Oct. 5, 2000

If you talk to any member of the Illinois student body, you'll find that for most, college can sometimes be a time of confusion and disorder. A time when students hope that a moment of clarity will arise to help them define who they are and what direction they want their lives to take. For Illinois junior middle blocker Lydia Gard, that moment has arrived.

"When I was a redshirt freshman, I had a hard time defining my role on this team," Gard said. "I was just trying to play my game and not worry about being a leader or filling any type of role. That really wasn't my job."

Gard didn't see a need to step up as a leader on the team because, as she puts it, "There were older girls to do that. I didn't think anyone would want to listen to me." But in the background, she continued to focus on volleyball, doing whatever it took to improve her game and refine her skills.

Her dedication to improve, coupled with a desire to play an integral role on the team, finally paid off in 1999 when Gard started in 27 matches at the middle blocker position for the Fighting Illini. She may not have been able to describe it, but her role was becoming a bit clearer.

"I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to be doing outside of playing my position well and always giving 100%," Gard said. "I knew that I was there for a reason, but I just couldn't figure out what it was at that point."

Gard desperately needed a clear definition of how she fit into Illinois volleyball. Now that she was getting older, she knew that her teammates would look to her for leadership and guidance. But what Gard also realized was that she didn't know if she was ready to give it. After careful consideration and some serious soul searching, she was able to find a sense of peace amidst her confusion that allowed her to focus on the game.

"I finally said to myself, `Look - I am older now and a lot of the girls that played a huge role are leaving.' Someone needed to step up, and if it was going to be me than I needed to know that and be ready for it. I finally put it in God's hands. If I was meant to help lead this team, then I would accept that role and make it work."

And that's exactly what Gard has done. After making the decision to do "whatever it takes" to step-up on the team, she began to lead by example. She had patiently waited for her chance to prove her abilities at the net, and responded with some impressive numbers.

In 1999, Gard registered 226 kills and averaged a hitting percentage of .322 overall for the year, third on the team and fifth overall in the Big Ten Conference. She highlighted this breakthrough season with several career bests including 17 kills in Illinois' first round NCAA tournament victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a .556 attack percentage against conference rival Penn State.

To what does Gard attribute her success? "I really think that I was able to go out there and accomplish what I did not just because I believed in my abilities, but also because other people believed in them too. The coaches and my teammates knew that I was struggling before with my motivation, so they were ready to support me when I needed it most."

Gard is enjoying similar success so far this season. She played in 50 of the first 52 games, leading the team in blocks with an average of 1.16 per game while also tallying 96 kills.

But Gard has not defined any specific goals for the 2000-2001 season. She would rather focus on improving her skills and fulfilling a leadership role for her younger teammates. If anyone is ready to guide a new member of Illinois volleyball through all of the uncertainty that a young player may face, it is Lydia Gard.

"I knew that I was going to play volleyball here and play it well," Gard said. "What I didn't know was if my team needed me in other ways. There were always girls who we knew we could turn to for support and leadership, and I am ready now to be one of those girls if that's what this team asks of me. I've really started to see where I fit."