A New Year, A New Beginning And A New Hope

By Taybor Miller A blink of an eye and a year’s time has passed since it was announced that the City of Omaha would be the location for the Professional Volleyball Federation team Supernovas.The P.V.F announced that the Omaha Supernovas would be among the first-seven teams in the inaugural season which begins Wednesday, January 24th. On that night the Supernovas will be hosting the Atlanta Vibe at the CHI Health Center as they’ll be coached by Shelton Collier.The Omaha Supernovas are fortunate to be under the helm of Shelton Collier, revered for his knowledge of the game and respect for players, bringing more than 40 years of coaching experience and coaching education at the national, international and Olympic levels. Collier, was a 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee and has been one of the most successful coaches in collegiate volleyball.As a kid with as many family members coaching, or being active in sports in some capacity, and now sequentially as a sports editor, growing up and knowing of professional sports to being such a large figure of entertainment, it’s a wonder volleyball has taken as long as it has to have it’s own entity in the U.S.Those talks can finally cease as the P.V.F now offers many things that volleyball fans and athletes have been wanting. Memories to be made, a variety of new career possibilities, and hope.A question that can be heard from those whom have watched collegiate volleyball is that aside from the Olympics, what else can these athletes do after this chapter in their life? Volleyball as a sport has always seemed to be a tunnel with no light at the end after all one’s hard work was put into one sport. At one point the ceiling of that was being on Olympic level, a testament to the athlete, and coaches that have got to that point in their life.Now with the P.V.F, the names that may have been forgotten will be made known again, and while many others look to introduce themselves to the world. Looking at a comparison with something such as the NBA, a prominent professional sport that’s influenced much of the U.S for quite some time. A profession, that is ever apparent in the levels of difficulty and the ones who are able to compete at the level have certain qualities that give evidence to why they made it that far. Much can be said the same about the sport of volleyball. Whether it’s the way of a libero being able to come up with a dig, strong servers putting a certain spin on their ace making it impossible to return, or an outside hitter jumping for a spike that’s coming down with ferocity of a heat seeking-missle. The talent’s at which volleyball players find more success beyond high school, to collegiate, national and international levels is noticeable in a unique way that always stands out.Take for example, Diller-Odell alumni and current Montana State University volleyball player Karli Heidemann.Heidemann built quite a resume in a career both at the high-school level, and club volleyball, both of which carried plenty of weight with the results that were produced. Though not playing a set her freshman season of college, all the while fine tuning the skills even more will make her even better for the next season. A season that now with P.V.F being one year in, will look for new blood in the coming years. Heidemann, is just one of many examples of athletes who found early success and with professional volleyball now a possibility, could make it their way to earn a living.Before college, Heidemann was ranked No. 4 in Nebraska by PrepDig and 117th in the nation by PrepVolleyball. Played club ball with the VCNebraska 18 Elite squad that were 2021 USA Volleyball 18 National Champions. That resume alone on a national level can draw plenty of eyes. Not to mention that Heidemann was instrumental in leading squad to conference titles in 2019 and 2022. Won the 2019 D-1 state championship and the 2020 D-2 state title, was named to the D-2 all-state first team on three occasions, an All-Nebraska Second Team pick in 2020, and holds all-time D-2 record with 2,112 career kills and all-time D-2 mark a career that finished with 658 kills in a single-season.A career of accolades and stats that could speak for themselves. Actions will always speak louder than words, and Heidemann’s talent’s on the volleyball court are hard to ignore that it’s a different level.Not to mention that even locally, Omaha Supernovas can and will likely keep a watchful eye on some Omaha Mavericks much like Fairbury alumni and current Maverick Emily Huss. Even now, the University of Kearney, home to Fairbury alumni and current Loper Allison Davis, could have eyes on her as the Omaha Supernovas have UNK alumni setter Maddie Squiers on the roster.There’s no telling how it will progress for the first year of P.V.F, but the positives from it’s inception breathe a new air of opportunities for future athletes, and current ones for a career that they never thought possible.

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