Coming to
terms with
his success
Senior quick hitter Jeff Nygaard is learning to accept praise
for being the premier player in collegiate volleyball
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
You would think after several years of being mentioned in the
same breath as volleyball legends Mike Ivie and Karch Kiraly, one
would begin to gain some confidence.
It would also stand to reason that being named National Freshman
of the Year and leading the country in blocking would boost your
ego up a notch. If you went on to lead your team to a national
championship while earning All-American honors, you might replace
your walk with a strut.
And finally, after being named AVCA Player of the Year and
shattering single-season records for kills, attempts and aces at a
school that has won 14 national titles, well, it might be
considered your right to be arrogant.
All of the above praises and awards were bestowed upon UCLA
quick hitter Jeff Nygaard during his first three years of college,
yet none of the obvious reactions followed.
Rather than a strut, a shuffle was his signature. He never
talked a big game because he spoke only slightly more than a mime.
And there was no cocky on-court grin because he had all the facial
expressions of a cranky mannequin.
"Up until this year, Jeff was so critical of
everything he did on the court," teammate John Speraw said.
"Sometimes you would listen to him talk and it was horrible. You
just wanted to hit him and say, ‘You’re dominating the game out
there,’ but he never seemed happy."
While Nygaard was dominating the game, his strive for perfection
made volleyball seem more of a chore than a pleasure. The Player of
the Year honors and All-America awards weren’t satisfying because
he was operating on a different playing field than his
competitors.
However, after starting on the U.S. National Team last summer
and helping them to a bronze medal in Athens, Greece, something
began to change.
"I’m sure playing on the national team and dominating
international competition made Jeff realize some things," setter
Stein Metzger said. "I think he finally realized he is a world
class volleyball player and that has added a lot of
confidence."
Said Nygaard, "I think my experience last summer helped me a
lot. I didn’t feel I was dominating at all, but it felt good to
know that I could compete with all those great players at the
international level."
While the awards have continued to pile up in his senior year
 he has already been named MPSF Player of the Year  his
personality has enjoyed some changes. Occasionally, he will smile
on court, and his favorite word when describing himself is no
longer "suck."
"I’m enjoying myself more this year," Nygaard said. "I’ve also
learned how to take a compliment. When someone tells me ‘nice
game,’ I don’t immediately tell them what I did wrong. I may not be
happy, but I keep it to myself."
UCLA head coach Al Scates has also noticed the change in the
player he terms "the most dominating player in volleyball."
"Jeff has always strived so hard for perfection that he never
allowed himself to enjoy his accomplishments," Scates said. "Now he
lets some of his emotions show when he does something well. It’s
great to see him mature and to witness that transformation."
Nygaard’s new-found confidence has carried well beyond the lines
of a volleyball court. Entering Los Angeles after growing up in
Madison, Wisc., can be somewhat intimidating.
Added to this factor are his four years playing at La Follette
High School, which were not exactly great preparation for UCLA
volleyball. The most dominant hitter in the nation was used largely
as a setter before arriving in Westwood.
However, Nygaard has transformed from being the guy who Speraw
remembers as "incredibly homesick" during his freshman
orientation.
"I was the shyest thing you’ve ever seen," Nygaard admitted. "I
lived on the same floor as (teammate) Kevin Wong as a freshman, but
I didn’t even talk to him for six weeks. I was too scared."
Scates claims that he never saw Nygaard smile for four years.
But after burying a Hawaii hitter to close out game three of the
MPSF playoff finals last Saturday, even Nygaard couldn’t contain
himself.
"I enjoyed that a lot," Nygaard said. "That was such a great
feeling that I couldn’t help but smile."
Although some things have changed, Nygaard has not compromised
his standards. As UCLA prepares to play Ball State in the
semifinals of this weekend’s Final Four, Nygaard hopes he hasn’t
saved a perfect game for last.
"I’ve never played what I consider a perfect match and I hope I
never do," Nygaard said. "Once you become satisfied, you’re
finished. There is always something to improve on."
Even if UCLA is unsuccessful in claiming its 15th NCAA title
this weekend, the 1996 Summer Olympics are in Nygaard’s future.
"I’m looking forward to playing in the Olympics," Nygaard said.
"Well, that’s assuming I can make the team and they think I’m good
enough to play."
Some things will never change.