Ed Austras, Men's 65's Gold Medalist,
Dallas 1996
As a young man, Edward Austras began his career as a sportsman playing volleyball for the travel teams in the Displaced Persons Camps in Germany after the end of WWII. He loved to play sports and was a part of whatever activity was going on.
As a soldier, Ed played on the US Air Force California Travel Team in the early 1950s. He came back to Boston with his bride Vale Montvila, and started playing on Boston Dainava Sports Club in the late 1950s, with Vytas Eikinas, Helmut Lingertis, Algis Skabeikas, the Levickis brothers, Vytas Bruzgis and others.
In 1969 Austras, Eikinas and Skabeikas formed Grandis sports club, which included volleyball, basketball, track and field, sports for all ages. Austras was an essential part of the men's team, the setter and sharing the coaching responsibilities with Vytas Eikinas. He coached the Boston Lithuanian Women’s Volleyball team from 1973-1983. He loved coaching and teaching volleyball to the youth and was a mentor and positive role model to many young men. Wednesday nights practices in Randolph were part of life for the Boston area Lith-American youth in the 70’s and 80’s. In the last few years, Ed would come to the Wednesday night practices in Canton for the Lithuanian-American players to play with his son, son-in-law and grandsons.
The Boston Lithuanian Grandis Men's team competed at Lithuanian Sporto Sventes(festivals), and competed successfully throughout the New England area and US National tournaments winning 1st place frequently. A quote from Yankee VB newsletter, June 1981: "A tip-of-the-hat to Ed Austras, the crafty old veteran who added the magic touch that led his young Lithuanian squad composed mostly of college stars, to a hard-earned first win in the prestigious Yankee "B" Championship tournament." And the Lithuanian teams continued to do well...”
With his wife Valerie’s support, Eddie taught the love of the game to his three children, Joe, Diane and Ed, as well as many other young men and women. All three played in college, and on club teams. Diane coached in the NE Girls’ Juniors program and runs the Wilmington Volleyball Recreation Program. While in college Ed was the captain of the WPI VB Men’s team and recently played at the Lithuanian Sporto Svente/Festival in Chicago.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s Austras and many other Lithuanian-Americans played at the Cambridge Y & Salvation Army. The team was known as Cambridge Volleyball Club, and recruited many young college players from the Cambridge and Boston area to play high level volleyball. Among those recruits he coached in the early 1970s included David Castanon, Arunas Kuncaitis, Barry Sears and Alan Rose, who went on to lead many of the New England AA volleyball teams to Nationals over the next couple of decades. The Cambridge Volleyball Club team was invited to play in the Morgan Memorial invitational tourney in the early 70s, representing New England in a field of 8 teams that included the Canadian National champions, and US teams from the East Coast and Midwest areas, including the Columbus Caps featuring current USAV president Doug Beal. It was the most prestigious invitational tournament on the East Coast, celebrating the birthplace of volleyball.
Austras was also part of the New England Region Board of Directors as the player rep in the 1970s. In this capacity, he helped in the promotion of volleyball throughout New England. As one of the founders of Yankee Volleyball Association, Eddie was the registrar and membership coordinator for Yankee in 1977, its first year as an "official" organization. Cambridge Volleyball Club was one of the original team members that participated in Yankee competition. In 1987 the ‘Marty Avedisian Award’ was presented to Eddie Austras in honor for his contribution to Yankee and the Volleyball community during the Yankee Banquet, which was held (appropriately) at the Lithuanian Citizen's Club in South Boston.
Austras, Eikinas and Skabeikas were instrumental in getting the 40th Sporto Svente (Lithuanian Sports Festival) to be hosted in Boston in 1990 and organizing the games and functions. The Lithuanian Women National team were honored guests and competed against teams from Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and other areas of the USA.
In Vilnius, Lithuania, , Austras coached the Boston Grandis Men’s Volleyball team at the 1991 4th Pasaulio Lietuviu Zaidynes (4th World Lithuanian Games) and actually played in a few games. At the US Open National Championships, Ed played and coached in the age brackets, 50, 55, 65 and 70 and older. In 1978 the New England Masters made their mark at the El Paso Texas USA Volleyball Nationals Championships. He played in the initial Men’s 65 championship in Holyoke in 1995 during Volleyball’s Centennial Celebration, where he won a silver medal with a team composed of New England players. He subsequently won several medals including the Gold in the Men’s 65s in Dallas 1996 and Kansas City in 1997.
At the International Senior Games in Bermuda 1996, Austras played for the US Team and helped bring back the Gold to the US. He and his wife organized a party for all the different teams and their spouses.
Throughout his long volleyball career Austras played with unbridled energy and intensity. As a setter, he competed with young & old alike, running rings around everyone! Eddie Austras fostered strong team bonds and great pride among "his" players. He easily made friends of his opponents as well. Everyone knew the Lithuanian teams could play, but they could party too. And Eddie made sure nobody was left out - every Volleyball acquaintance was invited!
Besides having a life-long love of volleyball, Austras played table tennis and outdoor tennis. He competed at local YMCA and Lithuanian Sports Festivals. During summer vacations at the Lithuanian Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunkport, ME and winters in St. Petersburg, FL organized matches. In addition he played table tennis Thursday nights at the South Boston Lithuanian Club for many years. This winter he was still playing beach volleyball with his two grandsons and nieces, passing on the game to yet another generation.
If there was volleyball going on in the region, he was always interested or involved. You could always hear him and his players shout: “ALAUS!” as they broke their huddle.
Edward Austras, of Melrose MA June 1, 2006
Beloved husband of Vale (Montvila).
Devoted father of Joe & his wife Ann Austras of Randolph,
Diane "Dana" & husband Russ MacDonald of Wilmington,
Edward & his wife Vita Austras of Westwood.
Loving grandfather of Russell & Geoffrey MacDonald, Elena & Krista Austras.
Donations may be made in Eddie's memory to: Lithuanian Children's Relief, 261 Thatcher St., Brockton, MA 02302
Written by his children, Diane Austras-MacDonald, Eddie Austras, and Joe Austras June 2006
Diane Austras MacDonald
Edward R. Austras
