Remmes has been a name seen come through the Benet Girls Volleyball team for a decade… and heard in the Redwing stands. Learn more in this feature, presented by Edward Medical Group.
Ann Marie Remmes is the third in a line of sisters who have played for the Benet Academy volleyball team. A tradition going on 7 years.
Matt: They’ve all embraced the Benet tradition of being a great volleyball program. They’ve all loved it, it’s a very competitive program but they also have a ton of fun when they’re participating so it has been nothing but a great blessing for our family.
You know what else has been a blessing? Catherine, Lauren and Ann Marie’s biggest fan – their younger brother Paul.
Ann Marie: We’ve both grown up watching them and going to all of their games and tournaments. Once it was my turn he was always at all my games and he just loves to watch all the action and he’s definitely one of my biggest fans.
Paul has autism and down syndrome and a ceaseless enthusiasm for cheering on his sisters at their volleyball matches.
Ann Marie: I hear him sometimes when I’m on the court cheering and stuff and I just love to give him a big hug after every game and I know that he’s always rooting for me.
And that fandom was taken to new height in the fall of 2019. Ann Marie and her Redwing teammates stormed through the playoffs all the way to the championship match.
You know, you’re playing in a bigger arena with more fans, more cheering and just the whole atmosphere so Paul loved every moment of it, the whole process of going through the state playoffs and then culminating with the state championship. He just really enjoyed it and he was really excited for his sister.
Benet beat Mother McAuley in the title match – which is no surprise, Ann Marie and the Redwings had their secret weapon, Paul, upping his game to the next level.
I think he probably had to, yeah. He’s her biggest fan and he loves rooting for the team and part of the process is: he knows when he goes to a game, he gets a slice of pizza before the game starts. So he’s got his Gatorade and pizza and he’s ready to cheer on his sister.
While there may not be pizza to munch on this year, Paul has enjoyed the rewards of a long wait for volleyball. After the season was pushed from the spring to the fall, not only is Ann Marie competing on the high school team, but club as well.
He definitely loves going to sports events and cheering everyone on but I think he’s pretty happy with all the volleyball I’ve been playing lately so he has a lot more stuff to watch now.
And he has another whole season next year to cheer on Ann Marie for what will be her senior season, and the 8th straight with a Remmes sister in Benet red and black.
