University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
On The Serve
11/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
On The Serve
When I first got here on my visit, the thing I noticed was how beautiful it was down here, everything was so green and colorful. I also noticed how nice the people were, I saw first hand what southern hospitality was all about. I met the volleyball team and hung out with them all weekend, and I thought they were so much fun. I remember walking on campus with my mom and it just hit me that this was the place for me, it was a gut feeling and I went with it.
I have had so many unbelievable experiences here that I'll never forget. As our season is winding down this year, with our last two home games this weekend, I can't help but think about all that has happened here at Southern Miss. My first year as a freshmen I got the opportunity to start, and I played the entire season. I worked really hard for the position, and we had a great year. We finished 23-10 that year. We had some amazing wins that year, beating Cincinnati and Louisville on the same weekend at home. Those were some of the most memorable games that I have been involved in. It was some awesome volleyball.
My sophomore and junior years were a little frustrating, but I got through it and always tried to stay positive. My sister came onto to the team my junior year, as a freshman, so I had the opportunity to play with her again. I feel so lucky to have been able to play with her and to go to college with her. We have grown a lot closer. She is one of my best friends. I couldn't have asked for anything more. My parents enjoyed it too. They didn't have to travel all over the United States trying to watch both of us play on different teams.
After my junior season, our coach told us that he was resigning, so we were in the process of looking for a new coach. And we found one -- Santiago Restrepo. He was the assistant coach at Saint Louis University. When he was hired, we immediately started spring work-outs, and they went really well. We could already see some improvements.
My senior year -- boy have I been through a lot this season. We started pre-season and about a week into it, I sprained my ankle (not a big surprise because I have chronic ankle problems), so I was so upset because this wasn't how I wanted to spend the beginning the season and have to deal with it throughout the rest of the season. But I have dealt with it, and the season started off pretty good.
Our team kept improving, and we were playing some really good volleyball. But we kept losing all of these close games. We have lost so many matches this year that have gone to five games, so that has been frustrating. But we kept going back into the gym and working hard.
Throughout my four seasons here, I had never missed a match until this year where I have currently missed two. I got the "plague" the weekend we went to Memphis/St. Louis. So I missed the Memphis game, I was so sick. And then last weekend when we were in Cincinnati/Louisville, I sprained my other ankle, so I missed the Louisville game. This was so hard for me to deal with, why was this happening to me? But I have had the quickest recovery I have ever had.
We play our last home games this weekend. I am very sad that this will be the last time that I will be playing in front of our home crowd, but I am so thankful and so lucky to have even had the opportunity to play, especially all four years.
I would like to thank Coach Sykes for getting me down here to see what Southern Miss had to offer. I would also like to thank Santiago for everything that he has done for this program in one year. He is an amazing coach, he has taken this team to the next level.
Our record may not show it, but mentally and physically we are better than we ever have been. He pushes us to give it our all, and I know and believe that this program is nothing but on the rise to success.
I would also like to thank everyone here at Southern Miss that I have gotten the opportunity to know and love. I know that when I walk off that court tomorrow night, I will cherish that moment. When I graduate in May, I will walk away proud to be a Southern Miss alumni and a Golden Eagle for the rest of my life. Thank you for the opportunity, it is something I'll never forget.
Kelly Tribble
