Glenbard East senior Dan Mader a great player -- and a really nice guy

Hall of Fame baseball manager Leo Durocher was wrong. Nice guys don't necessarily finish last.

Sometimes they finish first, and for two years in a row they finish the season as the captain of the Daily Herald All-Area boys volleyball team.

Dan Mader is the nice guy who leads our talented group of 2008 all-stars, as he did our talented group of 2007 all-stars, only this time he also does it as the captain of the first-time DuPage Valley Conference champion Glenbard East Rams, who enter today's state tournament quarterfinal with a record of 36-3.

More Coverage Links The All-Area team

"Dan is just an amazing all-around player," said teammate Nick Finder, who has been a friend and teammate of Mader's since the seventh grade. "The way he presents himself on and off the court gives our team amazing confidence. He respects everyone but fears no one."

"A great deal of the success we're experiencing this year," said Glenbard East coach Marci Maier, "is due to Dan's ability to be a team leader and keep us headed in the right direction. His numbers are down this year because he buys in totally to the team concept and moves to ball around to give the other guys the opportunities to step up."

Nice, but competitive

Both Finder and Maier point to Mader's calm demeanor and his politeness, but also caution that his easy smile should not be mistaken for a lack of competitiveness and toughness on the court.

"Dan is a great competitor who hates to lose," Maier said. "He does a superior job day in and day out and he expects the same from his teammates."

Mader, who says that he thinks he picked up a reputation for being shy in his freshman year on varsity when he didn't say much because he was so much younger and less experienced than his teammates.

"To be a good athlete and leader, you have to be a little outgoing," Mader said "You can't be shy and pick people up. That helps me to be more vocal on the court and in life. Volleyball has been a growing experience for me.

"From last year to this year, I changed a lot in my understanding on how to lead a team. I try to be composed whether we're winning or losing. I'm confident and I try to get that to rub off on my teammates."

Due to his knowledge of the game, Mader has also been there as a mentor for his teammates.

That has been most apparent in his relationship with Mark Jones, the 6-foot-5 junior, a former hitter who was converted to setter this year, joining Mader as co-setters in a 6-2 offense.

"Mark wanted to take that second setter position this year," Mader said. "We worked on him in that position in club. He was really good in tryouts and everything fell into place."

Mader worked with Jones on form and understanding the game from the setter's perspective, taking on new responsibilities of running the offense.

"He's the fastest learner I've ever seen in volleyball," Mader said of Jones, who is also a member of the All-Area team. "He has a total understanding of the game. He's helped me too. Working with him has made me go back to basics and I think I've improved my game."

Having the luxury of a pair of big guys who can both set and hit has been a great advantage for the Rams.

"The guys playing on the other side of the net are usually a little shorter, and having both of them there has really helped us," Finder said. "They can both jump out of the gym. Dan has made Mark a complete setter by teaching him everything he knows."

Improved from last year

Maier believes that Mader has been better in every aspect of the game this season.

"Skill-wise, he's sharpened up a little more," Maier said. "He fine-tuned especially in his knowledge of the game. He can make small adjustments on the block and on the angle of his swing. And he's gotten even better at coming through at clutch times."

Naperville North coach Roger Strausberger is one of many opposing coaches who are Mader admirers.

"He's a great all-around player," Strausberger said. "He has that calm personality. Nothing seems to bother him. He's the steady force behind that team and that's whey they play so consistently. He's also been the best blocker in the conference for the past couple of years."

Mader believes his biggest improvement has been in the mental part of the game.

"Our team has good chemistry and we communicate really well," Mader said. "I'm seeing a lot more on the court, and I recognize the other team's tendencies and try to share them with my teammates."

Mader has loved his experience as a member of the Rams' volleyball team.

"My best memories are being with the team," he said. "Winning with the team, sharing experiences and having success. We also hang out together when we're away from volleyball."

And he graduates from Glenbard East comforted by the knowledge that his team will carry on the Rams' tradition next year led by Jones and a group of outstanding juniors.

"Recently, we scrimmaged, the seniors against the younger kids and they did great," Mader said. "They're going to be strong next year."