Ball State University Athletics
The Day That Changed Everything, The Sarah Obras Story
November 10, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
by Brad Caudill
Nov. 10, 2005
- - "I am going to look back on my career and only see the good times, because the bad times are not important." - - Ball State senior outside attacker Sarah Obras.
Last November 10, Sarah Obras stepped onto the volleyball court at Miami's Millett Hall on pace to shatter every offensive record in Mid-American Conference history. However, with the Cardinals trailing 19-17 in the opening game, fate changed the outside attacker's life forever.
On what appeared to be a routine attack attempt, Obras buckled to the floor clutching her left knee as her ACL, MCL and meniscus gave out all at once.
One year later as she lies on a table in the Worthen Arena Training Room with associate athletics trainer Tony Cox stretching out her knee, Obras accounts how her faith has led her to where she is today.
"Everything that has happened to me over the last year is a test of my faith in Christ and what He has gone through," Obras says. "A lot of people would say ‘I want to go out and prove something' after an injury like I suffered. However, I would not have healed or even be jumping right now if it was not for God. Healing the way I have is a miracle in itself. That has given me all the inspiration I need."
With her faith as a guide, Obras has proved that despite her injury, she can still be a vital component to the team. She currently ranks second on the squad with a 3.91 digs-per-game average, while placing third in kills per game at 3.03. She has also turned into one of the team's best servers, blasting 24 aces on the year.
With her mindset, she has quietly turned in the best all-around season of her volleyball career.
"Out of injury comes opportunity," Ball State head coach Randy Litchfield says. "Sarah was presented with a chance to not only improve her game, but to show the team that hard work and dedication are important parts to success.
"Sarah is driven to succeed. She evaluated ways to become an even better player coming into the season and has put a huge focus on her backcourt play, passing and defense. Those are areas where she is excelling right now."
Indeed Obras' attention to her all-around play paid off Oct. 22 when the Cardinals hosted Eastern Michigan, as the 5-10 senior became the first player in MAC history to record 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs in a career.
The same match also saw Obras become the school's all-time career kills leader as well as the league's career attempts leader. Obras enters the final weekend of the MAC regular season 22 kills shy of breaking the all-time league mark of 1,907 set by Northern Illinois' Tera Lobdell (2001-2004).
"I am thankful I have been given the opportunity to become the player I have this year with my defense, blocking and serving. Those have are the areas I have been focusing on more than my hitting, because I am not just an attacker."
Obras currently ranks second in career digs at Ball State and seventh in league annals with 1,589. She has also tallied 95 service aces over her career, which ranks 20th in school history.
Though Obras has developed her all-around play, she has dropped out of the spotlight which a three-time First Team All-MAC selection would generally receive entering her senior season. Unlike past seasons, she has not picked up MAC West Division Player of the Week honors nor does she rank in the top 10 in any MAC statistical category. She has also not been the key player opponents have focused on this fall.
"At first it was a rough transition from being in the spotlight to being a role player. I was not ready for it mentally, because physically I was confident I could be the same player I was before. In reality, I am not the same. I had to look at what my ability was, what kind of player I am now and where I can contribute most to this team and be a true team player.
"As a Christian, I have been taught through my faith, my background and my family that you do not deserve any individual credit. God has blessed me with numbers, awards and records. None of which I give myself credit for, because my motivation and my inspiration come from Christ."
While Obras gives credit to her faith for helping her through the hard times as well as for her accolades, she also sees the impact her teammates have had in her life, especially this season.
"I have been inspired by my teammates because of their love for the game. They remind me everyday why I love this game. I have this love and talent, so I am going to use it and enjoy it every second I can. Without them, it would be really tough because of everything I have been through."
In turn, Obras also hopes she has helped inspire her teammates not only on the court, but in life as well.
"I hope I inspire my teammates not to play the game for any selfish reasons, because that should not be the goal. I hope to inspire them to let go of themselves, the recognition and awards, because none of that is going with you. When they talk about me after I am gone, I want them to take away the fact I did not live my life for anybody but God.
"I have been placed here with these teammates and coaches not to just play volleyball, but to get a message across. I hope I have accomplished that in my four years here."
Litchfield agrees that Obras' actions have had a lasting effect on the team.
"Sarah is real intense about her training, competition and performance," Litchfield adds. "She is very much a perfectionist. The demands she puts on herself are a great influence on the team.
"The timing and severity of Sarah's injury would have knocked a lot of people back so far they would not be able to recover. Sarah showed us by July that she was determined and would be ready to go."
Obras agrees with her head coach's views of her determination and quest for perfection.
"I am a perfectionist," Obras states with a laugh. "It is hard for me not to play perfect. I use to feel as though not playing perfect was failure. However, I have come to realize that is not true.
"I have succeeded in every aspect of my life only because I am here today. Yes, I have failed at times, but I can not look at everything as if it were a bad pass.
"If I make a bad pass and say ‘I have failed' what am I going to do? I have to say, I made a bad pass, God still loves me. Give me the next ball."
Obras then turns the court on Litchfield by saying his demands for perfection out of his players at all times has really helped her become a more well-rounded person.
"I love the fact Randy demands perfection on every play. While he understands we are all going to make mistakes as players, he is not going to say ‘It is okay, just keep making mistakes.' I like how he stands strong and continues to demand perfection.
"When I first started playing for Randy, I took his attitude toward perfection to the extreme. Over the years, I have learned a lot from him because I have not been perfect, especially this season if you look at the numbers. However, if you look at the whole scheme of things, I have had an amazing year and career. I have been successful in more ways than one."
When Obras ends her career in a few weeks, she is not just going to go out as the Ball State or the Mid-American Conference all-time leader in kills or attack attempts. She is going to go out as Sarah Obras, the player who left it all out on the court and did it all for her team and for God.
When many others could have walked away, she will go out as a player who overcame much and inspired many.
"When I am done playing and I look back on my four years at Ball State, I am not going to look back and say I was a great hitter. I am going to look back and say I was able to contribute in every aspect of the game, in every area of the court while helping my team succeed in volleyball and in life.
"I am going to look back on my career and only see the good times, because the bad times are not important."
- BC -
