Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - Leading by Example with Florida's Mary Wise
A Conversation with Florida Volleyball Coach Mary Wise
By Joey Johnston
She became a college volleyball head coach at age 21.
That was 1981.
Ronald Reagan was president. Tampa mayor Jane Castor was a University of Tampa senior. Popular songs on the radio included Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration’’ and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.’’ Gasoline cost $1.31 per gallon at the pump.
Now she’s preparing her team to play in the Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational, the Aug. 25-26 season-opening event at downtown Tampa’s Amalie Arena and USF’s Yuengling Center.
“I’m still here,’’ University of Florida coach Mary Wise said.
Is she ever.
Wise’s Florida Gators will join the Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and USF Bulls to usher in what promises to be a historic season in college volleyball. It’s the 33rd UF season for Wise, who says her passion hasn’t waned one bit.
“Of course, I’ve seen a lot of changes to women’s athletics and college athletics in general,’’ said Wise, who began her head-coaching career at Iowa State before being hired at Florida in 1991. “But the best parts of the game haven’t changed. That’s the relationship you build with the athletes. That’s the love of the competition and the eagerness you feel as you prepare for the season.’’
You practically need an encyclopedia to list all of Wise’s accomplishments. They include, in part:
* 1,026 victories (she has won 84 percent of her total matches).
* 32 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
* Eight NCAA Final Four appearances (and two trips to the championship match).
* 25 SEC championships.
* 15 SEC Coach of the Year awards.
* Three National Coach of the Year awards.
* 139 All-America player honors (amassed by 48 different Gators)
“I would love to be a coach someday and Coach Wise’s career is everything I could ever imagine,’’ Gators setter Alexis Stucky said. “What she has accomplished is truly amazing and probably will never happen again. It’s an honor to play for her.’’
“People see the numbers — and Coach Wise’s numbers are off the charts,’’ Gators libero Elli McKissock said. “But what they don’t see is the influence she has over her players, how much she helps us all grow as players and people.’’
McKissock specifically said Wise made her a better person because she taught her to organize her life. When McKissock arrived at UF, she described herself as a “chicken with its head cut off, just going in all directions.’’ She’s now confident and self-assured.
“What Coach Wise has done for me is so much more than volleyball,’’ McKissock said.
Has Wise ever considered doing something else? Not really.
“Every career has its challenges and its frustrations,’’ Wise said. “But at the end of the day, you have these incredible relationships, not only while the players are here, but throughout their lives as they have careers of their own and build their families.
“In 33 years of Gator alums, I cherish and treasure each one of them. I want them to feel connected to our program. And I will tell you that if a former player walks into our practice, we’re going to stop that practice and recognize them. My career has provided so many wonderful perks — and it continues to this day. Why would I walk away from that?’’
The Gator volleyball alumni include Claire Lessinger, vice president of events for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, which is hosting the Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational. Lessinger has connections everywhere. She was once USF’s head coach. She was also a USF assistant when two of the event’s head coaches — Jolene Shepardson (USF) and Michelle Collier (Georgia Tech) — were Bulls players.
But Lessinger’s most enduring relationship remains with Wise.
“The Gator volleyball family is a tight-knit group of proud alumni that have a few things in common — we all wore orange and blue, we all won a lot and we all played for Mary Wise,’’ Lessinger said. “Mary keeps the strong bonds and friendships alive by inviting and welcoming us back to campus, finding unique ways to honor and celebrate us.
“For me, Mary has always been a role model and someone I looked up to, but I’m also lucky to call her a mentor. She has been extremely influential in my life’s journey and I’m so excited that our paths are uniting around the Road 2 Tampa Bay Invitational and our Growing the Game campaign. It’s a special moment in time for me personally.’’
When the Gators come to Tampa, they’re hoping for a sharp season-opening performance. The larger goal is a return to Tampa in December when the NCAA Volleyball Final Four is staged at Amalie Arena.
The one major accomplishment that has eluded Wise is an NCAA championship. Obviously, if the Gators could accomplish that in Tampa, it would be a dream scenario.
But what if it never happens for Wise? Would she be terribly disappointed?
“A younger version of myself would have definitely said, ‘Yes, I would be disappointed if my career ends without a national championship,’ ‘’ Wise said. “But at this stage of my career, I have a much better perspective and it’s a wonderful thing to understand.
“It’s not about the ending. It’s about the journey. I would never trade the relationships formed with players and families. That is truly the most important thing.
“You need to be good. You also need to be lucky. Sometimes your libero gets a broken hand just before the Final Four. Sometimes your leading middle blocker blows out her ACL prior to a match. You have to hope the stars are aligned. All you can do is put yourself in the mix every year and keep doing your best. And I think we have done that very well.’’
Leading By Example Columns