JoAnne Baldwin boosts G-Prep volleyball team

Ask Gonzaga Prep assistant volleyball coach Greg Smith about senior JoAnne Baldwin, and you won’t hear talk about what he taught her – it’ll be the other way around.

“During her last couple years on the varsity,” Smith said, “Jo taught me about service and about commitment. She’s the kind of kid who can’t be held back, and she’ll get her rewards in many different ways.”

Baldwin played volleyball for four years at G-Prep and competed in the javelin and discus for three, but athletics for her has been more about friendships and inspiration than wins and losses, although the Bullpup volleyball team did earn a third-place trophy in the 2004 state 4A tournament.

“The ultimate JoAnne moment for me came that year at state,” said Smith. “In the trophy game for third and sixth, she got the sportsmanship award they give in every match even though she never played a point. The officials were just impressed by her positive reinforcement of the other girls.”

“My role was similar during both seasons,” Baldwin said, “to be an inspirational leader, psyche up the starters and get everyone excited. It was fun to encourage my teammates.

“This year, some of my friends didn’t come out, but I wanted to play, and I was determined to keep a good attitude, stay positive and work hard. It was important for me to serve as an example for the younger girls.

“Sometimes it was tough for me not to be playing more, but I gained a sense of endurance and perseverance, and I learned that the satisfaction I got from uplifting my teammates was enough for me.”

Smith notes that as competitive as Baldwin is, she’s never wavered from being welcoming, kind and considerate.

“She’s 100 percent in, all the time,” he said. “Without a doubt, she’s been our emotional leader. Even without a lot of playing time, she gave it everything she had all the time, even something as simple as shagging balls during practice.

“Everything she did was at a full sprint, and she did everything she could for the good of the program, including putting her own interests aside.”

Next fall Baldwin will enroll at Pepperdine University, where she hopes to major in international studies and science. She isn’t sure what she wants to do in the long-term, but her short-term goal is to work for National Geographic and travel the world.

At full speed, of course.