By MARK D.STRINGHAM
When the BYU racquetball team steps on to the court Tuesday in Boise to defend its back-to-back world collegiate title, no one will wonder how it got there.
In fact, head coach Sylvia Sawyer, might be asked by her fellow coaches how she managed to create such a solid program within a relatively short period of time.
Sawyer's coaching philosophy could probably be summed-up with the phrase that is sketched at each corner of the BYU campus -- 'Enter to learn, go forth to serve.'
And while that phrase may have its relevance on the racquetball court this week, Sawyer has seemingly adopted that concept for life.
'I believe in giving back to racquetball in any way,' she said.
And as any good Christian would confess -- you reap what you sow.
Sawyer's road to Boise started over 10 years ago when she decided to come back to BYU and study information management as a re-entry student.
Already established as a mother of five, one might wonder how she could handle all the stresses that would come from full-time study -- not to mention full-time motherhood.
And if that wasn't enough, at age 45, Sawyer wanted to play racquetball.
'My brother is a state handball champion, and I wasn't even interested in playing(racquetball) until I saw my brother play. I knew I couldn't play like that with my hands, so I thought I could try it with a racquet,' she said.
And even though both her age and her small five-foot frame seemed to be negatives stacked against her, she relates that her love for racquetball came just like any other habit-forming substance.
'It just takes one time and you're hooked,' she said.
Sawyer played for the BYU racquetball club in both 1985 and 1986 while working towards her graduation.
And when BYU racquetball was promoted to extramural status in the fall of 1987, Sawyer was asked by then head coach Burton Olsen, to take the helm.
'I was really flattered that he would ask me to do that,' she said, 'I was so excited.'
Sawyer's excitement seemed to be the catalyst that was needed to help move the program to a higher level.
When she was made a regional director for the intermountain region in 1989, Sawyer knew that she could help raise awareness for the amateur sport if she did a few things.
'I felt an obligation to find collegiate competition in the intermountain area, and it was a goal of mine to have every college in Utah to have a racquetball team with a steady advisor from year to year,' she said.
And now, with 10 years to her credit, Sawyer said the sport of racquetball in this region, and especially at BYU, has made big strides.
'I'm very proud of the (BYU) administration and what they've accomplished for us. They caught the vision and saw beyond just some of the basic student needs,' she said.
That vision also included providing major support for a relatively young sport.
Coach Sawyer knows that ultimately she could not have been successful without outstanding athletes who are outstanding individuals.
'The caliber and quality of these athletes is phenomenal. It has been a blessing in my life to work with them,' she said, 'There is not one player on my team that I would not take to be my own (son or daughter).'
Not only does Sawyer enjoy helping students learn about the physical aspects of the game, but she also thinks that by teaching racquetball, the students can learn a little about the game of life too.
'There's no magical thing about coaching -- it's basically knowing the fundamentals and communicating them with understanding and love,' she said.
'Racquetball is a mental game -- just to be able to put the ball where your opponent is not, means that your mind has to work fast,' she said.
Individual effort plays an important role in character development, but more importantly, being a part of a team is much like a family unit.
'They (the athletes) know if they don't come to practice, they will be missed. They know everyone else will be there,' Sawyer said.
Even with increased popularity and a winning program at BYU, Sawyer concedes that racquetball is not destined to become an officially sanctioned NCAA sport any time soon. She says one of the most rewarding, but often unseen aspects of the program however, is the opportunity to share the gospel -- many times, off the court.
'These kids are ambassadors for the school. We've had people come and play with us just because they've noticed our behavior and standards,' she said.
And barely standing at five-feet tall herself, Sawyer, along with her team, is sure to be noticed this week in Boise as they compete for the possible 'three-peat.'
And even if they don't do it again this year, they can still say -- 'job well done.'
I mean, trophies are nice and all, but remember -- you can't take them with you.