A reporter's farewell to GCC sports
By Matt PetersenSports Editor, The VOICE
It's been said that one should live his or her own life rather than live it through the experiences of others.
I protest that to a certain extent, if only because Glendale Community College (GCC) sports have given me moments and memories that affected me as powerfully as my own.
See, I'll never know what it's like to have the ball in my hands with five seconds left and the season on the line. I'll never experience the rush of testosterone that comes from a hard-earned touchdown, or the feeling of domination that results from a candle-snuffing block at the net. Instead, I had the privilege (and to be honest, great fun) of witnessing such events transpire in Gauchos red and black.
Glendale sports defined by great moments
The hard part was conveying the excellence, effort and emotion I beheld in the written word, because honestly, words really can't do it justice.
How do you accurately share the heartbreak of a team that's just been told they had to forfeit eight games because some paperwork by a college officer was filed incorrectly?
Is it possible to convey the feeling of elation volleyball coach Lisa Stuck would show when Glendale executed seamlessly in a meaningful conference match after countless hours of practice and preparation?
Can one depict the moment when it dawns on everyone present that something truly incredible has just transpired, like a James Ellisor slam dunk or 136 points scored by a women's basketball team in 40 minutes?
Closer look showed value of the "I" in T-E-A-M
More than the teams' respective results, it's the individuals that have left their mark on this aspiring writer.
Football coach Mickey Bell stepped in as head coach for a program that had won national championships in two of the previous six years. If he felt the pressure, he never showed it. Rather, he stepped up to the standard, and expected his players to do the same.
With this year's women's tennis and softball teams, the difference between mediocrity and contention became a matter of chemistry instead of ability, and the resulting change was refreshing in a world where athletes are all too often concerned about the "me."
Coach Stuck and standout setter Brittany Clark's connection was almost extra-sensory. Their bond wasn't obvious to the eye until, when speaking to both of them separately, you heard the same desire for excellence expressed in word, and then displayed in performance.
An interview with former Glendale basketball player Deric Davis became something more. For thirty minutes, I walked with him down the path that led to his discovery, treatment, and eventual recovery from cancer that almost robbed him not only of athletic scholarships, but of a normal life.
In Nick Sheffield's eyes, I saw engraved the lessons learned from four years in prison and the mistakes that got him there, as well as the hope a new chance at life had given him.
Telling those stories as well as possible when they otherwise might have gone unknown was gratifying, and that's a weak word for how I really feel. Because I saw and spoke to these people in person, became friends with many of them, these community college figures have become bigger in my eyes than any superstar on ESPN.
Gauchos showed excellence can exist anywhere and in anyone
My gratitude for the time Glendale athletics has given to let me do what I want to do through interviews, stats research and convenient coverage at the games can't be overstated.
A dominant aspect of Gauchos sports I can only hope to apply as I move on from Glendale Community College is that of taking one's talents to the next level.
Point guard T.J. Campbell showed me that up close when he scored 34 points in a playoff game, and again when he took his 16.3 points-per-game, 45% 3-point shooting and 2.7 steals-per-game to the University of Portland.
If I've learned one thing it's this: great teams and great people can be found on any level, even when no one else would think of looking there.
Please send comments to mnpetersen@gccvoice.com
