When Don Shondell was born 77 years ago, volleyball wasn't even considered an official collegiate sport. However, he would go on to Ball State University and introduce it to the sport of volleyball, changing the name and face of both forever.
Any volleyball coach in the nation has either played for him, battled against him or heard of his legacy as the second winningest collegiate coach in volleyball history.
His legacy carries on through the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament, which starts Saturday.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The MIVA tournament begins this weekend at Ball State when the Cardinals play host to the Mercyhurst College Lakers. The tournament didn't even exist 40 years ago, let alone a conference.
Don Shondell started the Ball State volleyball program in 1964 after coaching the intramural sport. He coached until 1998 with the exception of 1965 when he went to Indiana University to complete his doctorate. Constructing his first varsity team was difficult because of the sport's reputation.
"We had good athletes to start with," Don Shondell said, "and we really made progress in a hurry."
Under Don Shondell, the Ball State volleyball team dominated. During his 34 seasons, he culminated a record of 759-262-6. In 1996 he was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. He also led his "Volleycards" to 20 MIVA Championships and 14 NCAA Tournament Appearances. The only thing the legend didn't win was the NCAA tournament.
MAKING OF THE MIVA
Don Shondell didn't just change the sport at Ball State, though.
Shortly after the team was developed, Don Shondell was elected as the first president of MIVA and kept the title for four years. Ball State quickly rose to the top of the MIVA rankings and finished first 16 of the next 21 years.
Finally in 1969, the NCAA, working through the USVBA, established the first NCAA Volleyball Committee. Don Shondell was on that first committee and the first two NCAA tournaments were in UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.
The first NCAA tournament at Ball State was in 1972, and it was the first time volleyball was televised.
Ball State went undefeated that same year, becoming the regular-season MIVA champions.
"We played out at Irving Gym, and we just had that thing packed," Don Shondell said. "The president, John Pruis, held a parade all across campus. We had tremendous crowds for that thing."
Don Shondell's last seven seasons were assisted by his oldest son, Steve Shondell, and current coach Joel Walton.
Walton, who was also his former player, said he highly respects Don Shondell and all he has done for the program and the game.
"It's a great honor," Walton said. "The recognition that Ball State men's volleyball receives is a tribute to the hard work, dreams and passion that Don Shondell has had for the sport of volleyball."
MAKINGS OF A LEGEND
When Don Shondell first came to Ball State as a student in 1952, he didn't know much about the sport that would become his career.
"I had never seen a game of volleyball before I came to Ball State," he said,
One of his friends approached him about playing, and he soon joined the team and played in YMCA squads. The games were more about having fun than competing. His first team used old basketball uniforms from the athletic department.
"There was nothing written at this time about this crazy game called volleyball," Don Shondell said. "It had a concept of being a sport non-athletic people played and guys that hit and giggle-type stuff."
After graduation, Don Shondell was off to the service as many other young men during this time. He organized some volleyball teams to play in the club championships. He was in the service during the Korean War.
He eventually returned to Ball State, where he was practically handed the sports intramural director position and began the volleyball program as a varsity sport in 1964.
Don Shondell has instilled his love of volleyball to his sons, Steve Shondell, Dave Shondell and John Shondell. All were setters under Don Shondell during their tenures at Ball State and all went on to coach in high school or college.
Although his father never forced him into volleyball, Steve Shondell eventually came to adopt the sport and now coaches at Muncie Burris High School. He has coached the team for the past 30 years and led them to win seventeen state championships and four national championships.
The second oldest is Dave Shondell. He is the head coach at Purdue University for the women's volleyball team.
He said more people should recognize Ball State volleyball program's value.
"There's such a fraternity of people from Ball State that are spreading the word of volleyball, and I think my dad is pretty proud of that," he said.
John Shondell coaches as Dave Shondell's assistant. He played like his older brothers and also grew up in the shadow of so many great players and coaches.
Steve Shondell said he learned many lessons about sports from his father.
"The most important thing he taught me was probably to have fun and totally enjoy the sport," Steve Shondell said. "He's always been into sportsmanship. One of the first things that he taught me was it matters not if you win or lose, it's how you play the game."
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