Meghan’s Journey: The Story of Meghan Redenbach: The Teenage Girl Who Showed a Community How to “Man Up” in the Face of Cancer (20 page)

She asked me, “Coachie—you are going to retire from coaching when Bridget graduates, aren’t you?” I promised her I would coach through her senior year. She seemed to be satisfied that I would make good on my word, and I did.

Then in mid-August Meg’s stomach became painful once again. The news was not good, and Meg’s
first
instinct was to question why would this awful disease return now as Bridget was about to enter her senior year? The two of them had planned their season out match by match.

Once again more appointments, consultations and hospital visits would follow. Erin and I had to design an offense that we could run with or without Meghan. Lots of team meetings, discussions, and many tears followed as we all tried to make sense of this new situation. Seniors Bridget Shanahan, Shelby Schwaibold, and underclassmen Molly Murphy, Olivia Kelkenburg, Brittany Zsebehazy, and Danielle Kindron were key to making things work. Meg’s other teammates, Mary Frazier, Chelsey Jamieson, Alissa MacPeek, Katelyn Spears, and Emily Whitehead, were no less supportive in a variety of ways. The goal was to get Meg back by the Albion match, and we all needed to “man up” and fight on, just like Meg was doing in Buffalo. During the first week of practice Mike and Nancy brought Meg. It was picture day, so we were able to include Meg in the first of many team pictures taken during this remarkable season. We were so happy to see her, and she was so determined to get back playing ASAP.

At this point she had her chemo port taped to her chest, but that didn’t stop her from setting a few play sets to Bridget while we all screamed encouraging words to our very frail teammate. Practice time at this point became sporadic at best. She was able to play in several matches in a row towards mid-season. Meghan was now relegated to the front row, and the drill was always the same; Bridget needed to pass the serve to target in order to allow Meg to have a chance to set the ball up to her teammate Olivia. The anticipation in the gym was palpable every time Meg entered the match. On the bench we were all hoping that a great pass could be made to Meg so she could run her offense. Meg was intense making the most of her limited role. She would look across the net and signal her teammates the set to expect if she was given the ball. Without any words said by the coaching staff, Meg adapted her game and made adjustments in her setting in order to improve her chances of success. She compensated for her lack of mobility with a keen mental knack to figure out new ways to deliver the ball to her teammates. She even used her feet on occasion to try to deliver a set. Maybe the most inspiring play of the season happened against our arch rival, Newfane. During a long rally Meg went after a ball and lost her balance and fell to the floor. Instinctively her close friend Bridget immediately ran to help her get up during this long rally. I’ve seen the video of this rally numerous times, and I still can’t believe the courage displayed by Meghan to continue playing out this point, as well as watching Bridget picking up Meg to get her back on the court. We all could not believe what we were seeing. Mike and Nancy had given us the green light to play Meg whenever we thought it was in the best interest of the team. Even with Meg at fifty percent of her maximum ability, the decision was easy. She would figure it out on the run and no coaching was needed to assist her.

Growing weaker by the day, her playing opportunities became less frequent. A special Dig Teal event was scheduled against Barker, and we had no idea whether Meg would make it out of the hospital in time to attend this match. We were actually using our warm-up time prepping for the match when we heard that Meg was in the building. I told the team to cease warming up, and everyone rushed to see our special teammate. As sick as she was, she was able to muster that famous smile of hers. A team picture with Meg was taken; it remains one of the most cherished images of the season.

As the playoffs arrived it appeared doubtful whether Meg would make it back on the court playing. We should have known better than to doubt what Meghan might be able to do. For our home playoff game Meghan took on the role of assistant coach and head cheerleader. In her jersey top and jeans, Meg was even able to set Bridget some quick attacks during the pre-game warm-ups. It felt so great to have her on the bench with us supporting and guiding her teammates.

Meg’s final match was the team’s last match of the 2010 season against Falconer. We were able to get Meg in the match briefly, and she played with such courage and poise. The entire gym sensed what they were witnessing. It was a special night. I can still hear Mike cheering for Meg or telling her, “Next time Meghan.” Meg was on the floor for the team’s last play of the season. Falconer had ended our season several times before, but this time things were very different. I remember Meg going through the post-game handshakes. The coach of Falconer took that extra moment congratulating Meghan on her season and bravery. She took the defeat as hard as anybody, once again forgetting about her own problems to focus on the end of another volleyball season.

Meg’s last official Roy-Hart volleyball event was the post-season banquet in mid-November. Meg arrived to the event sporting a new hairdo with a red color—looking pretty saucy. She was able to eat with her teammates and watch a special slide show I had put together honoring this year’s team. Senior captain Bridget Shanahan spoke to the players and their families about the season. Bridget said, “Sometimes winning isn’t the most important thing.” We all knew and understood her message that night. In my remarks to parents and players alike, it was very difficult to remain stoic and yet pay Meg the praise she deserved for her incredible courage. She wrote me a note that night telling me how sorry she was for letting the team down and promised me she would be back next year stronger than ever. I wanted to believe that so much. I also assured her that she never once let her team down.

During the volleyball season I tried to keep people in the volleyball community updated on Meg’s condition. So many people sent e-mails and prayers hoping for a miracle of sorts. Debby Schruefer (Section 6 VB Chairman) and a club coach for the Niagara Frontier Volleyball Club was especially close with Meghan and would inquire about her on a weekly basis. The Niagara-Orleans League coaches also were very compassionate and concerned about Meg.

Playing club volleyball was very important to Meghan. She knew that playing year-round could help accelerate her development. In the two years Meg was involved in the NFVB Club she was receiving cancer treatments that limited her practice time and tournament play. When she couldn’t play she helped coach and encourage her teammates. Word spread through the Western New York volleyball community about this girl, number 21 at NFVB and number 3 at Roy-Hart, who was battling cancer, as well as playing volleyball whenever possible. She was that loud, spirited kid, mopping the floors, going after volleyballs left and right. Her teammates loved her, and she became one of the most notable players when she traveled to tournaments.

An amazing tribute was paid to Meghan when the All-Western New York Volleyball team was announced and a picture appeared in the Buffalo News on December 24
th
, 2010—the same day of the feature article written by Keith McShea, and the same day Meg passed away. In the picture, featuring eight of the best players in the area, was Bridget Shanahan holding Meg’s club jersey (number 21) along with Heather Feldman from Eden with Meg’s high school jersey (number 3). Both jersey numbers would eventually be retired.

In February of 2011 the NFVB Club retired jersey number 21 and presented it to the Redenbach family. The jersey now hangs in the front lobby of the Buffalo Niagara Court Center in West Seneca and is a constant reminder to all players of how this courageous young lady loved volleyball and fought so hard to beat cancer.

The Roy-Hart Volleyball program hosted a volleyball tribute and dedication to Meghan. In spite of snow storm on March 23, 2010, hundreds of people filled the auditorium for a multi-media presentation of Meg’s volleyball career, and then moved to the gym for a tribute by her teammates. A banner with Meg’s name and number now hangs in our gym, and a beautiful framed picture of Meghan, her headband, and a dedication now resides in the “Champions” hallway of the high school gymnasium area for all to see. It is directly across from a very large and prominent “Man Up” sign put in place by Athletic Director, John Jablonski.

As a result of the promise I made to Meg during the summer of 2010, I knew that I would continue to coach through her senior year, and it would not be until then that we would officially retire her number 3 jersey. For two seasons Meghan’s jersey went with the team everywhere, and it always had its own place on the bench.

During our last match of the 2012 season, at Falconer once again, I handed over the jersey to Nancy. I gathered my four seniors together for that emotional moment; it was tremendously difficult for me to give it up. Two weeks later Mike and Nancy presented me with Meg’s purple jersey in a beautiful frame with the following inscription on a gold plate:

“COACHIE”
YOU MADE ME THE PLAYER I BECAME
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR KEEPING YOUR PROMISE
LOVE, MEG

It now hangs in my home.

I’ve had a fair amount of time to reflect on the legacy Meg has left to volleyball. I’ve coached over 225 volleyball players over the course of 38 seasons. Meg was not the most talented player I have ever had, nor was she the most athletic, but no one worked harder or loved the game more than Meg. She was a “student of the game,” and she was her own toughest critic. She always strived to become better and always asked how she could perform a skill better. It makes me feel so gratified to think that volleyball was Meg’s escape. It could have been any other sport or hobby,
but
it wasn’t.
When she was playing volleyball she was on top of the world and could temporarily forget the awful disease that ravaged her body. Cancer never took away her great voice and leadership ability. She would
never
let that happen. I could not be more proud to have coached her, and more than that, to have known her. She will always remain an inspiration to me. She has made me a better coach, and more importantly, a better person.

Meghan’s Smile

Goofing around