Susan (Craig) Kuck played for the York women's volleyball team from 1988-93 and helped guide the team to four consecutive appearances at the CIAU national championship tournament, where she won a pair of bronze medals in 1990 and 1991. York advanced to the nationals those years (1989-93) after winning four OWIAA championships in a row. She was named a league all-star all five years she played at York and a CIAU all-Canadian three times (1991-93). In addition to her success on the court at York, Kuck was a member of the national junior team that represented Canada at the World Junior Championships in 1989 and she also went to the World Student Games in 1991 and 1993.
The sport of volleyball provided the launching pad for Susan (Craig) Kuck to see the world and she has taken full advantage.
“I always wanted to do something different,” she said. “The thought of getting a normal job, settling down and living in the same city my whole life was a nightmare for me. I have really enjoyed learning about new languages, new cultures and new people. I try to take the best ideas from each culture and adapt them to my life.”
As a student, Kuck got to travel with the Canadian team to two World University Games in 1991 and 1993. She earned her place on those teams after an interuniversity career in which she was a star on a dominant York women’s volleyball squad. During her time on the court, the program won four straight OWIAA provincial championships and two bronze medals at the CIAU national tournament. Individually, she was named a league all-star all five years she played and a CIAU all-Canadian three times. According to her head coach, Merv Mosher, it was her attitude that helped her achieve such tremendous success.
“When Sue stepped on the court she had a presence about her that said, ‘We are going to win this match!’,” he said. “That attitude transferred to her teammates. In many of our close matches the difference between winning and losing was Sue’s attitude.”
Kuck, who chose to pursue her undergraduate degree at York in part because she wanted to play under Mosher, says that her time with the head coach taught her that volleyball has two important elements, including one that she has been able to apply to other aspects of life.
“The first one is that it is just a sport with a ball. The second is that the things you learn through sport are the most important, such as work ethic, team work, dedication, to never give up, hard work and acquiring specific skills. These aspects of volleyball that transfer over into real life are what sport is all about. ‘It’s not about whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game!’ I think that quote from Grantland Rice just about sums it up.”
Her positive attitude, fierce competitiveness and her passion for experiencing new places has continued to be a guiding force in Kuck’s life. After graduating from York, she played for a short time on the Canadian national team and then headed overseas to play semi-pro volleyball in Germany. She switched to beach volleyball and played for several years at a high level, including a fifth-place finish in the German championships. While in Germany, she met the man who would become her husband and eventually moved to France with him.
Fifteen years later, Kuck remains in Europe with her family and now teaches business English at Montpellier University and Diderot College in France. She is also involved in the organization of many major sporting events and cultural events in Montpellier. Thanks to volleyball and a solid work ethic she credits to her time spent at York, she has been able to fulfill her dreams.
