Sports can bring out the best in people.
Eight years ago the Iowa City West volleyball team won the state championship led by team captain, Caroline Found. Found, the team’s setter, led the team on the court for each match. She liked to be called by her nickname, “Line.”
Courtesy: Iowa City Press-Citizen
A terrific young woman, Line cared about people around her. But tragedy struck in August 2011 when Found lost control of her moped, struck a tree, and died instantly.
The community was devastated by the loss. The team had a huge gap to fill, too.
Head coach, Kathy Bresnahan, held tryouts for Line’s position–a role that nobody really wanted to take. The player who eventually took that position was Caroline’s best friend, Kelly Flieller, who accepted the role after receiving encouragement from Bresnahan and her teammates.
The season was dedicated to Line’s memory. The student body wore shirts with Caroline’s name and number, #9. On the front were the words, “Live Like Line.” And, after every game, the students sang Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”
The 2011 Iowa City West volleyball team wasn’t expected to be as good as it was in 2010. But, after starting slowly, the team began gaining momentum and made it back to the state tournament.
Iowa City West repeated as state champions.
The story of Caroline Found and Iowa City West was featured recently on Real Sports with Bryant Gumble.
And that story will be memorialized in film, The Miracle Season (LD Entertainment), which will premier this April.
i love caroline “line” found she is so inspiring
Very interesting article! A very heartwarming story. The writer of this article – Mathew Paris did an excellent job getting to the points and with feeling. I loved it!