You might think the photo above is is just another photo of beach volleyball athletes hustling to make the point. But it represents so much more.
This photo and others were taken on my first day back on the sand with a camera after nearly loosing my life the year prior due to a spinal infection. Four years had passed before I would return court-side to love and support volleyball athletes due to COVID and my illness. I wasn’t sure my body could handle shooting pictures in the sand after being bed ridden for nearly a year. It had only been five months since they fused my lower spine. Despite this I was so excited to be back, I knelt in the sand and went to work. When I went to get up, I nearly feel down. My legs were weak after a year a all I had been through, but to my rescue were the Lady Kern athletes. By days end I was hurting a bunch, yet the pain didn’t phase me for I was beaming with joy.
Featured in the photo is Katie Jones (#15) who we were blessed to watch play volleyball on the court and sand for five years. God healed me in time to see her last season as a collegiate athlete and meet her partner, Luciana. God placing these wonderful ladies in our lives is a miracle in itself. Katie leaves a legacy at NSU. She is living proof miracles do happen. In 2016 accepted an offer to play Indoor Volleyball for Nicholls State University, but just a few months before her freshmen season, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Though I did not know this during last year's beach season, there was something special that connected us. Now I know why. We are both survivors living on borrowed time.
Katie lives her life with deep gratitude. This was obvious over the five years we knew her. After four rounds of chemo therapy she would receive the news she was cancer free. Finally, she was able to pursue her dream to be a collegiate volleyball player. It was no easy journey making her way back to the court. She was off the chain phenomenal setting records during her indoor college career. Though she was a formidable opponent with her power and height both on the court and sand, she carried herself with gentleness and humility. Katie was and still is an inspiration to so many, including us. During her five year journey at Nicholls we became friends with her and her amazing mom. She is a phenomenal athlete and woman we will dearly miss. But if Taylor Swift is in town for a concert, you might see her there:) We love and miss you Katie!
During 2023 she paired up with Luciana Chuong (#22) for most of the season. They were amazing together. Luciana was an aggressive hustler on the sand digging up the impossible balls for Katie to slam to the deck. Luciana has an incredible family that traveled far to see her play. They made us feel welcome every time we saw them. For both of these ladies the joy of knowing them was to know their families. Our connection with Luciana was not just because of her athletic talent, but mostly her passion for Jesus. Though we knew we would miss Katie, we looked forward to more years getting to support Luciana. That is why we were sad at the end of the season to hear she was leaving NSU.
Well, God is good all the time and all the time God is good. She moved down the road to join McNeese Universities inaugural beach volleyball team. She will be sporting blue and gold this season with an amazing group of ladies. We look forward to seeing her in action in Louisiana and reconnecting with her family. Just maybe we will get to reconnect with Katie as well. The Southland Conference Championship is in Houston this season. Time to get our cowboy boots on for some dancing. Lisa will love returning to the state she was born in. Texas women are awesome!
Thank you to all our friends close and far who have supported my photography. Thank you Katie and Luciana for loving on us last season.
See yall on the sand!
©2024 John Sorrel – All Rights Reserved.
Thank you for sharing your story, amazing! God is good!