Lanthorn.com

Olympian Todd Rogers teaches some lessons

By Grant Wieman GVL Staff Writer
1/26/2009

Grand Rapids in January is an unlikely place to find an Olympic gold medalist playing beach volleyball, but the event brought an opportunity for Grand Valley State University's club volleyball teams.

In town for AVP Hot Winter Nights at Van Andel Arena, Todd Rogers, a 2008 gold medalist, received an e-mail from his old friend Todd Allen, coach of GVSU's men's club volleyball teams. Rogers visited practice on Wednesday, held in the south gym of the recreation center, and answered questions about his experiences in volleyball and at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"I love coaching," Rogers said. "I've always been a coach ever since I graduated high school."

Rogers was a two-time All-American at the University of California, Santa Barbara before his professional career began, and then later returned to the school as an assistant coach.

"He wants to give back to the volleyball community as much as he can," Allen said, who added Rogers is probably the most skilled player in the world.

Rogers was more modest and called his gold-medal partner Phil Dalhausser the best, and said he might not have made the Olympics without Dalhausser.

"When I started playing with Phil the whole idea was to make the Olympics and ideally win the goal medal," he said. "Two things really went through my mind (after winning the gold). One, an incredible sense of elation -- just super, super happy. And then also a relief. The one minute after he blocked the last ball I don't remember much. I just remember feeling those emotions bubbling out and then I found my wife and ran and gave her a kiss."

Sophomore Jackie Elder, who plays for the women's club team, said she relished the opportunity to hear Rogers and to receive coaching from an Olympic gold medalist.

"I took a lot from it," Elder said. "He told me his own partner was actually a club player (in college)."

Rogers' partner, Dalhausser, played for a club team at the University of Central Florida.

"I do feel like I have more of a chance (to play after college), or I could use that as an option," Elder said. "Someone else did it and they were also playing club."

Rogers talked about the importance of hard work and proper technique, which he said helped propel himself and Dalhausser to a gold medal in their first Olympics.

"If you're (going to) be good at this game, you need to be able to pass the ball, be able to set the ball," Rogers said. "For me, if I'm not perfect passing, setting, my shots -- I would be gone. I wouldn't be playing right now."

Elder said she was able to notice these points when she watched Rogers play the following night at Van Andel Arena.

"It was a lot of technique," she said. "You could see every single spot they put the ball was on purpose."

Rogers posed for pictures with the team both at GVSU's practice and at the AVP event, although he did not bring his Olympic gold medal. For some time Rogers kept the medal in the glove box of his car so he would remember to bring it with him to all of speaking engagements around his home in California.

"The experience for me meant a lot more than the medal itself," Rogers said. "Going to a lot of schools, talking to kids, I'd feel really stupid if I forgot it."

The GVSU women will host a meet on Sunday.

Updated information on the men's team can be found at http://gvsumensvolleyball.com.

gwieman@lanthorn.com

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