thedrifter
09-03-04, 06:12 AM
LBHS hoop standout joins Marines
BY ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT
At first, Elizabeth Langlais thought her daughter was kidding. When she realized it was no joke, her nerves began to tingle, and she could feel shivers going up her spine.
Her oldest daughter, Renée, was trading in her basketball sneakers for combat boots. Instead of shooting baskets for her college team, she would be shooting a rifle. And instead of weaving and bobbing her way through opponents, the now 20-year-old Lemon Bay High grad might have to dodge bullets and drive past mines in Iraq or Afghanistan.
It was a sobering phone call, Elizabeth Langlais recalled.
"My initial reaction was that my chin hit the floor. She didn't have a lot to say, but I was shocked," Elizabeth Langlais said.
"I didn't tell my mom before I joined the Marines because I knew she would freak out," Renée said.
Elizabeth didn't see anything in Renée that would indicate she would make such a dramatic change in her life. She was one of the leading scorers on the Lemon Bay High basketball team in her senior year (2001-02) and had always loved the game. It was her life.
"I thought she was going back to school. The year before, Renée was talking about joining the Navy, but she backed off of that, and I thought it was over," Elizabeth said.
Renée joined the Lincoln Trail College basketball team last fall after receiving a call from Denise Young, her former coach at Lemon Bay, who had taken over the women's program at the Illinois junior college.
Langlais received a full scholarship and saw a lot of playing time during the first quarter of the season, averaging close to 10 points a game. When another guard came off the injured list, her playing time dropped. She became disenchanted and started thinking about taking her life in another direction.
Once Langlais decided on going into the armed forces, there was no doubt she would sign up with the Marines.
"I didn't want to join the other services because I knew boot camp for those wouldn't be a challenge, and I wanted that," she said.
Langlais joined the Marines and left for boot camp May 24. She returned home last week after finishing 13 weeks of basic training at Parris Island, S.C.
It was hell, she said, but she has no regrets. She is in top physical condition, and she likes the way her life is mapped out.
Getting through the first weeks of basic training was the most difficult time of her life. She even wrote home to her mother during that early hat early period and questioned why she let her go through with her decision.
"The first two weeks were hell for everyone. People are yelling and screaming at you all the time, and you get up at 4 a.m. They are totally testing your mind all the time, trying to get us ready for war," Langlais said. "The whole time I was there, for 13 weeks, I wasn't able to make one phone call. It was hard at first, but my mom wrote me every day, and that helped."
Getting through what she described as organized chaos created by her drill instructors was one of the most difficult things Renee and the other recruits had to deal with. Toward the end of training, there was a 40-mile hike in 54 hours. The 5-8 Langlais, who at 135 pounds is about 20 pounds lighter than when she played for Lemon Bay, feels it all made her a better person.
"When Renée came home, I noticed a change in her physically and the way she carries herself. She is a lot more confident and is not a kid anymore," Elizabeth said.
Later this year, Renée will report to Virginia Beach to undergo training for her job in intelligence. There is also a chance she might play basketball for the Marines, which would put her other duties on hold. Either way, Renée said, she made the right decision.
"I have a steady job which I get a lot of pride from, and I feel like I am doing something really important with my life," she said. "This is probably the smartest investing I've ever done. I am getting school paid for, and I get to serve my country and play basketball."
With her job, Langlais could wind up anywhere, from Iraq to serving at the White House. The Marines don't allow women to be combat infantry soldiers, but they can serve near the front lines in various capacities.
Langlais said she will accept any assignment with enthusiasm. She has made a five-year commitment and would like to work for the FBI or CIA after she gets out of the service.
"Nobody wants to see their child put in harm's way, but I am very proud of her and she could go a long way with the government in some capacity," her father, Marc, said.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040902/SPORTS/409020759/1006&Page=2
Ellie
BY ALAN DELL CORRESPONDENT
At first, Elizabeth Langlais thought her daughter was kidding. When she realized it was no joke, her nerves began to tingle, and she could feel shivers going up her spine.
Her oldest daughter, Renée, was trading in her basketball sneakers for combat boots. Instead of shooting baskets for her college team, she would be shooting a rifle. And instead of weaving and bobbing her way through opponents, the now 20-year-old Lemon Bay High grad might have to dodge bullets and drive past mines in Iraq or Afghanistan.
It was a sobering phone call, Elizabeth Langlais recalled.
"My initial reaction was that my chin hit the floor. She didn't have a lot to say, but I was shocked," Elizabeth Langlais said.
"I didn't tell my mom before I joined the Marines because I knew she would freak out," Renée said.
Elizabeth didn't see anything in Renée that would indicate she would make such a dramatic change in her life. She was one of the leading scorers on the Lemon Bay High basketball team in her senior year (2001-02) and had always loved the game. It was her life.
"I thought she was going back to school. The year before, Renée was talking about joining the Navy, but she backed off of that, and I thought it was over," Elizabeth said.
Renée joined the Lincoln Trail College basketball team last fall after receiving a call from Denise Young, her former coach at Lemon Bay, who had taken over the women's program at the Illinois junior college.
Langlais received a full scholarship and saw a lot of playing time during the first quarter of the season, averaging close to 10 points a game. When another guard came off the injured list, her playing time dropped. She became disenchanted and started thinking about taking her life in another direction.
Once Langlais decided on going into the armed forces, there was no doubt she would sign up with the Marines.
"I didn't want to join the other services because I knew boot camp for those wouldn't be a challenge, and I wanted that," she said.
Langlais joined the Marines and left for boot camp May 24. She returned home last week after finishing 13 weeks of basic training at Parris Island, S.C.
It was hell, she said, but she has no regrets. She is in top physical condition, and she likes the way her life is mapped out.
Getting through the first weeks of basic training was the most difficult time of her life. She even wrote home to her mother during that early hat early period and questioned why she let her go through with her decision.
"The first two weeks were hell for everyone. People are yelling and screaming at you all the time, and you get up at 4 a.m. They are totally testing your mind all the time, trying to get us ready for war," Langlais said. "The whole time I was there, for 13 weeks, I wasn't able to make one phone call. It was hard at first, but my mom wrote me every day, and that helped."
Getting through what she described as organized chaos created by her drill instructors was one of the most difficult things Renee and the other recruits had to deal with. Toward the end of training, there was a 40-mile hike in 54 hours. The 5-8 Langlais, who at 135 pounds is about 20 pounds lighter than when she played for Lemon Bay, feels it all made her a better person.
"When Renée came home, I noticed a change in her physically and the way she carries herself. She is a lot more confident and is not a kid anymore," Elizabeth said.
Later this year, Renée will report to Virginia Beach to undergo training for her job in intelligence. There is also a chance she might play basketball for the Marines, which would put her other duties on hold. Either way, Renée said, she made the right decision.
"I have a steady job which I get a lot of pride from, and I feel like I am doing something really important with my life," she said. "This is probably the smartest investing I've ever done. I am getting school paid for, and I get to serve my country and play basketball."
With her job, Langlais could wind up anywhere, from Iraq to serving at the White House. The Marines don't allow women to be combat infantry soldiers, but they can serve near the front lines in various capacities.
Langlais said she will accept any assignment with enthusiasm. She has made a five-year commitment and would like to work for the FBI or CIA after she gets out of the service.
"Nobody wants to see their child put in harm's way, but I am very proud of her and she could go a long way with the government in some capacity," her father, Marc, said.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040902/SPORTS/409020759/1006&Page=2
Ellie