McFadden was Olympic volleyball player

By the time she was five years old, Sisters resident Miki McFadden knew she wanted to be a volleyball player.

Little did she know she would develop into an Olympian.

Growing up in Hawaii in the 1950s, few sports were promoted for grade school girls. Sports that piqued Miki's interest at the time were swimming and volleyball. She dabbled in both, and played sand volleyball in a beach club.

While she was a senior in high school, Hawaii sent her team, the first, to nationals in volleyball. Then in 1967, while a freshman at the University of California, Miki qualified to compete in the World Games in Japan.

During her era she was considered one of the best hitters on the women's circuit.

"I always had a dream, and lots of drive, and making the Olympics was a huge goal of mine," she said.

In her sophomore year, her dream came true. She was selected to join the U.S. Women's Volleyball team in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

McFadden says it was not an easy road to the Olympics. It required a great deal of sacrifice: work out, study, work out, study, repeat.

"But I knew I would get there: the act of working hard for my goals and giving it my all paid off," she said.

While the team did not medal, the games were a time to remember. Looking back, she knows she was a part of an exciting time in history.

"I played in a great era," she said. "We were viewed as the pioneers of this sport. It was also during the black movement and lots of history was being made. It was nice to be a part of that. The Olympics were a very significant event for me: the games gave me confidence and showed me I could do anything and be successful. It was a great feeling of accomplishment. I still feel able to hold my head high and know if I work hard I can accomplish anything in life."

The effects of the Olympics did not end there, though. While a junior in college, she was offered a coaching position at a college prep school in Los Angeles. Thus began her first year of coaching in a career that has spanned 40 years.

Even today she continues to coach youth volleyball. She remains current on the latest techniques and training methods.

"I have never felt that I am done learning as a coach; there are always new trends and things to learn," she said.

McFadden says the game itself has not changed much, but has become much more glamorous in recent years.

Miki felt a personal connection to the 2008 Olympics. In the 1960s, she played against, and ultimately with, current volleyball star Misty May's mother. Since Misty's mother and Miki were on the same Olympic team, Miki says it was "really fun to see Misty play in this Olympics. It was so neat to see her passion for the sport since I knew her when she was a child."

This past summer McFadden was honored to attend the first reunion for all former Olympians, from all sports. She caught up with old teammates and also met the 2008 athletes.

"After 40 years, it was great being able to reconnect as if you had never missed a day," she said. "As athletes, we went through a lot together, sacrifices and success, and it meant a great deal to me to be there."