The Road to Victory
The Final Moment
When Eva Joldersma scored the match point of the final volleyball set in the NAIA National Championship, the IWU women’s volleyball team rushed the floor as Coach Candace Moats watched through tears.
“That was a moment,” she recalls, “but the journey was the memory.” For Moats, a season of surrender opened the way for the very talented and dedicated team to climb the polls while leaving room for joy to motivate the girls on and off the court.
The Journey
Coaching: Not For the Faint of Heart
As Coach Moats prepared to begin her 22nd year of coaching the IWU women’s volleyball team, she felt tired. She says, “You just get tired, and that was creeping in after three or four pretty difficult seasons.”
Add her fatigue to a negative letter from a former player, and she felt attacked in already vulnerable areas. The letter really “rocked my world,” Moats admits and was a pivotal life moment. Her only option was reevaluation.
She says, “I went away for four days and prayed and thought about the upcoming season. I felt God asking me to surrender my control and that’s what I did.”
Letting Go of Control
She decided to try a season God’s way. Coach Moats began leading with a different and distinct style which resulted in a team of girls with more joy “I started to surrender, and God brought joyful girls who were fun and had so much grace for me in the most difficult moments.”
She felt God say, “Let me walk with you in this. You’re going to go beyond what you could imagine.”
The team began playing and winning early. Coach Moats attributes the success to the talent and ability represented on the team, especially a strong sophomore class.
Young Players Stand Out
Take Abbie Porter, for example. The sophomore nursing major continued to grow in her position as setter. When she walked onto the team her freshman year, she agreed to learn how to be the best setter she could be- a position she never filled before collegiate play.
Another sophomore, Eva Joldersma, “could have played volleyball anywhere,” according to Coach Moats, “she’s very talented.”
Joldersma, an Exercise Science major, chose to play at IWU because of the spiritual formation she anticipated and the coaching philosophy of “people before points.” The team won set after set, match after match, tournament after tournament.
A Team of Precision and Extreme Success
This season’s team posted unusually impressive stats regularly with hitting percentages in the high 200 or 300 range. While IWU could plan to target weak spots on the opposing teams, but opposing teams rarely could do the same.
The talent spread across the court with every position. They chased goals and wins all season long and began to think an NAIA championship was in the realm of possibility.
Then it all started happening. The women played their way into the quarterfinals then the semis, and then suddenly they found themselves in the championship match.
Coach Moats prayed again, “Lord, please let us have this!” She experienced a lot of emotions heading into the game as she says the opportunity came after “a long time of hope.” She knew this was IWU’s opportunity.
Championship Match
The championship game proved challenging. They began play and found themselves down 2-1. They realized they were playing for themselves and not a team, so they changed their mindset- trusting God and staying together as a team.
Both Porter and Joldersma felt the game-changing moment in the fifth when the score was 12-8, just three points away from a championship trophy.
Joldersma remembers, “I just looked at Marta Zambetti and Abbie Porter and said, ‘Guys we are so close, we can do this!’ They nodded and I could just feel like we could do it in that moment.”
And they did. When Joldersma scored the final match point, the women rushed the court. They won! Elated and crying teammates piled on top of one another as they realized the work of their entire season culminated in this celebration.
A Blessing From God
God blessed the team with an NAIA National Championship title, and they were overwhelmed.
For Coach Moats, it was a message of God’s affirmation. Her season of surrender resulted in a celebration and national championship trophy.
“Winning this championship for me is confirmation that if you give things to God and surrender, he will be faithful. I have a confidence that letting go of my control is the best way to go moving forward in the next years. He will never let me down.”
The journey ahead is bright for IWU women’s volleyball, with a young and talented team and a coach willing to lead God’s way.
Follow IWU Women's Volleyball
To stay up-to-date on what's happening with Indiana Wesleyan University's women's volleyball team, go to https://iwuwildcats.com/sports/womens-volleyball.
Collegiate Volleyball
IWU is one of many schools scouting their next talented volleyball player. The game played indoors at many universities during the winter months takes an entire team of talent, six players with grit and precision. Most recruited players played for their high school or AAU teams across the nation before being recruited to play at the collegiate level.
Student athletes in many sports receive scholarships to participate in a sport like volleyball, but it means many hours spent in the gym while studying for difficult exams and keeping up with a rigorous college schedule. Most players at IWU would say playing college sports is worth the extra time because of the team building and spiritual mentoring they experience.
On the women's IWU volleyball team, players are encouraged not only on the court, but in their spiritual lives as well. One player, Marta Zambetti shares the way her spiritual life has been impacted by the players on the women's volleyball team.
One International Student Athlete's Story
Marta Zambetti anticipated success on the volleyball court as an IWU athlete, but she wasn’t expecting the personal spiritual growth nurtured through teammates, coaches, faculty, and staff at IWU. An international student from Italy, her height and athleticism attracted the attention of international athlete recruiters encouraging her to become a “super senior,” playing at a university while completing a master’s degree. IWU provided the MBA program she sought after and welcomed her to the volleyball team.
Inspired by Her Team
Thanks to teammate, Macey Staggs, Marta learned how to live as a Christian. Marta says, “Macey was a leader for me; she just keeps showing Christ to me and my teammates.” Her example inspires Marta as she became a “big sister” for two freshmen players, pushing them on the court to boost their confidence and help them see the positive in everything. Marta enjoys spending time with her team, attending chapel, not because she is required, but because she wants to worship with them.
A Future Challenge
Marta plans to return to Italy, hopefully to play professional volleyball in come capacity. The players she will encounter in Italy will not share her faith or the community she enjoys at IWU, but she is willing to share what she’s learned about her faith with them. Her future holds many possibilities, marrying her long-time boyfriend, finding a career in event planning, and using her English language skills to open even more opportunities. One thing is certain, she wants to be a world changer. “I want to make a difference. Faith gives you confidence, not because you have control of everything, but because you know who is in control.”
College Sports at IWU
Women's volleyball isn't the only team experiencing these stories of mentoring and discipleship. Ask a basketball player or a cross country runner if they are mentored on their collegiate team and they will respond with a resounding, "YES!"
Do You Want to Play a College Sport?
All prospective students are welcome to visit with our coaches on a visit day at IWU. There are over 600 student athletes on our campus, enjoying a physical challenge and spiritual transformation. Explore the possibility of joining this prestigious group by scheduling a visit to campus today! Click here to learn more.