In 2006, Sarah Pavan helped lead the Nebraska volleyball team to a National Championship; she also earned the honor of National Player of the Year.
In July, she was named the 2006-07 Big 12 Conference Female Athlete of the Year and the 2006-07 Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. With a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry, she was honored as a 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-American.
Arguably, the senior from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, has brought more positive attention to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln than anyone in the past few years. However, for absolutely no good reason, she is no longer being allowed to practice with the NU volleyball team.
Earlier this month, Pavan gave an interview to Redwire, a lab paper produced by a class of students at UNL's College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She told the magazine that conflict existed within the Husker volleyball team, that she felt enormous pressure under the Nebraska volleyball spotlight and that jealousy and confusion about her identity strained relationships with teammates and coaches.
Basically, Pavan was honest. The resulting article humanized her and provided insight into the Husker volleyball team.
In no way did it demonize anyone.
As a result of the story, Coach John Cook told Pavan she could no longer participate in post-season practices. That was a bad decision, one that should immediately be reversed. We expect more from an accomplished veteran coach.
In general, the incident illustrates the insanity behind UNL's Athletic Department public-relations machine. Every soundbyte must be pre-approved; every interview must be officially arranged; appearance trumps truth.
Just prior to the Redwire story's publication, the Athletic Department went into panic mode (for no good reason). It released a fluff piece focusing on Pavan and her boyfriend. It rounded up former players to toe the party line. Cook, in a follow-up interview after the Redwire story's publication, said he was "going to call over to the journalism college and get this straightened out."
Tough talk, coach. If you ever want to talk media ethics, we'll make time. The number is (402) 472-1766.
It's really too bad that the Athletic Department often treats its athletes like commodities. What happens when somebody mentions they don't always feel like they belong? They get kicked out.
Instead of learning from Pavan's comments and using them to build a stronger team, the response was: "Shut up."
After the Redwire story's publication, Cook told Pavan she could resume practicing with the team if she complied with several stipulations, including an apology.
She declined to comply. We admire her courage.
An apology from Pavan is not what is needed now.
Rather, Cook needs to publicly apologize for failing to treat the best volleyball player in Nebraska history with the respect she deserves.
