From the time Chelsea Colclasure turned eight, her parents had involved her in many different activities—softball, soccer, dance and, most importantly, volleyball.

“It’s probably the most exciting of all the sports I was playing,” Colclasure said. “You’re constantly scoring, your team’s always cheering. It became my main attraction.”

Thirteen years later, Colclasure now holds the record for most digs in SIUE history.

Colclasure, now a senior nursing major, has been a starting libero since her freshman year, an achievement volleyball Head Coach Leah Johnson said is no easy feat.

“It’s one thing to start as a freshman, it’s another to maintain that position all four years,” Johnson said. “For her to have earned it and kept it says a lot about her growth as an individual on the court and her leadership.”

Colclasure said when she was younger, she played a variety of positions before finally deciding on libero.

“I’d set and even hit, but that was when the nets were a lot lower. Then when everyone else kept growing and I stopped, I got moved to the back row,” Colclasure said. “I love libero; I like that I keep people from scoring and how that makes them mad. I’ll pick a player out and go after them—I pick their best hitter to make sure they don’t score.”

Colclasure had never expected to play volleyball in college; she assumed no school would work with her to balance both a sport and the nursing program.

“It took me a while to decide to try to find a school that would work with me, because I just figured no one would,” Colclasure said. “I picked this school because the campus is really pretty, they have my major and my coach was willing to work with me to be a nurse and let me play sports. Not many schools were open to do that.”

Johnson said Colclasure was one of her first recruits as coach at SIUE. At the time, the volleyball team  was in need of someone who could fill the role of libero and start as a freshman.

“I liked the fact that she had been in a program that had been tough,” Johnson said. “They worked very hard and emphasized ball control defense, so I knew at the very least I was going to get someone who understood that was a priority. I got more than I ever bargained for.”

Colclasure said she is glad she decided to juggle both athletics and nursing.

“It involves a lot of responsibility, organization and putting your priorities straight,” Colclasure said. “It’s made me grow as a person and as a leader; it’s helped me learn to work with authority and just being able to get everything organized.”

Colclasure said after graduation, she plans on going to nurse practitioner school in order to advance her degree.

“I liked the health field and I knew there were endless opportunities for it, so many things I could do with it,” Colclasure said. “I want to do oncology with kids; I really like kids and I think oncology is awesome, crazy and a really interesting field.”

Colclasure said this year has been the most difficult year balancing her two passions. However, she is fortunate to have parents who help keep her grounded.

“They’ve supported me though everything, even when I wanted to quit they pushed me to do better and keep at it,” Colclasure said. “My dad helps me a lot to get through things; he makes me realize that I am a strong person and I can do both. He’s a good mentor.”

Colclasure’s parents are not her only supporters. Her teammate, roommate and best friend of three years Haley Norris is also one of Colclasure’s biggest cheerleaders.

“She affects our team in a really positive way,” Norris said. “She is a big stabilizer for us and a lot of people, especially our underclassmen, look to her for guidance and confidence on the court.”

Johnson said Colclasure’s leadership is one of the many qualities that have distinguished her throughout her career.

“The past couple years she has been a stabilizing force for us. She has a great read on the ball and she knows how to put herself in the right place. She has easily been our most steady ball control player, so that in and of itself in the game of volleyball is irreplaceable,” Johnson said. “She can also communicate with me very well; I feel like she and I understand one another, having played the same position. She has a good head about her, not only by taking responsibility and being accountable for the things that she can and can’t control, but also working with me to be challenged, improve and grow.”

Norris said since she and Colclasure have the same sense of humor, they got along from day one. The two have also bonded over sharing the same position.

“She pushes me to try to be better,” Norris said. “You would think it would be like, ‘You don’t like each other because you are competing, but since the beginning we just clicked. We are open about how we’re competing, we’ve both been able to push each other and I think that has been a maturing factor in our relationship. We’ve been able to be best friends, even though she is my competition.”

Johnson said when Colclasure was recruited, she was an average student, and Johnson explained to her in this program at this level, average is not acceptable.

“She said, ‘I know it’ll be different when I get there,’ and I just had to trust her. That is the relationship we had from day one, there was a great level of trust,” Johnson said.  “She came here as an exceptional student and got accepted into nursing. She’s doing something that is hard for your typical nursing student and she’s doing it with a full-time athletic job and doing well and excelling. I think that’s another testament to the person she is and why accomplishing such a record and so many accolades throughout her career should not surprise anyone, because that’s just the nature of her.”

Colclasure said when the digs record was broken, she wasn’t even aware of what she had accomplished.

“I didn’t even know I broke it. My coach was like, ‘Congratulations, you broke the record the other day.’ I remember last year they said I was five digs away and then I forgot about it,” Colclasure said. “It is really cool to have my name somewhere on the university because of this. All the hours that you put in, working hard every day at practice and dedicating yourself to—it really does pay off.”

Johnson said having herself been a libero, she can attest to the fact that this accomplishment is outstanding.

“It’s very difficult to do; you almost have to be a starter from your freshman year to be able to break that kind of record. But just being on the court isn’t enough, you have to be a skilled, smart player and Chelsea is all of those things,” Johnson said. “I think it speaks volumes to the people around her, too. She’ll tell you that she couldn’t care less about a record, as long as her team’s winning. Those around her help make her good, too. They trust her, they see her potential and they want her to be great.”

Norris said Colclasure has the ability to keep things light and fun on the court.

“If someone makes a mistake, instead of letting them get down on themselves, she would just be like, ‘Dude it’s fine, just laugh it off,’” Norris said. “But she is also super driven. She has a lot of pride and always wants to be the best in what she does.”

Johnson said one of the most distinctive things she will remember about Colclasure is her desire to improve the team in any way possible.

“I remember her first couple years we played 10 five-set matches and we were so competitive, but we were coming up 50/50 on those. She’d come to the front of the bus and say, ‘Coach, what do I need to do to help us win; what else can I do?’ and I just kept saying, ‘Chelsea, you’re going to have to be patient; not everyone’s where you are yet. But you’re going to get them there,’” Johnson said. “It’s funny because this year she’s asking the same thing, but she’s talking about a whole different level. We are 6-5 and she’s asking that same question because it’s not good enough still. That’s a great place to be in and that drive is always something I’ll remember about her.”

Colclasure said her motivation comes from realizing this is her last year in the program.

“This year I know I don’t have anymore chances to win the [Ohio Valley Conference] tournament or go to [National Collegiate Athletic Association] tournament and that’s always been a dream to go to the NCAA’s,” Colclasure said. “Also working hard for my teammates; I love every single one of them. They are like my family so I think they keep me going every day.”

Colclasure said being a part of this program for the past four years has meant a lot to her and helped her grow.

“It meant that I worked really hard to get where I wanted to be,” Colclasure said. “I went into practice everyday. I tried to get better everyday and I’d say, looking back, it was a great experience. I loved being around all my teammates, my coaches and I wouldn’t change it.”

Caitlin Grove

Via alestlelive.com

After nine years, senior track star La’ Derrick Ward has endured the many trials and tribulations that go along with being an athlete.

Ward said one of the main things he loves about track is that a person can be as good at it as he or she wants. It all depends on the amount of work he or she puts into it.

“I played basketball, football — a lot of team sports. Track is a team sport also, but at the same time you can go as far in track as you want to go,” Ward said. “I’ve won team awards in track, but nothing is better than winning at something that you alone worked your hardest for and put that work in at.”

Ward has received many awards throughout his college career. He has been the indoor and outdoor conference champion in the Ohio Valley Conference, competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships and received an All-American award, was OVC Athlete of the Year in 2014 and became the first track athlete at SIUE to compete for a Division I national championship.

In addition, Ward had the longest collegiate jump of the season, an achievement of which he is proud.

“It wasn’t something that started off being my goal, it just ended up happening and was pretty cool,” Ward said. “It was kind of surreal; I didn’t really believe it at first when I saw it online. But when it did hit me, it was a good feeling.”

Even with all of these awards under his belt, Ward said his drive to win has not changed.

“They’re great to have, I take pride in my awards because I earned them,” Ward said. “But I don’t really hang on to them. Every award I get, I give to my mom because I know she’s proud. I love the fact that I won them, but once I win them, it’s on to the next thing.”

Despite all of his accomplishments in long jumping, it was not always Ward’s focus. He began his track career in sixth grade with the 400-meter race until one day when the team’s high jumper did not show up for a meet.

“They asked for someone to fill in. At the time, I was only doing a relay so I said I’d do it. I actually ended up being the best guy on the team at it so I stayed doing it,” Ward said.

After entering high school, his coach suggested he try long jumping.

“I tried it and was pretty good at it,” Ward said. “At first, I did high and long jump, but ended up being better at long because I didn’t grow much. You have to be pretty tall for high jump. Long jump ended up being my main thing. It’s more fun for me. It’s my favorite event.”

When it comes to game day, Ward said he does not have many special rituals before meets that particularly stand out from what other track athletes do.

“There’s not really a lot of prep leading up to a meet, just going over technique and approaches,” Ward said. “I listen to music all day prepping up to a meet, but that’s just to get away from everything and narrow my focus.”

One of the reasons Ward does not have many rituals has to do with the sense of calm he has before meets. He said he tends to take a “whatever happens, happens” approach when it comes to events.

“I’m probably the most relaxed guy ever. People ask me if I get nervous before meets and when I say no, they always look at me weird. Even for the biggest meets I’ve been to, I don’t get nervous,” Ward said. “I don’t really see the point of being nervous. It’s not going to make anything better. I’ve done the work, I’ve prepared and there’s nothing to be nervous about.”

Ward said he was recruited by the University of Missouri and a lot of other big schools, but he felt more at home at SIUE and really liked the sense of family he found.

“I came to a smaller school and people wondered why,” Ward said. “When I was recruited here, they actually got to know me as a person. Mizzou tried to sell me on their facilities and all the shiny stuff they had. It was all nice, but I’m just not a materialistic person. I felt like I was coming into more of a family here.”

Ward said it makes his accomplishments worth more at a smaller school.

“Competing for a national championship at Mizzou or [the University of Southern California], I feel like wouldn’t mean as much as winning it here,” Ward said. “There are a lot of people that think you have to go to these big institutions to excel in sports. As long as you put the work in and stay healthy, you can do anything. I’m proof of that.”

Ward said he owes his success to many different people who have motivated and helped him, especially those who have gone out of their way to make things possible for him.

“I have a little brother who’s in high school who jumps and looks up to me, so that’s a lot of motivation. I don’t really try to be over him about it, I just want him to have fun with it. I don’t want to put pressure on him. I also look up to my older brother as well. He’s always supporting me and is probably one of my biggest heroes. But my dad is a big influence — he has fought through a lot of adversity — just knowing that he came through so much and has tried so hard to keep me from it. I try my best to make him proud, show him that all the hard work he put into me wasn’t a waste,” Ward said.

Ward has many other loyal supporters, including his best friend Greg Hayes, a senior at Eastern Illinois University.

“He’s very hardworking when it comes to sports at school,” Hayes said. “He’s always himself. He never tries to be anybody he isn’t. He’s very determined. He never lets it overwhelm him. He just works as hard as he can and puts everything into his sport.”

Hayes said they became friends in sixth grade. They had a class together and after one conversation, the two just clicked.

“I was talking to him the other day about how he’s No. 1 in long jumping and how he feels about it. He has always been one of the best athletes and he’s never let it get to his head,” Hayes said. “He’s never been one of those people who’s a show-off.”

Ward said his best piece of advice for aspiring track stars and college athletes is to remember why they started playing.

“I really got into sports for the fun of it. In all honesty, when I started track, I didn’t think it’d be a sport I’d stay with and end up being so good at. I ended up finding a love for it that I didn’t know I had,” Ward said. “Just have fun and remember why you started, don’t forget that if you really want to succeed, then give it your all.”

Caitlin Grove

Via alestlelive.com

Beginning this fall, Jordan Bishop will be joining the women’s soccer team as assistant coach.

Bishop played soccer for four years at the undergraduate level for Iowa State University. She has played for semi-professional teams as well as the professional team the Boston Breakers. While completing her master’s, she was the graduate assistant and director of soccer operations for Auburn University.

Head Coach Derek Burton said her extensive experience will make her a valuable addition to the team.

“Her professional and high-level college playing experience will really incent credibility and respect from our players so they can take what she gives them, like her opinion and her coaching, and know it’s valid,” Burton said.

Bishop will be joining the coaching staff as the third full-time coach, something Burton said will be beneficial to the team.

“This is a great step for our coaching staff and our program,” Burton said. “She’ll make a big impact in terms of having a third recruiter. She has a very high level of playing experience, which has given her eyes for evaluation, so she’s going to be impactful in our recruiting efforts.”

Bishop said she plans to contribute to the team in many ways.

“On the field, it’ll be more from an attacking standpoint, with the positional and tactical side of things. I’ve played at pretty much every level college-wise, so I think the experience on the field that I’ve had will help me to be able to relate to the girls,” Bishop said. “As for off the field, I am a younger coach so I think having that relatability with the players will be extremely beneficial.”

Burton said the fact that she is young is nothing but a positive.

“Still being pretty young and not so removed from the game, she can really bridge that gap from being a player at a high level to now coaching at Division I athletics,” Burton said. “They’ll know that they can take what she says to heart. This is a factor when it comes to the games and training, but also when it comes to the personal side of things. She’ll be able to have more of a connection with them than someone like myself, who’s 40 now, does not have to a 20-year-old.”

Bishop said she was drawn to this program partially due to her connection with Burton.

“Now in society, it’s all about connections and staying in touch with the people who make an impact on your life,” Bishop said. “Derek was my coach for my freshman fall so I’ve known him going on seven years now. I really respected him as a coach, so once I heard this position had opened, I quickly reached out to him and interviewed because I wanted to be a part of his program.”

Bishop said in addition to her connection with Burton, she is also eager to be part of a Division I team.

“That’s what I really like about this program; it’s somewhat fresh with the Division I status, so being able to be a contributor to progressing the women’s program into more of a notable team will be really exciting,” Bishop said.

Senior defender Samantha Jones said she is excited for Bishop to join the team.

“I worked a camp with her this summer and from what I saw, it seemed like she had a positive attitude, a pretty good ability to lead and a good work ethic,” Jones said. “It seemed like she knows a lot about the sport and having another person to help explain things will be great.”

Bishop said she has wanted to become a coach for most of her life and is very excited about the opportunity to do this at SIUE.

“My dad was a high school basketball coach, so I’ve grown up with a coach in my family,” Bishop said. “I just love the way that they can be a part of someone’s life and really make an impact in it.”

Caitlin Grove

Via alestlelive.com