There's no place like home

Glendale — The calls announcing dismay and concern and wishing to offer aid came from every quarter to Nicolet girls volleyball coach Dann Jacobson following the disastrous flood at the school on July 22.

And they came despite the fact that he lost no nets, no uniforms, nothing like that.

But he needed the help desperately because what he and the two-time North Shore Conference champions lost, was something both tangible and emotional.

They lost their home. Their gym floor was ruined and gone.

And wisely enough - among all the kind offers of aid - Jacobson decided to stay close to home, taking up temporary residence at University School as head coach Sue Baker offered the Knights' assistance in scheduling practice times.

Inconvenience vs. true loss

So now the Knights go to work after the Wildcats do, a little later in the day at a more inconvenient time, but no big deal in the coach's eyes.

"After I absorbed what happened to us (the school), I looked around and saw what happened to all those poor people who had their homes washed out and all their stuff in their basements ruined," he said. "For us, this is just a matter of inconvenience. Nothing really that changed our lives at all."

Nicolet and its restoration service, which has been working around the clock to meet the Sept. 13 deadline for the start of school, hopes to have the new gym floor in place before the end of September.

Ideally, the Knights would have their home opener on Sept. 30 against the team that Jacobson sees as the favorite this season in the NSC, Germantown.

For the time being, Nicolet schedules have all North Shore duals on the road.

"I would love to have that at home," he said, "because I know how loud that (Germantown) place can get, but I can't say enough about Sue (Baker). We're using their stuff, their gym. They're just being really good neighbors.

"That's one of the finest gyms in the state (USM) that we're practicing in, and because of them, we've landed on our feet."

Looking for leaders

Not only are the Knights dealing with their displacement, but they have been sorting out the far more tangible issue of getting an effective lineup set. Four-year setter Rachel Morello is enrolled in Northwestern University's highly regarded school of journalism, living a different form of the dream now.

She took with her a couple of other highly-regarded graduates, setting up a domino effect in the Knights' senior-less lineup as third-year varsity performer and junior tri-captain Dana Kenney has moved from outside hitter to the setter's role.

Talented 6-3 junior tri-captain Krystalyn Goode was a reserve last year but has moved into the starting role in the middle. She has already verbally committed to the University of Michigan, where she and her family used to live.

But the straw that will stir the drink for the Knights is 5-11 junior outside hitter and final tri-captain Melissa Morello, an All-North Shore pick and second-team all-state selection.

Morello is a talented all-around, who has greatly improved her back row play and passing and who will be able to call her own shots as to NCAA Division I scholarship opportunities. She has even received mail from NCAA champion and powerhouse Penn State.

Jacobson, who also has other skilled returnees in two-year performers Alex Lautmann (left side) and Becca Olin (middle blocker) and another Morello in the mix (freshman outside hitter Angie), knows that it's going to be a work in progress.

That much came to a head last weekend, when the Knights finished in the fifth of six brackets of the powerful Thomas More/Milwaukee Lutheran Joust.

It was a bit of a culture shock.

"I've just never coached a team this young since I was working with the freshmen 20 years ago," Jacobson said, "but all things considered, I'm feeling pretty positive. I think we'll be a heck of a volleyball team. (Assistant coach) Kalin (von Treba Albrecht) said we're in better condition than a year ago, which is saying something."

"It may take two weeks or six weeks, but we will get there. The light will go on."

And the water will be gone.