Volleyball is on CBSCS right now--Gators leading Iowa State two sets to one. Callie Rivers is playing great.
On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 10:54 AM, Shane Ford <goufgat...@bellsouth.net>wrote: > Rivers ready to lead > Gators<http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100827/ARTICLES/100829481/1136?p=all&tc=pgall#> > Erica Brough/Staff photographer > Buy > photo<http://reprints.gainesville.com/cgi-bin/fotobroker.cgi?c=latest.htm&a=&op_by_line=contains&by_line=Brough&b=photo_db&s=&t=&show=3-4> > Florida volleyball player Callie Rivers speaks to the media at the Lemerand > Athletic Center. > > By Ray FitzGerald > Gainesville SUN Correspondent > > Published: Friday, August 27, 2010 at 6:01 a.m. > Last Modified: Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 12:12 a.m. > > > > > > > Callie Rivers had a decision to make early in her high school career: stick > with the family business or branch out into her own venture. > > Florida volleyball coach Mary Wise is happy Rivers chose to stake her own > claim. > > Rivers was a freshman at Winter Park High School when her father, Doc > Rivers, was fired as head coach of the Orlando Magic following a 1-10 start > to the 2003-04 NBA season. It turned out to be Doc's biggest break, as he > was hired the next year as head man of the Boston Celtics. It was just as > big of a year for Callie. > > It was around that time that 15-year-old Rivers decided to give up > basketball and focus full time on volleyball. > > Her family is steeped in basketball tradition: Doc was a good NBA player > before becoming a championship coach. Her brother, Jeremiah, was headed to > Georgetown on a basketball scholarship. Her youngest brother, Austin, was > still in elementary school but growing by the day. Still, the family > supported her decision. > > “I played (basketball), but then I played volleyball and I liked it a lot > more,” she said. “I feel like having six players on such a small court is > more team oriented. I enjoy that and my family knew that.” > > The decision eventually led her to UF and Wise. As Rivers begins her senior > campaign today when the Gators start the season at 3 p.m. in Omaha, Neb., > against No. 9 Iowa State, and Sunday against No. 2 Nebraska, she hopes to > make her decision pay off. > > “It's kind of scary that after this, I go into the real world,” Rivers > said. “It seems like it went by super fast.” > > Rivers, along with fellow seniors Erin Fleming and Lauren Bledsoe, hope to > bounce back from last season's campaign that, although it ended with a 25-6 > record, broke Wise's 18-year run as SEC champion. The trio hope to make the > coach's 20th Gator season a memorable one. > > “All of the seniors would be thrilled with an SEC championship, especially > after last year,” Rivers said. “Then a national championship after that.” > > To reach that goal, Rivers is taking her role as senior leader seriously. > With five new players, and the subtraction of graduated seniors Kristina > Johnson and Elyse Cusack and transfers Brynja Rodgers and Colleen Ward, > Rivers put it upon herself > > to mold this year's team in her image. > > “Callie came to us with natural leadership abilities,” Wise said. “Now, as > a senior, it's like the handcuffs are off. This is Callie's team and they > are so unbelievably competitive, and that's a reflection of Callie. > > “She may go down as the most competitive player that's ever come through > this program, and that is saying a lot.” > > A good part of that competitiveness comes from her father, who considered > leaving the Celtics after last season's NBA Finals appearance to spend more > time with his family. During a family meeting over the summer, Callie said > her opinions were clear. > > “I think my dad's persona is a coach and I wanted him to be happy,” she > said. “He loves working, so I knew that if he wasn't coaching he'd be doing > something else with basketball. So I figured as long as he loved what he was > doing, and he really loves his team, he might as well stay.” > > Doc opted to stick with his basketball team, much like Callie decided to > leave hers seven years ago. Both members of the Rivers' family are hoping > that their decisions pay off this year. > > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- Helen Huntley (727) 823-3801 www.helenhuntley.com -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
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