Cayla Vimr '10-'12

Cayla Vimr attended Iowa Lakes Community College from 2010-2012, she is going into the Hall of Fame for Volleyball. 

Cayla chose to attend Iowa Lakes for many reasons. She liked that it was close to home; going home often was helpful with her family during that time. Cayla didn't know what she wanted to major in so it was nice to save some money and go to Iowa Lakes to begin her academic career. The biggest factor was the opportunity to play starting outside hitter as freshman after playing middle hitter for most of her career.

Fond memories while at Iowa Lakes include the many bus rides to tournaments, laughing, joking, and attempting to learn Chinese. Her teammates were a big factor for her at Iowa Lakes:  Amy Novak, Kelsie McCauley, Danika Stindtman, Jade Black, Xiou Liang, Le Mi, Wendy Coffin, Kellisha Harley, Jamie Kubis, Christy Wicks, and Carly Sansone. The close-knit bond felt like family. Those relationships helped her stay emotionally stable through tough times. There were many social gatherings in the 4-plexes and Cayla got to know so many different people, from athletes to aviation and wind turbine students. Water balloon fights held in the spring and the several extra hours spent lifting and training after losing the national championship her freshman year were other important memories from her years as a Laker.

Students were a big part of Cayla's experience but there were many staff members who also played a significant role. Coaches Scott Tschetter and Sunying Ling were by far the best coaches she had throughout her athletic career. Their patience, consistency, dedication, and passion for the game were some of the driving factors behind the team's success.

Coach Scott Tschetter had this to say about Cayla, “When I think about Cayla, volleyball isn’t what comes to mine. What does, is remembering an 18-19 year old girl that went through what I can only imagine as 2 horrible years. However, never complaining about her life, but staying focused and determined to accomplish her goals. Cayla is truly an amazing individual I learned a lot from and still admire.”

Trainer Kyle Norris always made sure they were all healthy and ready to go. All of the ladies at the front desk including Sue Madison and Deb Weston were always so welcoming and helpful. Today she still reflects back on the many pieces of advice Dr. and Mrs. Rogers would give. She remembers the upbeat culture at Iowa Lakes and always being surrounded by kind-hearted people. She is also grateful for Pastor Jason Olson and how he always had the right words for any situation.

After earning 2^nd team All-Region, Cayla graduated from Iowa Lakes with both an associate of science and an associate of arts before transferring to NCAA Division II Northern Michigan University. After playing at Northern Michigan for a year, Cayla decided to return to Iowa Lakes to pursue her education in nursing.

Cayla is currently working as a registered nurse at Avera Holy Family Hospital in Estherville. She is engaged to Iowa Lakes Alum Wendell Pelts and has 3 children.

Cayla would like to thank her parents Gerald and Theresa Vimr for always being in her corner. Their endless love and support helped shape the strong willed-drive she has for life. She would also like to thank her Aunt Marianna, Aunt Mary, and Uncle John for stepping in and relieve her of the burden of caring for her siblings so that she could get an education. Finally she wants to thank her fiancé Wendell Pelts for always being her rock, helping her think clearly, giving her the courage to try new things, and loving her at her worst.

Cayla will always cherish her memories of Iowa Lakes, "at the most devastating time in my life Iowa Lakes provided me a home away from home, teammates that turned into lifelong friends, and a community that was nothing but supportive. Iowa Lakes gave me the opportunity to utilize my frustration in a positive way on the volleyball court.  I met my fiancé to whom we have 3 beautiful children. I will be forever grateful for my experiences at Iowa Lakes."

Congratulations Cayla Vimr on being inducted into the Iowa Lakes Hall of Fame.