LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Small but mighty.

When junior Co-Captain Jennifer Garcia strides onto the court exuding command and self-assurance, it is easy to forget that she is the shortest member of the Harvard women's volleyball team.

Standing at only 5'3" is an enormous disadvantage in a sport where the other team's spikers often tower at six feet. Garcia, however, has managed to overcome this obstacle and captains her team with confidence.

Although the Crimson has struggled this season with a record of 3-11, Garcia's dedication to the team has never faltered.

"I would never bail on my teammates," Garcia says. "They're my closest friends. We're doing it for each other now."

Volleyball has been an integral part of this native Texan's life since she joined her fifth grade team in grade school. Garcia filled her high school days with volleyball on her school team and on a club team which competed at the Junior Olympics.

Garcia first asserted herself on Harvard's courts two year's ago as a freshman when she stepped in to replace the team's injured setter.

"From that moment she made it clear that she was there to stay," senior Co-Captain Michelle Carlo says.

Garcia's 1992 season has been especially rough because a knee injury kept her off the court for a total of four weeks. Garcia's injury has kept her on the bench for more than half of this season's games.

Being off the court has been especially frustrating for Garcia, who says her identity at Harvard is inextricably linked with the sport. "Playing volleyball is my niche here at Harvard," she says. "I felt like I was drifting apart from the team because I wasn't out there."

Teammates say that Garcia's solid contributions were sorely missed when she could not play. As a setter, Garcia controls the flow of the game, so her absence was felt especially keenly.

"She's such a consistent player," says junior Melissa McSherry, who has played with Garcia for two years. "She simply does not make mistakes and that is so reassuring. It's worth its weight in gold."

Garcia's brand of leadership contrasts sharply with that of her co-captain.

While Carlo cheers the team on vocally, Garcia remains much quieter, encouraging players individually. Although her style is far from flamboyant, Garcia is a strong leader who takes pride in the accomplishments of her teammates.

"It's very much a lead-by-example style," McSherry says. "She's a wonderful player, and you think that to earn the right to play with her you need to work really hard."

Garcia's style is also very personal and very positive. "If one person is having a problem she'll go talk to that one person. She supports individuals," sophomore Rachel Heit says.

The personal touch that Garcia gives to her sport extends to other parts of her life as well. Garcia also supports individuals as co-chair of the Big Sibling program at CHANCE, a program to encourage Cambridge high school students to attend college.

"If there's a kid who's kind of shy, she'll go up to him quietly and make him smile," the program's co-chair junior Ravi Dahiya says. "It's a contagious kind of leadership...whether it be for a ball or for a kid."

Although the team may not be having an outstanding season, Garcia makes sure the team has fun on the court. An avid fan of Lyle Lovett and country-western dancing, Garcia does not leave her Texan pride behind when she steps on the court. "She's been trying to teach us all how to two-step at practice," sophomore Judy Iriye says.

Two-stepping may not bring the team out of this season's slump, but it is clear that without Garcia's confidence and charm, Harvard volleyball would have a much different character.