Being a mother is the ultimate volunteer position.

Just like volunteers, moms give of their own time and resources for the benefit of others — in this case, their own children. They’re the unsung heroes who never look for the credit but who keep everything running smoothly.

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that come with being a mom. Yet, part of being a mom is not even considering it a sacrifice — instead, it’s a calling.

Pam Blake is a mom of three and volunteers as the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) girls’ volleyball athletic director at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Astoria.

Though her children are now adults, her duties as a mother are always present, and this experience has allowed her to pass along important life lessons through the sport she’s grown to love.

Other than in gym class, Blake never played competitive volleyball growing up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Her volleyball journey began after the family moved to Astoria, when her middle child, daughter Ashley, expressed interest in playing in seventh grade.

“My daughter Ashley fell in love with the sport,” said Blake, who works in TV media sales in Manhattan. “I like sports in general, but I
knew nothing about volleyball.”

As Ashley began playing, Blake took on the role of team mom, helping out whenever and wherever she could. She did such a great job that the parish’s CYO athletic representative, Steve Leoutsakos, asked her to take on more responsibilities. She now works closely with Steve’s daughter, Cristin Leoutsakos, a former Mount Carmel volleyball player, to successfully run the program.

Blake has been the parish’s volleyball athletic director for about 10 years. This position includes helping with registration and paperwork, ordering and distributing uniforms, maintaining rosters and schedules, and supporting the coaches of the parish’s 11 girls’ teams from second through 12th grade. She’s pleased to see how popular the sport has become in the diocese.

“After basketball, volleyball is the second-largest sport in CYO,” said Blake, who routinely spends countless hours in the gymnasium. “It’s
grown so much. We’ve built a community, and the kids never want to leave the gym.”

Among her three children — Tyler, Ashley, and Kaylie — her two daughters gravitated toward volleyball. Both played for Mount Carmel and have also coached in different capacities.

Blake said she’s proud that her daughters not only love the sport but that they also want to teach others through coaching as volunteers.

“The only job in my life that matters is being a mother,” Blake said. “My focus was always my children and always making sure they had everything they needed. I pushed them so they could be happy and successful in their lives.”

Blake’s daughter, Ashley, is currently pursuing her graduate degree at Queens College to become a school psychologist. She recently got back
into coaching volleyball and recalls her mom being her biggest cheerleader when she used to play.

“I love her and appreciate everything she does for me,” Ashley said. “She’s a very positive force for not only myself but for other people. I always
say that I think I have the best mom, so others at the parish having the ability to experience her is also a blessing.”

For Blake’s youngest daughter, Kaylie — an undergraduate student at Queens College — playing and coaching volleyball at Mount Carmel has guided her toward her intended career path as a physical education teacher.

She said seeing her mom interact with the children of the parish left a lasting impact on her and has helped her own coaching style.

“As athletic director over the years, she’s given the girls advice about anything really,” Kaylie said. “She always said that if you make a mistake on the court, it’s more about how you get back from that. I just want to thank her for everything she’s done for me and my siblings growing up.”

Sure, balancing a career, a volunteer position, and being a mother — arguably three full-time jobs — has put plenty on Blake’s plate. However,
she’s accepted the calling with open arms, especially seeing how much the community has gained by having a robust youth athletics program.
“It’s very fulfilling,” she said. “I have three children, but volleyball has given me 130 additional daughters. I want to see them be happy, successful, learn, and grow. When they’re having a good time in the gym, it’s all worth it.”

For this volleyball mom, “serving” has taken on a greater meaning: She proudly serves her family and parish community in the true spirit of being a volunteer and a mother.

Happy Mother’s Day!