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Don't Get Above Your Raisin'



If you're looking for a song that will put some pep in your step then go listen to “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’,” by Earl Scruggs and Lester Flat. They first recorded the song in 1951. Several artists re-recorded the song over the years including Ricky Skaggs in 1981. The lyrics struck a chord with me when I first heard it long ago. It is a cute song with a powerful message. The singer is singing about his gal who was raised as an all-American country girl. She was once sweet, humble and loving. But now that success and its trappings have found her, she has become "high headed." No longer is she humble and sweet. So, he is pleading with her to remember she came from a better version of herself that came from how she was raised in humble beginnings. He is obviously still in love with her for he knows who she truly is when all the fame and glitter are removed. Go check out the song at: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs - Don't Get Above Your Raisin' 1951 - YouTube

We can recall when the first beach volleyball was rolled out in Louisiana. College beach volleyball became a sanctioned sport in 2016, so the program we see today is still young though growing like wildfire. Not all colleges offer this sport. Often starting a beach program requires athletes and coaches to double up due to limited resources. So indoor players and coaches take on the challenge to get the gears turning, often without additional pay or scholarship benefits.


Being a college athlete is a full-time job demanding extensive overtime while carrying an already full-time commitment to excelling academically.


It is hard work with the candle burning at both ends. It is not an easy ride through college as many in the public may think.


So, deciding to help build college beach volleyball program takes grit!


Most teams begin with no facilities. If they are lucky, someone has built sand courts for league or club ball near them. Though often unknown, athletes and coaches must drive away from school for daily practice. Some teams may never own their own facility. Lack of finances, and/or community support are among the top reasons some schools do not have a sand volleyball team.


I could go on and on about the benefits of having beach volleyball as a sport…but this blog is about not getting outside of the mental space of being humble, grateful and loving. Do you remember the girl who first fell in love with the sport? Do you recall when it was fun and absolutely wonderful to get to play in the sand as an athlete, even if didn't win a thing? If you have lost this, it is time you return to that person. As the song goes, “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.”


We absolutely love all forms of volleyball including indoor and sand ball, though there is something special about beach volleyball. We have found in beach volleyball, a strong sense of Ohana among athletes, coaches, families and fans. Maybe this comes from less formality and the disconnection brought about by indoor sports often played in big arenas. In beach volleyball, seating and space are limited forcing athletes, families and fans to more closely interact.


It is not uncommon for teams from small schools and starting programs to work hard at inviting family, friends and fans to come out and support them. Over many years of working within beach volleyball, we can confidently say this reality is strongest where beginnings are humble. It is as if athletes go out of their way to make spectators feel a part of the family...to feel cherished. Yet, this is not easy for smaller programs do not have large financial and/or community backing. So, building community is a top priority.


It is a community formed from humility and love, that will grow a program to exceptional. Your program has achieved this when it uplifts all involved, including fans.


It is for these reasons we work hard to support teams from smaller schools and especially any team who find themselves in the hard difficult years of beginning. The Lord Jesus has blessed us profoundly to allow Lisa and I to return to the sport we love after being away for years due to covid and serious health issues. In our return we have decided to adopt a college team each season, and this season we are honored to adopt Nicholls Beach Volleyball Team.

The Sandy Kerns play for the love of the sport. Yes, they like winning, but they show up with joy radiating about them in rain and sunshine, in victory and defeat. This past month, the Sandy Kerns hosted their first annual volleyball tournament at Thibodeaux Regional Fitness Center (TRFC). The name of the tournament was entitled, "Clash on the Cajun Bayou." Thibodeaux Regional Medical Center built this state-of-the-art facility which opened in May of 2022. TRFC host NSU beach volleyball. NSU Beach Volleyball is only in its third season and before this year did not have an adequate facility nearby to host such an event.


Winning consistently has been a challenge for this young team, though you would never know this when watching them. They are fierce warriors who are passionate about the sport. Invited to their tournament were some serious hitters in the Southland Conference, yet for the first time in the program's history, they won two matches in the same weekend. They defeated LaGrange and Loyola's teams but finished out splitting the weekend after falling 5-0 to UNO and ULM. But from where we were sitting you would swear, they had won the national championship.


These girls work hard. We were there with them after the tournament ended Saturday. They were happy and proud as they worked to clean up after two hard days of volleyball. The weekend with them was a boost to our lives. It was an absolute "pick me up." Last year both of us nearly lost our lives. I was bed ridden for almost a year due to serious spinal issues. Our first collegiate volleyball outing in three years was with our beloved Sandy Kerns. No words are adequate to express our thankfulness for all the love they showered us with.


One of the best parts of the tournament was running into Kate Hoerdemann. To our surprise the team started the year without an official coach, so Kate, who is a GA at NSU, picked up the torch until they filled the position recently. Kate continues to assist with coaching duties as this blog is posted. She is an amazing woman. She recently completed her collegiate volleyball career at NSU after being a star volleyball player with the indoor and beach teams. We are so proud of her and must say she has a talent for coaching. Our lives are richer for knowing her and all of the Sandy Kerns.


Thank you to the Sandy Kerns, their coaches and families being a part of our extended Ohana. Though there is just over a month left in the season, our friendships will only continue to grow. Finally, thank you “Sandy Kerns” for not getting above your raisin’. Thank you for reminding us about being humble, grateful and filled with love.



Geaux Sandy Kerns ❤️❤️🏐❤️❤️💪


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