Rams Relief: Family On and Off the Court

There isn't a coach at Colorado State who better understands the value of the personal, community connection than Tom Hilbert. His Rams may very well be the Webster's definition.

He is open about it. You see it in the way he remains connected with his program's letter winners of the past. In the summer, his players are out meeting the community in Old Town through a number of events his Rams take part in, telling everybody within earshot about the Colorado State volleyball program.

His players buy in, not because they are forced, but they see and feel the value returned.

"I had no idea what boosters even were before coming to America and playing volleyball," said Sasha Colombo, a product of Italy. "At home, we have support from fans and family members, but it's completely different to the atmosphere here. We always know they are our No. 1 fans, and they follow us on social media and engage with us, too. They always check in, ask me how I'm doing, how my family is doing back at home."

In fact, when her mother and younger brother came out for a match in 2019, they were treated like celebrities at a post-match NETwork event.

In a very unprecedented time in all of our lives, Colorado State Athletics and the Rams Club are asking all of our valued supporters to donate or make a gift which will have a life-altering impact on our student-athletes. The financial crisis is real for everyone, yet our primary goal remains to create the greatest experience for our student-athletes. Your gifts will help lessen the impact they feel as they pursue their athletic and educational goals.

"Now, we do need them more than ever," Hilbert said. "Now, we may be raising money simply to have a season. It's been difficult enough on these student-athletes to have the fall season canceled. Now we have to try to give them some semblance of an athletic experience."

Past giving has allowed Hilbert's program to keep up with technology and tend to the student-athlete's nutritional needs. Donations have upgraded equipment, which in turn, Hilbert said, has allowed him to run a program at the level of many Power 5 schools.

He can recruit, and can most definitely coach, which is why the program is a perennial NCAA Tournament qualifier, but he knows the philanthropic giving of NETwork and letter winners continue to let his program thrive.

Colombo knows past gifts have helped her become a better player through the training it has produced.

"I am so grateful. We have some of the most up-to-date technology," she said. "We have vert belts, and they measure and track our jumps during practice. At the end of the season last year, I had a meeting with (assistant coach) Dri Blackman and she showed me all of my data. We analyzed all of my trends, and when I'm peak jumping. It gets very in depth with physiology, too, which I find interesting."

The power of the program is seen annually on the court by the players who continually bring home Mountain West championships. That is only amplified by the banners hanging in the rafters at Moby Arena, produced by players who also valued the support of NETwork.

Colombo said it's not just financially, but as an international player, she feels she is always with family. The people who are NETwork, and the players who came before her, have always given her a lift of support on and off the court.

Hilbert wants to make sure the future players of CSU volleyball feel the same feeling of appreciation as they enter and exit the program. At this time, that support carries more depth.

"It's really important. We want to continue to give these student-athletes an experience which is meaningful and challenges them and allows them to compete with the best teams in the country," Hilbert said. "We're going to have to have resources to do that."

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