FAMILY’S LOVE OF GAME IS AT IT’S CENTER

BY MARK ADKINS, MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR

A recreational volleyball league meeting spawned not only an intense love of the game but led to the creation of the Tim and Angie Alberico family.

As their daughter, Callie, who has taken her enjoyment of volleyball to a stellar collegiate level, puts it, her mom and dad met during a recreational league in Blair, Neb. Tim had played collegiate football at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln got involved in the league, and met Angie, his future wife, in the process.

“Volleyball is extremely prevalent in our family,” Callie noted. “It goes beyond my mom and dad meeting through it but also due to my mom coaching me at the Blair YMCA, and then I went from there to club ball from ages nine to 17. All of that led me to a collegiate experience (at Morningside).”

Mustangs’ head coach Beth Donnelly couldn’t be happier those sequence of events occurred. Alberico has risen into the career top five for assists as the primary setter for the Maroon. Succeeding in a role where you need to be aware of nearly everything in front of you.

“You’ve got to pay attention to a lot,” she said. “The most significant focus is on the other side what they are doing, such as offensive dumps they get, where their blocks are set up and where serves might coming at you … down the line.

Most times, I’m looking for Krista (Zenk of LeMars, Iowa) upfront or Ashley (Boer of Rock Rapids, Iowa) if I’m chasing down a ball deep. However, it’s all so situational. You’re always just reading. As an example, if I see a weaker blocker at the net (for the opposition), I’ll set that way for our hitter, so they have the opportunity to get our offense going.”

With her setter skills in place, Donnelly made Alberico one of the 2019 team captains, a role she’s relished throughout the season.

“I’ve been in a leadership spot since I was a sophomore as, being a setter, you’re running the offense, so it’s natural,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed every part of being with the program and my teammates.”

Being part of the Mustang family on the court also transfers to her family off the court. Callie resides with her aunt off-campus in Sergeant Bluff and always has a large section of the crowd cheering her on. “Family is so important to me,” she admitted. “They are always behind the team at matches and me.”

Alberico, a business major, is going to let post-graduate plans play themselves out.

“There is so much you can do (with a business major),” she said. “I know I want to move to Des Moines … maybe law school. It’ll work itself out.

I tell everyone to enjoy every second of this (collegiate and volleyball experience),” she added. “Things move along quickly, so you need to soak it all in.”

Just as she and her family have done with volleyball … leading them to a game and passion of a lifetime.