Draeger Experiences USA Volleyball – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 19, 2001
By D. C. Koehl, Ohio State Athletics Communications
While most student-athletes would covet their summer as a time to relax and get away from school and volleyball, Shelly Draeger used her summer to practice her sport and learn about another part of the world. As a member of the USA A-2 women’s volleyball squad, her summer was more practice and the experience of traveling and playing in the Dominican Republic.
“It was definitely an experience,” Draeger said. “We trained in Colorado Springs, Colo., for three weeks before going to the Dominican Republic to play for a week. We traveled and played in different towns to promote volleyball. The conditions were not always great, but we had fun.”
The trip proved to be a quick look into the lives of others outside the United States.
“It was an educational experience,” Draeger said. “I don’t think I would want to do it again, necessarily in the volleyball sense, but I think I would like to go to see things, when I could see the people that live there.”
The experience helped Draeger to prepare for the current Ohio State season.
“The training and matches gave me a lot of repetitions in passing and defense,” Draeger noted. “It brought me back into the game of volleyball.”
With an 8-0 record so far into the 2001 season, Draeger likes what she sees with the Buckeyes.
“Our team is headed in the right direction,” Draeger said. “We are improving every day and getting better. We don’t have a lot of depth, so we are all trying to stay healthy. That is not easy to do. Hopefully we can all stick it out.”
Draeger feels the mix of the squad is good and has come together.
“The strength of our team comes from the chemistry of the group,” Draeger said. “We are sticking together when it is 28-28 in a game or down 0-2 in a match. We are going to have to rely on each other a lot. Because we are not that big of a team, we stayed in Columbus most of the summer to work out. That has been a good thing for us.”
Earlier this season, Draeger equaled an Ohio State match record of seven service aces against Tennessee Tech. She currently has 21 aces in 25 games this season.
“I am aiming for seams and weak people,” Draeger said. “I am going for different spots on the floor. It is not just serving the ball in. You serve hard so they get used to that and are back on their heels and then serve them soft.”
With the Big Ten Conference season about to begin, Draeger said: “The talent level will be up. During the preseason, we have played better teams every weekend, but we will have to step it up a level to compete in the Big Ten. It will be interesting how we respond.”
No matter the outcome on the court, Draeger, a junior outside hitter from Milwaukee, Wis. has planned for her future. She is a sports and leisure studies major. She plans to get her master’s in education and teach fifth and sixth grades.
