QUEEN FOR A DAY EVERYTHING LOOKING ROSY FOR FLINTRIDGE PREP'S MCCLUGGAGE SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER SELECTED ROSE QUEEN.Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News Mary Mary, the mother of Jesus Mary, in the Bible, mother of Jesus. Christian tradition reckons her the principal saint, naming her variously the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady, and Mother of God (Gr., theotokos). Her name is the Hebrew Miriam. McCluggage didn't have any advanced knowledge of the final question she would be asked by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses committee during her interview. But when she was presented with the query, the Flintridge Prep of La Canada Flintridge girls' volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. standout probably felt like she was preparing to take a swing with the match on the line and no blockers in front of her. ``The last question was: what attributes make a good team player,'' said McCluggage, a 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter. ``From all my experience playing sports, there couldn't have been a better question for me to answer.'' Like she has been for four years with the Rebels, McCluggage was poised under pressure. The result was her selection as the 89th Rose Queen, ending a month-long process that began with 1,139 young women from the greater Pasadena area trying out to represent the Tournament of Roses at 150 community and media engagements, most notably the 118th annual Rose Parade and 93rd Rose Bowl game. ``It's something I never expected and something you can't prepare for,'' said the 18-year-old McCluggage, who extended Flintridge Prep's streak to three consecutive years having a member on the Royal Court. ``It's weird to me. It gives me the chills. I have to take a step back and get out of my life just to comprehend all of this. Somebody told me it's like I'm joining a sorority sorority: see fraternity. of one person they select each year.'' Flintridge Prep volleyball coach Sean Beattie actually began preparing for such a scenario -- in which McCluggage might be forced to miss practice or matches -- two years ago when Allison Pedro, one of the Rebels' middle blockers, was selected to the Rose Court. ``I told (assistant coach Todd Todd , Sir Alexander Robertus 1907-1997. British chemist. He won a 1957 Nobel Prize for his study of nucleic acids and nucleotide structures. Frost) her 10th-grade year that when Mary's a senior, we're going to lose her,'' Beattie said. ``With her personality and the way she carries herself, I knew she was Rose Court material, so it wasn't a surprise that she was selected. ``I'm very, very happy for her. Everyone here is very happy for her. There's no hard feelings.'' Beattie isn't the only volleyball coach who is missing McCluggage's presence on the court. Shortly after learning of her selection as queen, McCluggage was contacted by Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. Beach Club coach Nabil Mardini to inform her that she had been selected to the club's top 18-under team. McCluggage had to respectfully re·spect·ful adj. Showing or marked by proper respect. re·spect  ful·ly adv. decline Mardini's offer.
``It's hard to explain it to someone who doesn't understand the commitment that is involved,'' said McCluggage, one of three athletes on the Royal Court, along with tennis players Christina Barsamian (Flintridge Sacred Heart The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity This devotion is predominantly used in the Roman Catholic Church and also used in the Anglican Church. of La Canada Flintridge) and Daniela Vine (Pasadena). ``But when (Nabil) saw me on TV, he kind of realized it was a big deal.'' Said Mardini: ``I know it's something that's very important to her and her family. Mary's a great girl and she's very loyal to the club. When her commitments are all finished, she's always welcome to come back in the spring.'' Until then, McCluggage will balance her time between Rose Court commitments and Flintridge Prep volleyball, in addition to her responsibilities as senior class vice president, Key Club president and a confirmation teen leader at St.Bede the Venerable church in LaCanada Flintridge. ``It's hard to be able to balance it, so it's good to have the support of my friends and family. Their strength is really helping me,'' said McCluggage, who has planned her schedule in order to compete in the Rebels' final two home matches Friday against Rio Hondo Rio Hondo may refer to:
``It can be overwhelming, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if it's all quite hit me yet. I just want to embrace it and have fun with it.'' McCluggage, a longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective USC football USC football refers to either of two NCAA Division I-A college football programs:
``I know they're No. 3 (in the BCS (1) (The British Computer Society, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, www.bcs.org) The chartered body for information technology professionals in the U.K., founded in 1957. ), so let's have them hold that,'' she said. ``I look outside my window and see the Rose Bowl and I've had the dream to walk on the Rose Bowl field. I'm such a sports fan, so to see it from that perspective will be a lot of fun.'' Before that opportunity unfolds, Kerry and Victoria McCluggage's daughter wants to lead her team into competition one last time in the Rebels' gym. ``It's going to be really hard to finish my volleyball season,'' said McCluggage, also a standout softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' player for the Rebels. ``I had a lot of fun in that gym. It'll be the last (match) with my friends and with Sean as my coach. ``I love Prep. Coming to Prep was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I pride myself on being a Rebel.'' And on being a consummate To carry into completion; to fulfill; to accomplish. A Common-Law Marriage is consummated when the parties live in a manner intended to bring about public recognition of their relationship as Husband and Wife. team player. erik.boal@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Flintridge Prep volleyball star Mary McCluggage has missed time because of her commitments as the 89th Rose Queen. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer (2) McCluggage reacts to being named the 89th Rose Queen by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses committee. Tournament of Roses archive |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion