Leah Hardeman and Why Representation Matters: LOVB in Paris

00:00:03
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinski and this is Serving Pancakes with League One Volleyball. Over the past few episodes, we've been following Team USA's quest for gold at the Paris Olympics while also talking with talented people in and around volleyball and women's sports. After an amazing win by the US over Brazil to secure their spot in the gold medal match, we have Coastal Carolina's all time kills record holder, outside hitter and League One player, Leah Hardiman. Leah is a four time conference champion and four time Player of the Year for the Chanta Clears. She's played professionally in Greece and Italy and won the Italian Syria Due this past season, and now Lea will be bringing her talents back to the States, joining love Austin. Leah, thank you so much for joining me on Serving Pancakes.

00:00:54
Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. I'm actually really really excited.

00:00:57
Speaker 3: I mean, I could have my own little pancakes here too, but I'm really happy. I'm very excited. The game was very, very really intense. I'm really excited to talk about that and to have a conversation with you today.

00:01:10
Speaker 1: Yes, I'm so excited to talk about you, about everything. You have such an amazing background, and we're gonna get into that in just a second. But before we truly get started and dive into this game, because like I said, there's a lot that we want to talk about, let's just quickly hear from twenty sixteen bronze medalist Courtney Thompson, who is on the ground in Paris and witnessed this great win by Team USA over Brazil.

00:01:31
Speaker 4: What's up, guys, Corny Thompson here was serving pancakes with League one volleyball. Holy cow, that was insane. I'm still in the arena here in Paris where you has say, just.

00:01:42
Speaker 2: Beat Brazil in five let's go.

00:01:45
Speaker 4: Headed to the gold medal match. I don't even know where to start. That was just an amazing team win. Brazil is emotional, They're really good. They got some of the best players in the world, especially Gabby Carol in the middle. Tayis for a long time, and we served him tough and we weathered their storm when they got high. We just kept making the next play, the next play, which was incredible. I thought Kat and Avery passed so amazing.

00:02:12
Speaker 2: They hit amazing.

00:02:13
Speaker 4: Jordan had them in rhythm and and Drew's took tough swings as she does. And then Haley and chiaka man. They didn't get as many sets, but when they did, which is just so important, they capitalized and they blocked well. Put a ton of pressure on these guys. They both had some serving runs and the best our offensive looked tonight and last night, So credit to Jordan. Also, amazing job by Lauren Carlini and JT coming off the bench. They were plus in every single set, which is incredible and not easy. So God dang, thats good volleyball, just such good volleyball all the way around. And we took a few more tough swings than they did, and these guys know how to win it. So we can't wait for the finals. So pumped for these guys. Amazing great team win as we do.

00:03:02
Speaker 2: Let's go USA, all.

00:03:06
Speaker 1: Right, definitely a great team win. This match was so insane, the US winning in five and ten sets twenty five to twenty three, eighteen, twenty five, twenty five, fifteen, twenty three, twenty five, and then fifteen eleven. So let's talk top level first, lea, before we break down the match a bit, what were your initial reactions to this match.

00:03:28
Speaker 3: Honestly, I was really excited first off, because USA and Brazil. I love Gabbia, She's my favorite player, and so I was just ready to see, you know, how she was gonna set up against set her team up against USA.

00:03:43
Speaker 2: Obviously we have.

00:03:43
Speaker 3: All of you know, the superstars on our team, and to see who was gonna start. I was really curious to see who's gonna start and who's going to finish the match, because as of right now for the Olympics, there's been maybe one or two players will start. We have so many stubs and everything. So I was really curious about that. And from the looks like our team obviously held it down, So that was real. That was my first initial initial ideas for the for the game.

00:04:09
Speaker 1: H Yeah. And Brazil and the US have like a lot of long history, long history, yes, long history of US beat Brazil in Tokyo, and Brazil beat the US back in the London Olympics for gold, and here we are playing in the semi finals. And I know that Karch and Brazil's head coach today Roberto have a you know, a long relationship, and so I learned that two days before the opening ceremonies in Paris. Carch actually asked Brazil to play them in kind of like a warm up game almost, but he asked them to bring the starters, have the starters start play, you know, no holds bar, just go out. And Brazil ended up beating the US in this little fun exhibition game, I guess, in four sets. So I'm curious, do you think that having that preview quote quote preview maybe helped the US this match?

00:05:00
Speaker 2: Oh? For sure.

00:05:02
Speaker 3: I feel like if they were bringing all of their stops and trying to basically beat USA, and obviously they USA used that game to scout them and to figure out what were their best shots and what were their weaknesses. Obviously, everyone in the friendly match you're going to play or practice, you're going to play completely different. You're going to amp it up when you play for you know, a gold medal. We're obviously going into the gold finals. But for sure, I think that that might have been Brazil in the butt a little bit playing against them, even if they won that game. When you lose, you learn, so you learn exactly what you need to do to beat them.

00:05:44
Speaker 1: That's a really good point.

00:05:45
Speaker 2: You know.

00:05:45
Speaker 1: It's a fun fact that I actually just learned. Is that the Miracle on Ice team back in nineteen eighty when they, you know, they beat Russian that insane games, a miracle on ice game, right, Yeah, But twelve days before that game, they had an exhibition game with Russia where Russia destroyed them something like ten to three, and then obviously they went on to beat them in the semi final match, and I was kind of thinking, I was like, oh my god, it's almost like serendipitous or it's like history repeating itself, except with the US and Brazil where they played each other before the game, right before the one that actually mattered. They may have lost, but now they come out the victors in the end.

00:06:22
Speaker 3: Exactly. Yes, I think. I think maybe Haley Washington made like they made a clip saying like when they had lost against I can't remember who it was, they lost and five, but she said she didn't say lose, you just so like you either you win or you learn. And that's exactly what they did with that friendly match or whatever match they had before. They learned exactly what need to learn from them from Brazil and then took it. And I hope they do the same thing for obviously in the finals.

00:06:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's actually a really great motto and something I feel like players should carry away.

00:06:56
Speaker 2: Yes, for sure.

00:07:00
Speaker 1: So getting into the match in the first set, you know, they started with their power lineup. They had Avery Skinner and Catin Plummer as her outside hitters, and started off very strong. Ended up being in a nail bier with the US pulling off the win twenty five to twenty three. But one of the things that was crazy watching was Gabby your girl. I know, she didn't she didn't have a kill until it was twenty two all. So, yeah, what does that say. I mean, we've seen the US team be amazing at the net blocking, but talk about just their blocking in general. What have you seen from this team?

00:07:34
Speaker 2: I mean, it's a break wall. Obviously it's going straight.

00:07:38
Speaker 3: But I can only say, is that going back to again, like, they probably scouted Gabby like down because she is their top player, and so I'm pretty sure their goal was automatically to stop her, you know, to get her out of the way and then focus on the other one all their players, and I think that's what they did in the first set. They were able to you Maybe I'm not saying get into Gabriella's head. I don't know if that's what happened, but they probably shut her down very very soon, and then we're able to focus on other people. So that's I'm assuming that's how they they got you know, she was able to make them points.

00:08:16
Speaker 1: And then in the second head Brazil comes out strong end up winning that game twenty five to eighteen. But in the third set, then the US flipped the switch right, winning twenty five to fifteen. So from your experience, how do you go from this tight match twenty five to twenty three that you win to all of a sudden having this game where you guys are kind of getting crushed to turning that around and then coming back and yeah, crushing your opponent. How does what goes through your mind?

00:08:49
Speaker 3: For me, it would be obviously, you're you win that first one, and you, like, by human nature, you either keep your foot on the gas pedal or you kind of try and do the same things you did to win. And then that team obviously knows what you did the first sets, and then they're able to you know, capitalize and win. But then and that third set, I feel like they decided to remember, like who they are, You know, like I am a great player. I am able to crank the line and block and all that kind of stuff. So they, I think from my perception or from my just looking at the game. And the second set, Brazil came up with the very fiery attitude, fire like I need to show you who I am.

00:09:31
Speaker 2: And then the USA was like no, no, no, no, no, you even know who I am.

00:09:35
Speaker 3: Put some respect on my name, and so I think that's the mentality that like, it was kind of like you need to know who I am battle and that was really I really enjoyed the third set a lot because of the some players that don't necessarily cheer after every point or they're very very focused, like Catain Plumber started to scream and that's not something that you normally see from her, and Duran Thompson with like the very aggressive faith as she blocks or attack. So it was really cool to see each player, each team try and put their their stump on it. And that was I think, you know, the turn of the points. They decided to show everybody like this is who I am, why I deserve to be here type of thing.

00:10:18
Speaker 1: They totally rattled Brazil because there were so many miscues by them that I was shocked by. I mean, there was that one for what the point was, but I remember that Taisa got set and her and her set are just completely misread and what they were going to do, and the set went over her and just dropped. And I'm like, I feel like you don't see that at the Olympics too off, especially in the semifinal match with Brazil.

00:10:45
Speaker 3: No, I agree, I agree too, but I mean, at the end of the day, we all have to remember that was just human.

00:10:51
Speaker 2: Like they're human.

00:10:52
Speaker 3: Obviously I'm nine Olympian Asia, but like everyone's you're human, and sometimes a misconnect or you get so over excited or you just miscommunicate about Oh I said this. The gym is really really loud, and so there's so many things I can go into the misconnection. But right after that, obviously they would get a point or she would get a block or make it up. So there's not so many of those moments, but when they do happen, everyone's.

00:11:20
Speaker 2: Like, wait, wait, what what happened?

00:11:24
Speaker 1: Exactly?

00:11:36
Speaker 4: Now?

00:11:37
Speaker 1: Brazil, obviously, when's the fourth set? Tie it up? We have to go to a fifth set. I don't know about you, but whenever I play I kind of have this horrible superstition that I always try to get out of my mind that whoever scores the first point is kind of going to be the one who wins. That deciding game doesn't always happen, and I'm glad it doesn't always happen, because this one and Avery Skinner's she started at served yeah, and she served it into the next yeah, So Brazil gets the first point. In my mind, I'm like, oh no, But what was going through your mind when that happened.

00:12:11
Speaker 3: I mean, honestly, I didn't think anything anything of it is just probably that's good, yeah, a very very.

00:12:19
Speaker 2: Important game, and so maybe it was a situation.

00:12:21
Speaker 3: She obviously right after that made a good good play, especially for even not in their or not in the fifth set, but she hit a ball flying out I think in the fourth and then right after that she had a dying pass, and then it was like a connecting to a setter. I think it set the middle, which is really good for her that she's able to make one mistake and then immediately be the next. But when it comes to the points for fifteen, I feel like you really have to be like a goldfish and have like erased the memory of whatever just happened, because it's only you only have a few points to get going, and as soon as one person gets four points in a row, that's the momentum that.

00:13:03
Speaker 2: Takes off. So I'm really happy that they did not think like.

00:13:05
Speaker 3: You did for that, yes, And I was just like, Okay, one mistake, Okay, let's forget about it and let's go onto the next And so I think that's what they were really focusing on for sure on that fifth step.

00:13:18
Speaker 1: Can we take a minute to give some love to Lauren Carlini here, because yeah, you know, in the fifth set, the double sid, there were so many moments where she just had truly epic defense.

00:13:29
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, and like just sitting Like I'm like, that's when you come off the bench and you come in and be very very important and very crucial. Even if you're not setting, you're just you know, as a sitter, you still have to play defense, you still have to do so many things. And that's what I tell like my young athlete, that's like, yes, you have this one position, but even be well rounded because you don't know when that's going to come into play. And she was like a libero at this point, she was just doing the whole time, so that was really cool for her to come in and just make crucial points.

00:14:03
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:14:03
Speaker 1: Well, speaking of being able to play multiple positions, I mean, Justine Wangarantes was not on the court at this time, so Catherine Plumber had to come in a bunch of times to be the center I mean as an outside hit her. Yeah, can you imagine what's going through her mind?

00:14:19
Speaker 3: Like, I don't know what's going on through her mind. But for me, I'm like, all right, just push and post, push, pushing, pose and go cover because it's easy to do it, Like in practice, it's easy to.

00:14:34
Speaker 2: Do it, you know, when you're not thinking about it.

00:14:37
Speaker 3: But for some reason I can say for me when it's like all right, I need to really focus on it's very very important. Obviously, yes it's gonna work, but all the thoughts going before, it's like, all right, focus ten fingers pushing post. But that was it's I mean, they're they're Olympians for a reason. They can do literally everything.

00:14:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. And then at the end they bring in the governor Jordan Marson or her consistence serve defense at veteran presence. So how important is it for a hitter to know that you have someone like that in your back row for such critical moments.

00:15:14
Speaker 2: I think it's so important.

00:15:15
Speaker 3: I think the reason the success of the U I say it's because their bench is literally stacked. It is a whole another team like waiting, and so even in this match and the previous ones, maybe they would have like one or two moments that they were not one hundred percent, they were able to go off and knowing that their sub is bet is just as good or better or that for that moment is very very It's good they keep the pressure at a minimum. And so I think that you know, having her being able to come and come into the game and have a consistent, strong serve and not having to take the pressure every to serve that ball's it's very great. It's very important for the team, and it's cool that Jordan is able to come in and do that for the team. It's very, very great for sure.

00:16:14
Speaker 1: And I don't know if you know this, but the announcer said this early on in the game. But I guess Catherine Plummer was dealing with the flu or she had flu like symptoms, so this is this is like her flu game in a way, because I mean, as an outside hitter, can you imagine going up and playing this intense level game having the flu?

00:16:38
Speaker 2: I feel like I think every athlete I wouldn't say the flu. I've never had the flu, but I have.

00:16:43
Speaker 3: There's many right, there's many games that I have talked to so many players and like their best game has been when they are have been sick or like something has happened, like you know, maybe the menstrual cycle or I don't know, some kind of stick are food placing, and they still go and play a fever and they're just like, you know what, I'm trying to get all these points so I can go home, and then they end up racking like thirty points or passing all the balls. So I'm not saying that it's something I would do.

00:17:16
Speaker 2: I mean I have done it.

00:17:17
Speaker 3: I don't know about the flu. The flu might be the top of mine. Might be a little bit too much, like kudos to Caking for doing that.

00:17:25
Speaker 2: But yeah, for sure.

00:17:27
Speaker 1: Now the US will play Italy for gold on Sunday. You played in Italy. You know how these players are. We've watched Team Italy play this tournament. So what type of game plan do you think that the US is going to bring against this team.

00:17:43
Speaker 2: I think it's a little unique because a bunch of the U and.

00:17:46
Speaker 3: I say girls have played in Italy, so they've already played against some of these girls. So it will definitely be, you know, the powerhouse. Obviously, Paula will do what she's gonna do and Sylvia's going to do what she's going to do. So I think it's going to be down to the very like hitting, hitting the sides of the arms and hitting through the blocks, very tactical in order to win because they're they're both powerhouse teams, and so it's going to come down to the scout and down to the bench, you know, quality to come in for both teams. I really have no Obviously I will love USA to win, but I have no prediction.

00:18:21
Speaker 2: I'm just hoping for a good game because I love I love watching the new game.

00:18:25
Speaker 3: So we'll see how that how that goes rooting for USA obviously, but yeah, technical, technical skill I think is what it's going to be.

00:18:33
Speaker 2: Just making it through the block and all that kind of stuff and getting the balls up.

00:18:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, I could definitely see that those both both teams. Their block is insane. And I feel like, yeah, the the tools, this light touches, and really watching gaming points for both of these teams, because yeah, otherwise you're going up against the wall.

00:18:49
Speaker 3: So it's the wall versus the wall, like on both teams, and so I'm really really curious on how both teams will deal with that because they're very stacked on in Italy. When I was playing there, most of our defense was learning how to block and learning how to seal and close and read, so they have perfected the blocking for sure, Nelia.

00:19:12
Speaker 1: You'll be playing with current US Olympic team member Chiaco's bagu as well as twenty sixteen bronze medalist Carli Lloyd and Austin. So how cool is it to see someone like Chiaka out there knowing that you're going to be on the same team as her.

00:19:26
Speaker 2: I'm I'm still in shock.

00:19:28
Speaker 3: Like me and my mom are watching the games, and obviously she knows, like, these are gonna be my teammates. So she's like when she blocks the ball and she hits or whatever, she's like, we've been watching these girls play.

00:19:39
Speaker 2: For a long time now, actually we'll be watching you play with them, and so it's it's so so cool. It's definitely like a circle, a full circle moment for me. I'm excited.

00:19:48
Speaker 3: I'm excited to practice next to them, I'm excited to get better with them, compete with them.

00:19:55
Speaker 2: It's just I say, it's a real moment for sure.

00:19:59
Speaker 1: Now, nine of the play on Team USA are going to be playing in league and volleyball the coming years. So you act, you act it's gonna be on your team, but you have eight other girls.

00:20:07
Speaker 2: Who are going to be on the other side, on the other side.

00:20:10
Speaker 1: So do you kind of find yourself watching these Olympic games? Are you watching them more as a fan or is there a lot of scouting?

00:20:18
Speaker 2: For sure? We're scouting for sure.

00:20:20
Speaker 3: We're like, Okay, she keeps doing this, all right, I mean, let me put this down at this girl is able to do this.

00:20:26
Speaker 2: This girl's able to do that. Obviously. Yes, they're still.

00:20:31
Speaker 3: Still fangirling for sure when I'm playing against them, and maybe the first couple of points will be still fangirl But I'm definitely playing, you know, to compete against them. So when I watch them, yes, I'm gonna watch them when they make their points and how they how they make points or how points are being made against them, So it's it's always that, and it's not just because I'm playing against them, But for sure, every time I watch volleyball, it's more so but scouting and learning how to get better. My mom always asking like, why are you not cheering? Why are you like, because I'm learning, I'm taking I'm learning right now. So yeah, it's definitely scouting right now for sure.

00:21:11
Speaker 1: When did you start playing volleyball?

00:21:12
Speaker 2: I started playing when I was ten, ten years old?

00:21:16
Speaker 1: Yes, how did you get into it? What was the impetus for wanting to play?

00:21:21
Speaker 3: So it was actually like at the elementary school that I was at, it was these two couches. They knew that I wanted to play a sport, and so I just went to practice one day. I had a friend she was already in this in the practice, I decided to go with her. Kind of liked playing a sport. I was already a cheerleader and so I was always cheering for basketball. So at that time I was trying to do basketball and cheerleading, I mean basketball and volleyball. And then when the basketball they tried to start like hitting me and going making a contact sport.

00:21:54
Speaker 2: I was like, okay, no, no, no.

00:21:57
Speaker 3: Then I went into volleyball, maybe like one or two years I realized I really like this, and I started to play club when I turned like eleven, and soon after that it like took off. I had a great coaches that took me another wing, and like it took off from there.

00:22:15
Speaker 1: And you played for Atlanta Boom that was your club team, correct, Yes, yes, How important was that club for you in continuing to play the sport?

00:22:24
Speaker 2: It was. It's so important, it's so important to today.

00:22:27
Speaker 3: It was a predominantly black volleyball club, which is at that time and even still now, like there was a big representation of black athletes in the sport, and so for this club to be trying to grab all of us and bringing awareness to the sport in our community was very, very important. It wasn't just volleyball. It's also like making sure we were confident, making sure that we were loud, and you know, as black women were always told to be a certain way at a certain way.

00:22:58
Speaker 2: You need to be quiet, do this, be too strong, you.

00:23:01
Speaker 3: Can't do that, And they were like, no, you're strong, you're beautiful, you can play a sport.

00:23:05
Speaker 2: You can be as aggressive as you want.

00:23:07
Speaker 3: To be, and we had a lot of girls to look up to, and then we also were able to you know, girls that were under us, we were able to bring them.

00:23:15
Speaker 2: Under our wing.

00:23:15
Speaker 3: So it was very very important for me to stay in this club and I love it to this day. It's no longer a club anymore, but I'm still connected to, you know, the founder and then like the founder's daughter, she's like literally my sister.

00:23:29
Speaker 2: She's like one of the coaches.

00:23:30
Speaker 3: So it was a big part of you know, who I am as a vailable player now and contributed to the represent nation for black athletes for sure.

00:23:40
Speaker 1: No, I feel like one of the cool things about the Olympics is that, you know, you can see how diversified athletes are, right, you can see all these strong, powerful women, and they're all different shapes, different sizes. We're not just all one size fits all type of human.

00:23:56
Speaker 2: Beings exactly exactly.

00:23:58
Speaker 1: But going back to volleyball, you know, it was a fairly white sport. So why was that and how have you seen it evolved?

00:24:07
Speaker 2: I'm not sure exactly why it was that situation.

00:24:11
Speaker 3: Maybe due to the accessibility, like able to get to a gym or able.

00:24:16
Speaker 2: To find a school or whatever I would say.

00:24:19
Speaker 3: During private school, that was how I was able to get into volleyball, so I didn't see it so much in public schools and in the Atlanta or Georgia area most at that time, most of the black children were going to public schools, So maybe that's how it kind of made it into that way.

00:24:39
Speaker 2: But since then, like since.

00:24:40
Speaker 3: I've been young, now there's so many athletes that like when I go into the A five gym or go to Tsunami gym, it's like split in half. Like literally, I'm like never in the million years that I think it would be so many black athletes. And then obviously, yes, white girls are the very white ladies. They're very in the gym, and they're doing exciting things and they're also amazing. However, it's just I'm happy that those girls still have a representation on the Olympic team, on the international teams.

00:25:10
Speaker 2: To see and say.

00:25:11
Speaker 3: That I can go somewhere the volleyball, it's really cool for them to see and for me to see.

00:25:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, Well, because I was gonna say, because you got like Chiaka, you got Haley Washington, you got Jordan Thompson out there, we're just dominating right now on the Olympic stage, on this international stage, right and I feel like having those girls to look up to, you know, it's a whole other ballgame when you get to see that representation.

00:25:37
Speaker 3: Right, And I'm very happy that now it's not just going to be on TV. It would be like in person you're able to see those girls that you looked at TV for international ball or just on the Olympics. So some people don't watch international ball, they only see professional volleyball when it comes on the Olympics. And so now it will be in person. You're able to meet these people, You'll be able to possibly do like the camps that Love haves and the clubs and all that kind of things. So it's very It's it's a big thing that Love is doing to bring the athletes, big time athletes to the US and to play in person. Like I don't think anyone really understands how big it is until it happens for sure.

00:26:22
Speaker 1: And what have you been doing personally to kind of help bring you know, to be a role model for these girls.

00:26:28
Speaker 3: So right now I am I do have like I do clinics and camps you know, either through my through Costola through my alum or I'll do my private lessons on my own. Right now, I'm working with my elementary school like where I started. That is like I had my first day today and that was like literally so cute because the gym is the exact same. Like you know, you go into a gym or elementary school, You're like, was it really that shortened here? But but yes, it's just like they appeal like the program had stopped a while ago and so it's only been three years where they're able to like start up the program again. And so I'm just like there with them every every other week once a week, like just gonna come in and do like their drills during their practices. Obviously go to their games, but I'm just so so excited. Today it was just like you know, meeting them and we did like a vision board. Obviously the coaches are they take control. I'm just there to help, but it was I that was I'm really coming down from this from my call because I just did that before this, but I was just like that was just really really cool to you know, be back where it all started and also just to be an inspiration to them and to help them grow obviously through skills, but my main goal is to like make sure that they are confident and able to understand that like being an athlete comes with, you know, advocating for yourself and being strong and believing in yourself and you take the outside.

00:27:59
Speaker 2: You know, to the regular world.

00:28:01
Speaker 3: So I'm really really happy that I, you know, decided to volunteer with them, and I'm excited to see how that goes.

00:28:06
Speaker 2: For sure, It's like it's it's gonna be a it's gonna be a blast.

00:28:10
Speaker 1: I feel like that mindset is something that us as adults can really hone in on and we can see that did you struggle with that at all when you were younger? And like it's first starting to play.

00:28:22
Speaker 3: Yes, I still today it's I have to remind myself, you know, I'm that girl, or I'm doing this, or I'm confident, or remind myself of things that I've done in the past to get myself here. So yes, I think every girl has that inklink when they were younger, for sure, to deal with confidence and to deal with you know, self confidence and self esteem issues, or being a black girl, being a certain color with your hair, and there's just so many things that I obviously struggled through because of society. But I think sports definitely helped me because it showed me what I'm good at, and then it also brought out other things like leadership and mentorship and you know, being a friendly person or being a boss. Like I used to be called bossy all the time, and I was like, no, I just I'm assertive and I like to having a certain way. So I definitely want to make sure that when I did have that problem when I was younger, I think sports was the alleyway to confidence for sure.

00:29:25
Speaker 1: Yeah you were bossy. You were just a boss girl.

00:29:28
Speaker 2: That's exactly bossy.

00:29:32
Speaker 1: Okay, how do you think that this idea of you know, diversifying the sport, just diversifying a representation and role models, Like, what do you think still needs to happen to continue to progress to progress?

00:29:59
Speaker 2: That is a good question. I feel like.

00:30:07
Speaker 3: For sure, like women's sports in general needs to be broadcasted, and it's getting better obviously just getting broadcasted more and more. There I have to think about this question for sure, so I'm not entirely sure.

00:30:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what would I know?

00:30:25
Speaker 3: It obviously can get better and I'm trying to think of what exactly could happen to make it better because we're doing our part. We're trying to be out there in person and too, you know, be hands on with the girls like bringing maybe mentorship could work, But I think overall, volleyball broadcasting or female sports broadcasting is.

00:30:51
Speaker 2: A little bit, a little bit part of it. That is a definitely question.

00:30:56
Speaker 3: I gotta I need to know about it because I need to be a part of it to to awareness.

00:31:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean you are already part of this, right, You are bringing awareness, You're helping the younger generation, right, But yeah, I definitely think that you know, making people aware that this is a thing and that girls, no matter who you are, can participate.

00:31:16
Speaker 3: Right.

00:31:17
Speaker 1: And actually, I think that's one of the really cool things about the way that Love has structured their schedule is you know, you're kind of making stops in these cities. Right, It's like an exhibition weekend, so you get to see all these girls from all over compete and play each other. So you know, even though you're playing for Austin, you guys get to go to Atlanta all right for the weekend. So I mean, are you are you bringing all the elementary girls, your family, like.

00:31:43
Speaker 2: Your whole crew.

00:31:45
Speaker 3: So everyone's always asking their like playing Atlanta outside guys, But you don't understand.

00:31:50
Speaker 2: I get to come home and you guys get to pack out the gym. Like I need to have bad heads.

00:31:55
Speaker 3: I need to have my elementary girls, my private last girls, good Bill crew.

00:32:00
Speaker 2: I have everyone.

00:32:02
Speaker 3: It's going to be pulling up, have a whole section. I'm going to just tape out Lea's area. But I'm so so happy, especially because I've had like a couple of years ago, i was working out. I was doing camps with a Decatur rec area because I grew up in a Decatur area. I'm always trying to do camps or clinics in the area that I actually grew up because I did not have the opportunity to get volleyball, and so I'm trying to always put it in the areas that I knew just didn't have volleyball as a prevalent sport. And so I'm going to be reaching out to those girls like, hey, like I'm back in town, like I'm going to actually be playing. I was like for you guys to come see if you can't come to the game, like I would maybe come see you before or after just to continue the like you said, the awareness and the prevalence of the sport and so that they understand and see firsthand like they can do this and or there is representation because the first the first step is being able to see your goal. And if it's a person, then that's you know, that's even better.

00:33:06
Speaker 1: What's your goal for this upcoming season?

00:33:08
Speaker 2: Hey, hey, hey, get the real questions right.

00:33:17
Speaker 3: In all honesty, I I know who I'm playing with, and i know who I know where I'm stacking on the team, and I'm trying to get better.

00:33:23
Speaker 2: Obviously as a player, obviously I want to play, Obviously I want to be a starter.

00:33:27
Speaker 3: But the main goal coming out of it is to enhance my sports by three times for sure after this season and the.

00:33:34
Speaker 2: Following next season.

00:33:37
Speaker 3: Obviously ill loft my team to win and win the championship, but for me personally, it is to increase my skills literally by three times by the end of that season.

00:33:47
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love it.

00:33:48
Speaker 1: Well, I'm so excited to watch you when you play in this league. It's going to be amazing. I'm excited to watch everybody. I'm excited to watch Chiaka and everybody else play for every World on Sunday morning. Yes, sure, let's go. Yeah, Eliah, it was a pleasure speaking with you. I can't wait, like I said, to watch you play, And thank you so much for being on Serving Pancakes.

00:34:11
Speaker 3: Of course, thank you so much for having me and this was really really sweet. I loved it and we will be chearing for Gold on Sunday.

00:34:23
Speaker 1: By the way, if you're new to volleyball, make sure you check out Kayles Stapleton, who played volleyball at San Diego and professionally overseas for three years, and Devin Newberry, who played beach volleyball for UCLA. They'll be posting volleyball one on one on our social channels at love That's at l OVB to help you understand the rules, positions, and everything in between, so make sure to follow so you don't miss. 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, Amya Alvarez is our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Tamaradikey, and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing leave is Jawara Parker. Sound editing and mixing by Cody Nelson. Our theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mask Junior. Stay tuned for our next episode where we break down the gold medal match between Team USA and Italy. Thanks for listening.