SPORTSBEAT, BY PETER JAKEY: Former Huron earns all-American honors in volleyball at FSU
It was Karla Fairbanks? time to shine. When given the opportunity to assert her presence on the court this fall for the Ferris State University volleyball team, Karla a junior, did not waste the opportunity.
Fairbanks was named captain and found her place on the floor. While the recently-completed season didn?t end the way she and her Bulldog teammates wanted it to, the outside hitter, who made her mark in basketball, volleyball and softball in Rogers City, has received some impressive post-season accolades, including all-American honorable mention.
Sounds pretty good doesn?t it, especially the all-American part? The news followed her selections to the all-region and all-conference squads.
FAIRBANKS, WHO was named a co-recipient of Ferris? 2003 Most Valuable Player Award, registered a team-high 516 kills and 336 digs during the 2003 campaign. She also became the 13th player in school history to register 1,000 career kills and presently ranks 12th among the school?s all-time leaders with 1,111 career kills. ?It means a lot,? said Fairbanks on the telephone Tuesday night from school. ?I?ve been working really hard in the off season to improve on my game.? I?ll say she improved. Fairbanks became the 11th FSU player in the last eight years to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-Great Lakes Region First Team. Six players received honorable mention laurels, including junior setter Ashley Green (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania/Baldwin).
GREEN WAS commended by Fairbanks for putting the ball right where she needed it, so she could do her thing. Green led Ferris for the third consecutive season with 1,215 assists this season. Green and Fairbanks should pack a wallop in the fall of 2004 as seniors. And it?s no surprise Karla wants to up the ante next season, improve her game, if that?s possible, while helping her team make a good showing at regionals. That would be the first goal. The other post-season honors, like making it on the First-Team All American, will follow.
I still like the way that sounds. It sounds good when you say it really slow. ?Karla Fairbanks, all-American.? Okay, enough of that. The adjustment from playing in high school has been any easy one for Fairbanks. She has had three seasons to find her place but it?s a matter of a group of players having a common goal that has made the transition easier.
?EVERYBODY THAT is playing at the collegiate level really wants to be there and is willing to put the extra work into their game to be good,? she said. ?It?s awesome to play with people that are like me.? The 5-11 Fairbanks recorded 2
?I really want to lead the team to a regional championship,? said Fairbanks, who was a 2002 GLIAC All-Academic honoree. ?We?ve only been to the regionals once, and we didn?t make too good of a showing. I think we can do a lot next year.?