Supporting St. Joe

Although volleyball and basketball are back at the St. Joseph Catholic School gymnasium for just the second year following a hiatus, attending a game feels like stepping back to a nostalgic time when values and teamwork prevailed.

Both teams, comprised of elementary girls, stand pre-game facing a blue, white, and gold banner on the south wall. The opposing team stands in respect, some girls with hands on their hearts, while the St. Joe girls speak the words on the banner with sincerity.

“Loving Father, we thank you for this day, for our two schools, for the health to be here, for the thrill of this event, and for the student athletes playing these games. Through the power of the Spirit, give these players the grace to play their best and be good sports, win or lose. May this game and all we do, draw us closer to your Son, Jesus. Amen.”

With the church sanctuary silhouette visible through large windows to the west, the gym features brown brick on the lower half, some covered by mats, and painted white and gray brick on the upper portion. Spectator stands sit atop a wooden stage with gold curtains, opposite the entrance doors, which look out to a tile hallway and paper “WELCOME” letters, covered in lion paw prints, adorning the opposite wall.

“Our students were asking to have these games at St. Joe,” Principal Bethany Fewell said this week. “They are so proud of our school, its traditions, and what we are about, rooted in the Catholic faith, that they wanted people to come into our building and see this.”

Re-opening the gym to elementary competition was the result of diligent labor and fundraising. At last year’s annual school reverse raffle in November, funds were raised to re-paint the gym; install new wall mats, a rock wall, and banners; and commission a cross in honor of former parishioner and school secretary Debbi Gallagher, who passed away in 2015.

“The St. Joe community and the community as a whole is so supportive of St. Joe,” Fewell said. “Because of this, dreams that we have to improve the school are able to come true.”

PTO president and volleyball coach Brittany Robbins agrees. “Our new gym renovation is amazing. The girls don't say a lot about it, but one comment was, ‘This is our house, let's show them how we win!’”

Those renovations, while appearing seamless, just began the day after school dismissed for summer.

“My teachers and staff were told that they would not be able to come into the building for two weeks,” Fewell said. “Thank God I have a great staff that pulled together to be ready to be out of the building so soon after the last day. This was a summer-long process that was just completed last month.”

In the past week, I’ve observed two games, both of which St. Joe won, against Hendricks and Loper, an improbable feat given that five of the seven players are fourth graders playing in a fifth grade league.

“They may be a little team, but definitely mighty,” Robbins said of the Lions. “We have always been the smaller team in years past but that doesn't stop us from trying to be the best.”

Despite being overmatched on paper, a host of intangibles add up for the private elementary school.

“At St. Joe, everyone is family,” Robbins said. “We can feel that even more at home games. The atmosphere at home seems to bring out the best in our girls.”

The team also benefits from talented coaching. In addition to Robbins, former Shelbyville High School and NCAA standout Sharon (Knecht) Burton, a member of the Ball State University Athletic Hall of Fame, helps coach the girls on the basics of serving and volleying.

Neither coach has players on the team. Robbins’ daughters, Mia and Macey, first and second grades, respectively, and Burton’s daughter, third grade, all attend St. Joe, but none are on the team roster yet.

“Karlin...is starting to enjoy the love of the game with me,” Burton said of her child. “I also was a St. Joe student myself and with my experience with volleyball at Ball State, I wanted to give back what was given to me. It took a lot of coaches, teammates and opponents to make me the player I am today and I owe that to the sport and to these kids who are trying to be successful at this sport.”

Robbins was also originally asked by the athletic director about her interest in developing the girls’ skills.

“I love helping them grow in sports, so I was happy to help,” Robbins said.

That willingness to work with others’ children isn’t unusual at St. Joe.

“I just have to say that St. Joseph School has great supporters that understand the mission of our school, to educate students in the Catholic faith,” Fewell said. “They make great things happen in this school every year, and our students understand how blessed they are by those who give of their time, talent, and treasure to help make our school great.”

With experienced coaches, the kids receive more than mere encouragement. Calls of “Hips back when passing! On your toes when we are receiving a serve! Hips facing forward!” and “Reach for the ball when serving!” occur throughout the game.

“I am sure they are tired of hearing it, but it is just repetition and breaking the skills down to the basics that will help them be successful,” Burton said.

Despite their youth and size disadvantage, the work on fundamentals is paying off as the team picked up a couple of wins early in the season.

“One of our kids asked if we are going to coach next year,” Burton said. “She said, ‘I hope so, because I never thought I would get a serve over.’”

That player is now the number two server on the team.

“(She) is succeeding with each practice due to determination and a wonderful work ethic,” Burton said. “These type of comments from our players and seeing the smiles and hard work make it worth every practice and game.”

Robbins added, “Of course, a few wins definitely helps boost their confidence.”

Burton agrees. “We are a very young team this year but should be tough as nails next year.”

As the season wears on, the girls seem to be exhibiting that toughness earlier than anticipated, thanks to an active crowd and a refurbished venue.

With the gymnasium project complete, Fewell looks to another priority for this year’s reverse raffle.

“The plan is to raise enough money to fund classroom renovations that will help provide students with learning spaces that meet the needs of our learners, their technology, and the teaching styles of our teachers,” she said.

If last year is any indication, the St. Joe family will likely pull it off through diligent labor. And fundraising.

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