Championships? So What!

Recently, I received my second conference championship ring. And as coach gave them out I felt, well, indifferent.

Don’t get me wrong, we worked hard for these rings. It was a tough season.

But after winning two conference championships in one year, and then losing two in the next, all I felt was obligation. I now EXPECT us to be in that championship game, in fact, we all do. Who can blame us? Let’s let the numbers do the talking:

4-6: that was our football record in 2005. In 2008, the team went 9-3. Adding two more games and five more wins in four years ain’t bad. Oh yeah, and the first ever bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

0: the amount of championships baseball won in 2005. 2: the amount of championships baseball won in 2008 (Region XII Region Championship and NAIA South Central Super Regional Championship), not to mention making into the NAIA World Series. And in between, the baseball team won the conference championship in 2006 and the region title in 2007.

.606: the winning percentage for woman’s basketball in 2005. During the 2007-08 season, the team had a .735 winning percentage, an AAC regular-season championship and AAC Tournament Championship to boot.

5: the number of championships, both conference and region won between 2005 and 2008. That’s averaging more than one a season.

Let’s not leave out the regular season AAC Championships won by softball in spring 2007 and volleyball in fall of 2007. Or Women’s tennis 6 championships (AAC regular season and tournament), including a Region XII Championship in only 3 years. How about the 9 individual AAC Championships won by our men’s outdoor track team? Oh, and there is the cycling team, who has won 3 conference championships, and one individual NCCA National Championship.

When I came in as a freshman, there were no expectations for either of the teams I played for. Yet here we are reaching the championship game year after year. Union has become the team to beat in the MSC and the AAC.

Who can we attribute this success to? Coaches? Some teams brought in new coaches, but others haven’t and have experienced this same success.

How about star athletes? Let’s take a look at the senior class, mine. There are a number of teams who are losing the largest number of seniors in years. We came, and we stayed.

Could it be thanks to Union President Edward de Rosset and the trustees? With the constant improvements made to not only academic, but also athletic facilities most students are bound to stay right?

Or maybe it’s the athletic director; can we give all of the praise to Darin Wilson? Wilson was honored by the Appalachian Athletic Conference in 2008 as the league’s Athletic Director of the Year. He wouldn’t take all the credit even if it was due solely to him.

It is the collaboration between all of these groups. It has become apparent that Union Athletics has become one well-oiled machine.

As the championship rings keep piling up, I’m excited to see how much farther the bulldogs can go from here. And judging by the numbers, it won’t take long for us to put a few more NAIA national championships under our belts.

November to February: Not Quite Volleyball, Not Quite Softball

It is a unique situation, being a dual athlete. When I initially signed, I was not primed for the amount of time I would be dedicating to volleyball and softball or the amount of time I would need switching from one season to the other. There are a few similarities and differences that have come with this transition:

· The teams are so different. With volleyball, I become exceptionally close with my teammates, especially with underclassmen, which could be attributed to those two weeks before season, known as death, or more formally, preseason. This condensed preseason is probably the chief variation between volleyball and softball. In softball I come in November, leave for December and return for 4 and a half months. It’s a bit harder to connect with underclassmen who have had time to get to know other players and acclimate themselves to school. So one of the hardest things to do in transition is become a part of the team again.

· There is a bond between coaches and their players. This has been one thing that hasn’t changed in four years of playing. I know with Union volleyball coach Whitney Erb, she expected me to set an example; she knew it was a hard to get back into volleyball. So helping me set a goal and focusing on it put me right back into volleyball-mode. When I go back to softball I Union softball coach Bubba Szary expects me to come in ready to work. He has never told me I am behind but pushes me to keep up. He always offers me a break after volleyball and in four years I never took it once. I always felt it would only benefit me to start back sooner. My relations with my coaches are consistent and it makes switching teams much easier.

· Being in season, there is a sense of urgency to learn and apply skills. There isn’t much time to fuss and prepare for particular situations. Though being in season is more fun, it is simply because there is less time to be picky. More games simply mean less practice, and who doesn’t want that? Being out of season has its perks as well; as a softball player I learn the most in my off-season hit groups. Here is where coach can break down my swing technique and work on it step by step. This sort of detailed correction doesn’t exist in season; there are far too many other particulars to address.

It is a funny position I’m in when finishing up conference tournament in November. I want to win because I want my team to go to the NAIA nationals but also because I wasn’t looking forward to those softball conditioning days. Or when we lost, I was upset that it ended our season but also excited to start on my next season. The feeling is always bittersweet.

With this being my last “transition” from volleyball to softball it is nice to sit back and say that it has always been smooth, with the help of good teammates and cooperative coaches. I think this kind of consideration can only be found at a place like Union.

Fan Power: Who are we really competing against?

When I heard that this year's Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament for volleyball was not going to be held in Bristol, Tenn., I was eager.

We have played at King (Tenn.) College the last few years, and their facilities are the best I've seen. However, it is a challenge to play against the Tornado in their gym, owed to their hefty fan base. So my eagerness can be understood as the conference tournament moved to Kingsport, Tenn.

Held in the Marriott Hotel's Convention Center, the two courts were squeezed, to say the least, into a single conference room. In our first match versus Covenant (Ga.) College the atmosphere seemed customary for a neutral location. A few parents from wither team here and there, but mostly the noise came from the players. In the second match, against Bryan (Tenn.) College there was a but more noise. Although it could be said that Bryan is a large rival for the Lady Bulldogs, so a more intense atmosphere could be expected. But as we pulled off the win I realized there weren't too many Bryan College fans either. 

We played our final match of Friday against King. No shortage of fans here, King fan lined the seats on both sides of the courts, except the 8 trusty parents who came out for Union. Upon starting this match, I thought to myself, "THIS is neutral?"

Suddenly Kingsport was feeling a lot like Bristol. 

With the way we left King College last month, a battle to five games and the match was decided in the last few points, there was bound to be some hype on this match. King's faithful rowdy fans are not their students, but their parents. As a player, it has become a part of athletics, hearing hoots and hollers from fans, you learn early on that all you can do is ignore it.

However, it was not that the fans were inappropriate, (THAT can be debated) but it was the amount of fans that were there. This created the feeling of playing at King.

The definition of neutral: not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest. My question is, if this game was held in Corbin, Ky., a neutral site, would that seem bias? It's only 20 minutes from Union and three hours from Bristol. Could this have affected the outcome of this tournament, or any other? In volleyball, the answer is yes.

Momentum is a huge part of volleyball and fans carry the majority of the burden. Even more so than other sports now that there is rally score. The game can change on any point. So what kind of power can fans have over volleyball games? A lot.

Fans have always been a hassle at King College, especially during conference tournament, but in the past the conference tournament didn't hold the weight it does now. Winning the tournament is the only berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Conference is bigger than ever.

So with the location so important now, lets take a second and ask ourselves, what is neutral?

Thanks for the support

The Bulldogs are now on the bus, headed back to Barbourville. It's been a long day to say the least. However, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to say "Thank you" to all the parents, friends, family, students and fans that came to Fort Wayne to support the Bulldogs in the NAIA playoffs.

By my estimation, there were between 200-300 Bulldog supporters there - a nice size crowd, in my humble opinion. I know the drive for us was 6-plus hours and I know others had greater distances to travel. Your support is very much appreciated.

Like I said in previous posts, I firmly believe this season was just a stepping stone of what is yet to come. I believe there are some good football yet to be played at Burch/Nau Field, and your support makes it possible and worth.

From the team, the coaching staff and the athletic department, I again say, "Thank you."

Just like that, it's over

I really don't know what to say after Union's 58-3 loss at Saint Francis today. I mean, Union didn't play that bad, but Saint Francis played very well.

The Cougars took advantage of great field position. They averaged started their drives on the Union 39 in the first half and finished the game with an average field position of Union 48. When a team is getting great field position like that, it's tough to beat them, I don't care who the team is.

The Bulldogs should be proud of all they've accomplished this season, and I really hope this loss doesn't sour that for them. Union did a heck of a lot more than anyone expected, but a lopsided loss like that tends to dampen things.

It's just a rough way to end the season.

Hopefully, the Bulldogs can take this feeling and use it for motivation heading into next season. Union has a good number of players returning, and this sour taste in their mouths could make them hungry next season.

Here are some things to think as the Bulldogs now close the book on 2008 and begin preparing for 2009:

• Union returns its entire offensive line, and there will be just ONE senior next year on the 0-line.
• Terence Pollock, Mike Brinkley and all but one wide receiver will return. Pollock ran for over 1,300 yards this year, Brinkley threw for more than 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns and a band of young receivers will be back in the fold. How can you not be excited about that?
• The Bulldog secondary will return. With another year of maturity, the Union defensive backs should begin to shut down the opposition's passing game.
• Five of the six regularly-used defensive linemen return. The d-line did a great job this season making its way to the backfield and opening lanes for the Bulldog linebackers.
• Jacob Appleby still has three years left. The place-kicker booted 13 fields and made 46 PATs. I'll take 85 points out of my kicker any time.

While the loss does leave a bitter taste in my mouth right now, all is not lost.

In fact, this may just be the beginning.

At the half ...

It's halftime and the Bulldogs find themselves in a deep hole, down 24-3.

Saint Francis is a good, solid team and the Cougars will take advantage of an opponent's miscues. And that's pretty much the story of the first half.

A blocked puntm, penalties and poor field position put Union in a bind as the Cougars jumped out to a 24-0 lead. The Bulldogs struggled offensively as the Saint Francis defense kept consistent pressure on quarterback Mike Brinkley.

But after the Bulldog defense stopped Saint Francis deep in Union terrority, the Bulldog offense mounted a solid drive. Terrence Pollock broke many a tackle and gobbled up some nice yardage, and Brinkley was able to find a couple of receivers open.

However, the drive stalled and Union settled for a Jacob Appleby field goal.

Union is putting up a good fight and the team is keeping its head up.

The Bulldogs are a third-quarter team, so we will see how things go.

Go Bulldogs!!!

Game time is almost here

Well, it's just about time.

Game time.

Playoff time.

The Bulldogs arrived at the field a little over 10 a.m., and while the temp is cold, it doesn't seem to matter. I can't speak for the players and coaches, but I don't feel the cold. The excitement and anticipation is taking over and kicking it.

Right now, it's 10:45 a.m. - 1 hour and 15 minutes from kickoff. The players are getting ready and warming up. The crowd is slowly making their way in. (BTW, nothing like ice on a metal grandstand.)

Playoff time is here.