Community college men’s volleyball feature: The bottom line

Steve Virgen

Volleyball and family had always been synonymous in Scott Winant’s

life. He was raised in the sport. But, last year, volleyball became an

antipathy.

Winant’s mother, Sally Buselt, 46, died in a car accident January 2001

and her son’s life would never be the same. The pain and depression was

too much and Winant, who is now the starting setter for the undefeated

Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team (13-0), no longer wanted to

play his favorite game.

However, Winant overcame his sense of loss with the help of memories

of his mother, who would have wanted her son to continue playing and

competing.

“When I play, I have a picture of her that I keep with me in the

pocket of my shorts,” Winant said. “She would want me to continue to

play.”

With that motivation and the constant support from his family,

including his father and former Costa Mesa High boys volleyball coach

Jerry Winant, Scott has elevated his game this season and is helping

guide OCC in its quest for a state title.

Scott discovered the tragic news of his mother’s death less than a

month before his season began for Irvine Valley College.

“It was real hard for me,” he said. “When I was younger I was close to

her and I was getting closer to her. It was hard to see that go away. And

I just kept playing through my mind: The memories and different things

that she wouldn’t be able to see me do now.”

Scott’s family convinced him that his mother would want him to play

on. And so he did. Yet soon his zest for life, never mind his love for

the game, was challenged. His grades dropped. His personality changed.

His desire for competition, gone.

Scott would see parents, and other mothers, come cheer for his

teammates at Irvine Valley and that nearly drove him to quit.

But, Jerry Winant told his son to keep playing. Sometimes, volleyball

can be just the right therapy.

“Under different circumstances I would have recommended him not to

play,” said Jerry Winant, who was a setter at Cal State Fullerton, where

he meet his late ex-wife Sally Buselt, also a setter for the Titans. “I

think volleyball was helpful. I’m really proud that he came back. I’m

really proud of how well he’s done. It was tough for him when his mom

died. Just to stay in school was tough.”

Scott increased his effort throughout each match during last season

and dedicated it all to his mother. He earned All-Orange Empire

Conference second-team honors and his hunger for competition was renewed.

Unfortunately, Irvine Valley could not fulfill his goals of winning a

state title, Scott said.

He wanted to go back to the school and the coach who had redshirted

him in his first year. OCC Coach Chuck Cutenese, who played for Costa

Mesa High under Jerry Winant, welcomed Scott back.

Cutenese’s squad lost in the state final to Los Angeles Pierce, and

Scott witnessed the match. The next day he called his former coach and

they began to talk of plans for the following season.

This year, Scott ran the offense and amassed 37 assists in a 30-26,

30-23, 30-25 avenging victory over host Pierce Wednesday.

“He loves the big matches and the big games,” said Jerry Winant, who

coached his son during club competition throughout Scott’s high school

years. “He will always play his best in those big matches.”

For Scott Winant, the best is yet to come.