The day before Wichita State’s volleyball team began their American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament run, the team took an unorthodox approach to get ready for what ended up being a winning run.
Each team member wrote down three frustrations and struggles with the season on three separate pieces of paper. They then proceeded to tear apart and burn all of their anger —- literally —- in a tin can outside of the Champion’s Club, located at Charles Koch Arena.
Four days later, the Shockers were AAC Champions and headed to the NCAA Tournament.
Coming off two consecutive frustrating losses to close the regular season, WSU head coach Chris Lamb sensed a weight building on the team’s shoulders.
“It certainly culminated in the last week of the conference season,” Lamb said. “Where it looked like we were running through mud and deep snow. And then to be able to be that consistent, to sweep three good teams just days later, says a lot … I’ve been around sports long enough and I know if you try hard and you come together as a team, a lot of positive things can happen.”
Lamb didn’t come up with the bonfire idea. In fact, he didn’t even know it happened until the team’s boosters told him.
It was WSU athletics’ Director of Mental Health and Performance DeJon Purnell and Mental Health and Performance Counselor Mallie Hall who suggested it.
Purnell came up with the idea during the team’s “neuro excellence” meeting before the tournament. He said the mythical idea of the Phoenix was the inspiration, mentioning that the past shouldn’t dictate the future.
“We wanted to give them a chance to express things and then also use the past as a way to become something different,” Purnell said. “So from those ashes, what might emerge, especially when it comes to the postseason, is almost like a new birth — a new team.”
Lamb said he was proud of the team for how they handled it.
“It’s none of my business and I’m not going to make it my business. I’m proud of them for handling whatever they had to handle. I just think that’s how it ought to be.”
When sophomore middle blocker Maddie Wilson heard they would burn their frustrations, she said she was shocked at first but relieved afterward.
“Writing things down personally helps me when it comes to problems or frustrations,” Wilson said. “I don’t know, burning it made it feel even better especially because it was kind of like a restart for our season.”
Fifth-year setter Izzi Strand shared the sentiment.
“Watching all the papers burn and just the act of writing everything down and then burning it like, ‘It’s gone,’” Strand said. “You just kind of forget about everything that frustrated you and you’re moving on (from it). You’re relieved and excited for what’s next.”
Strand said the fiery activity has helped the team prepare for its first-round match in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think (we get) less frustrated when things don’t go our way,” Strand said. “We let things go faster. We just have more urgency, mentally. We’re definitely more urgent during practice and seeing everyone going for every ball.”
Wichita State will play its first-round match in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 5, against an old-AAC opponent, Southern Methodist University. The first serve against the Mustangs is set for 7 p.m. in Dallas.
