Fresno State Athletics
Common Threads
10/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 20, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - Fame and hard work is nothing new to sophomore outside hitter Kara Verwey.
Before all of her volleyball success at Fresno State, Verwey was a star in Kerman -- both on and off the court.
Verwey's family lives on a dairy farm in Kerman. As a youngster during the school year children would come and visit her house on a field trip.
"I loved it," said Verwey. "People would tell me that my house was cool. We kinda ended up being a main attraction. "
While at the dairy, the children would get to jump in the cotton seed, jump on the trampoline or ride the gater.
Living on a dairy may appear fun to the elementary children, but afterwards it was arduous.
"I would have to clean the cows, give them grain and water, walk them and sweep the barn," said Verwey, who was a 2001 preseason all-Western Athletic Conference pick.
Verwey also showed her cows at the Fresno Fair. She was a member of Future Farmers of America.
Verwey's family has owned the farm since her father was a child. Both of her parents grew up on dairy farms and went to the same church. These common threads brought Verwey's parents together.
"My grandparents introduced my mom and dad to each other. Both families were dairymen and 100% Dutch," said Verwey.
Verwey calls her grandma "Oma" which is how you say grandma in Dutch. She loves eating the traditional pancakes that her grandmother prepares.
Family is very important to Verwey. Many schools asked her to play volleyball for them like California-Berkeley, Washington and Santa Clara. She decided that she wanted to attend a school close to home.
"I wanted my family to be able to watch me," said Verwey, who maintains a 3.82 GPA. "The Kerman community has really supported me. And, now, the Fresno community has adopted me and welcomes me as one of their own."
As a kid, everyone wanted to see Verwey on the dairy farm. Now as an adult, everyone wants to see her on the Fresno State volleyball court as a Bulldog.
