By Joe Paisley

The chance to defeat her former coach is only one benefit of former Colorado College volleyball player Tania Morosan's involvement in the 2012 Warrior Games this week at the Air Force Academy.

Like so many who work with these wounded heroes, Morosan leaves every match and practice inspired by what she witnesses as the injured servicemen, many who lost a limb in Afghanistan and Iraq, shrug off their disabilities and play the sport with passion and determination.

Morosan is in her second year as an assistant volleyball coach with the defending champion U.S. Marines sitting team. She enjoys every minute of it.

“Everyone has their troubles but seeing them just keep going and overcome those challenges is amazing,” the Los Angeles-based coach said. “It makes you realize how lucky you are. They have their everyday challenges and they have their disabilities. They support each other, stay focused and determined, and laugh a lot along the way.”

Her former mentor, CC head volleyball coach Rick Swan, will assist the SOCOM (Special Forces) sitting team. Their two teams were scheduled to square off for the first time on Tuesday night. Other competition began that morning.

“Oh yeah, it's going to be fun,” said Morosan. “He (Swan) has always been the ultimate volleyball enthusiast. Now, with him coaching SOCOM, they will be better. He has a wealth of knowledge to offer them. His philosophy is to learn the game by playing it.”

She has used those lessons in her five years on the sidelines. She is a coach for the Swat club program, the head coach for the boys' varsity high school and middle school teams in LA's Milken school district, and serves as an assistant with the varsity high school girls there. Currently, the 2006 history graduate also is studying for a masters degree in teaching at the University of Southern California.

It was no surprise to Swan to learn that Morosan had gone into coaching. At CC, the Connecticut native showed the dedication needed to transform herself from a raw talent to a full-time starter her junior and senior years.

“Tania was very coachable and open-minded and always wanting to learn,” Swan said. “She always asked a lot of questions. (Coaching) is a natural fit.”

She continued to improve after college by playing in adult club tournaments, Swan said, which eventually earned her a semi-pro contract in Switzerland that ended with a knee injury.

Morosan is only the second former player to face Swan as a coach. Colorado Buffaloes head coach Liz Kritza competed for Swan when he coached at St. Mary's High School in Colorado Springs before beginning his 14-year stint at Colorado College. The Tigers and Buffaloes have played spring scrimmages but this will be the first competitive match with a medal at stake.

“This will be fun in a different way,” Swan said. “It makes you feel good to see a former player give of herself for such a good cause.”

The Marines are favored. In February, the Marines Corps Trials had volleyball teams totaling 300 athletes competing. The players for the 15-man national team were selected from that pool.  That group practiced in Colorado Springs last week with Morosan before she headed home to coach her four youth teams for a few days. The head coach arrived on April 23 to lead the second of three weeks of practice.

The SOCOM team, made up of athletes from all the service branches and based all over the nation, met on Monday of this week.

“The Marines take it pretty seriously,” Swan said before his first practice.

Morosan chuckles at the thought.

“We have to be considered the favorites but volleyball is getting a lot more attention from the Army this year too,” she said. “It should be an interesting tournament.”

The competition is for wounded, injured and ill service members and veterans with the following physical disabilities: amputations, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (this category also includes cerebral palsy and stroke).

Athletes compete in archery, cycling, basketball, shooting, swimming track and field and volleyball. CC assistant men's and swimming coach Chris Sullivan is working with the Army swim team this week. Opening ceremonies were held on Monday.