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KEITH NIEBUHRFormer Seven Rivers star battles difficult start at UT and loss of mother.
TAMPA - Danielle Albury told her coach class was too hard.
On the volleyball court, she felt intimidated. She missed home and her friends.
"I kept thinking, "I can't do this, I'm not good enough,' " Albury said.
College life at the University of Tampa didn't start the way Albury had hoped, but it appears as though the toughest days are a thing of the past. Her grades, thus far, have been stellar. And after a slow start in volleyball, Albury, who will be a sophomore next fall, is beginning to show significant signs of improvement.
"I think she's starting to get the feel," UT coach Chris Catanach said.
Albury's struggles were not unlike those of many first-year college students. The difference was that Albury had fewer people to lean on than most.
Her mother, Nancy, died in February 2003 after battling amyloidosis of her kidney. She was 51, a single mother who moved Danielle, now 18, and her sister Iesha, 11, to Citrus County in 1999. Nancy was a regular at Seven Rivers basketball and volleyball events, both of which usually featured her daughter as the star.
Albury's mother wasn't hard to spot. She usually sat as close to the action as she could, and her expressions often told the story of the event. Albury's parents separated before she was born. She hasn't seen her father much since she was in the fifth grade.
"It's been really tough," Albury said. "That's something I've needed this year. There have been times when I've been really upset and I thought (about calling her mother), but then I'm like, "Oh, I can't.' "
Catanach said Albury has handled the situation well.
"We expected it to be real traumatic, but we haven't seen that yet," Catanach said. "She's amazing. She hasn't let it affect her. She seems unfazed."
During her initial struggles, Albury thought of bagging it. On one hand, the loss of her mother made her want to quit even more. On the other, it inspired her to do what Nancy would have wanted, which is stick it out.
"It was all very humbling," Albury said.
The 5-foot-11 middle hitter says she was unprepared for the lofty jump in competition. At Seven Rivers, she had her way against Class A players, the division for the state's smallest schools. She had not been a year-round participant like many of her current teammates. When others were in club leagues, she competed in other sports.
"It made me realize how much I didn't know," Albury said. "The biggest difference coming from a Class A school is the speed of the game. It's basically the same fundamentals."
As the nationally ranked Spartans compiled a 31-4 record and reached the Division II quarterfinals, Albury sat patiently on the bench, watching and learning. In eight matches played, she had three kills.
"We took Danielle because of what we think her potential is," Catanach said. "Her level of experience was way behind, but she's a really good athlete. She's a hard-working kid, but she has a lack of confidence and lot of self-doubt."
The coach has preached patience. Albury seems to be getting the message. In spring practice, her performance has risen and her playing time has increased.
"We've had some tournaments this spring," Albury said. "In one last week, I got a lot of playing time, and that really helped. The more I play, the more I understand. Just now I've started to see (improvement). It's a huge learning curve."
The coach likes the progress but wants to see more. Now that Albury has made it through her difficult period, he wants her to take the next step. "The other day in the tournament, we saw some really good things," Catanach said. "She came up to me recently and said, "I've got to keep this going.' She said she wanted to play this summer. That was huge."