. The lengths to which she would go to help prepare me as a player and young woman are enormous. I know she would go through a wall for me and any of my teammates (and with her determination and energy, probably really could) because she cares.



Emma my discipler and friend. Even though she was only at State for 3 years, I know my spiritual walk and boldness would not be the same without her presence, probing, and encouragement. She is so outgoing and loving and spontaneous... and practically the opposite of me. But it was her deep love and care and heart for me that allowed her to cross those personality barriers and help me grow in my walk with the Lord.

Clearly immeasurably more people than just 5 have impacted my growth, maturity, and life through college, but were I to list them all, I would be up writing all night long! I pray that I have had just a fraction of the amount of influence and impact on all of these people (and those not mentioned) that they have had on me. So many people have touched my life and made my career here one that has been truly extraordinary and incredibly difficult to leave. "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy..."

The Sparty Countdown... #6 & #5

Continuing to move up and on in The Sparty Countdown, here are numbers 6 and 5. And let me say, it's getting harder and harder to write these... wow, have I been blessed!




#6 - The Red Cedar River

We all know how it goes, "On the banks of the Red Cedar, there's a school that's known to all!" I do love that fight song, but I'll get there in just a minute. Before that on my list is the famous river itself that runs through campus. When asked by John Kreger, our radio announcer for volleyball, what my favorite spot on campus was, I couldn't pick one specific location. Instead, I said this, the Red Cedar. Now I know that it has a pretty bad rap for its filth and supposed diseases; but don't worry, I never actually went in it. Instead I loved the river and paths along it that I would walk so frequently through campus. The beauty and serenity of the campus, in my opinion, is epitomized by it... the Beal Botanical Gardens run right along it, countless trees hang over the river (which are gorgeous in fall... and spring... and winter... ok all the time!), the ducks are always around the paths and river being their cute little duck-selves, and the rapids by Wells and the Administration Building offer a soothing peace found no where else. I only wish I would have had more free time during the days I took classes to just sit or walk alongside it and soak up the beauty of campus even more! But,  I will say that I enjoyed plenty of walks along the river and it definitely made our summer runs just that much more enjoyable!

#5 - Spartan Nation
What can compare?? I mean, we did get a movie made just for us (300 was produced specifically for MSU, right??), and Gerard Butler even came to State to address us Spartans personally (but I regret to say we couldn't see him because of volleyball)! Now, I've always been a sucker and enthusiast for team spirit - in high school I headed up multiple spirit activities and game events. So it should come as no surprise that I felt an equal - no - a greater connection and sense of belonging to "the school that's known to all!"

I love being a Spartan. I love everything about it! It didn't take long for the affection of going to the best school in the state of Michigan to set in for me, that's for sure. To put it simply, I'm pretttty sure that if you accidentally (or purposefully for that matter) cut me, I would bleed green. I actually heard from a few people that they were shocked I was leaving East Lansing and MSU for my new job, because they knew how much I've come to love being a part of it all. And here are some of the things I love most about my Spartan Nation:

• The MSU fight song, obviously. "Fight! Fight! Rah team Fight! Victory for MSU!" I may or may not get overly excited every time I hear it. 
• Being a part of something bigger than myself...  Now I can't lie, sometimes I was selfishly upset that there wasn't this seeminly worldwide love for the volleyball team like there was for football or basketball... but when it comes down to it, Spartan fans are Spartan fans. Period. It doesn't matter their major or profession (well, technically that's all the same, right? haha) or background... Spartans are there for each other and made me and those of us who were current students feel important and as though we were part of something big and exciting... because we are! 
• This is similar to being a part of something big and important... but the commradarie associated with my fellow Spartans is awesome. The equal and substantial hatred for the School Down the Road, the cheering, the loyal support, the pride. Un-matched. This was especially true in my experience among the athletic department and various teams. We were all there for each other and in each others' corners fighting for one another to pull out the win and do our best. 
• Sparty!!! The best mascot in the nation. Seriously! A) Who doesn't love the crazy, smelly, acrobatic, enthusiastic, tough guy? B) We have TWO statues honoring the fierce and brave Spartan warrior... Hands down the best. 

• Michigan State in general. Let's be real, we really are one of the best... to have one of the top Medical School, Veterinary School, Business School and Study Abroad Programs in the nation? Yea, can't really argue with that. Plus, as I've been finding out as I look at and attempt some things from this 101 Item Bucket List for MSU, we have so much to offer that is unique and extraordinary. Being the first land grant college in the nation. The Cyclotron. Beaumont Tower. Adams Planetarium. The Observatory. The Wharton Center. The Izzone. Yes, even the cows and farmland. Clearly the list can go on and on. 

MSU is awesome. And even if I might not feel the same commradarie as I did while I competed, I will always bleed green and be proud to be a Spartan!

The Sparty Countdown... #8 & #7

Continuing on with The Sparty Countdown of the things I will miss most about college, East Lansing, and Michigan State; here are numbers 8 and 7: 

#8 - Grand River & the EL Community

I didn't start to truly appreciate East Lansing until I moved off campus - and I guess I shouldn't expect anything different. Living in the heart of downtown EL and in the neighborhoods for 2 years (and kind of this year, though my apartment complex this year is not quite 'community' material) was such a treat. The part of East Lansing I lived in with Natalie was awesome - it was just far enough away from campus so that it wasn't crazy, but close enough to walk to classes and hear the band and stadium cheers during football games; it was in the middle of neighborhoods that were quaint and great to walk through; and it was right outside of Valley Court Park. And this park and its East Lansing activities... equally as awesome as the neighborhood area itself! Weekly Farmer's Market on Sunday's, 'Midnight Movies' on a big screen during the summer, open areas to read, suntan, or play. It's no wonder I still call it home :)

Grand River Avenue is also something I've come to love about East Lansing and my time at State. Seems a little weird that what, a road would make the list... but coming from a town that isn't conducive to getting around by foot, I loved being able to walk around and go into all the shops and restaurants or just walk the street on a nice day. And the places that were my favorite on Grand River: Noodles and Company, Chipotle, Urban Outfitters, Beggar's Banquet, SBS (because that's where I got my free books and Christmas presents for family), Bubble Island, Splash of Color (where I got my nose pierced, which was unfortunately short-lived), Barnes & Noble (until it closed!), my favorite bar -PT O'Malley's, Conrads (of course, haha), Insomnia Cookies, and the Douglas J Aveda Institute (where I got many a quality haircut and pampered for cheap). It's not that I won't have any of these places elsewhere, but they've worked their way into many memories I have at State and have provided many smiles and laughs along the way!

#7 - Jenison 
With all the blood, sweat, and tears (no joke) that I have shed at Jenison Fieldhouse, there's no way that it couldn't make the list! Jenison is so much more than just a Fieldhouse and the place I played volleyball. In fact, the Fieldhouse itself is probably one of the least nostalgic parts compared to all of my other memories in the building.


First is the Training Room. Ohhhh, the training room. I think I could probably challenge any student-athlete to most time spent in there and come close to winning any battle; and I joke that I could be an athletic trainer simply based on my own experiences. Now obviously the injuries and ailments  that had me in the training room for most of my career - from a torn ACL and a bulged disc, to stress fractures and pulled muscles, of course the hurt shoulders, and even now as an alumni a microfracture knee surgery - these were not part of my wonderful memories. But the time spent in there with Lianna, our athletic trainer, before practices, on game-day, and for rehab because of these problems certainly was. I'll talk about Lianna more in an upcoming post, but the Training Room oddly enough felt like a second home and was a place where the team got filled in on the latest gossip, just hung out to avoid pre-practice drills, or went for a respite from the stress. It actually became a joke among our team about how comfortable and frequently we went in there, especially on road trips - we all loved treatment and hangout time so much at home that we would literally overtake the Training Room on the road... to the point of head trainers sending out 'Warning Texts' to other head trainers if we were coming the next day! Also another visiting team's Training Room, Ohio State I think, had a sign in theirs saying that the Training Room was "not to become a place of social hangouts." HA. Jenison couldn't pass that rule if they tried! Oh, how I'll miss the laughs and good times spent there!

Second in Jenison: the Weight Room, mainly because of our strength coach, Red (again, later in the countdown), but also because of the control and competence that I always felt up there. I may be in the minority here, but I really do genuinely enjoy lifting. There was no greater feeling than being challenged and completing a good workout (well, some I'd prefer not to remember, say the "Unwise Business Decision" or No-Card workouts) away from the volleyball environment. So I'm going to miss not only the weight room and staff, but also being pushed and having workouts created for me all the time (my body is already regretting not being pushed hard every day!). The place that I started off dreading because of the "Freshman Lift" (100 bench presses, anyone?) and horror stories I made up in my head became yet another place of relief and respite. I knew I would rarely leave there feeling unaccomplished or burdened because of the relationships I have developed with the strength staff and the way in which they challenged me to get better both physically and mentally.

Next is of course the Locker Room. So much of my time has been spent climbing the 3 flights of stairs to get to the locker room. Although at the time I detested those stairs (especially after a hard workout or during pre-season), I'm going to miss climbing them because I know where they lead: My team's home. No matter what happened to us in the outside world, we were always able to come together and be as one through volleyball, and that transformation and unity among us always started in here. Watching TV or movies (or coming in to cartoons being on?!)... playing games... blowing out the speakers a gazillion times... listening to visualization tapes... talking and hanging out... trying to recover after a killer workout... getting the renovation and 'kitchen cupboards?!'... helping each other cope and get through difficult times... Gatorade... "shotty first shower"... preparing for an upcoming game or season... countless hours worth of team meetings and film sessions... having our pre-game dance parties and 'Photoshoots'... celebrating a big win... even wallowing in the frustration of defeat... and inevitably crying as we bid farewell to the seniors every year... it all happened in the locker room. And no matter who comes in and decides to replace my locker and #5, that corner will always be my home!

Finally is of course the Fieldhouse itself. Even if the smell does make me a little sick to my stomach,  I know it will always fill me with the anticipation, excitement, and anxiousness of game-day. Although I think we can all admit that it isn't the most up-to-date arena out there (but it did get some nice updates this past year!), having the opportunity to play for a Big 10 institution in a facility with such rich history and community support was an incredible honor and blessing. The Fieldhouse = Game-Day! And I don't think words can even describe the emotions and feelings associated the place in which I competed for past 5 years. So with that... GO GREEN!