This feature is the second post of a four part series on Veteran’s and Volleyball, featuring the VA. Today we’ll talk about a smart, tall, hard-working, young lady who works at the VA and was an Honorable Mention All-American Volleyball player in college – Tricia Kohrman (formerly Tricia Winter). And, speaking of hard-working, that phrase leads us to the song of the day, “She Works Hard for the Money” by the fabulous Queen of Disco Donna Summer.
“…They really seem to need her there
It’s a sacrifice working day to day
For little money just tips for pay
But it’s worth it all
To hear them say that they care
She works hard for the money
So hard for it, honey
She works hard for the money
So you better treat her right
Already knows, she’s seen her bad times
Already knows, these are the good times
She’ll never sell out, she never will
Not for a dollar bill”
Tricia is a “small town family girl” from the Metro East area of greater St. Louis and has been working in the Education Division of the VA for slightly more than four years. Every day she does her utmost to serve Veterans and to help the VA fulfill its mission by giving back to our Veterans. Although Volleyball did not lead her to the VA, it is a significant part of who she is and helped mold her into a person who serves others.
Tricia’s Volleyball career had three distinct phases: 1) the high school and select phase at Breese Mater Dei High School and Southwest Illinois Volleyball Club; 2) the community college phase at Southwestern Illinois College; and 3) the university phase at McKendree University.
At both Mater Dei and Southwest Illinois VBC, Tricia was a standout Volleyball player. In the 2001 – 2002 season, her senior year, Mater Dei won the Illinois State Class A Girls Volleyball Championship over Quincy Notre Dame High School, 15 – 8 and 15 – 7. Tricia is still fourth on the Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Association (IHSVCA) records for blocks in a season with 295. Tricia is an inducted member of the Mater Dei Catholic High School Hall of fame for her outstanding Volleyball career.
Tricia continued to excel in the classroom and on the Volleyball court at Southwestern Illinois College, a community college close to home in Belleville, Illinois. Under the tutelage and direction of Jeff Juenger, an extremely knowledgeable and highly respected Volleyball coach, her game garnered attention from several university programs. However, as previously mentioned, she is a “small town family person” and chose to enroll at McKendree University in nearby Lebanon, Illinois.
At McKendree, playing for Coach Evelyn Bean, Tricia basically tore the court up. She recorded 1,018 kills in two years for an average of 509 kills per season. This pace, over four years, would have placed her far ahead of her teammates and peers in the record books at McKendree. However, the awards which she did earn in her two years at McKendree are also quite impressive.
- BS degree cum laude in 2006 in Marketing.
- Two time Academic All-American Athlete
- Two time Academic All Conference Athlete
- Multiple Player of the Week Volleyball Awards
- Two time All Region Volleyball Player
- Two time Honorable Mention All-American Volleyball Player
Well, there we have a snapshot of Tricia, Volleyball player extraordinaire and all around superhero at the VA. Although Tricia doesn’t play much Volleyball anymore (some subbing in sand and Reverse Coed) she still has the motivation of an elite athlete. She gets the job done in spite of any obstacles or issues in her way. As a veteran myself, I thank Tricia for all she has done for Veterans!
So, let’s grow volleyball together! Part 3 of the series tomorrow.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
