Breese Journal College Report Feature on Jennifer Calloway
9/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By: Daniel L. Chamnes
Breese (Ill.) Journal College Report
At the age of 41, Jen Rakers-Calloway is doing something this year she has not had to in any of her previous years at the University of South Carolina Upstate: face the year without her father, her mentor and former Mater Dei coach and legend Fred Rakers.
No matter how many miles separated the father, the high school coaching legend, the daughter; the young college coach, advice on volleyball or just a talk was simply a cell phone call away.
"When I knew Dad was retiring, we had so many plans," said Rakers-Calloway. "Last spring we talked about him coming to South Carolina to travel with me and the team. He was funny, asking me if I would mind if he sat in on my practices because he wanted to see how I ran things. I said sure Dad! He was looking forward to being able to see some of his former players play again too! There are so many things that I miss about him. Those morning phone calls, the calls after his matches and mine. As I got older, you begin to appreciate that he was a coach for so long. The only way you can do it, is you have to love coaching and be passionate about it. He loved it and he loved the athletes."
That love of the sport translated to his daughter, not only as a coach, but as a player. As a small child, she would practice on her own, hitting the ball against the wall or whatever surface was available. At games, she would sit, listen and observe. When she was old enough, she would shag balls for the high school team. Eventually, she was on the Aviston grade school team. Her coaching stint started in high school when she helped the Aviston Grade School team win a state title.
"Jen loved everything about volleyball," said Rosie Rakers, her mother. "She respected her dad so much. He had so much knowledge. She always listened to his advice. When she became a coach, the two would talk for hours about volleyball and what to do in certain situations."
As a player, she helped the Mater Dei Knights finish third. She played at Southwestern Illinois College, then known as Belleville Area College, and for University of South Carolina-Upstate, at the time a Division II team.
Within a year of graduating, she was named the head coach of the Spartans. In 1996 at the age of 23, she was the youngest head coach in Division II. In the first 10 years, all at Division II, she won 20 or more matches in eight of the first 10 years. In 2007, the Spartans made a change and became a Division I team. Thus far, she has won over 300 matches.
While she was succeeding and making a name for herself in the Carolinas, her father was preparing to hand the Mater Dei head coaching job to his son, Chad Rakers.
"My father knew that taking over for him was going to be difficult," said the USC-Upstate head coach. "I am amazed at Chad. He has the toughest job of all and he is doing great things. I suppose the theme of my dad's life was that he helped other people become great. He did not look at himself as great though. One of the extremely unique things about him was that he was humble. If Mater Dei lost, it was his fault and he took the blame. If they won, he would say it is the girl's fault."
Through the first 10 matches, South Carolina-Upstate is 6-4. They have already won more matches than one year ago, when Rakers-Calloway was flying back and forth to visit with her father.
"When dad was dying, I had so much support," said Rakers-Calloway. "Not only from my family, but from my Aviston, Mater Dei, USC-Upstate and Spartanburg families as well. My husband and children were nothing short of amazing, as was the entire staff my university. His cancer diagnosis and death has given me a new perspective. My sounding board turned into a well of tears and tough love on the court."
But, in her 18 years of coaching before her dad passed away, the pair probably bounced almost every situation off of each other. While Fred Rakers, who initially learned how to coach volleyball by reading a book and observing other great coaches is no longer with us, he is alive and well in Rakers-Calloway's head. And chances are, whatever situation arises, the two have covered it in the past. And most likely, Rakers-Calloway remembers her father's advice and will do what she always did: follow it completely.
