Last night they learned that that they’ll travel to Tallahassee later this week to tackle the University of Alabama in the NCAA tournament. We’re proud of our student-athletes and coaches and we wish them the best.
In a matter that gathered far less publicity, I heard this story a few weeks ago from Betsy Dobbins of our Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences:
Virginia Estes, junior volleyball player at Homewood High School, went this summer to Panamá to teach rural mountain girls volleyball. Although she was traveling with a group, the volleyball clinic was her own idea. She had skills, but needed equipment and sent out requests for help. Dex Schroeder, the Samford volleyball coach, received information from a friend of the Estes family and responded with wonderful donations to her project! He gave her volleyballs, kneepads, and Samford shirts. The girls in Panamá loved learning how to play and were thrilled to "earn" their very own volleyballs, jerseys and knee pads!
The world is better because Coach Schroeder understands that there is more to volleyball than playing in the NCAA tournament. (But it is still nice to be playing in the NCAA tournament.)