Aug. 25, 2005

EDITORS NOTE: This story was written by staff writer Princess McDowell of The Shorthorn, the University newspaper of UTA. For more UTA related stories, please go to www.theshorthorn.com.

The Mavericks volleyball team laid the foundation for a successful season Aug. 18 by helping build two houses with Habitat for Humanity.

The team joined other volunteers from Hood County and Ameriquest Mortgage Company in finishing the houses in a parking lot at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The houses will be moved to the recipients: the Patterson family in Dublin, Texas, and the Gandara family in Waxahachie.

Habitat for Humanity, which operates in conjunction with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, builds affordable homes around the world using volunteer labor and donated money and materials.

Sports Information Director Bill Petitt said the event is a step forward in involving the athletic program in the area.

"We are looking to be better about getting into the community," Petitt said. "People need to know we are a part of the community."

Head Coach Diane Seymour said the opportunity for the team to help others translates over to the court.

"Anything we do together is beneficial in getting to know each other and is so valuable," she said.

The volleyball team battled the heat, keeping cool with plenty of water. The team, working as an assembly line, split time between cutting sections of insulation and installing them under the houses, which were supported by cinderblocks.

Ann Chappell, coordinator of Habitat for Humanity Council of North Central Texas, said building a house together would help the squad learn to work together.

"They will see the value of teamwork played out," she said. "The person on the court that may not be as skilled could be a leader while working on the house."

Seymour said the bond they build would help during tough game situations where skill isn't enough to win the game.

"There seems to be great team chemistry already," she said.