After spending the last week tending to her ill mother in Kankakee, Ill., UAA volleyball coach Kim Lauwers returned to campus this week only to find herself preparing for another trip Outside.
The Seawolves hit the road for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches today and Saturday in Washington. The trip is pivotal for the Seawolves (10-5, 4-3) in terms of improving their third-place position in the league and building momentum for the final 11 regular-season matches.
Her focus will be leading the Seawolves to victory, but nobody would fault Lauwers if her thoughts drifted toward her mother, Janice, who is fighting liver cancer to stay alive.
Lauwers, 38, believes her recent week-long visit lifted her mother's spirits and gave her the willpower to hold on longer than doctors' expectations.
"She's not ready to go," Lauwers said. "We're all keeping our fingers crossed."
Two weeks ago, while on a road trip in Arcata, Calif., Lauwers received a heart-stopping phone call. She was told her mother had maybe two days to live. Lauwers left the team to join younger sisters Shawn and Khris at their mother's side.
Lauwers was torn between choosing between her real family and her extended family on the UAA team. She said she faced a myriad of emotions before jumping on an airplane.
"I knew I had to be home," she said. "It was one of those weird feelings, wanting and being needed at both places."
Lauwers, a devout Christian, prayed for the best and prepared for the worst. Each night she prepared for the horrific reality that saying good night to her mother might mean goodbye.
"I can't explain how hard it was," Lauwers said.
She knows the most difficult part is still ahead. But Lauwers is at peace with her decision to return to the team after seeing her mother for possibly the final time.
If she leaves again, however, she knows the Seawolves are in good hands with assistant coaches Nicky Rose and Julie Foster. UAA was 3-1 under interim head coach Rose, a fourth-year assistant who played for Lauwers at Dimond High.
"We're kind of one mind. There's a lot of history there," Lauwers said. "I thought Nicky handled the responsibility extremely well."
Just say no
Consuming over-the-counter food supplements to gain an advantage on the playing field is probably tempting for some college athletes, regardless if it's football or volleyball, men or women.
But the reality is that supplements can be deadly.
Last week the UAA athletic department invited Kevin Riggins to talk to Seawolf athletes about food supplements, specifically ones containing ephedrine (herbal ephedra).
Ephedrine is an NCAA-banned stimulant found in many supplements marketed toward athletes. It is generally found in products that boast claims about losing weight and increasing energy, UAA trainer Chris Volk said.
The goal of the seminar was to steer athletes away from turning to a quick fix when time in the practice room doesn't deliver the results they want.
"Supplements are so popular today among the youth, and there's no place they get educated about the possible side effects or the hazards," UAA athletic director Steve Cobb said. "I do feel strongly that we should do something every year with every class as a group to educate students about the risks that may be involved."
Enter Riggins. He is on a one-man crusade to educate parents and students about the dangers of supplements. Riggins of Lincoln, Ill., and Dr. Jay Caldwell of Anchorage spoke to UAA athletes for about an hour Sunday.
Riggins grabbed the attention of everybody by telling the tragic story of his 16-year-old son, Sean, who died of a heart attack two years ago. Following an autopsy, Riggins said, the drug ephedrine was cited as the cause of his death.
Sean was a healthy teenager who excelled in football, wrestling and track, Riggins said. He and some friends took a supplement with ephedrine to enhance their performance on the field. They purchased the drug at a local gas station.
"It brings the reality home when somebody's up there talking about it," said Todd List, a senior cross-country runner. "I'm sure people do that stuff, and there's definitely a lot of risk. There's a fine line that you have to walk."
Riggins' speech focused on informing students so future tragedies can be avoided. His diligence seemingly has paid off. In May, Illinois became the first state to ban the sale of any supplement containing ephedrine, Riggins said.
List doesn't understand athletes who choose risk over reward by consuming supplements, especially after hearing Riggins talk about losing his son.
"It's just not worth it," List said. "Ten years from now, nobody's gonna remember a certain race. You're gonna remember your teammates and fun stuff like that."
Daily News reporter Van Williams can be reached at vwilliams@adn.com or 257-4335.
Seawolves Schedule
All times ADT
• Today -- UAA volleyball at St. Martin's, 6 p.m.
• Saturday -- UAA cross-country running at Pacific Lutheran Invitational, 10:30 a.m.
• Saturday -- UAA volleyball at Central Washington, 6 p.m.
• Wednesday -- UAA basketball first official practice.
