Letters from alumnae: Elysce Tackmann
Each Thursday this summer, Bryant University Volleyball alumnae will reflect on their experiences as a student-athlete at Bryant and playing for Coach Garlacy.
This Thursday's installment is from Elysce Tackmann, who played at Bryant from 2003-06.
"The glory days.
"For me, the best four years of my life was attending Bryant and playing volleyball for Coach Ted & Theresa Garlacy. Funny thing is it was not all sunshine and rainbows. My path leading up to being recruited from East Providence High School in Rhode Island was not exactly a direct route. Two years prior I had moved to Rhode Island from Florida before that from Maui. Volleyball was the only consistent outlet I had in my life since I was eight years old when I started playing.
"My junior year, I can remember her sitting me down in the office and saying, 'you will not be the starting setter, but we have another position for you - DS/RS/libero.' Ten years later, having been a college volleyball coach myself, I realize how difficult it can be to have that honest and real of a conversation with one of your players. We all have pivotal moments in life and that for me was one of them. I remember feeling disappointed in myself. I felt like I let myself down because the position I was recruited for I was not good enough to start in. As time went on, I thought this isn't about me. This is about what's best for the team. As a coach, she knew before I did my role that I was meant to play on that team.
"She coached me to be the best person I could be with the qualities I already had. See, Theresa has a very special gift, it is the innate quality to surround herself with likeminded positive people that possess the same qualities she does and make them better. During my time she was able to make the qualities I already possessed: dedication, commitment, focus, strength go from average, good to great. She pushed me to fight through the adversity, work hard (harder than everyone else in the room - yes she made me physically jump over hurdles) and reminded me there are no guarantees in life, life is not fair, yet if you can have even a little agility it may just allow for even more opportunities.
"My senior year I was presented with the Bulldog Award. Another memorable moment during my glory days. Although I may not have been the most talented on the team during my four years, I worked the hardest. I fought the hardest. I pushed the hardest and showed up every single day ready to make my teammates better all because she chose me to be part of her journey. I have had her in my corner pushing and coaching me since I stepped foot in the gym on day one of preseason. Even to this day, she is still one of my biggest supporters, mentors, coaches and my cheerleader pushing me to be the best I can be. Because of her, playing volleyball at Bryant for four years were my glory days."
Bryant begins its 2019 season Friday, Aug. 30, when the Bulldogs face San Diego State in a tournament hosted by FGCU in Fort Myers, Florida. The Bulldogs' home opener will be Friday, Sept. 6, when Bryant hosts North Dakota in its first match of the Hampton Inn-vitational.
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