Tracy Stalls on the cover of Volleyball USA, USAV's official monthly publication

Stalls a Cover Girl for USA Volleyball

Did you see a familiar face peeking at you out of your mailbox this month? Front Range alumna Tracy Stalls was featured on the cover of Volleyball USA's April edition. The magazine, USA Volleyball's official publication, is mailed out monthly to USAV's membership. The magazine also contained a feature article about her and her team's journey to become the 2007 NCAA National Champions.

In the article, Tracy cites Head Coach Jim Miret as one of two coaches who gave her "a good understanding of the technical aspects...before going to college." Stalls also talks about many of the issues that she discussed in her article "#1 Is Just A Number" in our December 3rd newsletter. She talks particularly about "maxing out" her potential and finding a way to be good on a bad day.

Tracy also talks about her experience in the USA Women's National Team Development Program. This is a more detailed account of her time between high school and college than was given in our last feature on Stalls in the article "Stalls Selected for USA Women's National Team (Again)" in the April 4th newsletter.

Unfortunately, Volleyball USA does not have an online version but you should have received the magazine from USA Volleyball. There is also a copy posted in the Front Range facility lobby.

In related news, the author of the FRVBC Newsletter wishes to extend an apology to Tracy for having misspelled her name in previous issues.

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HARDWARE!!!

(And a Couple of Bids to JO's To Boot!)

Over the last two weekends, Front Range teams achieved three podium finishes at Northern Lights and secured two Open bids to this summer's Junior National Championships. Excitement ran high as players were seen still wearing their medals upon arrival at DIA.

12 Pink 3rd Place 12 Club

16 Blue 3rd Place 16 Open and JO Bid Winner

18 Black 2nd Place 18 Open and JO Bid Winner

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And Now For Something Completely Different...

Remember that fundraiser flower delivery will be on Wednesday, May 9th

Mark your calendar! The Front Range Banquet will be on Saturday, June 9th

(But don't wait until June to pick up your flower order.)

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MAKING THINGS BETTER VS. THE STATUS QUO

By Shawn Kissman

I was at a restaurant the other day and I didn’t get a key ingredient for my meal, which was really the whole reason why I ordered that particular dish.  I was dissatisfied, to say the least!

When confronted with this dissatisfaction, I had 3 different choices – I could resolve it internally (come to terms with it), I could resolve it externally (say something to the staff), or I could choose not to resolve it (let it “fester”, complain to others, never dine there again, etc.  We frequently forget that this, too, is a choice we make). 

I have often gone with resolving “dining issues” internally or chosen to just be upset about it.  This time, however, I confronted my fears (“they’ll spit in my food,” “maybe they don’t include that anymore”, etc.) and decided to address the issue openly.  As it turned out, I was pleasantly surprised by the staff’s responsiveness to resolve my issue. 

I relearned a valuable lesson that day.  I have always known it but it was illustrated to me very clearly – things don’t change unless people get involved.    If we are dissatisfied about something and don’t act on it, we will only remain unhappy or even become more upset.  If we are dissatisfied and try to resolve it externally (talk to the person), we may remain unhappy or become more upset, but it is the only option for THINGS TO GET BETTER. 

I am sometimes afraid of what would happen if I talked to someone when I wasn’t happy with something they did.  I’ll justify not talking to them by saying things like “I already KNOW what they will say” or “It’s their job, they should know that I’m upset”.  But, like I said, it is really based on a fear of the unknown. 

I can say without a doubt that when I have decided to talk to someone, more often than not it comes to an amicable conclusion.  In fact, almost every time I didn’t go in with guns blazing, I’ve been way more pleased with the results than if I kept the status quo.  It hasn’t happened in every case.  I have made things worse on occasion but the risk has always been worth the reward.