Was Volleyballerin Krystal Rivers erlebt hat, ist unglaublich | SWR Sport

She's been the face of the German Volleyball Bundesliga for many years: Krystal Rivers of Allianz MTV Stuttgart, powerful and full of energy. A player who makes the difference, one with whom you win titles. Top clubs across Europe have long been interested in her, but Rivers feels completely at home in Stuttgart. That's why she's extended her contract for another year. "Having someone with us in volleyball for six years is truly something special. We offer her a great package and she gives us a sensational package," says MTV's sporting director, Kim Oszvald-Renkema, delighted with the contract extension. "For me, she's the best opposite hitter in the Bundesliga. She's exceptionally athletic, has a jump height that makes everyone envious. She can hit from any angle, even over the block, and she's also a great defender." Rivers has been one of the key players for the 2022 double-winning team for years. She is celebrated and loved by fans for her exceptional abilities, not only on the court but also as a person. In December, she relinquished the captaincy to teammate Maria Segura Palleres for health reasons. "Her character and mentality are exceptional, and that makes everyone at the club better," says Managing Director Aurel Irion about the 28-year-old. She has been shaped by a difficult journey since childhood. That Rivers can even walk normally is a medical miracle. The story of the American volleyball player is full of scars. She was born with severe malformations: pathological adhesions of the spinal cord and a deformed pelvis that had to be broken and reconstructed. "The doctors tried to fix everything somehow, to at least give me a little bit of quality of life. I had so many surgeries—on my stomach, my back, my hip—just so I could walk like the other kids, so I could run and jump," Rivers describes her ordeal. The American from Alabama soon jumped so well and so high that she caused a sensation in volleyball. At college, she broke the record for most points in a season. But then she was struck by cancer. "It started with a swollen lymph node in my hip. At first, no one was really worried, but I knew something wasn't right. It was then examined, and it was cancer." In early 2014, she began chemotherapy, which she completed in July of the same year. The cancer disappeared. Rivers fought her way back and landed a professional career in Europe. “I’m someone who always gives my all until the very end, no matter what sport it is. Even when I’m not feeling well or things are just going badly, I fight. I never give up,” explains Rivers, who always puts the team first. Rivers has been playing in Stuttgart for five years now. She has led the team to two championships and one cup victory. “She gives us the stability that allows us to always compete at the top, because there are very few players of her caliber,” says Kim Oszvald-Renkema, describing her exceptional player in every respect. Top European clubs are constantly trying to poach Krystal Rivers. But despite lucrative offers, the 28-year-old cannot be lured away from Stuttgart. "For me, it's important to be in a place where I feel comfortable, where I'm truly valued as a person. I feel that here in Stuttgart. For me, it's not just about earning as much money as possible or just about volleyball. I want to develop as a person and enjoy life beyond volleyball." Krystal Rivers now feels right at home in Stuttgart. ++Up Close+++ Emotions, backgrounds, portraits – we bring you up close to athletes from Southwest Germany. What's on their minds? What's their daily life like? We tell personal stories about extraordinary people. And we're "Up Close" for you. +++ More from SWR Sport can be found here: @SWRSport_Fussball SWR Sport on the web: https://www.swr.de/sport SWR Sport on Facebook:   / swrsport   SWR Sport on Instagram:   / swrsport   SWR Sport on Twitter:   / swrsport