My Lumberjack Life: Olivia Unnasch
4/1/2020 7:00:00 PM | General, Beach Volleyball
SFA Athletics is unveiling a new series called My Lumberjack Life. With the 2019-20 season of competition cut short, this series is an opportunity for our athletes to share how they've been dealing with the recent global events, and how they are spending their time away from campus and the sport they play.
It was the last thing I was worried about. In the middle of Northern California, traveling to San Jose State, UC Davis, and many other sites for competition during our spring break, I was completely unprepared for what was to come.
It was the last thing I was worried about. In the middle of Northern California, traveling to San Jose State, UC Davis, and many other sites for competition during our spring break, I was completely unprepared for what was to come.
The locals were buzzing about the effects of the coronavirus while we were in NorCal. The first of the chatter began during our competition at San Jose State University, when students attending and participating in the tournament were receiving emails alerting them that their courses were moving to an online format for the rest of the semester. From there the discussions began to grow.
To me, this felt like a distraction and concern that did not apply to my situation. My team and I were in a hotspot. This wasn't East Texas… Any questions that popped into my head regarding how the virus might affect our trip in NorCal or our trip back to Nacogdoches were easily dismissed by my mind because I was unaware of the immediate health and safety concerns that were present and how rapidly the disease was spreading. The most important thing in my world was the next match. With such a narrow focus, I saw little need to spend my time worrying about something that my teammates and I would ultimately deal with in a few days anyways when the trip was over.
Then the tweets began to come in. Thursday morning, my teammates and I were eating breakfast, scheduled to check out of our hotel and drive to Sacramento State for our final game in Northern California. My partner and I were packing when we started to see tweets from the NCAA and SFA's twitter pages about competitions being changed, then canceled because of the virus. A few others on my team were following the news with us, and we all sat together as we met with the coaches, watching slowly as our first season as a program crumbled around us.
My main reaction: anger. I felt robbed. I had worked so hard and been through so much to play this sport that I love and share that love with other people, that I couldn't bear the thought that the amazing season to come was taken away from my teammates and I in what felt like a matter of hours.
Once we made our way back to East Texas, my teammates and I stuck together, trying to find good things amidst our loss. If it wasn't for my them, I don't know where my mind would be.
Being isolated together, I was able to find peace in remembering that everything happens for a reason and be able to reflect on the things that I am grateful to have experienced in building this first year program. They pulled me out of my denial and away from my grief, giving me a chance to see that I wasn't empty-handed, regardless of the end of the season.
I see that I was able to grow my family in bond and strengthen my ties to loved ones far away. I see that I had the privilege of watching something grow from nothing and be nurtured by the most unlikely group of people that I get to call my team and home away from home. And I see that I was able to show myself that loving my sport, my people, and myself is enough, and that good things come when I do.
In this quarantine, I am excited to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that I can use to grow. I am able to teach myself greater depths of self-discipline and self-motivation, by allowing myself to be vulnerable with my emotions be transparent in how I spend my time, while encouraging my teammates to do the same. In addition, I am able to practice time management, become a better cook, learn more about my people, spend more time with my pet (a charismatic bunny rabbit), find fun in staying home, get creative in ways that I can maintain my beach volleyball skills, practice patience, and many other things. It's been quite the challenge so far, but I know I am not alone and it is not a challenge I am likely to back down from anytime soon. And, with each passing day, I get more and more excited to step on the sand and share my love again someday.
To those who are also suffering in this heartbreaking and difficult time, beloved seniors included, don't forget that this isn't the end. You all still have wonderful things ahead of you, things to be excited about and things to look forward to. Use this time to learn more about your beautiful souls and those souls closest to your heart. Teach yourself good habits and don't let your situation define you. And live your life as honestly and true to yourself as possible.
We all have something to be grateful for (even during lockdown).
And above all, don't take anyone, anything, or any moment, for granted.
Love always and be well…
- O
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