More Than a Game

With just a mere half second left in the state championship game the last of the senior Lady Grizzlies were ceremoniously subbed out one last time.  That is with the exception of one.  Melodie Straatman the 5’ 11” senior guard was already on the bench.  With just over five minutes left in the game Straatman would drive to the basket and be fouled going hard to the floor.  The crowd did not know it yet but Straatman was sure that she had just broken her arm in the final minutes of the final game of her high school career.  “I was just thinking why did this happen now? And I was mad that I wouldn’t be able to be on the floor to finish the game,” Straatman said.  

She stayed on the floor for a few brief minutes before being helped to the locker room to get checked out.  The trainer would agree that the arm was most likely broken.  Melodie was eager to get back out to the floor to see the end of the game.  Billie Ann Straatman, Melodie’s mom and assistant coach, said “She became irritable.  She kept hurrying the trainer because she wanted to get back to her team before the game ended.”  

She would not be able to go back into the game and help her team win the state championship.  Melodie would, however, make it out of the locker room in time to watch the closing moments of the game and be able to celebrate the victory with her teammates.  Though this was the ultimate goal for being in Boise that weekend, a championship was not the only purpose for the trip.  

Long before the Grizzlies qualified for the state tournament Melodie had started a project.  Each senior is required to do a senior project in order to meet the graduation standards.  The Lady Grizzlies had, for several years, spent part of their trip to the state tournament stopping by the Ronald McDonald house delivering supplies and touring the facility.  Melodie decided that for her senior project she would spearhead that mission
this year. 

The Ronald McDonald house in Boise serves as a place for the families of children that are being treated at Boise area medical facilities to stay during their time of treatment.  The facility is primarily stocked with supplies through donations.  

Melodie wanted to do this project partially because of a young girl in Grace named Berkeley Spencer.  Berkeley was diagnosed in September with a malignant brain tumor.  Berkeley was admitted to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City for surgery and a long run of chemo and radiation.  During this time Berkeley and her family were able to spend six weeks at the Ronald McDonald house.  It was also during this time that Melodie and her teammates were in the middle of their volleyball season.  The volleyball team took up the charge of fundraising for the Spencer family. Melodie and her teammates became close with Berkeley and her sister AuBree.  TaNesha Spencer, Berkeley’s mom said about the volleyball team, “We will never be able to express how much their support means to Levi and I, but also the girls.”    TaNesha went on to say about the volleyball team, “They are amazing role models!”  TaNesha was also happy to report that Berkeley is currently cancer free.  

It was because of that experience that Melodie wanted to do the Ronald McDonald house fundraiser.  “I got to see Berkeley a lot and saw what her family was going through so I liked knowing how I could help other people going through struggles,” she said.  Melodie collected items and donations starting in October right up until the week the Lady Grizzlies traveled to state.  Just 24 hours prior to their championship game the Lady Grizzlies, with Melodie leading the charge, made a stop at the Boise Ronald McDonald house to drop off some much appreciated supplies gathered through Melodie’s efforts throughout the year.  

As that final buzzer sounded in the championship game Melodie was able to realize her dream of becoming a state champion once again with her senior teammates.  When asked how she would describe her whole weekend experience Melodie simply said “grateful.”  You often hear the expression “More Than A Game.”  On one February weekend in Boise that expression rang true for Melodie Straatman and the Lady Grizzlies.