Letter to the Editor

Dear CSP Community,
At the end of the 2007 Golden Bear volleyball team’s season, a national championship trophy was hoisted in the air. On behalf of the team I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all the many fans and supporters who joined us on this journey.From the season’s first game at the Ganglehoff Center, to the exciting trip to the Elite 8 in Topeka, Kansas, we had a great ride. It was even more enjoyable because of those who followed the team, and made possible in part by their support.The road to the finals began way back in August when we first came together as a young, inexperienced team. We were prepared for the road to get bumpy, and at times it did. However, we learned from these experiences and grew. Every member of our team wanted everybody else to be successful, a trait which is actually rare. Our chemistry off the court led to success on it.The North Central Region Finals in Duluth was an important stop on our journey. This is where our confidence grew. We felt like we could not lose. Two wins brought us to the regional championship. The gym was packed, including many of our “Superfans”, friends and parents. We relished in our victory that avenged two previous loses to UMD, and sent us to Topeka.Our confidence traveled with us to Kansas, along with incredible support from the Concordia community. It was great to hear from our friends back in St. Paul, that they were following along, whether sneakily on their laptops during class, on a huge screen in the Union or even while enjoying the choir’s Christmas concert. We received personal emails from students while we were waiting impatiently to play. A large contingent of “Superfans” drove down for the matches and celebrated after each win. Another group of fans and family drove through a wicked snowstorm to get to the title match. We really appreciated that daring effort. Having screaming fans in a neutral site was energizing and vital. When a match of great volleyball ended with our final kill, our fans joined our celebration on the court. We remained there for a long time, enjoying every minute. We carried the celebration to our hotel. After being scolded by security for enjoying ourselves too loudly, we had a pizza party courtesy of Tom Rubbelke. It was a chance to unwind, savor the moment, and celebrate our team and what we had accomplished.We returned to campus on Monday, and were welcomed home by a large crowd at the Ganglehoff, where Tom and President Bob Holst had kind words of congratulations, and Coach Starkey thanked the faculty and fans for their support. The many personal relationships we’ve developed on our relatively small campus allow us all to share in the moment. The unveiling of the championship banner was a proud moment, not only for us, but for the whole Concordia community. As we said in Topeka, a bonus for getting to the Elite 8 was a chance for us to spend a few more weeks together. That is what community is all about.Maria SteinhagenJunior, Middle Hitter