It was a typical day in 2008, and Jordan Larson was preparing to do her favorite thing– dominate on the volleyball court. A lot was riding on this game. Jordan’s team, the University of Nebraska, was going up against the University of Washington in the regional finals. As Jordan served, blocked, and rallied, her eyes kept flitting to the stands. Where was her mom? Her stepdad? Her boyfriend? They’d all flown out to Seattle; they were supposed to be there cheering her on. 

Jordan couldn’t keep her mind from playing out worst-case scenarios. As she panicked, her playing slipped. The volleyball hit the ground with a thud, a point for the other team. She needed to focus if they were going to win. But something didn’t feel right. Her mom never missed a game. Where could she be?

I’m Justine Wong-Orantes, I’m a volleyball player on the US National Women’s team and founding athlete of LOVB. 

And this is Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. A fairy tale podcast about the real-life rebel women who inspire us. 

On this episode, Jordan Larson: volleyball legend and leader, on and off the court.

Jordan grew up in a tiny town in Nebraska called Hooper, where she and her mom Kae were two of only about 800 residents. 

While most toddlers wobbled, two year old Jordan was strong and sure-footed—an athlete from the jump. Her bald head and long limbs earned her the nickname “Michael” Jordan, after the legendary basketball player. Like him, Jordan was destin ed for greatness.

Sitting on the couch at just ten years old, Jordan and her mom watched the 1996 Olympics. “I’m going to be an Olympian one day!” Jordan announced. Her mom looked at her and had to smile. If anyone could do it, it was Jordan. 

As she got older, strong, quick Jordan could beat anyone at any sport. She played softball and basketball, beating older boys again and again. In her small rural town, that kind of talent made her stand out. And not always in a good way.

She’d join a game hoping to make some new friends, but then, she’d trounce the competition. Arfter the game, she’d watch as the other kids went for ice cream or to hang out at someone’s house… without her. She’d return home alone, finding comfort in the one person who was always rooting for her– her mom. Anytime Jordan felt excluded and misunderstood, her mom was her champion.

In eighth grade, Jordan joined the volleyball team. Feet squeaking on the polished floor, she took her spot on the court, eyes darting to the girls on either side of her. Would she finally fit in here? 

As they started to play, Jordan smacked her palm against the leather ball. What a great sound! What a great feeling! 

Volleyball came naturally to Jordan, even more than other sports. She loved the power she could send into the ball, and the camaraderie she felt as her teammates sent it flying back. When she held up her hand for a high five, her teammates returned it! Jordan felt a new hope that maybe this could be her sport, her people. She looked for her mom in the stands and there she was, wearing her signature denim on denim, her eyes twinkling with shared joy.

But as the season continued, so did Jordan’s loneliness. Girls wanted her on their team, but didn’t understand her ambition. They’d roll their eyes when she talked about wanting to win a college scholarship for volleyball. They couldn’t relate to her dreams of being an Olympian, or being the best.

“What am I doing wrong?” she’d ask her mom. Her mom didn’t know what to say. Jordan had no choice but to keep training and working towards her goals. Her mom believed in her, and that would have to be enough. 

In high school, Jordan immediately made the varsity volleyball team, an outstanding accomplishment for a freshman. Her coach wanted her to get extra experience by playing junior varsity games, too. The coach had the JV players vote: could Jordan play with them? The room felt stifling as the coach read out the team’s anonymous answers. No, no, no. Ten of the twelve girls voted to keep her off the team. They were jealous and intimidated. 

Jordan couldn’t believe it. She walked up to her coach, holding her head high and said, “If they don’t want me there, I don’t want to be there.” Inside, her heart was breaking.

Still, Jordan kept playing, getting better and better. By sophomore year, Jordan was scouted by the University of Nebraska. They watched as she served the ball with such force that her arm was a blur. The other team cowered and ducked. Impressed, the scouts offered Jordan a place on one of the best college volleyball teams in the country. AND it was close enough for her mom to attend all her games. 

It was all Jordan could do to keep from bursting out of high school and running straight there— how could she wait? She wanted to go now! She said yes.

Three years later at the University of Nebraska, things felt different. The coaches there put a real emphasis on team culture— they knew there was more to a successful team than pure talent. The players getting along and working together helped Nebraska excel. Jordan made real friends— and for the first time she was truly loved and celebrated by her teammates. 

She led her team, the Huskers, to a top 5 finish every single year of college. Her numbers were mind-boggling— 1,410 digs, 1,600 kills, and a school-record of 186 aces— kills and aces being hits and serves that the other team can’t even hope to return. 

Through it all, her mom was there watching, hooting and hollering louder than anyone else.

Though things were going great in Jordan’s volleyball career, she soon got news that rocked her world. Her mother, her best friend, was diagnosed with cancer. She would go through treatment, but things didn’t look good. Despite her illness, she still went to all of Jordan’s games.

Until, that one day in 2008, when Jordan’s team was up against University of Washington in the regional finals. Each time she looked to the stands, she grew more and more panicked. Where was her mom? She needed her there. 

When she got a chance, Jordan rushed to text her stepdad for an update, but there was no service in the locker room. A friend ran outside to make the call for her, then returned with the news: Jordan’s mom was ok, just feeling weak and watching the game from the hotel. 

Relief flooded through Jordan but was quickly overtaken by a new wave of panic. She’d been playing so poorly—if her team lost this game, her mom might not live to see her play in person again. The thought was unbearable. 

So, thinking of her mom and the joy these games brought her, Jordan centered herself in her body. She let her competitive instincts, skill, and drive take over. 

Pass– set– hit! The score evened out. Then, it all came down to Jordan. She did her signature jump serve, her hand smashing the ball with all the power and heart she had. And… she scored! Nebraska won. Like so many of her games, she’d won it for her mom. 

From that point on, Jordan’s time was split between just two things: playing volleyball, and caring for her mom. When her mom passed away a year later, Jordan didn’t know what to do with her grief. Seeking a distraction from her loss, Jordan threw herself even harder into volleyball. She played on the national team and signed with a Russian league. She even achieved her dream and made the US Olympic team! But she found she couldn’t do what she wanted most: call her mom. 

Those old feelings of isolation from childhood were coming back. She wrote in her journal, As crazy successful as my career has been, it’s been incredibly lonely…I feel like it’s my mother’s love I’m missing.

Despite it all, Jordan pushed herself to continue pursuing her dreams, as her mom would have wanted. She won medals in two back-to-back Olympics —silver in London and bronze in Rio. And five years later, she was on her way to the Tokyo Olympics. 

On the day of the final, Jordan blazed onto the Olympic court. Hit – attack – kill. The Brazilians were fierce competitors. Each time Jordan’s team managed to score a point on them, they’d cheer each other on. They worked as a unit, supporting each other as the ball zoomed through the air and they blocked it. At just the right moment Jordan leapt into the air and thwack! She spiked the ball over the net and to the right, to a space on the floor where none of her opponents could get it. The ball smacked the ground, ending the game. They won!! 

Jordan fell to her knees, her face incandescent with happiness, her voice joining her teammates,’ rising to the roof with indescribable joy. 

They had won the first ever women’s indoor volleyball Olympic gold for Team USA since the team began, more than 40 years prior. 

As her team celebrated, Jordan wished her mother was there to see it. Overwhelmed with emotion, she collapsed against her friends as her tears started to flow.

Jordan has built her whole life around volleyball. Now, as a coach at her alma mater, the University of Nebraska, she teaches women to play through her words, but also her example— sometimes, she just has to get in the game to show them how it’s done. She is even working to develop an app to help connect rural volleyball players– hoping to support the friendships she always wanted. 

Over the course of her career, Jordan was nicknamed The Governor and Michael Jordan. She was compared to LeBron James. But why call her anything but Jordan Larson, one of the greatest volleyball players of all time? 

Jordan once said, “Through the highs and lows, through the challenges and turmoil of my personal life, volleyball has been steady and consistent…Volleyball has taught me so much about the world and myself…I wouldn’t change that for anything.” And she knows her mom would be so, so proud.

This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

This episode was narrated by ME, Justine Wong-Orantes. It was produced and directed by Haley Dapkus, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. 

The story was written by Nicole Haroutunian. Fact checking by Rose Garrett. Our intern was Arianna Griffiths. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe.

Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi.

A special thanks to Jordan Larson and the whole Rebel Girls team, who made this podcast possible! Until next time, staaaay rebel!