Quiet Confidence Janelle Ruen Picked Eastern So She Could Stay Busy Participating In Both Volleyball, Basketball

It was not the most orthodox way for Janelle Ruen to prepare for a volleyball match, but the Post Falls High School graduate is anything but traditional.

In her Trojan career, Ruen often held the spotlight, although she would have preferred it shine on someone else. She was a rare talent, lettering in four sports her senior year, and all of her coaches agreed she was the one they could count on in a game - a fierce competitor.

So, before her first collegiate volleyball match for Eastern Washington University a couple of weeks ago in Cheney, Ruen settled her first-game jitters by convincing herself of one thing.

“I told myself not to worry about it because I wasn’t going to get into the game,” she said with a smile. “It was the only way I could relax.”

Ruen not getting into a game, though, is highly unlikely. She played in two games of EWU’s volleyball debut in the Big Sky Conference in a three-game sweep over Idaho State University.

“I did OK,” she said afterward. “I was worried I would embarrass myself by hitting a ball into the stands. That didn’t happen and we won, so I am real happy.”

In the match, Ruen had five kills.

Her coach, Pam Parks, has great confidence in the freshman recruit.

“She is so talented we aren’t sure where to play her just yet,” said Parks. “She can play every position and play it well. So we are moving her around the court quite a bit to get her familiar with every aspect of the game.”

Parks also is hoping to get this pearl to come out of her shell.

“We call her `Bashful’ on the team,” said Parks. “You hardly hear a word from her. But that is because she is so focused on learning this game that she is trying to absorb everything. I think when she gets a little more comfortable she’ll be more outgoing.”

When Ruen was sorting through the pile of college offers, she had one requirement that many universities shied away from. She wanted to participate in two sports, volleyball and basketball. Most colleges want their athletes to focus on only one sport, fearing they could lose them to injury while competing in the other, burn out, or suffer academically.

For Ruen to play in only one sport would be mind-numbing.

“Everyone thought: `You’re going to do two sports in college?”’ she said, laughing. “But actually I have had some off-time and I don’t know what to do with myself.

“I talked to the other schools about playing both sports and they all pretty much said they could try but didn’t really like the idea.”

When the Eagles wrap up their season, Ruen’s down-time will last about as long as it takes her to change shoes.

“We have an agreement with the basketball coach to let me start when the season is over,” said Ruen. “You can only have so many hours of practice a week. But I might try to sneak in a few practices before if we aren’t playing volleyball that day.”

Ruen’s first love was basketball and she didn’t take volleyball very seriously until her senior year, playing club ball for EWU’s associate head coach Wade Benson.

“I didn’t really start playing real volleyball until three years ago playing U-16. Playing my sophomore year was really eye-opening,” she said. “I really enjoy playing both sports.”

Now her first love when it comes to sports is: “The one I am playing at the time.”

She is considering majoring in recreational management.

“My family is thinking about building a golf course in the Lake Pend Oreille area and I think it would be pretty fun to be involved with that,” she said.

For now, though, she golfs only on special occasions.

“I golf once a year and that is on Father’s Day,” she said. “My dad really loves to golf so I go with him. I really don’t like golf. It frustrates me. There isn’t enough action. It’s not a contact sport.”

Even with her talent, the possibility of playing professional sports after graduation doesn’t appeal to her yet. “I would take some time off first,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe lay in the sun on a beach somewhere and relax.”

Of course the sunblock would barely have time to dry before she would be up and moving. “I’d probably have to go find a beach volleyball game somewhere.”

“For graduation I spent a week in Hawaii with eight of my girlfriends. I just hung out on the beach, but I didn’t do any sports. I felt so guilty because I was so out of shape when I came back. I could totally feel it.”