Nov. 14, 2003
By Sara Hunninghake
Mizzou Media Relations
On the surface, Sara Parks appears to be somewhat of a wanderer.
Her position on the court might be the most obvious indication. As the Libero, Parks' different color jersey is her ticket to enter and exit the game at will. She's the team rover, darting on and off the court in one way or another during all six rotations.
Dig a little deeper into her history and you'll also see that Parks transferred to Mizzou from Nebraska in 2001. After playing volleyball as a Husker for a year, she realized the program simply "wasn't the best fit." She needed something different.
But don't be too quick to make any assumptions about the Missouri junior. Closer inspection will tell you that she's anything but a wanderer. Rather, her volleyball career more accurately reflects her ability to adapt in challenging situations.
The confidence and poise she displays as the Tiger's defensive specialist is an even clearer indication that Parks has found her home at Missouri.
Yet, even Parks could not have predicted the course her career has followed during college.
A native of Papillion, Neb., Parks grew up loving Nebraska volleyball. Even as a child, she knew she wanted to play there. Thus, when it came time to look at colleges, Parks' search began and ended in Lincoln. She committed to the Huskers without looking at any other schools.
"I think any girl from Nebraska dreams of playing at Nebraska," she said. "But for me, it wasn't all that it was hyped up to be."
Even though Parks had a solid first season - she averaged 1.55 digs in 77 games - conflicts with the coach left her unhappy and frustrated. The Huskers went to the Final Four that year, but it wasn't enough to convince Parks to stick it out. She left the team at the end of the season.
Initially, Parks considered quitting the sport altogether. On the surface, the season had drained much of her energy and enthusiasm. Deep down, she was scared to start over somewhere else. Despite her reservations, Parks listened to the urgings of her parents who encouraged her to look at other options. She decided to take a chance at Missouri.
Mizzou initially appealed to Parks because the program was on the upswing. Susan and Wayne Kreklow were beginning to land some talented recruits, and Parks saw an opportunity to be a part of this new volleyball tradition.
It also helped that many members of the Missouri team were past teammates and competitors in Nebraska before college. For example, she and setter Lindsey Hunter played both high school and club volleyball together on the same team, and their families were long-time friends before that.
One might think it took a while for Parks to adjust to a new university and volleyball program. Quite the contrary.
"Right away, it just felt right," Parks said. "It's like night and day being here. It was a big change for the better."
The toughest part about transferring was, surprisingly, volleyball itself. Parks hadn't played since December, and when she touched a ball for the first time six months later during two-a-day fall practices, it took time to rediscover her feel for the game. But that adjustment, like everything else, came quickly.
In 2002, Parks was one of three Tigers to play in all 122 games for Mizzou. She was second on the team in digs (332) and digs per game (2.72). This season, Parks has continued to provide the anchor in the back row, improving her digs-per-game average to 3.33. In Big 12 matches alone, she is averaging 3.42 digs per game, sixth best in the conference.
While the hitters seem to get all the glory after pounding a big kill, it's the players who make the play possible with an accurate pass that tend to get overshadowed. Some might get frustrated because of this, but not Parks. Defense has always been her first love.
"I had my days as an outside hitter in high school, but defense and passing has always been my forte," she said. "I might not be the best passer, but I make a move for every ball. I like the feeling of hitting the floor and knowing that everything starts with the defensive players. Everything depends on our pass, and that is gratifying in and of itself."
For most of the Mizzou players, the highlight of this season was easily the Tigers' 3-2 victory at Nebraska in October. For Parks, the win held even more significance.
"I was always a highly respected athlete at Nebraska, and after I left, I wanted to go somewhere else and prove myself," she said. "Because I left on such bad terms with my coach, it was my dream to go to a different school and beat them."
At one time, Parks might have felt like she was returning home to Nebraska Coliseum, but not anymore. Her black and gold roots are now firmly fixed in Missouri.