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February 19, 2006Hecht played in tourney 2 days after ordealLeland player, mother survived intruder standoffLELAND - After what Leland senior volleyball player Jennifer Hecht went through, everyone could understand if she wanted to sit out this one tournament.Hecht and her family had survived unscathed after an hour-long standoff with a masked intruder brandishing an assault rifle (see story here). That was on Jan. 26. Leland was scheduled to depart the next day for the Grand Rapids Northview Invitational. Her coach, Laurie Glass, and her mother, LeeAnn Hecht, told her she didn't have to play. But the decision would be hers. "They said, 'If you don't want to play, we completely understand. There'll be a lot of pressure, but it's totally up to you," Jennifer Hecht said. "I said, 'I'm going to do it. I want to. I have to get through it somehow.' So I played." And Hecht played well, helping lead Class D Leland to the title in a tournament where the other 15 teams were Class A and B schools. She delivered 36 kills - including four straight to close out Zeeland in the semifinals - along with 31 digs and 7 aces. "I was excited," Hecht said. "We've never won it. I don't even think we've been to the finals of that tournament before. "That and the fact that I played one of my best days - probably my best day - with all the stuff on my shoulders, not knowing where he was." About the time Leland was winning the tournament, the suspect in the case - Dean Michael Kinske - was being arrested in Traverse City. Of course, Hecht had no way of knowing that. The volleyball team departed Leland High School on Friday afternoon for the downstate tournament on Saturday morning. All this after Hecht had given her statement to police and slept "maybe a couple of hours" in her parents' bedroom. Hecht said the main reason she spent the weekend with her team was because it is a team. "That's what a team is for," she said. "They're there to help you. It was more than just volleyball. You have a family there. "The whole time they made me realize how important they are. Even if we're not playing, it was so important to have them there." Hecht realized the importance of her teammates and the school community before she even left. When she arrived at the school, one of the first to say anything to her was physical education teacher Charlie Gann. "He came up to me and said, 'All I have to say is I'm glad you're here,' " Hecht said. "That made me break down and just cry. It all hit me right then what could have happened." Before departing, Hecht had a sit-down meeting with her teammates. Hecht said it was an emotional chance to clear the air. "They were all crying; I was crying," she said. "I just said, 'If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them.' I didn't want to think about it the rest of the weekend. "I didn't want it to be a bigger deal than it already was. I wanted to focus on the things that could get me out of that little world, that little setting. "They didn't ask a lot of questions. They were just there for me all weekend. My teammates helped me so much that weekend." Hecht said the team gathered in the hotel the night before and sat down to watch a movie. 'Flight Plan' was shown, which probably wasn't the best choice. "It was about kidnapping, which was probably not the best movie for me at that time," Hecht said with a laugh. When Leland arrived at Northview High School, a sheriff's deputy was there. But Hecht's teammates quickly stepped in to change the mood. " 'Oh great, I'm brining people down here with me now,' " Hecht recalled thinking. "Then Alisha (Glass) said it's just a dad from some other team, don't even think about it.' "Then Daina (Parent) said, 'Couldn't you at least get a cute one?' They were just making light of the situation. It was nice to have people there that cared about me." Another reason Hecht wanted to play at Northview is because its high school coach directs her AAU team. Plus, the coach from Division II Glenville State in West Virginia - which Hecht will suit up for in the fall - was going to be there to watch her play. All part of the healing process. See related stories:
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