Coming Home Again

Aug. 26, 2003

By Lamar Chance
Associate Athletics Media Relations Director

During their playing careers, student-athletes dream of playing in front of family and friends. For those student-athletes that are from out-of-state, head coaches attempt to schedule competitions near their hometowns so those dreams can come true. For junior Elena Garcia of the Ole Miss volleyball team, she is getting to play before the home folks twice this year after making her initial "homecoming" in 2002.

The Austin, Texas, native and her Lady Rebel teammates will travel to Waco to play in the Baylor Tournament Aug. 29-30. Garcia, who played her prep volleyball career at Westlake High School, will make a return trip to the Lone Star state in mid-September when the Ole Miss squad travels to Houston to meet the Cougars and the Owls. Last year, the Lady Rebels played in the Baylor Tournament. For Garcia, it's exciting to show her Lady Rebel "family" where she grew up.

"It's fun to have my teammates see where I grew up," said Garcia. "They get to see my family and friends in Austin. It's great going home again. My entire family gets to come and see me play, and that's exciting because they don't get to watch a lot of my matches."

The 2002 campaign - especially the latter half -- was one that many of her family would have liked to watch. After a slow start to 2002, Garcia came on strong in the second half of the season. In last year's final 13 matches, Garcia, an outside hitter, recorded six double-doubles (kills-digs) and posted double-digit kills in seven outings and double-digit digs in nine contests. According to second-year head coach Joe Getzin, it was just a matter of time before Garcia caught on to the new coaching staff's system.

"Last year, Elena saw some of the team's frustrations that come with a new coaching staff trying to put in its system," said Getzin of his first year at the helm in 2002. "It took a season for the coaches and players to get on the same page. Since we've done that, Elena has been a great example to follow. You're going to see a different type of player when Elena's on the floor this year. She's going to be a more dynamic player, a better player this year."

If her statistics are any indication, then Coach Getzin is right on target. As a freshman in 2001, Garcia had 250 kills and 235 digs. One year later, both were more with 280 kills and 291 digs as a sophomore. Garcia also improved her attack percentage by 20 points from 2001 to 2002. This season, Coach Getzin is expecting even more from Garcia - and not just numbers.

"Elena is our best returning player," Getzin said. "She has the potential to be among the league leaders in digging and attacking. She has matured both as a leader and a player. "She's done an awesome job this preseason of helping the newcomers adjust to our system and our expectations. She's also done a great job in showing the newcomers the level at which we want to play, and demanding more of them and herself. We're excited for the season to start, and to work with her and see what she can do."

Coach Getzin is not the only one wanting the season to begin. Garcia is eager to get underway as well.

"We're a completely different team than we were a year ago," Garcia said. "It's a night-and-day difference between this year and last. We're going to be very good this year. Coach Getzin has done a good job of recruiting and putting his mark on the program.

"This year, it is a coin toss as to who will win the (SEC) West. This preseason is the best we've had since I've been here. We look so good. It's going to be a challenge with our newcomers to see how they respond to playing at this level."

One thing Garcia has been known for is meeting challenges. She had to grow up in a house with three sisters. The Family and Consumer/Fashion Merchandising major is a great athlete and a competitive individual - facts that do not go unnoticed by her head coach.

"I don't think people realize how good of an athlete Elena is," said Getzin. "In addition to what she does on the volleyball court, she has won numerous intramural championships in basketball and flag football here at Ole Miss. She is quite a gifted athlete.

"People also don't know how competitive she is. Any time we have a competitive drill, Elena does everything she can to make sure she comes out on the winning side."

Garcia admits her competitive nature, but can't really pinpoint from where that quality comes. She just uses it to her advantage in anything she gets involved with.

"I really don't know where it (being competitive) comes from," Garcia said. "I have three sisters, so it may have come from growing up with them. We were competitive in everything, grades, sports, and even clothes.

"I started playing volleyball when I was in the seventh grade. All my friends were playing volleyball so I decided to play. There's a lot of volleyball played in the Austin area. There are a lot of club teams and all the high schools play volleyball. It's very competitive, and there are a lot of good players in the area.

"I played basketball earlier, and thought I may go that way, but I picked up volleyball and enjoyed that. I also play intramural basketball at Ole Miss, and that gives me a nice getaway from volleyball. It's great just playing for fun, but I also want to win." It's that competitive nature - along with her abilities and skills -- that Coach Getzin is relying on in 2003.

"Elena has been a great leader on and off the court," Getzin said. "She's playing hard all the time. The way Elena plays demands respect from her teammates." And Garcia will get that respect from the eight first-year players on the squad. She remembers when she was one of those newcomers three years ago, and wants to help them any way she can.

"I was a freshman once, and I know how much it helped me when the upperclassmen taught me," Garcia said. "It's a big step for all of this year's newcomers, especially with all of them being from out of state. I did the same thing, so I know how they feel. It's a big shock being away from your family and living in a new city. I just try to make them feel as comfortable as possible on and off the court."

Sounds like something a big sister in the Lady Rebel volleyball "family" would do.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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