Jan. 24, 2001
Stony Brook, N.Y. -
Elaine Roque, a three-time collegiate volleyball All-American and former professional volleyball player, will be the featured speaker at the Debbie Whittemore High School Leadership Awards Ceremony, part of the Fleet Bank Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration at the University at Stony Brook. The ceremony, which recognizes local high school senior girls who have excelled in academics, athletics and leadership, takes place at noon on Sunday, Feb. 4, in the Student Activities Center on the Stony Brook campus.
Roque began as a track and field athlete, idolizing Wilma Rudolph as she grew up. At the age of 11, she started playing volleyball, and she immediately fell in love with the sport.
"I loved participating in a team sport," Roque said. "I loved working out and training with others and working toward a team goal."
While no club volleyball teams for children existed then, Roque was playing on an adult club team by the age of 13. Playing alongside former Olympians, Roque was by far the youngest on her team.
Roque's success continued after high school, as she was an All-American for two years at UCLA and a member of the U.S. National Team. After transferring to Utah State her junior year, she again earned All-America honors. Roque began her professional career by playing indoor volleyball in Italy. In 1987, she joined the professional beach volleyball circuit, playing on both the Women's Professional Volleyball Association tour and the Federation de Internationale Volleyball tour.
After retiring two years ago, Roque is still on the volleyball scene in various roles. She served as a color commentator for FOX Sports last year during the beach volleyball championships, and she was an assistant coach for a Canadian beach volleyball team during the Olympic Trials for the 2000 Sydney Games. She is currently in her second year as assistant coach of the Hofstra volleyball team.
During her professional career, Roque won the world championship in beach volleyball in 1990 and the World Series Tournament in Puerto Rico in 1994. However, it is her five WPVA Sportsmanship Awards that she is most proud of.
"On the court, I always tried to behave in a way that when I walked off, I would never be ashamed of my actions," Roque said. "I tried to have poise while still putting forth my best effort. I never wanted to get so wrapped up in the point, game or match that I would do something to embarrass myself or my teammates."
That philosophy has continued to serve Roque well, even after her playing days ended. While her former teammates have told her she is an excellent role model for their daughters, Roque hopes to encourage and help recognize young women who have sacrificed and contributed to women's athletics.
"What happens a lot in sports is that we notice the teams that win championships, but we tend to forget those other teams that make sacrifices and are just as important," Roque said. "We need to show our appreciation and recognize these women. They may have never taken a team to the championship game, but what they have done is important and has affected people's lives."
Roque herself knows that better than anyone. While she advanced to more final fours on the professional beach volleyball tour than any other athlete, she only won a few events. She also narrowly missed living her childhood dream of competing in the Olympic Games, serving as an alternate in 1996.
However, her excellent sportsmanship and demeanor on and off the court has served her well during her amateur and professional playing careers, and in the many other ways she has helped promote and support women's volleyball. As she speaks to this year's Debbie Whittemore Award winners, perhaps she can teach them, too, how to affect people's lives in the world of women's athletics.
