Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1044521
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 23 camaraderie. Players come and go, but there's always someone to face o! against for a spirited game. Bill Cote, a noontime regular, has been playing handball since he fell in love with the sport 45 years ago. His favorite part? "Winning," he says. "is competitive spirit has always been a part of WAC handball. Two months a#er opening, the Club held the All- City Handball Tournament, and through the years the world's best players have competed on the WAC courts. ""e WAC has the best courts in the city—maybe even in the Paci$c Northwest," 60-year veteran player Bill Mathisson says. But it's not just great courts and Club tradition that keep players coming back. "It's a great stress release to throw some- thing hard or return a di%cult play," says WAC member Clay Freeman, who began playing in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park as a college student more than $ve decades ago. "e communal love of handball also attracts former play- ers, now spectators. Member Dave Hasson watched recently as four of his friends competed in a doubles match. ""at's my older brother out there," he says, pointing. "I don't play any- more, but I could still beat him." Yeah, Noel B. Clarke would be proud. —Mae Jacobson is WAC Magazine Associate Editor. Contact her at mjacobson@wac.net. Q. Tell us about your college career. A. In Los Angeles, I missed the Big Ten camaraderie I grew up with, so I transferred to Iowa, which was one of the best deci- sions of my life. During my time there I was named to the 2014 Academic All-American Big Ten team, I broke the eight-year- old career attack percentage record, I was one of three Iowa players to start in every match of the 2014 season, and I served as team captain. Q. Now you're part of the WAC volleyball team. How's it going? A. It's been a great experience. I've met so many awesome people and loved getting back onto the court. We joined a sand volleyball league this summer. "at was a lot of fun. Q. What's your favorite part about volleyball? A. It's the ultimate team sport. Everyone on the court needs to do their job for the team to be successful. You aren't playing against the clock in volleyball, so every point matters. If you're down by several points, there is still a chance to come back. I love that with resilience and determination you can always put your team in a position to win. Q. Any advice for aspiring young players? A. Have con$dence in yourself and trust that if you put in the time and e!ort, you will see great results. living fit Handball / meet the athlete Meet the athlete C O U R T E S Y A L E S S A N D R A D I E T Z Alessandra Dietz began playing volleyball as a sixth-grader in Michigan. After falling in love with the game, she made it her goal to play at the collegiate level. Recruited by Loyola Marymount University in 2010, Alessandra spent her freshman season in Los Angeles but left to complete her college career at the University of Iowa. She moved to Seattle in January of 2018 to pursue a career in medical sales and started playing for the WAC team shortly afterward. ALESSANDRA DIETZ uMembers Clay Freeman, Robert Hasson, Bill Mathisson, Jack Richlen, Jack Bookey, Dick Vacca, and Bill Cote, from left, meet up on the 6th Floor. C E C I L I A T R E M A I N E N E L S O N