Ottawa volleyball shows respect with ‘Volley for Veterans’ night

Ottawa volleyball coach Jenn Crum wanted to continue the program’s effort to make a difference, but in a different way.

“When I took over the program in 2017, Ottawa volleyball was having a ‘Cops for Cancer’ night, and while cancer is a very important cause, and almost every other cause teams have a special night for, I felt like many schools were doing that and the cause was already getting a lot of support,” Crum said. “I come from a family with many veterans in it, and I felt like there is nothing greater than putting yourself in a position that you may make the ultimate sacrifice.

“I feel like with every generation, what veterans did and had to go through in our country’s history is further and further removed from what they learn about. You ask some kids now about the Vietnam War, and they don’t even know what that was.”

On Oct. 12, in a match against Sycamore, Ottawa’s volleyball team held its fifth “Volley for Veterans” night at Kingman Gymnasium.

With the gym filled with red, white and blue banners, streamers and balloons, 15 veterans escorted to the floor by members of the Pirates volleyball team were honored before the game for their service.

“I wanted to bring awareness to what our veterans have done for us, and this was something I don’t think any other school was doing,” Crum said. “I asked the girls that year if they wanted to make a switch to ‘Volley for Vets,’ and they were all in.”

This year, proceeds from the event went to the Oscar Mike Foundation, which is based in Marengo, Crum said.

“We change up the organization or foundation we are working with every season,” she said. “I start looking for local ones, then in Illinois, and then the Midwest with the hope they will be able to also attend and talk about why they do what they do.”

Oscar Mike is a term from military radio jargon used on the front lines that translates into “on the move,” Crum said. The organization offers clothing, and proceeds go toward helping injured veterans get involved in rehabilitative and adaptive sports, she said.

“This is a very cool thing we are able to be a part of as players,” Ottawa senior captain Olivia Evola said. “Normally you come to a volleyball match, and it’s just about volleyball. The nights we do this it’s an honor to be able to walk out with people we care about to show respect for what they gave up serving our country.

“My grandfather was in the Korean War, and he passed away a few years ago. It would have been so cool for him to be here and for me to be able to walk out here with him, but I felt like he walked out with me tonight just the same in spirit.”

Jon Allison, an Army specialist who served in Afghanistan, said he was honored and thankful he was able to attend.

“I signed up for the Army in 2017 and was off to boot camp that same year,” Allison said. “I was a 12M firefighter and medic in the reserves but was called for deployment in Afghanistan in October of 2019. My commitment was done in April of this year, and I finished up my business administration/management at Illinois State University.”

Allison said he didn’t know what to expect but considered it an honor.

”It was a very nice ceremony, and the organization the money is going to sounds fantastic,” Allison said. “As far as the match, it was close and very entertaining.”

Ottawa senior Chey Joachim said the night is something she and her teammates very much look forward to.

“I’m glad we have a night where we can celebrate our veterans,” she said. “We always want to play well, and we did tonight. But we always want to play the best we can on the night the veterans are all here. I mean, they probably don’t care if we win or lose, and they maybe don’t know much about volleyball, but I think all of us as players just want to use our play to show our appreciation for the things they’ve all done that allow us to do what we do.”

Steve Crum, Jenn’s father, joined the Marines in 1966 for a three-year tour in Vietnam. The former sergeant said he hopes people never forget the sacrifices he and his fellow veterans gave to our country and thought the event helps remind people of the need to help veterans.

“I’ve been to every one of these events, I believe, but I didn’t care for the one last year because they announced I served in the Army,” he said with a laugh. “It’s nice to have all the guys come out and be appreciated for something that happened a long time ago. It’s nice that we haven’t been forgotten.