Great Plains Region Names Wiedel to Replace Mailhot as Commissioner
Starting June 1, the Great Plains Region of USAV will have a new commissioner. Sue Mailhot, who has served as the Commissioner of the Great Plains Region Volleyball Association for the last 22 years, is retiring effective June 1. “I have…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingStarting June 1, the Great Plains Region of USAV will have a new commissioner.
Sue Mailhot, who has served as the Commissioner of the Great Plains Region Volleyball Association for the last 22 years, is retiring effective June 1.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed leading the region and serving the volleyball community in the entire state of Nebraska for the past few years,” Mailhot said in a prepared statement released by the Great Plains Region. “I am only retiring from the commissioner position as I will continue to remain involved in assigning and training volleyball referees. Thanks to everyone for the support over the years.”
After a statewide search, the Great Plains Region Board of Directors selected Craig Wiedel of Omaha to replace Mailhot as the Commissioner. Wiedel has been active in all three pillars of the region (juniors, officials and adults) serving as a club director, coach, official and player. Wiedel will begin working April 1, giving the region a two-month transition period before the retirement of Mailhot from the commissioner’s role.
Wiedel found his passion for volleyball while growing up in the small Nebraska community of Hebron (Thayer Central). He is the youngest of 9 children.
“When I was a small child, my parents would load the youngest five children in our station wagon and we would go watch the volleyball matches of my older siblings, who were volleyball coaches. Had I never been introduced to the sport in this manner,
I would have never found my true passion,” Wiedel said in the statement released by the Great Plains.
Wiedel currently serves on the Officials Program Board for the region as a Director-at-Large. He also holds a USAV National Referee certification and has plans to obtain his National Scorer certification later this year in Dallas.
“I believe in life it is ‘the process’ and not ‘the product’ that matters. My parents raised me to ‘always try to do the right things as doing the right thing is always the right thing’. They also instilled in me to be patient and good things will happen,” Wiedel stated.
Wiedel’s experience working with a smaller club will give him the insight to work with the teams outside of the metro areas. He also understands the needs of the teams in the large metro areas as he has lived in Omaha for the past 20
years.
“I feel one of my best qualities is listening to others and working as a team to come up with a solution,” Wiedel said. “Volleyball in the state of Nebraska is at a pinnacle level right now and Sue has helped get it to this point. So, with her guidance as well as the support from the current staff and Board of Directors, I am excited to get started on April 1 in continuing to make the Great Plains Region as strong as ever. It will be my responsibility to promote this great sport, so it continues to grow at all levels.”