Showing up Where Columbus Learns
Published on April 14, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Columbus Fury News Release
Inside a classroom, a library, or a community center, the moments are quieter than a professional volleyball match. But they can be just as powerful.
For the Columbus Fury, some of their most meaningful work isn't measured in points or sets won. It happens in conversations - with students finding their confidence, with young readers discovering new possibilities, and with future leaders beginning to see themselves differently.
"The opportunity for girls to see someone who's 'larger than life' in the classroom sitting beside them goes beyond just the sport of volleyball or professional athletics, which is so special," co-founder and COO of ROX Lauren Hancock said. "To have a woman, who isn't too much older than them, being a kind of peer extension and to hear their stories is great. But beyond that, girls want to know, what was it like when you were my age? What kind of challenges did you navigate? How did you get through those? What were your friendships like? How did other girls and women support you to be where you are right now?"
"It's cool to have a professional athlete in those environments, but they are going to remember more about what she said it was like to be a girl and how she is meeting them where they're at."
Through partnerships with organizations like Ruling Our Experiences (ROX), the 2nd and 7 Foundation, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Fury players and staff have spent time listening, encouraging, and sharing their own journeys.
Founded in Columbus, ROX empowers girls to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and navigate the pressures they face in school and beyond. Through research-based programming, mentorship, and open dialogue, ROX creates safe spaces for girls to find their voice and believe in their potential, making it a natural partner for Fury players who understand the power of confidence in shaping their own paths.
"When we can bring experiences directly to where girls are in their everyday lives, it makes it more real. Part of the ROX program is helping girls see their future as limitless and open to all of the options that are set before them," Hancock added. "And that includes the exposure and awareness to different types of careers, paths and journeys alongside the belief that girls are worth that and that they have the skills within their selves to be brave, take chances, have their voice be heard, and take healthy risks to move their future forward. So having women from the Fury come and visit girls in their schools in their ROX environment is pretty special."
One of the biggest challenges facing young girls is their confidence - a topic that ROX has done extensive research on through the Girls' Index - the first-ever, large-scale national survey designed to develop a deeper understanding of the thoughts, experiences, behaviors and attitudes of teen girls throughout the U.S.
"What we know is that there is a huge drop in confidence between grades five and nine," Hancock said. "When we think about all of the decisions that girls are making in their middle school and high school years about their futures, having girls experiencing themselves at the lowest point in their confidence, is worth paying attention to. We also know that doesn't just go away as we get older, but we want them to know there are things that they can do to build their confidence and to increase their skills. We actually know that confidence is built through empowering experiences and having girls see themselves and experience themselves as successful."
That mission also aligns closely with the work of the Second and Seven Foundation, a Columbus-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting childhood literacy by providing free books and positive role models to young readers. Founded by former Ohio State football players, the foundation emphasizes the importance of reading confidence and access -values the Fury are proud to help reinforce through their involvement.
"Sometimes you forget what kind of an influence you have as an athlete, and the little eyes that are watching you," said 2nd & 7 co-founder Ryan Miller. "When you have the opportunity to go into a classroom, it gives you a little bit of a different perspective. Everyone always thinks about the kids getting so much out of those readings, but I would dare to say that some of those athletes are getting just as much as those kids when they realize the influence they have when they go into that classroom is more powerful than anything they ever did on the volleyball court. You never lose a game when you walk into a 2nd & 7 classroom."
Those moments resonate because Fury players know their success didn't happen overnight. Every athlete's path included teachers, mentors, and community members who helped them along the way.
"Seeing is believing and if you can see something, that's the seed of growing something," Fury captain Megan Lush said. "That's one of the biggest things for me that whenever I go out is I always try and relate to kids, to try and make sure that they know that we are also human beings and you can be this if you want to be. They can see it, instead of just imagining it. They can have those dreams but they can also actually see it right in front of them. If you can see it and it's right in front of you, why can't you be that? I think that is the message that young girls and young boys are getting more of these days."
The Fury are making a commitment to the city of Columbus and the entire central Ohio community through their work off the court, an effort that has not gone unnoticed by Miller.
"Having the Columbus Fury here is a point of pride for the city of Columbus, period," Miller added. "As a fan base, we should not only be proud of what these ladies are doing on the court, but also in the community. And the way that they act in the community continues to foster that love. When you have a professional athlete that walks into the classroom, it can spark something into a young child that is significantly different than just flipping on a TV."
For Columbus Fury CEO Dr. David Paitson, these efforts reflect something fundamental about the organization's purpose.
"At its core, this organization is about people," said Dr. Paitson. "We're proud of what our athletes accomplish on the court, but what matters most is how they use their platform to make a difference. When we show up in schools, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and programs like ROX and Second and Seven, we're investing in confidence, education, and opportunity. That's how you build something that lasts far beyond a single season."
Long after the final whistle, the lessons that matter most aren't about sport. They're about confidence, opportunity, and believing in what's possible.
Because investing in education is investing in Columbus.
Major League Volleyball Stories from April 14, 2026
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- Purple Community Night, Rise to the Upside Down Night Conclude Home Slate - Grand Rapids Rise
- Showing up Where Columbus Learns - Columbus Fury
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
