Taking the Lead with Kelsey Cook

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky and I'm Kat though, and this is serving pancakes with League one Volleyball. The inaugural Love season is finally here. Each episode will be going over the matches from the week to keep you up to date on everything League one Volleyball. Then stick around after the analysis for interviews with some amazing people in in and around the sport. Today's episode features Love founding athlete in Atlanta outside hitter Kelsey Cook. But first let's talk about all the exciting action from week four. Kat, How are you? You were sick this week? How are you feeling?

00:00:35
Speaker 2: I've been out, down and out on Friday, but I've been a lot better, so I can't complain right now. I was complaining a few days ago, but now I'm all good, all good.

00:00:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, you couldn't travel, but you got to watch the matches, which I feel like is a plus.

00:00:45
Speaker 3: Right, gotta change.

00:00:46
Speaker 2: Watch a lot of video, lots of scouting reports, got a lot of synch to do, so it was great.

00:00:50
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:00:52
Speaker 1: Well, let's kick off the week four recafs with Love Madison hosting Love Houston with Houston putting on a show sweeping made in twenty five nineteen twenty five seventeen twenty five twenty one opposite Jordan Thompson shined in the match, earning Player of the Match honors thanks to seventeen kills, hitting three seventeen plus an ace, five digs, a block and an assist. So in the last week's match she actually hit negative. So what does she do to turn it around in this match?

00:01:22
Speaker 3: Hey, new day, new game, new day.

00:01:24
Speaker 2: You know, I think, you know, connection with micup was flowing a lot better this week, I think. And I'm also like, you know, maybe stressner's depending on whatever happening in your life that day.

00:01:33
Speaker 3: You know, you just have a bad day. But she definitely showed up the other.

00:01:35
Speaker 1: Night, you know, I saw that she mentioned that it's been a little rocky in the sense that after the Olympics she had three months off basically until matches Starry, where before she's been playing overseas in Europe during that time period. So she's like, you know, it's a little bit of a slow start. Do you find it that when you're not playing, oh yeah, for that long you're that off?

00:01:54
Speaker 2: I mean, honestly, first of all, was like all about mindset, because you're just on your off time, you're relax and you're chilling, hanging out doing whatever you want to do for us, like diet and exercise, and to go back to compete in a high level and trying to get your mind back to go on a certain schedule is difficult, definitely, And volleyball you can lose it in three days if you're not doing anything. So I'm actually thinking about that now. Starting practice tomorrow.

00:02:15
Speaker 1: You'll be great. The sickness just got you a little bit, be just fine. I believe in you.

00:02:20
Speaker 4: Now.

00:02:20
Speaker 1: Madison has lost four in a row and are at the bottom of the standings at one in five. Now, a lot of those losses actually came when they were like fifteen fifteen, sixteen sixteen and they just couldn't close it out. So how do you get over that mental hump to finish strong and get the win.

00:02:36
Speaker 2: I think it's one thing that all the team are bowling right now. I think even last night you saw that Austin was up and then just kind of lost it in. I think Madison go into each game, but depending a lot of on lot on Sarah. I think that they were an offense little bit more and get the other hitters kind of attacking getting the ball down.

00:02:49
Speaker 1: All right, let's move to the next match. On Friday, we saw Love Atlanta sweep Love Salt Lake at home twenty five twenty two, twenty five twenty two, twenty five twenty back to back sweeps this week. Pretty exciting. So let's talk about Atlanta. What were they doing that Selta just couldn't stop.

00:03:04
Speaker 2: I think one thing Alana's doing is they're kind of getting into that six too. Everybody else is playing the sixt two right now. I think its benefiting a lot of teams if you can have an attacker that's going to go up and hit the ball in the front court every.

00:03:14
Speaker 3: Rotation, I think is the best thing to do.

00:03:16
Speaker 2: They use Danielle a little bit more this week, I think also, and this test has also been great for them this entire season so far. So they're definitely run their offense a lot more with having all six players out in the court all rotations.

00:03:26
Speaker 1: Speaking of offense, outside hitter Mackenzie Adams was named a Player of the match with thirteen kills, six in that third set, an ace, a block, and thirteen digs. Now, Mackenzie has been an absolute force internationally, but now she's making a name for herself here in the States. So talk about mackenzie and how she plays, Like, what does she do that's so great?

00:03:44
Speaker 3: McKenzie's an athlete.

00:03:45
Speaker 2: I don't know if we've seen on social media right now they're showing her, you know, playing basketball and throwing the ball around. I've been able to watch McKenzie since she was in college at UTSA, and she'sn't always in a phenomenal athlete. I think right now they're finding that fastball to her on the outside, which is obviously helping out her offense a lot. So she's just been great. I think she's a great dynamic player and being able to go out there and showcase her abilities and her talent as working well for Atlanta.

00:04:05
Speaker 1: Moving to Saturday's games, your team Love Austin could have used some cat Bill charisma there, missing the energy.

00:04:13
Speaker 2: They were missing the yells and the screaming and the dancing on the sidelines for sure.

00:04:18
Speaker 1: For sure, because they ended up losing a very hard fought battle. Let's let's give them a lot of credit. But you know they did lose to Love Salt Lake in five sets, twenty two, twenty five, twenty five, nineteen twenty, twenty five, twenty seven to twenty five, fifteen twelve. Now, that fourth set was like a game changer, right, If Austin could have just held on, they would have won the match. Instead, that set went into overtime and they ultimately lost the fifth set. So what did your team need to do to overcome and pull out a W.

00:04:49
Speaker 2: I think just being a little more consistent and the offense once in transition, you know, I think they were a little mishaps attacking the ball, little whifs coming now, and then also just being smart about location where the balls when your setter is Obviously there was kind of some tough calls as well. There were some balls that may've been in, it may have been out and not really sure. It was definitely a well fat battle, but just closing out as the biggest thing, I said going on for all teams to figure out that huge hump to get over and.

00:05:14
Speaker 1: The Salt Lakes wind came after being swept by Atlanta the night before in opposite Skyler Fields, was a big reason for Saturday's victory. She finished the match of twenty five kills. Six of those came during that fifth set, six blocks, five digs and an assist to talk about Skyler and what she does to be so dominant.

00:05:31
Speaker 2: No, I'm so proud of her. I've bought scholars and she was in high school and she's like my little baby, you know. And to see her being a dominant opposite in this league right now, it's just so early on in the season is great. I think she's given the outside their money because she's on all ends from the four to the from the fourth or to two, she's.

00:05:46
Speaker 3: Attacking how over the block.

00:05:47
Speaker 2: Her offense in the back on the back Grook right now is definitely undefeated, connected repolter.

00:05:51
Speaker 3: So she's bringing a lot of heat, all.

00:05:53
Speaker 1: Right, So I want to do something a little different today. Love posted this killed by Haley Washington with the caption did y'all feel that earthquake?

00:06:04
Speaker 5: It's a slide delivered to Washington.

00:06:08
Speaker 1: It was a sick kill you.

00:06:09
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:06:11
Speaker 1: Can you break down this play and that swing for us? I mean, how does Haley get the power and precision to crush a kill like that? And you know in case players who are listening want to try to replicate it.

00:06:21
Speaker 2: So if you're an amazing slide attacker, this is a great slide attempt to run in front of your cetter, something that's been going going on as I was playing in high school as well. Hailey Washington's amazing slide attacker, So you can get her to run a slide in front and behind.

00:06:32
Speaker 3: It's great.

00:06:33
Speaker 2: Obviously she's just taking that quick step just like she would do around the cetter. She's going right in front of her, hiking that right leg up and going trick for the ball. I think it's a hard ball to hit. Definitely, definitely to defend, I would say, because she has that sharp angle going down the body and then a cross corking back.

00:06:47
Speaker 3: Around just like she was going to run a slide.

00:06:49
Speaker 2: So I think it's a great play to use, very something very difficult to stop. And she showed that she can put the ball away every single time, so it was great, m all right.

00:06:58
Speaker 1: In the final match of the weekend, Love Omaha versus Love Atlanta. This was my match of the week, and I was actually shocked by the outcome because I thought the defense it was just gonna end up being a battle both offensively and defensively, and I thought it was going to go to five sets, super close, but instead Atlanta beat Omaha in four sets, twenty one, twenty five.

00:07:17
Speaker 3: Wait, so you want it? You want to Omaha to win? Is that what you're saying.

00:07:20
Speaker 1: No, I just thought it was going to be tighter. I just thought it was going to be like, like, oh, I'm playing favorites favorite.

00:07:29
Speaker 3: It's crazy.

00:07:29
Speaker 1: No favorites, no favorite, her favorite.

00:07:31
Speaker 3: Team while I'm on the phone. That's crazy.

00:07:35
Speaker 1: No, no, no favorites. Just I thought it was going to be like, you know, twenty seven twenty.

00:07:39
Speaker 2: Five Saturday, I was like, minute, let me make sure that wasn't that thought.

00:07:43
Speaker 3: It was okay, okay.

00:07:46
Speaker 2: No.

00:07:46
Speaker 1: But the match, the scores were twenty one, twenty five, twenty five, twenty two, twenty five, twenty two, and then twenty five twenty and So now after this win, Atlanta is a top the Love leader board at four and one. What did they do separate themselves from the rest of the league.

00:08:01
Speaker 2: I think they're finding that connection. Have Kelsey Cook, who's an amazing outside hitter. She's been doing all them since the first match of the season. They're finding an offense amongst everyone, I think, and the defense Liberos are playing well, so they're finding the rhythm I think coming around all.

00:08:13
Speaker 1: Right, Well, let's talk about opposite Danielle Katino, who was named player of the match. She mentioned her in Friday's game about how she was stepping up, and in this match she had sixteen kills two blocks in a dig. And you know, Danielle has been improving week in and week out. So what stands out to you about her game?

00:08:29
Speaker 2: You know, I've been watching Danielle for a while as well, and I know personally and I think it's just, you know, it can be sometimes a mind block. I think Danielle is.

00:08:36
Speaker 3: A great vollball player.

00:08:37
Speaker 2: She doesn't happen to do much to be as awesome as she is, Like you know, her trying to show her potential. She doesn't even do any that she's going to be great regardless. I think just come into the situation. It's a different cetter trying to figure out your rhythm and different attackers and blockers around. I think we haven't seen a lot of her, but I think we'll be getting to see her enough coming up soon. So she's been great, definitely.

00:08:55
Speaker 1: All Right, Now that we went over week four, let's talk about Week five and which matches were So First, we got the Battle of the Lone Star State with your team, Love Austin hosting Love Houston on Wednesday, then salt Lake hosts Atlanta to kick off Weekend with Love on Friday, and for Saturday's doubleheader, we start with Love Madison versus Love Atlanta, followed by Love Omaha versus Love salt Lake. So which match are you excited for?

00:09:23
Speaker 3: You know, I gotta.

00:09:24
Speaker 2: Go with the Long Star Battle just because last time we played Houston, as you know, we lost.

00:09:32
Speaker 3: You know, Maddi Keenan.

00:09:33
Speaker 2: Had a good job, did a great job. MICA's an amazing centter obviously, so I think it's a little bit of a revenge. You know, They're coming into our town now, and I'm happing to host them and excited to potentially get to win.

00:09:42
Speaker 1: You know, I'm going to actually go with Love Madison versus Atlanta. I know Madison is at the bottom of the rankings and Atlanta's at the top of the rankings, but I feel like there's something in Madison that there. This is kind of like, all right, we're done losing. Yeah, watch out Atlanta. I don't care how good you guys are. The I think that this is going to be like a fun a fun step up match for them.

00:10:04
Speaker 3: So yeah, do you watch that? It was me?

00:10:06
Speaker 2: I think Atlanta's bruined something over there. You know, they're finding some some heat over there. They're finding connections. So it's gonna be be a well fault match. I think all the matches don't be really good to watch this week.

00:10:14
Speaker 1: Definitely. All right, Well, we're going to take a break right now, but when we return, Love Atlanta's Kelsey Cook joins us to talk about League One volleyball, her journey to joining the league, and so much more, And we're back with Love Atlanta outside hitter Kelsey Cook. Originally from Bartlett, Illinois, Kelsey played collegiately at Tennessee and Nebraska, where she earned two All American honors. She's a three time Olympic medalist, earning a bronze in her Olympic debut in twenty sixteen in Rio, a Golden Tokyo in twenty twenty, and silver and pair in twenty twenty four. Kelsey has been playing professionally for over a decade. While playing overseas, she won three Club World Championships, two Champions League titles, five League championships, and eight Cup or Super Cup titles. She's also a lover of animal and avid photographer, a fashion guru, and now she's bringing all those passions and her volleyball dominance back to the States playing for Love Atlanta. Kelsey, Welcome to serving pancakes.

00:11:25
Speaker 5: Thank you. I'm excited to be here.

00:11:27
Speaker 1: We're very excited to have you. Now. I want to actually start with everything. You know, you've been professional overseas for all these years. Now we're here in the States playing. What's it like.

00:11:37
Speaker 5: It's been very surreal. I'm not gonna lie.

00:11:40
Speaker 4: There's moments where I'm like just packing a normal American outlet plug and using my driver's license to go on the plane, and just little things like that, going to the grocery store, all the things that make overseas what it is. And then you come back here in the ease and convenience of it all. I'm just grateful to be here and help start this thing.

00:12:03
Speaker 1: You know, I didn't even think about the whole plug outlet situation, did you, guys? I mean, both of you played overseas for so long. Did you end up buying like appliances like hair dryers and straighteners specifically for the countries that you like lived in for a few months.

00:12:17
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, I think.

00:12:17
Speaker 4: I mean, I'm overseas more than I am in America, so I actually like have more like appliance as an outlet, things just ready adapters, all the things for overseas rather than America. Sometimes it's I don't even have the American outlet, which is like such a silly thing, but it is just part of life.

00:12:35
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:12:35
Speaker 2: I recently bought like a really nice blow drawing. I was in Japan and I had an adapter and pumping into the wall and damn near blue sockets.

00:12:42
Speaker 3: So it's we're still trying to fiure those things out. I don't know Volta Jie, I don't know Volta juice.

00:12:46
Speaker 1: So yeah, oh jeez. Well, Kelsey, you are one of the founding athletes. Actually, weren't you the first athlete to sign with Love?

00:12:55
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:12:56
Speaker 5: I was.

00:12:56
Speaker 1: Yeah, So how did this come about? How did they approach you? What kind of went through your mind? I mean, and knowing that you were the first, like what were you thinking?

00:13:05
Speaker 4: Yeah, So I'm really good friends with Emily Hartong who works with Love, and she was like, hey, let's have a conversation.

00:13:13
Speaker 5: I just want to kind of talk to you about this new league we're trying to form.

00:13:17
Speaker 4: And for me, I think because I've heard so many different leagues wanting to form, I kind of had that conversation.

00:13:25
Speaker 5: As like a favor and just Emily is my girl.

00:13:29
Speaker 4: So I was like, yeah, listen, and I think in the back of my mind I had already anticipated just probably not being super excited about it, and just it is what it is. And then as I was listening to it and understanding the why behind, how they were going to do it, how they were going to build this league, the model, all the things, I got off the phone and I said to my husband, I said, I think this can work, Like I think this can be the way it has to be done. And after that initial conversation, I continued to have conversations with Caitlin and Rosie and we.

00:14:06
Speaker 5: Had conversations for years.

00:14:10
Speaker 4: So when it came time to sign, it's still nerve wrapping, you know, it's still nerve wrapping to be the first and.

00:14:16
Speaker 5: Not really know what that is going to look like.

00:14:19
Speaker 4: Especially I signed two years out, so there was a lot of faith and a lot of hope that it would be what we had anticipated. But yeah, I'm just proud to stand here today, and I think I had tears in my eyes the first time I saw our home gym and all the hard work that it's taken to get to this point. I were always moving forward as people, and we always want to make things better. But I think I can sit in a lot of gratitude for the present moment and where we are today.

00:14:49
Speaker 2: Kind of coming off what you're saying, I just wanted to ask you, you know, going through those stresses of that pressure and trying to be in a capain of your team, you have so much things to do.

00:14:57
Speaker 3: How are you handling that by yourself?

00:14:59
Speaker 5: It's been learning experience.

00:15:02
Speaker 4: I think I wear multiple hats and kind of trying to. I think in the beginning, I was carrying a lot of because I'm a founding athlete, because I was the first, I am responsible for everybody's experience here. And I sat down with Rosie and expressed that after it became too much. And I think that's one of the things I'm most grateful for is my relationship with the women in this league that helped formlessly. Because they're guiding me and helping me. They never wanted to feel too much for me, and they never want any of our athletes to feel that, and so to be able as an athlete to go to your CEO, the people in charge and be, hey, this is what I'm experiencing, and they're going to listen to me, and they're going to help provide tools for me. It's just such a unique experience because overseas it's sink or swim. You're on your own and you make that experience what it is and you have to survive. And here I feel so supported. I love that they listen. I love that this league is about championing women and putting women in executive roles, putting women in coaching roles, and more opportunities for women to play, so all of the things.

00:16:20
Speaker 5: I just feel inspired daily to be here.

00:16:23
Speaker 1: Not to jump ahead in your career, because I want you to keep playing volleyball as long as you want, but are you thinking of that next role, like potential executive? And you know, maybe I will say I am very vocal.

00:16:40
Speaker 4: I think everybody knows that, and I'm not afraid to like have the hard conversation. So I think they're people are instilling belief in me and like what I could be beyond the athletics side, and I feel very excited about that.

00:16:57
Speaker 5: I would say I would be happy to explore.

00:17:01
Speaker 4: Opportunities potentially in like ownership or running a team.

00:17:06
Speaker 3: I know it.

00:17:07
Speaker 4: I know to me, I know what it takes to be successful, and not just as an athlete or winning, but I know what like a great club looks like and how they treat their players and employees, and I think that's essential to success.

00:17:21
Speaker 5: So I feel that it would be it would be. I guess the next step for me is how I would feel about it.

00:17:30
Speaker 2: I just feel like this is just so important to like have you guys be back here and be part of that so people can know your experiences overseas and you'll be able to bring those positive aspects of the game back here to the States for the other girls to have the opportunity to experience that.

00:17:43
Speaker 3: It's just really amazing and we thank you for that.

00:17:45
Speaker 2: And I also know because being a founder athlete, you kind of, you know, help us out and talk about things and maybe we can't have a voice to speak up about that kind of thing. So we are definitely like thankful for you guys and do that for us.

00:17:55
Speaker 5: We really do appreciate that I appreciate that cut.

00:17:57
Speaker 4: That means a lot, because I think there's days where all for sure that I'm not failing or I'm not doing all that I can.

00:18:05
Speaker 5: And at the same time.

00:18:06
Speaker 4: If I'm not full, if I'm not one hundred percent, I can't do those things.

00:18:09
Speaker 5: So it's been unbalancing and I'm trying.

00:18:12
Speaker 3: To do I'm about to cry.

00:18:17
Speaker 4: I think, just like embracing the challenge and learning, like trying to learn and like do the best that I can every day and like be better for everybody around me.

00:18:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's also like super human to you know, feel that you're going to have high and lows. It's not going to be perfect every single time. But I feel like the fact that you put your best foot forar and you have people like Kat and all the other girls in the league on your team who can see what you're doing, and even like the club girls, you know, I feel like having somebody who's willing to put their foot forward and show that they really care is such a huge you know, it's it's a role model. It's inspirational, and it's attractive for everybody, no matter what age you are or what you're doing.

00:18:56
Speaker 3: And it's definitely. It's definitely noticed.

00:18:58
Speaker 2: Like I've followed you since you're at tennis See, and I think that's what you've been doing this whole entire time, your current tire career is putting that best foot forward. And like seeing you go from Tennessee to Nebraska and witness your career abroad and like national team, like you've done some really really big things. I think that maybe you didn't have how many people expect you to do, and you've just been a rock star. And I think it's been great obviously you coming back here and be able to bring your teammates from the national team and compete against them.

00:19:19
Speaker 3: It's also fun too.

00:19:21
Speaker 5: Got to see no I appreciate it.

00:19:23
Speaker 4: I think we see success and we see you know, if you look at my career on paper, like I've been really blessed and lucky to have such wonderful experiences, but going through it, it's not like bring bows and better.

00:19:37
Speaker 5: It's like there's so much that there were days I wanted to quit.

00:19:42
Speaker 4: There were years I wanted to quit, and there were days that I hated the sport. I was trying to make the game as fast as possible so I didn't have to like be there. And success isn't an upward trajectory. It's the ability to stay consistent over time and to.

00:20:00
Speaker 5: Know like why you're showing up.

00:20:02
Speaker 4: And yeah, I think we're all imperfect and our experiences can be challenging, but like I said, the ability to like continue to show up.

00:20:12
Speaker 1: What do you say to yourself or what do you do to get over that hump when you do have those loves?

00:20:18
Speaker 5: I think for me it's always been about like the people.

00:20:23
Speaker 4: Whenever I have challenges on the court, or if I am feeling like I don't know that I'm not performing well or I'm just not enjoying it, whatever it might be, I make it about like everyone else around me. So I'll go in with the intention to make it about a player who maybe doesn't see the court, or who works really hard every single day and doesn't get her shot or whatever.

00:20:51
Speaker 5: It is not always that player, but like somebody who.

00:20:54
Speaker 4: Like I want to be around, and so for me, I try to like celebrate that person because it takes me out of myself. So when they get a great dig, when they get a great swing, whatever, if I can give advice in any way and we win that game or that drill. For me, it's about that person and then maybe another day it's about another person. But it just takes me outside of myself, and that, I think is the point. Is like when we play for ourselves, when we play with like the vision of how am I doing, how am I performing, You're naturally just not going to I guess, reach what you want to reach or maximum maximize your potential. And I think that's the beautiful side of volleyball is that it's a true team sport. It's like one of the only works that you absolutely need every.

00:21:39
Speaker 5: Single person to make it work.

00:21:41
Speaker 4: So just being able to go outside of myself really takes all that pressure in that weight that I feel off.

00:21:48
Speaker 1: Speaking of your team, I mean, you guys are top of the standings right now, you guys are dottle bit. I mean, how does it feel to you know, to eat number one currently? It's been four weeks and what has that process been like since you started in week one to today? I mean, you guys had the first serve. You guys had the very first inaugural match in Atlanta, So how has it been in this you know, a few weeks?

00:22:14
Speaker 4: I think truthfully, first serve was very nerve wracking. I think we all felt it, and it was something that was like this is the first the person and it's at our home gym and everything. So I feel like we definitely were feeling that a little bit, and it's taken us a little bit to find our stride.

00:22:33
Speaker 5: I feel like every time people do something well or we do something well.

00:22:38
Speaker 4: It's like another feather in our cap of like belief and knowing. But I would say, I mean belief is so powerful, like whether or not you're the best team in the league, or the most talented players or whatever it is. It's the team that can believe and not just like believe that we can do it, but like to your core that even down by two, three, four points, by set, down by two sets, like we can still do this. And I'm seeing that every game get a little bit stronger, a little bit stronger, a little bit stronger, and then finding our identity as a team, and I.

00:23:13
Speaker 5: Think finding our strengths.

00:23:14
Speaker 4: I think we were unsure a little bit about what we would look like, but we definitely have some huge strengths that we can use to our advantage.

00:23:24
Speaker 5: I think the cool part about the league.

00:23:26
Speaker 4: Is anyone can win any given night, like it just really balanced. So yeah, we're sitting at number one, but anything can happen. Every team can compete, and so that's the challenge. Like every night, you don't get a day off when you go to play. There's no yeah we got this one. It's we're in a battle, and that's really cool.

00:23:44
Speaker 1: You guys are playing salt Lake this coming week and week five and you just swept them in week four. So is when you go into a match like this knowing you just swept a team you're about to play them again, do you kind of go in with the same attitude or are you clean slate like you're a goldfish you forgot what happened? Type of situation.

00:24:03
Speaker 4: I mean, for me, never I never go into a game like, yeah, we got this.

00:24:08
Speaker 5: I think that is the worst mentality.

00:24:11
Speaker 4: And salt Lake is really good and they have the altitude thing going on because we.

00:24:15
Speaker 5: Played there every season. I just like, can anybody breathe because I can't breathe. So we'll have to adjust to that for sure.

00:24:23
Speaker 4: But I mean, salt Lake has some incredible players, they're difficult. Just because we swept them doesn't mean we're going to do it again. So I'm just looking to get better, Like when we play them, I want to see us get better and execute a little bit more. I thought we did some things well, but I think there's areas that I would like to see us improven.

00:24:42
Speaker 2: How are you guys managing the quick turnaround? So obviously you're playing against one team and you have to want a certain defense or offense, and the next time you're going to get another different team that's like a complete opposite.

00:24:51
Speaker 3: So how are you guys managing switching back and forth.

00:24:53
Speaker 4: I do a lot of scouting myself. I just like to have a good game plan and stuff. So I chart all the hitters and and then with Paulo's like game plan as well, we can kind of like talk together and find a system that we want to work with with block and defense. But yeah, I think just understanding like what is the tendencies, At least for me as a player, it helps me to.

00:25:18
Speaker 5: Like direct better on the court.

00:25:20
Speaker 4: And I think the hardest part is that there's so many options as a lineup.

00:25:30
Speaker 3: Anyone's running the six to two right now.

00:25:31
Speaker 4: It's you're not just like for me, if I'm charting or scouting, I'm not looking at like six players.

00:25:38
Speaker 3: And like the whole roster, yes.

00:25:41
Speaker 5: And most of these games go five. I'm like charting like but it really helps.

00:25:47
Speaker 4: It helps me to understand like where is the heat of the core, and also like if I can watch the game. I am very much a bully nerd, which is like I don't like to give that.

00:25:58
Speaker 3: Off, but when it's good, it's good.

00:26:00
Speaker 5: I watch every game.

00:26:01
Speaker 4: I'm watching everything and watching the Italian League and watching college and watching this and I just want to have the idea for what is going to give us small advantages here and there.

00:26:13
Speaker 1: Did you have the time to watch all that stuff like all the other leagues when you were playing international.

00:26:18
Speaker 5: I've watched a lot of it.

00:26:20
Speaker 4: I think I didn't watch a lot of college volleyball actually when I was overseas if at all, because of a the time difference. And then this year, because we've had so much time, I've gotten to watch a lot of the Endgable life. So it's been cool to be back in this world, to be in the youth space, to be in the college space and seeing this game. And of course there's things that I would like to see like change, but for me, the level has been awesome to watch, Like, I'm really impressed with the level and I'm excited for.

00:26:52
Speaker 5: These players coming up.

00:26:54
Speaker 1: We'll be back with more from our interview with Kelsey Cook Makeelsea. I want to ask you a few questions about Kelsey the person as opposed to Kelsey the athlete, because I find your you know, everything that you do is so fascinating. The first thing is your social media, your social media presence and TikTok presence and everything. What made you want to be kind of like this influencer and like put yourself out there that much?

00:27:34
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think it was never this intention to like.

00:27:37
Speaker 4: Be an influencer, but you know, everybody needs a personality hire everyone also. But yeah, So when I was in Italy, so I'm a journalism major, and when I was in Italy, my first season in Europe, I was we were we weren't in Champions League, so we played once a week and I was a little bit bored. So I started kind of like writing. I used to have a website and I would write all my travels. I love to travel and I love finding like the hidden jams, like local places and stuff, so I would like log a lot of that and then naturally that developed into the YouTube channel and sharing what it's like to.

00:28:18
Speaker 5: Be a professional volleyball player abroad.

00:28:20
Speaker 4: I think travel was always like my niche, even if it wasn't like my audience's niche. I just it's like so easy for me to do and like natural. And then I've done photography since I was like five, like had a camera in my hand the whole time, and I think I really enjoy expressing myself on Instagram with my photography, and then ultimately I think it turned into.

00:28:45
Speaker 5: Just sharing that we are more than our sport. We're human.

00:28:49
Speaker 4: There's a humanness to us, and I think it's important for our ability to play this sport for a long time, to feel whole and all that we were doing, and to know that there is more beyond, because I think we get caught up in the validation of wins and losses and making an Olympic roster, making national.

00:29:11
Speaker 5: Team, whatever it might be.

00:29:15
Speaker 4: What I've experienced is there's just so much more, and I think we don't talk about that.

00:29:20
Speaker 5: Interesting.

00:29:21
Speaker 1: What was your first camera that you got when you were five? What kind of camera was it?

00:29:26
Speaker 4: I had like the old digital ones, But what I remember was like begging for this, like DVR. It was like an old kind of VHS looking camera, but then it had like a little disc.

00:29:39
Speaker 5: To do like a DVD and you could record on it.

00:29:41
Speaker 4: And I used to do like I would make news broadcasts and I would like film everything, and then I like would enter I had a old little digital camera and I would enter like contests as a kid in the newspaper.

00:29:56
Speaker 5: Really actually one one. I I just remember the paper. It was like you one, that's so cute.

00:30:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome. Did what was the contest? Do you remember what? Like the photography like the video was.

00:30:11
Speaker 5: A weekly like a weekly best photo of our little.

00:30:14
Speaker 4: Town in Bartlett, And I just submit my photos in one time I won.

00:30:19
Speaker 1: That's so cool. Do you still use like an actual DSLR camera for pictures or do you mainly use your phone?

00:30:25
Speaker 4: So I actually shoot only on film now when I'm shooting images, So I have like a medium format. I have all my cameras right here, but I have a point and shoot medium format thirty five. So yeah, I like film. I just think it has so much emotion behind it, and you have you get one shot. You know, you're not like rifling off photos so I think it just captures like what I was feeling when I'm looking at what I wanted to take a picture of.

00:30:55
Speaker 1: So we had Mattie Bug on the podcast a few weeks ago and she said that you were living on a nature.

00:31:02
Speaker 4: Preserve with her.

00:31:03
Speaker 5: Yes, we live in the forest.

00:31:05
Speaker 1: How did that come about?

00:31:10
Speaker 5: I really am big on like where you live.

00:31:14
Speaker 4: It like it's your place, your safe place where you find peace and stuff.

00:31:19
Speaker 5: So everywhere I've lived.

00:31:21
Speaker 4: This started kind of in the leader part of my career, but I made sure like where I'm living, I'm really happy there.

00:31:27
Speaker 5: So when I'm on national team, I lived in.

00:31:30
Speaker 4: Manhattan Beach on the water and I lived there for like seven years, and it's.

00:31:34
Speaker 5: Kind of a barge to do that drive.

00:31:37
Speaker 4: But the minute I crossed over to get home and I could see the ocean, it didn't matter like what happened at the gym.

00:31:45
Speaker 5: It's like, I have this life here and I can leave it there.

00:31:49
Speaker 4: And so I think that's super important just for my mental health and well being.

00:31:53
Speaker 5: And so I love being around nature.

00:31:56
Speaker 4: We found this super cool place and it's I mean, I'm used to ver sUAS in California, where their square footage is like teeny tiny.

00:32:04
Speaker 5: So when I walked in, I was like.

00:32:06
Speaker 4: Whoa, And I was so excited for my cats because I was like, he'll get stairs and you could see them use the stairs for the first time.

00:32:15
Speaker 5: Was like the cutest thing ever.

00:32:16
Speaker 1: Heard, Like, how old are your cats?

00:32:21
Speaker 5: We have guys our oldest he's seven. I got him in Turkey.

00:32:26
Speaker 4: He was a little sick boy in is Stumble and we rescued him and then I just rescued are He's like one. And I got him in Italy last year when I played Addiemoco.

00:32:37
Speaker 3: So they're like.

00:32:39
Speaker 4: At this point, I think they're like a bonded pair because they're just obsessed with each other's so sweet.

00:32:45
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:32:45
Speaker 1: So this is also a very random question, and Kat, I don't know if you have any other questions you want to ask, but this is a random question that I saw when doing my research and your wiki page. So is that your nickname is Kesha?

00:32:58
Speaker 5: Oh?

00:32:59
Speaker 1: Is this true? And how did this come about?

00:33:03
Speaker 4: It was really like my first probably six years on the national team. Maybe the national team was like a whirlwind, and I definitely didn't predict that in my future by any means. And so coming out of college I was just kind of like alone for the rag with all of it, and it's like, really, okay, you made a rof Stert was like great. So I think I was a little young in the mentality of it all. So we went to Hawaii one like red white scrimmage that we had going versut Brazil, and I showed up in like covered in flash chats, like all over my arms and you know he remember flash chats, Okay, So like gold sparkles everywhere looking back like horrifying, And.

00:33:55
Speaker 5: I don't know. I just was like always like dancing and singing and kind.

00:33:58
Speaker 4: Of just like well, so the girls called me Kesha and that kind of just stuck for a long time, it was. And then in Italy it was easier for them to say Kesh than Kelsey, like Kelsey's hard in Italian.

00:34:11
Speaker 5: So Kesh just stuck for a long time. So that's kind of the story.

00:34:17
Speaker 1: Amazing. Any any other questions you have, Kat, just for the youth.

00:34:21
Speaker 3: You know, what's one thing you would tell your young Kelsey self?

00:34:24
Speaker 4: Now?

00:34:24
Speaker 3: Would you tell her today?

00:34:26
Speaker 5: Hmm? I think.

00:34:30
Speaker 4: I would say to learn and practice patients. I'm somebody who wants to get better right away, who wants everything now. I want to change, I want to be better, I want to be great. I want to win now and in all areas of my life. And I think just learning and practicing that patience and being consistent. And then I think to say, I don't think we saved enough, But to tell your younger self, I'm proud of us, you know, I'm proud of like, look at where we are. I think I often get caught up in what's next, and so to sit in like, let's be proud of the things we've done and it's been hard, but we're here.

00:35:19
Speaker 3: That's great.

00:35:19
Speaker 1: Well, Kelsey, it's been a pleasure speaking with you, and thank you so much for joining us on Serving Pancakes and best of luck the rest of the season.

00:35:27
Speaker 5: Thank you guys so much. This is fun.

00:35:29
Speaker 1: Yes, thanks Kelsey. Serving Pancakes is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by League one Volleyball. I'm your host, Tiffany Oshinsky. My co host is kat Bell. Amya Alvarez is our senior producer. Our Executive producers are Carrie Stett, Tamaradike, and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Juara Parker. Sound editing and mixing by Daniel Gonzalez. Our theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mast Junior special thanks to Kelsey Cook. Stay tuned for next week's episode, where we'll recap week five. Thanks for listening.