Committed by Ava Vickers: Volleyball, Team Changes, Brand Building/NIL, & Becoming a Leader in College Athletics

WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.839
You know, at 16 I wanted to see, you know, go to the biggest school and whatnot.
00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:08.240
But at the same time, like sometimes the best fit for you is not what originally you thought it was gonna be.
00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:10.800
I feel like recruiting reminds me a lot of like speed babing.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:15.919
It's like I was getting rejected by some schools that feels like people didn't want to go on second date to speed, but it's fine.
00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.559
I would say that consistency is more important than the section.
00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:22.480
Success wasn't necessarily the end goal, but the success was the process to get to the end goal.
00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:23.600
And that comes with consistency.
00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.640
Without naming names, without, you know, causing any more problems.
00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.079
Have you ever had a serious disagreement with a teammate or the coach?
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:31.199
Yes.
00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.200
What does it really take to make it to the next level in sports?
00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:36.880
And is it worth the sacrifices?
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:42.560
If you could ask a cultural pro athlete one unfiltered question about their journey, what would it be and why?
00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:51.119
And are the choices you're making today, the teams, the coaches, the training schedule, and the setting up for success of burning you out before you get there?
00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:59.600
I'm Kate Fitzgerald, a D1 Beach volleyball player walk-on-the-scholarship athlete, female sport leader, and now the founder of two businesses, Built Through NIL.
00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:01.039
But none of that can be seen.
00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:03.759
And trust me, most of it wasn't the broadcast.
00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:08.640
Welcome everybody to the very first episode of Committed by Athletes Off Duty.
00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:10.079
My name is Kate Fitzgerald.
00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:13.120
I am absolutely so excited to get this started.
00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:21.760
I mean, the goal with this podcast really is to create honest and engaging conversations that really reveal the day-to-day of what it takes to be an athlete at a high level.
00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.159
Like what are the behind the scenes of sports?
00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:26.959
So I'm so excited to welcome our first guest today.
00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:31.599
She has quite a very impressive track record, and she's only getting started.
00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.079
So Ava went to Fisher's High School.
00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:35.439
She's from Fishers, Indiana.
00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:48.719
And if I can just read some of these accolades, she is an academic Big Ten, all Big Ten Selection 2024, Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree 2024, College Sports Communicators Academic All District Team 2024.
00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:59.519
Now going into 2022, she is the AAU 18 Open National Champion, AAU 18, oh, for three years in a row, actually 2022, 2023, and 2021.
00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:02.799
And then she broke the career block records at her high school.
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:09.199
She was ranked as the number third player in the state of Indiana, according to prep Prep Dig, as she got started.
00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:12.800
She was first team all conference, all district in 2021 and 2022.
00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:20.800
She was named first team all-state in 2022, a member of the IHS VCA for a all-store team in 2022.
00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:25.280
And she was named to the 2022 AVCA All-American Watch list.
00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:30.319
Please welcome D1 Indiana University volleyball player Ava.
00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:32.240
Ava, please welcome and say hi.
00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:33.520
Thank you so much for having me.
00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:34.560
I'm so excited to be here.
00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:36.240
I'm so excited to be here too.
00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:39.840
This is like you and I have obviously have a little history going back.
00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:44.479
You were my first ever VB America athlete back when I kicked off that NIL program.
00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.599
And I've loved over this last almost year to see and watch how you've kind of grown and shape a path for yourself in college athletics.
00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.960
But please go ahead and share a little bit more about yourself.
00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:55.439
Yeah.
00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:56.400
Thank you so much.
00:02:56.479 --> 00:03:00.400
Um, especially this past year, like just ever since we got connected, I feel like so much has happened.
00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:03.759
But um originally I, again, I'm from Fishers, Indiana.
00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.400
So I am somewhat close to home, about an hour and 15 minutes away from home here at IU.
00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.960
I'm a middle blocker, I'm a junior this year.
00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:12.479
I absolutely love it at IU.
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:17.360
I've been playing volleyball since, oh gosh, I want to say maybe I was 12 or 13.
00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:18.400
I feel like now I forget.
00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.520
I feel like now people start playing volleyball when they're like seven or eight.
00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:23.280
I feel like people start so young now.
00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:25.840
I know, I know.
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:30.960
Now it's like if you aren't fully ready to go at seven years old, you're squared, which is just not true.
00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:32.479
But like, yeah.
00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.560
That's what it feels like nowadays.
00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:35.759
Totally, totally.
00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:38.000
I didn't start till high school, and you'll be okay.
00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:40.080
And it sounds like you kind of were the same way.
00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:41.039
Yeah.
00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:42.080
Yeah.
00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:42.879
Oh my gosh.
00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:43.520
Well, that's amazing.
00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:44.960
Well, I'm so excited to get started.
00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.759
And I think we should just dive right into it.
00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:53.840
Um, you had, like you said, you stayed close to home, but I mean, these accolades I just heard off were incredible.
00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.800
So clearly, you must have had a really unique recruiting journey.
00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:59.360
So, to start off, I'd like to just start from the beginning.
00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:04.400
If you could give a little more background about yourself, your career, what got you into volleyball?
00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:06.719
When did you know you wanted to play in college?
00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.199
And what was the recruiting journey like for you?
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.800
Oh, the first sport I ever really fell in love with was actually basketball.
00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:16.399
So my dad played basketball in college and all throughout high school.
00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:17.360
Like that was his sport.
00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:20.240
And so my brother also just grow growing up playing, you know.
00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.360
And so I'm like, oh, like I want to come out and play in on the garage.
00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:24.000
Like, you know what I mean?
00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.800
Like out in the Ellie Bay, like I want to be part of it.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.839
So basketball is what I played for the longest time, and I loved it so much.
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.199
Um, I was one of the kids where I would play like a bunch of different sports growing up.
00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:34.879
So I would play that boss.
00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.839
I did Taekwondo at one point, like just did different stuff.
00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.120
So I remember I finally it was that was pretty fun too.
00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:43.759
I don't think I'd be good at it now, but back then I loved it.
00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:47.519
Um, so then I finally got into volleyball because my mom played in high school actually.
00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:51.920
So I finally picked up a volleyball for the first time, fell in love with it, just fell in love with the sport.
00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:59.360
Um, and then before high school, I stopped playing basketball and just really focused in on volleyball because I decided that I think that that was a sport I wanted to pursue in college.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.920
Um, I feel like everybody's recruiting story is so different.
00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:03.680
Recruiting is it's a lot.
00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:09.199
I I always feel like I think like in my head, I feel like recruiting reminds me a lot of like speed dating.
00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:14.000
It's like you're just like going, like talking with different coaches, like first like an hour call here, a couple emails here.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:18.639
I just feel like speed dating and like sometimes want to go on another date, sometimes they don't.
00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:20.240
Like it's such a hard.
00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.319
I love that comparison.
00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:24.480
Yeah, like that's like with the way I always thought about it.
00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.399
Like, even when I was in it, I just feel like it's like I was getting rejected by subschools.
00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.920
Feels like people didn't want to go on second dates with me, but it was fine.
00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.600
So I feel like recruiting for everybody, just they have their own story.
00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:43.040
Um, with me, it was interesting because I actually like my number one thing going through recruiting was that I did not want to go anywhere close to home.
00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.079
I wanted to get out of the state of Indiana so bad.
00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:50.240
Which, yeah, I think I just wanted to get I wanted new experiences, I guess.
00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:55.040
Um, and then ironic because now I'm at Indiana University, but I absolutely love it.
00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:57.600
I really wouldn't change the world for being here.
00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:59.600
I feel like that's how it goes sometimes.
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:06.240
I had a very similar situation, but then if you weren't originally going after Indiana, how did that shift happen?
00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:09.120
Like how many schools, like you said, it's speed dating, right?
00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:11.120
So how many schools were you reaching out to?
00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:12.480
How many no's did you get?
00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:13.439
How many yeses?
00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.600
How did you then that wasn't your first chop choice or priority?
00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:18.720
How'd you end up there?
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:23.199
Yeah, so I feel like I sent, oh my gosh, probably hundreds of emails.
00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:28.399
I really started when I was probably a freshman going into my sophomore year of high school.
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:33.120
I just started sending tons of emails, preparing myself for the day in June that we could talk to colleges.
00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.560
So I sent over well over hundreds of emails to schools.
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:41.199
I would send, you know, emails with my film and then just checking back in, like, hey, did you see this?
00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.240
Like, I'll be coming to camps.
00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:44.639
Went to tons of camps, I feel like during that summer.
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:52.639
And then Indiana actually reached out to me because there were um girls on my club team actually committed to IU.
00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.759
So um they were always on my court during club tournaments.
00:06:55.839 --> 00:07:00.160
So it was a really interesting experience because I never really thought about IU because I wanted to get out of Indiana.
00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:11.279
So it kind of came very naturally of just them always being around my club court courts from since I was probably a freshman in high school and they saw my game progress to where they wanted to show interest in me.
00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:12.800
And that they reached out to me.
00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:21.519
And ever since like talking with them and talking with the girls, like I realized that there were a lot of other things that I wanted in a college that overpowered my want to leave Indiana.
00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.120
Could you talk about that a little bit?
00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:32.079
Because I feel like sometimes people get so hooked on the idea that they have to go D1, they have to go to this university or this state or this or that.
00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:37.040
So, could you kind of talk about the reality of, you know, there's gonna be days you probably hate your sport?
00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:46.000
And like what at that age in high school did you think about to get you realizing, like, okay, maybe it's more than just playing volleyball.
00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.800
And what drew you to then want to stay at school?
00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:49.279
Yeah.
00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.120
So again, like for me, I thought that there was these very particular things that I wanted in a college.
00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:57.040
Um, again, like somewhere far and somewhere warm and not cold, you know what I mean?
00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:57.680
Like so many things.
00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:03.120
And again, when I'm 16, obviously the things that I want in a college are way different when I'm a senior in high school.
00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:08.160
So I really tried to put myself in future Ava's shoes and thinking about what would be best for her future.
00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:14.800
Um, especially, you know, like when you go to a school to play volleyball, you're not just there for volleyball, you're there for school as well.
00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:20.959
So I really tried to do a lot of research and just into the different things, like academic stuff here at IU.
00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:31.600
You know, I feel like that's a big part of recruiting as well, that people don't really think about because when you think recruiting, you think volleyball, which it is, but a lot of volleyball, you know, student athlete, there's so much more that comes with that.
00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:43.039
Um, and the other part that I didn't really realize how how important it was to me was just the people being around the right people and people who generally wanted to see me be the best version of me.
00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:48.559
That's something that the second that I talked to this coaching staff, I knew I wanted to just be a part of.
00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:51.919
And again, that's not something that I originally really crossed my mind.
00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:56.159
I was, you know, at 16, I wanted to see, you know, go to the biggest school and whatnot.
00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.639
But at the same time, like sometimes the best fit for you is not what originally you thought it was gonna be.
00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:05.039
I love that you said that because I think that is so it's so hard.
00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:06.720
They are they're 16 years old.
00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:11.039
Most like a lot of people listening to this are aspiring to play at the college level, right?
00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.759
And at 16 years old, you have no idea what you want.
00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:23.519
I look back now at 23 and to everything I thought I was coming into at 17 when I signed my national letter of intent at the time, um, completely 180, right?
00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:30.159
So I think that's fascinating, but you kind of experienced that too, because once you finally got to Indiana, there was a shift.
00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:36.000
You um you had a let me see, you had a major team reset after your freshman year, right?
00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:37.679
So, how did that play out?
00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.679
How did all of that go behind the scenes?
00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:40.960
How did you navigate that?
00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.399
Because you said you came for the people, and it sounds like the people kind of changed.
00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:45.120
Yeah.
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.440
So I feel like nowadays with college athletics, especially nowadays, change is almost inevitable.
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:50.879
I feel like with college athletics.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:57.519
Um, and I feel like when going through change, I think behind the scenes, um, there's really just a lot of honest conversations happening.
00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:02.399
You always have to kind of address what's not working and when new people are coming in and different people's strengths.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:11.759
With graduating a lot of seniors, we also kind of have to sit down and honestly just kind of redefine what we wanted our culture to be, which I think was one of the best things that we've done for our program.
00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:17.840
And even now, like just the way that our culture's grown from my freshman year to now, it's just been amazing.
00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:32.720
And just could you go for a little more detail because you and I know what happened, but could you just like for those listening who really don't know or don't know how college athletic works, could you walk us through like what it was like when you got there that first season, what change happened and like how you navigated it?
00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:33.200
Yeah.
00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:37.519
So I feel like again, like with college athletics, it's so hard, especially with the transfer pearl nowadays.
00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:44.559
But yeah, when seniors especially leaves, I feel like that's so people don't really understand how much effect that can have on a group of people.
00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:51.759
Just because one, like those are people who from when I first stepped court, like stepped foot onto this campus, you know, they were there for me.
00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:55.120
Like I was almost learning from the stuff like from their experiences.
00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:02.799
And then all of those people are gone, like let alone just that like leadership, but also just the like emotional like friends that I had were gone, you know.
00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:07.759
Um, and I'm so lucky to have such like everybody in my program, I'm absolutely loved to death.
00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.519
Um, but I mean, no matter what, like when teammates leave, it's hard.
00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:16.159
So I just think like like having to, I mean, at one point in spring, we had nine people this past year.
00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.279
It just gets a little bit challenging when you have a smaller number of people.
00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:38.320
But again, like when with having a smaller number of people, I feel like we really tried to look at it in a positive light as using it as an opportunity to try to like see how see how we can make a gym of small people of a small amount of people seem like it's a packed gym, you know, or figure out if we can redefine the culture before the rest of the team gets here in summer, you know?
00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:38.799
Yeah.
00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:45.360
So when you came in, you had a full team, and then as you were leaving that year, there was all the seniors left and you were down to nine girls.
00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:45.679
Yeah.
00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:48.399
That's yeah, that's crazy.
00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:54.159
And then so behind the scenes as an underclassman, how did you step into a leadership role?
00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.240
And what worked and what didn't?
00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.879
And were there conflicts with teammates during that shift?
00:11:58.960 --> 00:11:59.840
How did you handle that?
00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:10.159
Like stepping into a leadership role as an underclassman is always gonna be a little bit tricky because like you're I'm still myself, obviously, still proving yourself and just not wanting to overstep in general.
00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:16.399
But I feel like I realized pretty early on that leadership doesn't always have to mean that you're the loudest in the court or the one that's calling all the shots.
00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:19.440
Um, what did work for me was showing up every day with consistency.
00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:23.279
I stayed ready, I brought energy and focused on doing the little things right.
00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:36.320
Um, whether it was encouraging a teammate or just staying locked in during drills or even asking questions to help make the group as a whole better, I figured out how to lead in a different way to where I felt comfortable and I felt that I wasn't stepping on anybody else's toes as well.
00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:37.679
Yeah, that's incredible.
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.039
So, how did you figure that out?
00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.519
Do you have any examples you can give of like what you did?
00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:45.039
Yeah, so I feel like um I've always been a very organized person.
00:12:45.120 --> 00:13:04.240
So I feel like when it comes to even like small things like helping with practice plans, like when before we get into eight-hour weeks in spring where we can't have coaches around, like helping with that stuff or helping just keeping things organized, whether it's communications through our strength staff and our training room, just little things like that, I feel like are really in my wheelhouse in general because I just love being organized and staying on top of things.
00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:07.679
So I feel like really owning in on that side of stuff, like more of the operations stuff.
00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:18.480
And then along with just making sure I was checking in with a lot of people, I feel like I'm a very hands-on person when it comes to like trying to help other people out and lead in a very kind of like friendship manner.
00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.240
Like I'm always holding people's hands at the net.
00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:30.480
I'm always making sure if I see somebody having a down time, I try to talk to them and lift them up and try to just make sure everybody around me is having the best day possible that they can have.
00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.279
I remember you and I spoke one time about the holding hands.
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:34.879
You gave some really cool examples.
00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.840
Could you kind of go into a little bit more about what it's like?
00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:44.720
Because a lot of times, you know, a D1 university, these are highly driven, highly competitive athletes, right?
00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:48.159
And so it's natural that conflict could occur or it could be difficult.
00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:50.320
So, what did you do to counteract that?
00:13:50.399 --> 00:14:04.559
And tell me a little more about this holding hands story as a so initially when I was trying to figure out ways to like calm people down or just get people like locked in without having to say words because sometimes like you don't know what to say, or sometimes honestly, in moments there's nothing to say.
00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.399
And then in those moments, it's like, what do you do?
00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:15.679
So a lot of times I found myself this past year actually in stressful games at the net, kind of just grabbing the hand to the person to the right and left of me, my outside and right side hitter, or I'd go over to my setter.
00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:25.440
And if I knew that she had the her past couple sets weren't as good as she usually can perform, like I'll go hold hold her hand, and sometimes I'll say something like you got this, or sometimes I don't say anything at all.
00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:30.639
And just that connection, that physical connection here holding a hand, I feel like really just can change someone's game.
00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:34.480
And not only does it calm down then, but it also kind of comes down myself, which I is just awesome.
00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:39.279
And it's so fun seeing, like with all of our new freshmen, all of us are doing it, and it's so fun to see.
00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:43.039
And it's just also like the days feel so connected, which is awesome.
00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:43.919
That's awesome.
00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.799
And how was that response the first time you did that?
00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.759
Where were girls a little bit like, Whoa, what are you doing?
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:53.360
Because I know that's you're competitive, you're you're locked in that moment.
00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:54.480
So, how is that response?
00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.399
How did you reshape that culture?
00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:06.000
Yeah, I feel like it really just started with like I reach your hand out, and it's actually funny because sometimes people will go for high fives and I'll like high five them and I'll hold their hand for a second and I'll like almost pull them back a little bit if they're trying to like walk away.
00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:06.799
Like, because you know what I mean?
00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:09.279
Like they'll walk by and give a high five, but yeah, I don't know.
00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:16.960
Like, and so from then, like kind of just started, but um, I think it's calm, like it's very, it's very calming to people, like especially at the net when I first started doing it.
00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.200
People caught on very fast that it helped them.
00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:21.279
So I feel like it just started very naturally.
00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:21.840
Yeah.
00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:27.840
So then as we're talking about it, this sounds like a very much like an in-game ritual and something you're doing with all the girls.
00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.720
Do you have any pregame rituals or something?
00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.240
This is something that's worked.
00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:37.200
Did you ever test something that really did not work against the rest of the girls with the team?
00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.159
A pre-game ritual that like I really tried to get into it just I can't.
00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:45.679
Like, I used to do a lot, but I can't really since I got to college, is honestly like putting headphones on and listening to music before games.
00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.720
I just can't do it.
00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:51.200
Everybody else, like a lot of people try to do it, and like it just seems like it's such like a little simple normal thing.
00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:54.879
Like they put their headphones on, like with music on, and they get in the zone.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:05.919
I feel like with me, like I've tried that, but I feel like I get more in the zone with being connected and talking and hanging out with my teammates before a game versus isolating myself listening to music before games.
00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:07.200
Okay, interesting.
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.440
I feel like I like I feel like I love music and I like we'll listen to music, you know, in the locker room, like together.
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.000
I like doing that.
00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.039
I just like being more connected.
00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:19.200
I feel like for me, connection with teammates helps me pre-game and pre-match versus isolation with like headphones and music.
00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:23.440
But for the longest time, I do headphones and music and just put myself in the corner for like 10 minutes before.
00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:26.879
But I realized like I feel way better not doing that, which is interesting.
00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:28.080
Like that that's such a great idea.
00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:32.879
A lot of people talk about the things that they do and not things that didn't work.
00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:34.559
Yeah, that's really fascinating.
00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:42.080
And it it really sounds like you thrive with leadership and looking after your teammates and making sure everyone else on the court's taken care of.
00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.120
But what about yourself?
00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:48.000
What is something like what does your inner voice really sound like if you're not performing well?
00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:51.360
And how, if you're not performing well, are you still able to lift others up?
00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.200
What do you do to take care of that?
00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.200
Yeah, I think that's something that still like I'm honestly still trying to figure out.
00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.039
I think everybody can say that.
00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:07.839
Um, and I feel like that's the one hardest part about leadership is that even when you're not having a good day, you have to figure out ways to lift other people up and be there for other people.
00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:15.839
And I feel like mentally I just try to tell myself that if I can be this person for other people, then I can be this person for myself.
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:23.359
So me uplifting other people and me cheering for other people, it's like, okay, if I can do this for everybody else while I'm down, why don't I just do it for myself as well?
00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:27.599
Um, so I feel like I almost try to like kind of the same thing of like fake it till you make it.
00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:29.519
So it's kind of like that, I guess.
00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:33.359
And I just kind of treat myself like I would treat my other teammates in that moment.
00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:34.880
That's really great to hear.
00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:37.519
You know, you can't, you gotta just keep treating yourself well.
00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.759
Um, I'm gonna go ahead and circle back a little bit to a couple of recruiting questions really quick.
00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:46.240
So, you like you said, you weren't expecting to stay close to home.
00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:50.160
So when you decided to go to Indiana, what was that like?
00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.839
When did you finally make that decision?
00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:54.559
I'm gonna commit here and how did that process work?
00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:57.759
Yeah, so I came on a visit here.
00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.799
Um, this is actually kind of a little bit of a funny story.
00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:07.920
So I came on a visit here, and the second I stepped on campus, and like, I mean, I was a one-day visit and I fell in love with it the whole day.
00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.039
I absolutely fell in love with it.
00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.799
And I knew it was a feeling that I haven't felt on any of my other visits before.
00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:14.799
And it was a feeling that I was almost waiting on.
00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:18.160
So like I was waiting to feel this way with a campus and just falling in love with everything.
00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.519
And so I finally felt that feeling.
00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:26.400
I went home and I remember talking to my coach before I left, and he was like, all you gotta do is just give me a call and tell me I'm in on this.
00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.359
Like, let's do it.
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.640
So I called him.
00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:33.039
I got home that night, and then I talked to my parents, and I'm like, okay, I'll like I'll wait a day.
00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:38.079
So the next day I called him and I'm like, picked up the phone straight up, was just like, like, I'm in, like, let's do this thing.
00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:44.400
Um, and then I remember like posting out on social media actually, I didn't even think about it on April 1st, which is April Fools.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.680
And I remember getting so many texts, like, wait, like, are you actually going to IU?
00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:49.200
Like, that's awesome.
00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.680
Hilarious looked back on it because I got so many texts like, congrats, I think.
00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.400
I'm like, yeah, I actually did, I did come into IU.
00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:58.400
Um you're like, I'm not joking.
00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.839
I'm not joking, not joking.
00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:02.079
Like, I know it's April Fools, but like I'm not joking.
00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:07.599
Um, but I mean, it was really just that feeling of like it was a feeling I was honestly was looking for through my whole recruiting process.
00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:09.359
And when I felt it, I knew that it was right.
00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:10.400
That's amazing.
00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:15.839
And then once you signed, do you signed your national letter of intent, national letter of intent?
00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:19.839
When you got then to Indiana, what was it like?
00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:25.519
Like, what was it like walking in there the first time, stepping on campus, walking to your first teen practice?
00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:26.720
Do you remember that feeling?
00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.759
Or like, and how does it compare now to when you come back?
00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:37.839
It's honestly crazy trying to compare like the two feelings because I feel like I'm just such like thinking about that, I feel like I'm almost thinking about another lifetime.
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:43.200
Like it's crazy to me to think about the person I am now and also just like the way that I'm going about volleyball now.
00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:48.319
Um, I feel like the word to describe it was I feel like super just anxious and scared.
00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:55.519
Um, you know, I think like going anywhere that's not super comfortable for you for the first time obviously is super, you know, like you're nervous.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:56.160
Of course.
00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:02.160
But I I do remember feeling so surprised about how accepting it I felt.
00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:09.200
Um, I think that's a lot of that's a very similar situation to a lot of girls I've talked about with their first experiences when it comes to like college volleyballs.
00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:13.519
They expect people to be mean because it's a different, like you know what I mean.
00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:14.480
Like you're the you're the new person.
00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.119
Totally.
00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:24.960
But really, like I feel like it's always just so much support because those girls are generally just so excited to have somebody else to be part of the sisterhood, to be part of this group that you're just what I mean.
00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:27.440
Like you're going through hard together every single day.
00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:29.920
Like they're just so excited to have new faces and new people.
00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:40.799
So it was a very supportive feeling, but just the level of confidence that I have now in not only my volleyball, but also just myself in general, is just so much bigger than younger Ava was when she came to campus.
00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:47.440
But it's really that's a really great question because I haven't really thought about like those feelings in a long time.
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:47.920
Yeah.
00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:52.160
And when you say it feels like a different life, like what changed?
00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:53.359
What did you go through?
00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.759
Did you go through like a very pivotal moment?
00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:58.880
Is there something that happened, or was it just kind of with time?
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:05.839
I feel like a lot of it is with time, but I also just think like, I don't know if there's necessarily one major moment, but I just think so many moments together.
00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:15.200
Like there's a moment of when you first get into your dorm room for the first time with your roommate, there's a moment of your first practice, there's a moment of the first ever Big Ten home game, the first ever away game.
00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:30.960
I just think it's a mixed, like a build-up of all these different moments that finally got under my belt that then led to me my next year, having an understanding of how it all was to me now, having not much more than just a better understanding of that, but also trying to have a leadership approach with all of it.
00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:33.039
It's just so much time as well.
00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:38.160
Within those moments, do you think you were fully present and able to like feel them?
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:40.799
Or were they more were did the nerves overcome you?
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:42.880
Or how like how do you view that now?
00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:49.920
Looking back, I I think I was very present because it's the first time and it's like shiny new things, you know?
00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:57.359
It's like I think that's because it was such a new experience for me that I was just so giddy and like excited to be a part of it.
00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.720
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.359
That's awesome.
00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:05.920
Well, I mean, that change has caused like, okay, so you are going into your junior year, right?
00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:06.480
Yes.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.200
Okay.
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:11.839
So since the time you started as a freshman, like you said, you feel like a completely different person.
00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:14.319
And that's kind of showing online as well.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:34.240
You've clearly really, I mean, you've made a name for yourself, not only within NIL opportunities, with a starting position and records and your ability to perform as a volleyball player, but what a lot of listeners don't know is Ava also just launched her own clothing brand clothing brand called Project U through NIL opportunities and everything.
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:38.240
And so you've you've made a name for yourself during the shift during that time.
00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.680
How did that happen?
00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:41.039
Take me through it.
00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.960
Like, how did you navigate it all?
00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:45.839
And how did you even get started in this like journey?
00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:46.480
Yeah.
00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:51.759
So I knew when going to college that I wanted to use the NIL space.
00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:56.400
I think that NIL is such a neat opportunity for athletes right now, especially in women's sports.
00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:04.480
I think that it's not only giving us opportunities to grow our brand and to get experience with working with brands, but also growing the viewership as women's sports in general.
00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:07.359
So I knew the second I got here, I wanted to be big in it.
00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:11.920
And I and I honestly just love doing NIL and being a so being out there like socially online.
00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:13.920
I think it's something I'm I'm really enjoying.
00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:21.119
I also just really enjoy being able to share my story and talk about my life and also just talk about the things that I'm very passionate about.
00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:24.400
I love just being a positive light online.
00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:27.200
And so it's just been really fun to have kind of an outlet for that.
00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:32.960
Um, and then with that, um, another part of me is I have this big love for fashion and design and clothes.
00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:37.279
So that's where my clothing line project you actually kind of built up.
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.480
So I did launch my clothing brand a few months ago and it's been so much fun.
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:46.240
And it's honestly just been awesome to be able to kind of like combine the all everything in my life together in this clothing brand.
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:49.839
My love for fashion, my love for just marketing myself online.
00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:52.160
So it's really just been kind of a great setup for me.
00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:53.920
And I've honestly had so much fun with it.
00:23:54.000 --> 00:24:00.960
Um, navigating it is definitely a little bit difficult with being a Division I volleyball player, but it's it's been awesome.
00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:06.240
Yeah, I mean, well, okay, circling back to something you said early on, though, you love doing NIL.
00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:07.839
What does that mean though?
00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.480
Because there's so many definitions of NIL, right?
00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:12.160
And you and I have talked about this before.
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:19.519
But like when you say NIL, it's not necessarily let's just post online and then you know you'll get a brand deal and you'll post another photo online.
00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.559
Like there's more to it.
00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.880
So what do you mean by you love doing NIL?
00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:29.440
So I what I mean by love doing it is I feel like there's so much creativity behind it, um, depending on what deals you do.
00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:37.920
So I feel like a lot of the stuff I've done is stuff where I'm working with brands and they're almost giving me like a reel or a photo or something that I have to post.
00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:47.039
And I feel like I have the create the creative ability to create this kind of like vision that they have and bring it to life with me being the face of it.
00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:54.480
Um, so I really just enjoyed being able to create videos and just make content for these brands um to not only post on their pages, but to post on my pages as well.
00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:55.759
Yeah, that's really cool.
00:24:56.000 --> 00:25:01.839
So then when you got into this, how did you then start a clothing line and begin receiving media attention?
00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:02.319
Yeah.
00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.559
So yeah, like again, like that just happened so naturally.
00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:08.480
Again, like that was something that I really have been dreaming, dreaming of for so long.
00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:21.359
And I feel like it was a strange part of my life actually this past spring, because I was out injured for a while and I really was trying to really just figure out my life outside of volleyball since I didn't really have it for a few months, you know?
00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:25.599
And I feel like it was a perfect time for me to actually do it, actually start the brand.
00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:30.000
I feel like especially with businesses and entrepreneurship, starting is one of the hardest parts about it.
00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.240
Um definitely understand that.
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:38.720
Like it started actually starting is hard, and so I'm just proud of myself for actually starting it and I'm really excited to see where it grows.
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:39.599
That's incredible.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.319
And then so, but you just said something you were injured.
00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:43.599
So what happened?
00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:51.440
Yeah, so um this past season, I actually played um through injury with my shoulder, and then right after season, I got um surgery on my shoulder.
00:25:51.680 --> 00:26:00.480
So that was something that it was a different, I did a little bit different viewpoint on it just because during the whole season I knew that I was gonna be having surgery after season.
00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:02.160
Um, so it was hard.
00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:06.319
Like it was like there was weeks during the season where I mean I wasn't swinging at all during season.
00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:07.759
I would just be swinging on game days.
00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:09.599
So mentally that was kind of a little different.
00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:20.880
And then all of spring I was out, and then yeah, that was it's been a journey, but I I think that I've honestly learned the most I ever have about myself as a person and myself as a volleyball player through this injury.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:31.200
Well, I think that's something people listening would love to hear about because that's kind of like that off-duty what people don't see behind the scenes of you're literally playing an entire season with a tear on your shoulder.
00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:32.480
How did you handle that?
00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:38.240
If you were at practice not hitting, but you knew you'd play in that next game, how did teammates respond to that?
00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.759
Like, how did that all work?
00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:43.839
Yeah, that it was definitely a difficult situation to be in.
00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:50.559
It was, you know, like trying to prove myself at practice when I couldn't swing with something that was so difficult.
00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:56.559
Um, and then going into a game, and I remember being in warm-ups and it'd be the first time I'd swing at a ball in a week.
00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:00.480
And I'm like, hopefully my shoulders wrapped in a day, like hopefully I can get it going for this game.
00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:07.039
I feel like teammates were so supportive of it because they knew that it was what was really getting saving my shoulder to get me through season.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:08.480
My teammates were so supportive of it.
00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:19.759
And when it comes to like learning of just like during the recovery process, like this, the months that I've been out all spring, I feel like when it comes to like injuries, athletes look at a and usually negative light of, oh, like this sucks.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:22.160
Like I gotta set out at practice, I can't do lifts, you know.
00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:23.759
Like people always think about the negative.
00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:27.680
And I feel like I truly tried to switch my brain to think about the positives.
00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:33.599
So even though I can't physically, with my athletic ability, be able to help the team, how can I help the team in different ways?
00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:35.519
Whether that's being good teammate leadership.
00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:42.880
And I feel like that's really where I kind of excelled with my leadership and just teammate skills, was because that's really what I tried to focus on.
00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:52.480
So because I knew that at one point when I could go back to playing volleyball, I wanted to have other parts of my game that I could grow and bring back into my game when I was physically able to play again.
00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:53.519
That's incredible.
00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:57.680
And so then throughout that process, you obviously grew within your team.
00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:00.400
But in this, like, that's still a hard time to go through.
00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:02.880
Did you at any point since you've started ever have?
00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.240
And I know we've all had those.
00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:05.039
I remember having them.
00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:10.079
I remember comforting my friends through these, but did you ever have like an I'm quitting moment?
00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:10.960
Like, I'm done.
00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:12.640
I cannot do this anymore.
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:13.920
I I just I'm done.
00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.640
I'm quit.
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:18.319
And if so, what was that moment and how did you overcome it?
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:20.000
Yeah, it was so funny.
00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:29.599
So, my that moment, like I I honestly like did not really think about it at all through my injury because I was just so determined like to get through this injury and keep playing because I love this.
00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:35.119
But it was honestly my first day ever at IU as a freshman.
00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:40.160
Like, I remember coming in for the first ever open gym, and I literally went home afterwards, like went to my dorm afterwards and just cried.
00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:41.519
I'm like, I'm not gonna have to be here.
00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:42.960
Like, why am I even playing this sport?
00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:48.480
Because it was just a moment that hit me where I, you know, like I couldn't keep up with the speed.
00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.920
I couldn't keep, I didn't know the girls.
00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:51.119
Like it was just so scary.
00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:54.880
And I felt like I played the worst volleyball I ever played in that like two-hour open gym.
00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.200
And it happened to be the first ever open gym I had here.
00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:00.720
Um, but I feel like I wouldn't be where I am now without having that moment, you know?
00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:06.799
Like, and that's why I tell the freshman now, like right now, a lot of the freshmen are so frustrated because they aren't hitting, like playing the way that they used to.
00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:12.240
I'm like, trust me, the first day here, I literally cried and told myself that I wasn't gonna play volleyball again because of how mad I wasn't myself.
00:29:12.319 --> 00:29:15.200
Like, it's you went home packed in the bag, you're like, I'm done.
00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:17.839
I'm like, well, it was funny is like my bags weren't even unpacked yet.
00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:20.480
I'm like perfect, like they're already packed, I can just go home now.
00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:21.440
Like it's fine.
00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.960
You're like, I'm I quit.
00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:23.759
This is over.
00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:24.480
I can't do it.
00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:25.680
I'm terrible.
00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.400
Yes.
00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:30.720
And it's crazy to me that, like, like, why did I ever have those thoughts, you know?
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.240
Yeah, that self-talk.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:34.319
I mean, so then obviously, what'd you do?
00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:38.079
The next day you just got up and went again and eventually you figured it out, or what happened?
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:39.119
That's exactly well.
00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:47.680
The next day I got up and I we actually like we started doing like middle setter connection drills, and I just finally was finally starting to click day by day.
00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:52.559
And then, like by day seven, I looked back and I'm like, why did I waste those tears?
00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:58.079
Like, why was I why was I so frustrated about that over something that I just didn't trust the process with?
00:29:58.319 --> 00:29:58.720
Totally.
00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.000
Why did I waste those tears?
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:00.480
I love it.
00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:02.960
Sometimes those tears are necessary, they're part of that.
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:05.519
They're did you connect like with other freshmen?
00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:08.400
Were that they were they going through that too, part of your freshman class?
00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:11.440
Were you guys all just like, we quit, we're done?
00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.480
They were, yeah.
00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:13.759
We're not really good friends.
00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:17.680
We definitely had a lot of conversations about it, freshman year, just like joking around like this this is hard.
00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:25.759
Like it's really it really people always say, like, you're going from being the big fish in a pond to like even a smaller pond, you know what I mean?
00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:32.960
And now, like, you're just a little and it's it's something that I feel like a lot of freshmen when they get to college um at that level like experience.
00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:33.519
Yeah.
00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:41.359
So then, um, like you said, you everyone around you is used to being like a big fish in this small pond, and now it's reversed.
00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:47.839
So that can be difficult not only individually, but then also to maintain, you know, your ability to interact with other people.
00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:56.880
Did you ever have a moment with a teammate or another person in your position, another middle blocker where you guys kind of like you know, cross paths or something?
00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.079
And how did you get through that?
00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.880
And what happened?
00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:03.759
I think like in athletics all the time, like that happens so frequently.
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:14.559
I think, like, especially I just try to view it as like you know, like on the court things happen in the second off the court, it's like, hey, like uh like we we had a little moment, but like we're good now, you know.
00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:15.440
Um it's good.
00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:22.000
I I feel like especially like in position groups, I think that it's good to have a lot of like competitiveness.
00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:29.839
But I feel like what I what we try to do at IU with a lot of our position groups is try to have like a lot of like positive criticism, like helping each other out.
00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:35.440
Like, honestly, if somebody makes a comment, like it makes me harder, and then off the court, it's like, you know, I didn't, you know what I mean?
00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.440
Like it's sometimes kind of fun to get each other.
00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:40.480
Like, we do that all the time too, is get like fun content with each other.
00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:44.319
But again, like the second we got off the court, we're like, Yeah, you know what I mean.
00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:48.240
Yeah, I also feel like good, like confident, secure people uplift that.
00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:51.519
So they're not that's probably a big skill you guys like coming in.
00:31:51.680 --> 00:32:02.960
I remember having to learn is like this isn't personal, this is something that they they're helping me, they want to see me do better whenever there's constructive criticism or you know, a difference is with a team.
00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:06.000
Um, and then yeah, what do you think?
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:15.359
Yeah, I think like that's the one thing is like when coaches, I always think about this like if a coach is always in your ear telling you advice and stuff, it's like they're doing that because they want to help you.
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:17.759
And it's like if the coach isn't saying anything, that's almost worse.
00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:24.400
And I feel like sometimes I think that with my team, like when they're on me, like I view it as they want to see me get to that next level because they know I can get there.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.440
Totally.
00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.640
And I like what you just said.
00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:28.240
So that kind of leads me to my next question.
00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:32.880
It says, if your coach was listening to this episode right now today, what would you want them to hear?
00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:35.599
Is there anything that you would want them to hear so bad?
00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:39.200
Um, just that how much I appreciate them, how much I love them.
00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:46.000
I feel like they're truly just so caring about when it comes to our personal lives too.
00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:54.640
Like, I know, like my head coach, I probably talked to him more about my brand and my business and entrepreneurship stuff more than volleyball, honestly.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:33:01.920
Like, I think I could really say that I talked to him more about like entrepreneurship and that stuff, like when we had conversations outside the court rather than volleyball stuff.
00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:08.559
So I just would say that, like, say to them how grateful I am to have such amazing coaches that care for me as a human too.
00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:19.599
That leads me to my next question, actually, around coaching and coaching staff is what is something most athletes you think talk about privately that they wish the coaching staff understood more?
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:28.319
And this doesn't necessarily have to be your coaching staff, but just in general, like, what do you think athletes feel and where there's a disconnect between coaches and athletes sometimes?
00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:28.720
Yeah.
00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:42.319
I feel like a big disconnect in like all like a lot of teams I've been on in the past, like throughout high school, um when I was younger, was just how much we thought that the mental part of the game contributed to the way that we were performing.
00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:50.000
I feel like I've like a lot of times coaches sometimes think that it's just like the skill and like the athletic ability, like the athletic ability to play volleyball.
00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:53.680
And I feel like in reality, there is so much more when it comes to that.
00:33:53.759 --> 00:34:04.079
Like I know, like I'm talking to some teammates in high school, and we would say, like, the days that we would be so mentally okay and talking about like how we're gonna be so confident and all this stuff, like we would have better games.
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:15.840
And I just we sure like in high school a lot of times that some coaching staffs understood that um and also kind of trained that and just checked up on that side of us more than just the physical part.
00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:18.960
So, what advice do you have to high school girls right now?
00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:20.079
Oh, so much.
00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:22.239
Um, I feel like a bit hear it.
00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:23.840
I know I'm like, I had a lot.
00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:25.920
You're like, I could talk for hours.
00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:26.960
Yes, yes.
00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:30.559
Um, I would say that consistency is more important than perfection.
00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:37.519
I feel like, especially the older I got, the more that I felt like I needed to be more perfect at what I was doing.
00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:42.400
Um, like every single little thing, like it wasn't gonna, I wasn't gonna be satisfied unless it was perfect.
00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:48.559
And I didn't really realize that the success wasn't necessarily the end goal, but the success was the process to get to the end goal.
00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:54.800
And that comes with consistency, showing up every single day, working on whatever specific skill you're trying to get better at every single day.
00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:56.159
I really like that.
00:34:57.039 --> 00:35:03.440
Success is the process to get to the end goal, it's like the journey, it's not the destination, kind of another way of saying that.
00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:04.320
I like that a lot.
00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:11.599
So then with all of that and the idea of perfectionists, is there a pressure you still feel today, even though you've had success?
00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.039
Yeah, every day.
00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:18.960
And I feel like that pressure is to almost just continuing to be like on my A game.
00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:29.840
And I feel like I view pressure as a privilege, and I always have, but I also just feel like again, like what we just said, like I feel like success is something that every single day I'm honestly striving for with everything that I do.
00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:32.960
Um, and with that again, just comes pressure constantly.
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:41.679
But I think that the second that you flip your switch in the br in your brain about not viewing pressure as a negative thing, I feel like it really helps, it really helps you on a daily basis.
00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:42.639
I like that.
00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.519
I like that a lot.
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:44.960
That's really smart.
00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:50.639
I think a lot of top athletes really can resonate with that at any level, actually.
00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:54.800
It's just like the idea and feeling that you need it to be perfect.
00:35:55.119 --> 00:35:56.480
And it needs to be perfect.
00:35:56.559 --> 00:36:03.519
And I think we're gonna lead here soon now into the parent advice section.
00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:05.440
So we're gonna ask you a couple questions.
00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:09.199
That is gonna be advice for parents, and we're gonna just jump just two questions, okay?
00:36:09.519 --> 00:36:09.920
Sound good.
00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:12.480
Okay, this has been fun.
00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:23.519
And now, you know, talking about the high school level and different things, we're gonna like lead a little bit into parents that are listening and get them some parental advice now that you wish, you know, what you wish your parents knew, etc.
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:26.079
What did recruitment really look like?
00:36:26.159 --> 00:36:27.599
And how did you navigate that?
00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:31.599
It was a lot, it was very it was stressful.
00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:34.320
Um, like we said, like again, felt like speed dating.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.400
I feel like mentally it really took a toll on me.
00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:41.599
And I'm just so grateful that like my parents, I feel like were very helpful when it came to just the support.
00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:50.400
Um, I remember writing all the emails and having like my mom next to me, just helping me sometimes word stuff and just like almost confirming me.
00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:53.760
Like I would be so almost like anxious and overthinking if this is the right kind of thing I should say.
00:36:53.840 --> 00:37:05.440
And I just remember her telling me, like, almost feeding that confidence into me, being like, Yes, like send those emails to all those schools, like feeding confidence into me that made me feel like I generally could take over the world.
00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:09.679
Like, she made me feel like every every single school I would email, like they would get back to me.
00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:12.079
Like that's literally how my mom made me feel.
00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:16.719
Um, so I just think like having that by my side was so helpful when it came to navigating recruiting.
00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:21.840
So it wasn't as much if they were helping you with your skill or like drafting the email for you.
00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:27.280
It was that encouragement and that belief to put inside your mind, like, okay, I don't have imposter syndrome.
00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:28.559
I'm going to get an email back.
00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:30.239
Like I should be doing this.
00:37:30.480 --> 00:37:31.199
Yes, 100%.
00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:39.599
It was, it's crazy like to think that just that little bit of confidence being fed into my brain was what got me over the hump to actually send all those emails.
00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:40.159
Yeah.
00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:45.920
You think that was more important than anything of a parent saying, like, oh, get outside and you know, serve 20 balls?
00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:46.320
Yeah.
00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:49.599
I I think that was like really probably what would help.
00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:58.960
I feel like for me too, I feel like I what I would really struggle with was the mental side because I would always feel like I really tried to, I got burnt out often physically just because I was always trying to get extra reps, always trying to go at it.
00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:03.360
And I didn't really process how important that side of volleyball was until I got to college.
00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:07.280
And I feel like that's really huge with the mental game, especially with female athletes.
00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:13.519
Okay, now we are gonna get into our TMI Too Much Insight segment where it's kind of a rapid fire segment.
00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:19.760
I want you to go ahead and just give kind of quicker answers to this where we can break down, you know, break down all the answers.
00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:23.760
So the very first one is without naming names, without, you know, causing any more problems.
00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:27.440
Have you ever had a serious disagreement with a teammate or the coach?
00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:28.480
And what happened?
00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:29.679
How'd you go through it?
00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:37.440
Um, yes, I feel like at this level, disagreements are almost inevitable, especially when everyone is passionate and um competitive.
00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:41.440
And when it comes to moving through it, I think that it's kind of the only thing that you can do.
00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:42.719
What happened?
00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:45.440
Um, do you have examples?
00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:55.599
I feel like um sometimes with like what rotation we should start in when we skirmish or practice, or if I want to run like someone wants to run a set or a combo playing somebody doesn't want to.
00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:59.360
Um, but I think like generally all comes out is like it's all from good.
00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:01.519
It's all from wanting to make the team better.
00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:02.320
Yeah.
00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:02.880
Okay.
00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:05.599
What was your worst game mentally or physically?
00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:07.679
And how did you respond the next day?
00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:14.480
Oh, I forget exactly who we were playing, but it was one game this past year where I was so upset because my stats were not as good as I wanted it to be.
00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:16.400
But my coaches said that I played a good game.
00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:19.599
I remember just being so confused like, how does that work?
00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:20.800
Like, how did I do that?
00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:24.639
Well, my stats didn't say like they said otherwise.
00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:32.719
And the next day I literally just went in and I tried to focus on all the things that are not based on stats, like covering, um, like that kind of stuff, being a teammate.
00:39:32.880 --> 00:39:38.639
And I just kind of put into my head and realized, like, okay, like that made sense on why that happened.
00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:39.679
That makes sense.
00:39:39.840 --> 00:39:42.320
Um, okay, question around NIL.
00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:49.119
Do you think NIL is really helping women's sports entirely, or is it sometimes adding more pressure to be marketable?
00:39:49.360 --> 00:39:50.639
I think it's a great opportunity.
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:55.519
I can see where people would say it's adds a little bit of pressure, but like I've said before, I think pressure is a privilege.
00:39:55.679 --> 00:39:57.679
So I think that having the opportunity is amazing.
00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:00.880
And I think it's growing, can be an opportunity to grow women's sports.
00:40:01.199 --> 00:40:03.599
Okay, a couple more rapid fire questions.
00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:09.840
Um, what is one moment in your athletic career that completely humbled you and what did it teach you about yourself?
00:40:10.400 --> 00:40:16.480
I think it's in general whenever we go to play, like I've play some bad, like I've played bad in a couple really big arenas.
00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:34.320
And I think it just, I don't know if the word humble is good, but I think it just shows me that I have some grown, like that there's always gonna be environments that are scary to play in, and that it's just a matter of trying to figure out how to how to like blank out the noise and how to play through it.
00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:38.239
And then have you ever resented this sport or even just for a minute?
00:40:38.320 --> 00:40:40.079
And what brought that feeling up?
00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:41.280
Yes.
00:40:44.159 --> 00:41:00.079
I think like early on when I was like trying to play volleyball, I feel like like sometimes if I just really could not get a skill down, or like if I would just get so like if I would just get really frustrated in a play, um, a lot of times, like I'm not gonna lie, if I get stuff blocked, I'm like, I hate volleyball, but I really never mean it.
00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:02.880
I know the bags up.
00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:03.840
I'm gone.
00:41:04.239 --> 00:41:09.599
I never really feel that like serious ever when I get blocked, but like sometimes like growing up, I think like trying to like learn new skills.
00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:12.559
I do remember sometimes getting just so frustrated because I couldn't figure it out.
00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:17.039
But again, I figured out at some point, and then I looked back, like, why was I wasting that time being mad?
00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:18.880
And then okay, I love that.
00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:23.599
What was the most awkward NIL deal or just like DM or something you've ever received?
00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:26.880
DMs are I feel like there's some weird, there's some weird stuff out there in DMs.
00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.079
Like, I feel like I've got some weird stuff.
00:41:28.239 --> 00:41:29.039
What do you got?
00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:32.800
Um, I don't know, just I feel like some people are weird on DMs.
00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:50.480
I actually okay, this is not like I think that the weirdest NIL thing, I wouldn't say weird, but I would just say like unique NIL thing was some I um somebody asked me for like because I'll I do like um photos, like shout out, like shout-out videos, you know, and somebody asked me to do a video um for their, I think it was like their niece and nephew, I think.
00:41:50.639 --> 00:42:04.000
And it was like showing them like some at home drills that they could do because they were getting into volleyball, but they have a love for fashion, so they wanted me to do to like incorporate like a fit check, like outfits, like cool outfits into the video of me showing volleyball drills.
00:42:04.079 --> 00:42:07.280
And I remember being like, this is so strange, like so like unique.
00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:12.719
And so I straight up like I went, I brought, I brought like five different outfits to the gym.
00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:22.880
And I literally was like like doing like a passing drill against the wall in one outfit, and then I would do like an OTD, and then like I'd change outfits to another outfit and like do like another like set like a drill or something against the wall.
00:42:23.039 --> 00:42:24.159
Isn't that so strange?
00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:29.920
So they asked you to do like an outfit check while doing drills and send it to their kid.
00:42:30.159 --> 00:42:43.280
Yeah, it was like a it was like a hey, like so-and-so, like I because like they they were trying to get them into volleyball, and they thought that by like incorporating fashion because the kids like the kids like they loved fashion that like maybe they'd be more off to like wanting to like get into volleyball.
00:42:43.519 --> 00:42:46.159
Like like the kids love fashion and volleyball, and I love fashion and volleyball.
00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:55.440
So maybe that's but it was just so crazy because I was I was reading it and I'm like incorporate outfit checks like O T Ds into at home volleyball drills.
00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:56.159
So it was a challenge.
00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:57.039
That's so fun.
00:42:57.280 --> 00:42:59.119
I know, like did you do it?
00:42:59.280 --> 00:43:00.400
No, I didn't.
00:43:01.360 --> 00:43:02.559
It was like it was so fun.
00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:10.880
I mean, like, and it was like you know, it was just so funny at the time because I remember reading it, being like, I have no idea how I'm gonna incorporate these, but it was actually a fun challenge.
00:43:10.960 --> 00:43:12.480
I viewed it as a challenge, and it was really fun.
00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:14.880
And I hope that the niece and nephew loved it.
00:43:15.119 --> 00:43:16.079
That's awesome.
00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:17.039
That's so cool.
00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:29.199
Um, okay, another question for you is has there ever been a moment where you were like low-key excited not to be starting or to like have a day off, or just be like, I'm relieved not to be playing right now.
00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:42.239
I feel like like off days, I think like that happens frequently in off days, but I think it's just more so relieved that I can just like finally sit down and have like time to like have like let my body almost like rehab, like rehab into treatment and yeah.
00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:45.599
I feel like there's just always that like relief that athletes have on off days.
00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:52.159
Could you tell someone really quick, like what just walk me through quickly an average day in a life, like morning tonight, wake up to dead to bed?
00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:54.400
Um an average, I'll do an average school day.
00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:59.679
So, like we have I have my um classes usually all in the morning, um, sometimes at night, depending.
00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:00.960
On like what your major is.
00:44:01.039 --> 00:44:05.440
And then we have our practice block, which is from one to about 5 p.m.
00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:07.360
So, like in the morning, I wake up.
00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:08.159
I'm a morning person.
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:09.840
So I wake up usually at like 6 a.m.
00:44:10.079 --> 00:44:12.800
I get my coffee, my like my matcha, all this stuff.
00:44:12.960 --> 00:44:16.239
I go to my classes, and then I have a lift at about one for an hour.
00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:26.960
And then we all go get snacks and then go to practice, which depending on the day, um, like with how heavy we went the day before, if we had a game or whatnot, usually about three-hour practice, two and a half, three-hour practice.
00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:36.000
And then after that, usually some people will have some classes to go to, and then um the rest of the day is just for homework, laundry, getting stuff done.
00:44:36.079 --> 00:44:44.480
And then usually that's uh the same thing the next day, but depends um like our schedule in spring, and then the game day schedules are always different.
00:44:44.559 --> 00:44:47.920
They're a lot more fun game day schedules, but that's a typical typical day.
00:44:48.159 --> 00:44:48.960
That's really fun.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:51.440
Just back to back, 24-7, always going.
00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:54.719
Okay, I only have a couple, couple more questions here for you.
00:44:54.960 --> 00:44:57.760
Um, have you ever posted something?
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:01.840
Because we're gonna get into NIL a little bit here, because you have NIL in a couple different ways, right?
00:45:01.920 --> 00:45:06.559
You've done like personal, just classic NIL media brand endorsements, but then you also have your clothing brand.
00:45:06.719 --> 00:45:08.559
So, how do you manage those two brands?
00:45:08.639 --> 00:45:14.719
And have you ever posted something and to boost engagement and then quickly be like, why did I post that?
00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:16.719
I really don't know if I ever have.
00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:28.159
I think sometimes like when it comes to like TikTok and like different so social media other than Instagram, I'll post stuff and I'll almost be like, like not like regret it, but be like, oh, I don't think I like that as much as I did, and then I'll delete it.
00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:32.079
Um, but I don't think I necessarily ever have done it to like boost engagement and delete it.
00:45:32.400 --> 00:45:39.599
But um, when it comes to like managing social media, I think like volleyball is always gonna be volleyball, but I treat all the other stuff outside of it like a business.
00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:43.119
Like I schedule stuff, I it's heavy time management.
00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:46.480
Um, but that's kind of how I honestly like balance the two.
00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:49.280
So here we go, TMI segments.
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.559
Too much insight, really quickly get to know Ava a little bit better.
00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:55.360
Ava, go ahead and just rapid fire answer these questions.
00:45:55.599 --> 00:45:58.000
What is your go-to hype song before a game?
00:45:58.159 --> 00:46:06.960
I know you don't like hype songs, but if you were to do a hype song with the team, I know you don't like them, but when you're with the team, if everyone's together, what is like okay, we all need to listen to this?
00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:09.199
I like Lil Demon by Future.
00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:11.679
I just like songs with like heavy bass and stuff.
00:46:11.760 --> 00:46:12.480
It's good.
00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:14.880
Okay, most use emoji right now.
00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:18.880
Um, the a laughing emoji, but like the tilted one, like the tilted laughing emoji.
00:46:19.199 --> 00:46:20.960
Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, okay.
00:46:21.199 --> 00:46:25.119
What is your Starbucks coffee game day drink order?
00:46:25.360 --> 00:46:32.239
Uh Grande ice matcha latte, oat milk with extra scuba matcha, extra uh puppa syrup, and strawberry cream cold foam.
00:46:32.480 --> 00:46:33.760
Wow, okay, that is intense.
00:46:33.920 --> 00:46:35.360
Okay, Dream N I L collab.
00:46:35.679 --> 00:46:37.599
No matter how ridiculous, Dream N I L.
00:46:38.239 --> 00:46:40.239
Adidas X Project U.
00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:42.719
Both of the Okay, we're putting that out there.
00:46:42.800 --> 00:46:43.280
Adidas.
00:46:45.280 --> 00:46:46.480
Adidas, that's a goal of mine.
00:46:46.719 --> 00:46:48.000
Help her, help her.
00:46:48.239 --> 00:46:49.039
Um, okay.
00:46:49.280 --> 00:46:52.880
What if you had to pick a fire walk-up song for your team?
00:46:52.960 --> 00:46:54.719
What would represent your team and their energy?
00:46:55.039 --> 00:46:56.480
I think anything by pit bull.
00:46:56.800 --> 00:46:57.199
Yeah.
00:46:57.679 --> 00:46:58.639
Okay, okay.
00:46:58.880 --> 00:46:59.360
I like it.
00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:00.000
I like it.
00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:04.639
What teammate do you think is most likely to go pro in something other than a sport?
00:47:06.239 --> 00:47:07.440
That's so good.
00:47:08.159 --> 00:47:15.360
Um, I think my girl, Shade, she and I think she would go pro in music producing.
00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:17.440
She's the best ox, always on ox.
00:47:17.519 --> 00:47:22.400
I think something like she'd be be the professional at having the best music playlist.
00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:25.280
If your team had a reality show, what would it be called?
00:47:26.079 --> 00:47:28.400
I think behind the scenes.
00:47:28.559 --> 00:47:29.440
That's what I'd call it.
00:47:29.519 --> 00:47:35.280
And I think it would just because the but us behind the scenes is just so funny and wild and crazy.
00:47:35.360 --> 00:47:36.960
And I think it would just be really funny.
00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:39.840
Okay, and if you could switch sports for a day, what are you trying?
00:47:39.920 --> 00:47:41.360
What sport are you switching to?
00:47:41.679 --> 00:47:45.039
I would say normally basketball because I've played that, but I would say tennis.
00:47:45.119 --> 00:47:49.679
I think tennis is so cool, and I think that I I think it'd be so fun.
00:47:49.760 --> 00:47:50.800
I'd love to learn it.
00:47:51.039 --> 00:47:55.519
Okay, are you a post-game ice bath or drive-thru, or like we're going out tonight?
00:47:55.599 --> 00:47:56.719
Let's celebrate.
00:47:56.960 --> 00:47:58.559
I ice bath, I do my treatment.
00:47:58.800 --> 00:48:00.800
I'm big on my post-game treatments.
00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:01.440
Okay.
00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:03.199
I'm going out celebrating.
00:48:03.519 --> 00:48:08.320
You're going out celebrating, and what is without you know giving too much to what does that look like for your team?
00:48:08.559 --> 00:48:09.199
Um, I don't know.
00:48:09.280 --> 00:48:10.159
I think it's just getting together.
00:48:10.239 --> 00:48:18.000
I feel like honestly, some of the times that are like we bond most is in just like times like that, like just all like hanging out at like a house and something like you know what I mean?
00:48:18.079 --> 00:48:19.039
Like whenever houses, yeah.
00:48:19.199 --> 00:48:21.039
Yeah, teams, just having a good time.
00:48:21.119 --> 00:48:26.000
I feel like that's like it's the most natural and awkward team bonding, is just something like that, like a good night hour.
00:48:26.639 --> 00:48:27.199
Yeah.
00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:27.840
Okay.
00:48:27.920 --> 00:48:34.159
And then last rapid fire question is what is one thing in your locker room in your bag that just has no business being there?
00:48:34.480 --> 00:48:36.320
I always have tennis balls in my bag.
00:48:36.559 --> 00:48:37.280
Oh, okay.
00:48:37.599 --> 00:48:39.280
I always have like four.
00:48:39.920 --> 00:48:40.239
Okay.
00:48:40.880 --> 00:48:44.079
Because I always well, I like use them to roll out my shoulder.
00:48:44.159 --> 00:48:46.800
I I put them in my shoes sometimes, like stretch out my shoe.
00:48:46.880 --> 00:48:50.800
I just somehow I I have like four, maybe five tennis balls in my bag sometimes.
00:48:50.880 --> 00:48:54.079
I don't really know how, but I guess it's it kind of makes sense though.
00:48:54.159 --> 00:48:56.079
Cause like it's but I just think it's funny.
00:48:56.239 --> 00:49:00.079
People think it's funny when that five tennis balls rolling around for my bag.
00:49:00.239 --> 00:49:06.320
Okay, so I just have I do have one more question around uh with NIL and everything, is that you know, your sport?
00:49:06.400 --> 00:49:09.920
Because volleyball, women's volleyball, that's not necessarily revenue share.
00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:12.079
And people are talking about, you know, who's getting this?
00:49:12.159 --> 00:49:14.000
And there's this big separation with sports.
00:49:14.079 --> 00:49:16.159
Have you felt like you've been affected?
00:49:16.320 --> 00:49:18.480
Has your team been affected from your university?
00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:22.960
Or is it a lot of headlines you think that are just kind of, you know, propaganda?
00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:26.800
Um, when it comes to like the way that rules are changing right now with Rev Share.
00:49:26.960 --> 00:49:30.960
And I think money in general, obviously, like people's minds go right to basketball and football.
00:49:31.039 --> 00:49:32.400
They're always getting the most funding.
00:49:32.480 --> 00:49:41.920
And as frustrating as it is sometimes that a lot of the bigger audienced male sports get more money, it also sometimes does affect our funding because the better they do, sometimes we get more funding.
00:49:42.000 --> 00:49:44.639
So I really just think that there's a lot of different ways of looking at it.
00:49:44.800 --> 00:49:49.440
Um, I know with RevShare, every school is different, and obviously volleyball is growing.
00:49:49.519 --> 00:49:56.880
So I would really love to see, you know, um more Revshare opportunities and even NIL opportunities for um our sport in the future.
00:49:57.440 --> 00:49:58.400
Okay, I love it.
00:49:58.480 --> 00:49:58.880
I love it.
00:49:59.039 --> 00:50:00.960
Well, we're gonna take a set.
00:50:01.599 --> 00:50:04.000
Well, Ava, thank you so much for the time.
00:50:04.079 --> 00:50:05.599
This has been such a fun conversation.
00:50:05.679 --> 00:50:08.880
I love, you know, catching up with you, learning more about your journey.
00:50:09.039 --> 00:50:17.280
Hopefully, before we go, is there any, you know, any other advice you'd love to give to a parent or just like a young female or male student athlete listening?
00:50:17.760 --> 00:50:20.559
Um, I'd say don't be afraid to dream too big.
00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:23.199
Um, I think that if you can dream it, you can honestly do it.
00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:24.000
Never give up.
00:50:24.079 --> 00:50:25.440
Keep working hard every single day.
00:50:25.519 --> 00:50:30.079
Like I said before, just keep being consistent because you really never know what direction your life can go in.
00:50:30.239 --> 00:50:32.880
And hard work is always gonna get you somewhere.
00:50:33.039 --> 00:50:36.159
So thank you so much for coming on today, Ava.
00:50:36.239 --> 00:50:37.039
I had the best time.
00:50:37.199 --> 00:50:38.880
I hope all the listeners have the best time.
00:50:39.039 --> 00:50:42.320
I will be sure to share your, you know, what are your Instagram handles?
00:50:42.400 --> 00:50:45.920
How could someone reach out to you if there's someone wanting to get more advice?
00:50:46.320 --> 00:50:49.760
Yeah, so my Instagram handle is at Ava Vickers underscore.
00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:52.639
I usually respond to all DMs and any messages through there.
00:50:52.960 --> 00:50:54.000
Amazing, amazing.
00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:56.400
Well, thank you again and congratulations.
00:50:56.480 --> 00:50:57.519
Good luck this season.
00:50:57.599 --> 00:50:58.239
You're coming up.
00:50:58.320 --> 00:51:00.079
We're about to start indoor season.
00:51:00.239 --> 00:51:01.360
And talk to you soon.
00:51:01.440 --> 00:51:06.400
And make sure, everyone, to go check out Project U, the new clothing line that Ava just dropped.
00:51:06.639 --> 00:51:06.960
Thank you.
00:51:07.199 --> 00:51:07.920
Thank you so much.