Cats, Camaraderie and Club Volleyball in Iowa with Jaali Winters and Madi Kubik-Banks

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinski and I'm Kato 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.

00:00:16
Speaker 2: Then stick around after the analysis.

00:00:18
Speaker 1: For interviews with some amazing people in and around the sport. Today's episode features two outside hitters from Love Omaha, Jaylly Winters and Mattie Kubic Banks. But before we get to the interview, the first ever Love Classic was this weekend, held in Kansas City, Missouri, in conjunction with the Triple Crown n one of the biggest club tournaments in junior volleyball, The Love Classic gave junior club athletes and their families a taste of what's possible for their volleyball careers as they were able to watch all six Love Pro teams compete in a three day tournament, with the winning team getting one hundred thousand dollars. My Lovely and Hillarys co host Kat Bell was on the scene in Casey not just as a player for Love Austin, but also as a boots on the ground reporter Kat had a chance to talk to a bunch of players from all the teams before the tournament started, including Houston's Maddie Kingdon, Rischell, Salt Lakes, Tory Dixon, Austin's Zoe Jarvis, and so many more, and here's what they had to say.

00:01:21
Speaker 3: Coming in for the scoops. Maddie, Maddie Rish, how do you feel about being Kansas City out here to support and play bollyball in front of all these fans come out to see you.

00:01:32
Speaker 4: I'm excited.

00:01:32
Speaker 5: I think there's a big vollyball community here with the tournament trible Crown, and I'm excited to show these young girls what profession mobble looks like.

00:01:39
Speaker 4: I'm so excited actually to be here.

00:01:41
Speaker 6: I never played in this tournament when I was younger, but it seems very cool and very high level, and I'm just excited for all these young girls to come watch everyone play because everyone here is so amazing. It's been so great so far, easy travel day, ready to get to work, g's and training in.

00:01:56
Speaker 4: It's so cool.

00:01:56
Speaker 7: This is a beautiful city and I love that all the teams.

00:01:59
Speaker 8: Are here and we're with all the youth players too.

00:02:01
Speaker 4: It's such a cool experience.

00:02:03
Speaker 2: So little tea if you can.

00:02:05
Speaker 3: What what is something that Houston's gonna do going into the quarter finals versus Nason kill everyone.

00:02:12
Speaker 5: After traveling today and touches in this gym and like serving passing a huge for us, but like going aggressive and letting it ripe, I think will be our number one territy.

00:02:20
Speaker 3: So salt Lake is our competition going to the quarterfinals, So can you give me a little bit of insight how we're going to be?

00:02:26
Speaker 4: Y'all listen, first of all, you're.

00:02:29
Speaker 2: Second of all, I ain't telling you nothing, no game plan, nothing.

00:02:32
Speaker 6: You can tell me what we're no Honestly, I would just say, we just want to focus on being our best, all of us doing our things, focusing on and controlling our sign.

00:02:41
Speaker 3: What's come with some of our game playing going into the match to be our friends.

00:02:45
Speaker 2: I can't tell you that I'm going to get a game from the same team. Anything.

00:02:50
Speaker 4: For the fans, hold it down, That's all I got to say.

00:02:52
Speaker 2: Scream for us, cheer loud for us, and thank you for.

00:02:55
Speaker 4: All your support.

00:02:56
Speaker 2: Indians love best, so shout out salt Lake. Love you guys, and we're about.

00:03:00
Speaker 1: This girl to see you guys, there was a ton of support during the Love Classics, so thank you to all who came out.

00:03:08
Speaker 2: Now let's recap what all went down this weekend.

00:03:13
Speaker 1: On Friday, Love Atlanta and Omaha got to watch the competition from the sidelines as they enjoyed a first round by thanks to ranking first and second, respectively in the Love standings. In the first quarterfinals match, Love Houston swept Love Madison out of the tournament twenty five to twenty twenty five twenty three, twenty five eighteen. Seder Kaise Alago was named player of the match. Her twenty eight assists helped with Houston's forty two kills accounting for a three or four attack efficiency, the second highest this season for Houston.

00:03:44
Speaker 8: Honestly, like with this kind of teammates, it was so easy to play.

00:03:47
Speaker 4: I was nervous getting the game.

00:03:49
Speaker 7: But I knew that they will help me and look at this as something really.

00:03:54
Speaker 1: And then the other quarterfinals match, Love Austin knocked out Love salt Lake in four sets twenty six, twenty four, twenty five, fourteen nineteen, twenty.

00:04:02
Speaker 2: Five, twenty five, twenty two.

00:04:04
Speaker 1: Outside Logan Eggleston led Austin with twenty points thanks to seventeen kills, an ace and two blocks, and was named Player of the Match.

00:04:13
Speaker 7: I think our centers tips run a really good offense. Our middles are super active and so they give me a lot of space to work without the.

00:04:18
Speaker 1: Met Saturday semifinals saw two four set matches. The first was Houston defeating Love Omaha twenty five, twenty seventeen, twenty five, twenty five, eighteen, twenty five, twenty one, with Jordan Thompson being named the Player of the match with twenty five kills on forty eight attacks.

00:04:36
Speaker 9: Mosic's pass is good.

00:04:39
Speaker 4: And George Thompsons max is.

00:04:41
Speaker 1: So smooth and Love Atlanta beat Love Austin twenty five to fifteen, twenty two, twenty five, twenty five, twenty three, twenty five twenty middle Tea Jimmerson, a name we've called out previously on the Pod, finished with eleven killed two blocks in two aces to earn her first Player of the Match honors.

00:05:00
Speaker 3: Unbelievable Jammerson Balk walk again at you.

00:05:04
Speaker 1: And lastly, Sunday Night's winner take all finals between Houston and Atlanta was the all out dominant professional volleyball You love to watch with the girls from Texas, taking home the inaugural Love Classic crown and one hundred thousand dollars for their team. Houston ended Atlanta's seven match win streak, beating them in four sets twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twenty seven, twenty five, twenty and the hard Plot twenty nine twenty seven final victory. Houston's team had five players with one or more kills, including Amber Egedi, who had thirteen kills on twenty two swings as well as three blocks, six digs and an ace.

00:05:46
Speaker 2: And was named player of the match. Wow gay shit do.

00:05:53
Speaker 9: Hi Geni is taking it personally.

00:05:55
Speaker 1: Along with Amber, Jordan Thompson, Jess Murzik, Grace Frowling, and Mattie Rischel all hit in the double digits.

00:06:02
Speaker 2: Quite the performance for.

00:06:03
Speaker 1: This Houston offense, and there was also a spectacular display of defense by both sides. Houston finished with seventy seven digs with four players reaching the double digits, including outside hitter Jess Murzick with seventeen, and Atlanta did their best defend off houston strong attack, telling seventy six digs of their own, including nineteen from Kelsey Cook and fourteen from their libero Pianoopnoy. The game ultimately ended on an Atlanta overpass after a dominant jump serve by who else Mike Hancock that was tapped down by Jordan Thompson at the Neto good server.

00:06:41
Speaker 9: It's trouble.

00:06:44
Speaker 3: Houston Whens got championship in the League one Volleyball Classic and.

00:06:48
Speaker 2: One hundred thousand dollars.

00:06:53
Speaker 1: So congrats to Houston on their win. And after a long weekend, a Love Classic All Tournament team was announced. We got for outside hitter Austin's Logan Eggleston Liberro was Atlanta's Pianoot Penoy. Setter was Houston's Micah Hancock. Middle blocker Houston's Amber igd An opposite hitter Houston's Jordan Thompson, who was also named the tournament's MVP. Well, we hope you enjoyed watching all the ball this weekend. We're only halfway through the inaugural Love Seasons, so there's still plenty more.

00:07:27
Speaker 2: Women's professional volleyballs to come up next.

00:07:29
Speaker 1: On certain Pancakes, we have Love Omaha's Jayy Winters and Natty Cubic Banks on to talk about their volleyball journeys, the camaraderie on their team and in the league, their pets, and so much more.

00:07:42
Speaker 2: Stay tuned, we are back with love.

00:07:59
Speaker 1: Omaha outdid hitters Mattie Cubic Banks and Jailly Winters. Originally from West des Moines, Iowa, Maddie is an All American from the University of Nebraska. She's been recognized for her on court performance by being named National Freshman of the Year and to the NCAA Championship All Tournament Team. She's also been recognized off the court as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. Maddie has also played professionally overseas in Puerto Rico and Italy. Also from Iowa is Jailly Winters. She's a four time All American from Creighton University, where get this, she remains the program's most decorated athlete ever. She is the first player in the past twenty years to be named two time Big East Championship MVP and held over eighty Blue Jay Volleyball records entering the twenty twenty four nca season. She made her US national team debut at the twenty twenty four Pan American Cup, where she helped the US claim silver, and she's played professionally in Spain Greece and France. Mattie Jailly, welcome to serving pancakes.

00:08:57
Speaker 9: Thank you, hello, thanks for having us.

00:09:00
Speaker 2: So excited to have you ladies here.

00:09:02
Speaker 1: And I see for those who are watching on YouTube, you had some kitty cats daily. Can you tell me about your cats real quick?

00:09:09
Speaker 7: Yes, I have two kitties. Let me see if I can storm over here.

00:09:14
Speaker 9: This is Stormy. She's the newest member of the fam.

00:09:16
Speaker 7: She was actually my sister's cat first, and then I somehow ended up with her, and then mister Yummy is a senior cat, got him in September October. I want to say he's thirteen years old, but he looks like a little kitten.

00:09:34
Speaker 4: He's not very.

00:09:34
Speaker 7: Amused with like anything unless it's food related. So yeah, he's a pretty simple guy. He doesn't really like Stormy so far, so we're trying to make that friendship happen.

00:09:45
Speaker 2: Still, he's new to the family. It'll happen. Yeah, what made you want to adopt a senior cat?

00:09:50
Speaker 7: I knew I didn't want a kitten like I just didn't have time to be an actual like parent to a kitten, and they just need so much attention in all that, and I needed a cat who was pretty independent, and I don't know, it wasn't even on my mind to get a senior cat. But I saw a photo of him on It's called Muddy Paws Rescue and Greta Nebraska and his photo it was like, you know, swiping on Tinder, and I just matched with this perfect cat. He was just the cutest little thing and I was like, I have to have that one. And he just happened to be thirteen years old.

00:10:21
Speaker 2: So yeah, mister, welcome to the family.

00:10:25
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:10:25
Speaker 7: I don't want to talk too much, but I will say I had asked. I was like, can I please, I just need a cat that can eat dry food so I can leave it some dry food when I'm on away trips and don't have to worry about him. They said it was no problem. Yeah, the cats they all eat dry food. I've tried him on five different dry foods. He throws them all up. Oh no, So that part's a little bit of a bummer. But I love him so much now and he's never getting returned, So it is what it is.

00:10:54
Speaker 1: Maybe someone who's listening can get off for y some advice and some good dry food.

00:10:58
Speaker 9: Yeah, please call advice.

00:11:01
Speaker 1: And Maddie, you said that you have two dogs that might appear right.

00:11:05
Speaker 4: Yes, I have two dogs, Maverick and May.

00:11:07
Speaker 8: They actually had the same birthday, so they just turned three and four.

00:11:12
Speaker 4: But they're over there.

00:11:12
Speaker 9: Nappy and who was the parent of who?

00:11:16
Speaker 8: So my now husband and I got Maverick when we were in college. She's a mini Australian Shepherd and he made it with Brandt's parents standard poodle. So we have an Azzie Doodle who is the baby of Maverick.

00:11:28
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh.

00:11:30
Speaker 4: So she's a bit bigger than him because her mom's a big standard poodle. But they're both. Yeah, they're cute.

00:11:35
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, look at all these all these animals puppies. We're going to turn this into an animal pet podcast pretty soon, I think, because everyone we're loving the dogs, loving the cats. Seea birthdays, Maddie. Your birthday was like over a month ago, right.

00:11:50
Speaker 4: Yes, January eighth was our birthday.

00:11:52
Speaker 2: Did you do anything fun?

00:11:53
Speaker 8: I turned twenty four, so we were we were our first home at away match. It was in Houston, which was nice because that's where my husband's family's from.

00:12:02
Speaker 4: But the team was so great.

00:12:04
Speaker 8: They did like a whole streamers and birthday hats and celebration at practice and I brought Krispy Kreme like little mini donuts, so those were definitely a hit.

00:12:14
Speaker 4: But birthdays are a big deal in our team.

00:12:16
Speaker 9: They really are.

00:12:18
Speaker 2: All why what do you guys do?

00:12:20
Speaker 4: We just celebrate them all out.

00:12:22
Speaker 8: We have you know, cards and streamers or something that makes that person feel special or sweet treat. We've had birthday hats and birthday hot Yeah.

00:12:32
Speaker 1: And then you got to also have as a birthday present your first game ever in love.

00:12:37
Speaker 8: Yeah right and yeah, and it was so cool that it was in Houston too, so just getting a chance to like see family and especially in our first match was really cool.

00:12:45
Speaker 1: What was that first match like for you guys, because you have both played internationally, so now you're here in the States, So what was that like for me?

00:12:52
Speaker 7: I wasn't thinking about it so heavily of like, oh, I'm playing in the United States again. It just felt like playing another game. I think more than anything, it was like getting to play with so many players who are like so highly esteemed and just kind of dealing with the pressure of that and like how good everyone really is and what that level is.

00:13:14
Speaker 9: Like and I don't know.

00:13:15
Speaker 7: I feel like once we got on the court, it was just kind of like, oh, we've been doing this every day at practice, like it's just another day and we get a chance to play really really good volleyball and it went well for us.

00:13:26
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think just like Jayley said, I feel like I've looked up to a lot of the players in our league, both teammates and opponents, for a lot of my career, So just that moment of getting to play against him every teammates with them is really cool. And also just like how excited the fans are. And obviously we have a lot of people that are from the state played college bolleyball in this state, and we know how important that is for Nebraska people. So I think that's just really cool to see them rally around our team and support us.

00:13:54
Speaker 1: Speaking of amazing players in the league on your team, I feel like one of the most well known Nebraska players and players in the US is Jordan Marson. When you've, guys found out that you were gonna be on her team, what kind of went through your mind?

00:14:09
Speaker 7: WHOA super WOA, super crazy? Because yeah, I think we'd all signed. I signed before we knew Jordan was on the team or that that was we knew they were kind of like hoping that they would get her, but it wasn't set in stone at all, So it was a huge like shocker, while super cool like let's learn from the best type of feeling.

00:14:30
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:14:30
Speaker 8: Absolutely, I think every single day in the gym, I feel like we have an opportunity to just approach the game in a different mindset or in a different way of training that we had never done before. And she's definitely been kind of an instrumental part in that. And I've just always really looked up to her, obviously her playing at Nebraska and that she was kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Nebraska.

00:14:54
Speaker 4: So that's kind of cool to see that full circle moment.

00:14:56
Speaker 1: When you guys got to the team for your first practice, was everyone pretty chill or was it kind of nerve wrecking for you guys to sort of be on the same court.

00:15:05
Speaker 9: I'd say it was pretty chill.

00:15:08
Speaker 7: Like, I mean, we have like four Olympians on our team, and like, I think they make it really chill for us because they're so normal and sometimes I'm like, this is crazy, Like whoa like in my head, like this is crazy. But I think after week one, it really just has to be like, oh, that's just Jordan just hanging out with Jordan at the end of today, and it can't be this is Jordan Larson or I'll like psych myself out and get aced five times.

00:15:31
Speaker 9: So you just can't think about it.

00:15:34
Speaker 4: It's so true.

00:15:35
Speaker 8: I feel like the first couple of days it was like, like Jayley said, we were all kind of like settling in and Jordan was still kind of helping with the Huskers, so she wasn't around us a ton yet, like just the day to day all the time as everyone else was. But I think those moments when you're like, oh, they're a normal person, they shank balls, they make mistakes, whatever, just really normalize the experience and just made it like, oh, we're all just trying to get better and trying to figure it out, and maybe we have different experience levels, but that just made it really cool.

00:16:05
Speaker 1: Now, you guys both grew up in Iowa. You guys actually grew up only twenty six miles apart. Did you know each other at all?

00:16:11
Speaker 9: Yeah, Maddie, you want to tell them how we know each other?

00:16:14
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:16:15
Speaker 8: So Jaylee has a younger sister, actually, Airy, who is my exact same age. So we have played club volleyball together since we were like thirteen fourteen years old. So jay Lee was always just like a little bit out of reach, I guess because like when we were in freshman in high school, she had just become a freshman at Creighton and so we never actually crossed paths, but we kind of played for like rival high schools. So yeah, we played Centennial which is the high school that Jaye went to, and Ariy her sister at the state championship multiple years in a row, so our families have known each other for a while.

00:16:52
Speaker 1: So how did you two end up becoming very good friends after playing with Airy for so long?

00:16:57
Speaker 4: Since I think being on the team, Yeah.

00:17:00
Speaker 2: From just this team or from previously.

00:17:02
Speaker 7: No, this team, this is the first time we've ever actually been teammates. Yeah, it was really more of just family friends first, and now it's like WHOA, Like, Maddie's not just like my little sister's friends anymore, She's like my friend now I took her.

00:17:16
Speaker 4: It was really.

00:17:17
Speaker 8: Special last weekend because Airy was able to travel to come to our match and we played in Atlanta and also like another friend of all of ours, Riley, and so just to see that and like have that whole like Shaylee's sister, but she's my friend and also now we're all friends. It was just very cute, all whull circle.

00:17:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, seriously, Well everyone's grown up now, Y and Mattie. You have other sisters too who play right.

00:17:42
Speaker 4: Yes, I'm the oldest of four.

00:17:43
Speaker 8: So my three younger sisters all play ones at Tennessee Aiden and then the other two are fourteen and sixteen in high school.

00:17:50
Speaker 1: So for you guys, being the older siblings, did you inspire your younger siblings to play the sport?

00:17:56
Speaker 9: Probably? Yeah, yeah, I think so.

00:17:58
Speaker 8: I feel like like they were jim rats, Like they got drugged to every tournament everywhere all the time.

00:18:04
Speaker 1: Hm, I can see that happening. How did you guys get into volleyball?

00:18:07
Speaker 7: My mom made me go out for volleyball, her and her best friend Kim. They were like, no, she needs to do this volleyball thing.

00:18:13
Speaker 9: And I was in like fourth grade and I was like no, and then I don't know.

00:18:17
Speaker 7: I obviously went to our little it was like our rec league and Ancony, Iowa type volleyball team, and my coaches were Their names are Liz and Matt Olverton, and they were just the best. Like they really helped me just love playing volleyball, and they took it so seriously but also made it so fun at the same time, Like you should not be that stressed out in fourth grade about volleyball, but like we were so dialed in, like nothing else matters more than winning this little tournament in ames Iowa or wherever.

00:18:46
Speaker 9: So yeah, never looked back.

00:18:49
Speaker 2: Amazing.

00:18:49
Speaker 4: When about you, Maddy, I started playing in third grade.

00:18:52
Speaker 8: My mom played in college at Missouri State and she was my YMCA coach. And I played soccer for a long time too, and really liked soccer, but eventually the club schedule just kind of takes over, and I feel like a lot of young athletes have to choose one sport.

00:19:08
Speaker 7: Basketball I played pretty much all through high school, but I really I always liked volleyball just a little bit more, i'd say, And when it really came down to it, when I had to like finally kind of decide what I wanted to do in college, I realized that I really hate running and that just wasn't the path for me. I needed to choose the sport with less running, so that was what I did.

00:19:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, I find that to be a very common thread. I feel like out of the girls I keep interviewing, it's like they were either former gymnasts or they hated running where they didn't like the contact of basketball.

00:19:44
Speaker 2: But it's kind of like those same things.

00:19:46
Speaker 7: I'm like, uh, I will say I do miss the contact of basketball.

00:19:49
Speaker 2: Oh really, Yeah.

00:19:50
Speaker 7: I think that's why I throw myself on the floor so much in volleyball is because I just like miss pounding in the post, like being a center.

00:19:58
Speaker 8: So that, yeah, right, your exertion level are not thinking you figure myself on the floor.

00:20:02
Speaker 4: I played middle school basketball one year eighth grade. I was so terrible.

00:20:07
Speaker 8: I had like the athleticism, but I would like do things that post players aren't supposed to do, Like I would dribble all the way down the cord and go and try and shoot and whatever, and they're like pass it, like let's run our play. I'm like, no, I can do it on my own. So yeah, that was I didn't like the contact. So same as kind of the others.

00:20:24
Speaker 4: I prefer a little more loving touch of your.

00:20:27
Speaker 8: Own teammates with people, not having to beat up the people you play with.

00:20:33
Speaker 1: We're going to take a short break, but when we come back more from Jally and Maddie. So the question I like to ask you girls as I've been doing these interviews is kind of like, what was the track for you when you realize is that volleyball was going to be your sport that you really did want to pursue it. What did you do to go from being a good player to a great player?

00:21:08
Speaker 7: My mom will tell you, I just like really was dialed in, Like I'm just naturally a very driven person. Like if you look back at my old notebooks, I would like I discovered what a hit workout was, like thirty seconds long and ten seconds off. I discovered what that was when I was like fifteen, And I would like make myself little workouts and I would like do them before school started. Wow, And like I would do my extra work as I start. We had like a membership with the YMCA, me and my friend Jordan.

00:21:36
Speaker 9: We would go to the y with her dad in.

00:21:38
Speaker 7: Some mornings before school started, and just like I just really wanted to like be great, And I don't know, I think when I really love something.

00:21:46
Speaker 9: I just really just go for it. And I don't know that's really it. I just love winning.

00:21:51
Speaker 4: Who doesn't so evident in the way that you are Jayly, it really is.

00:21:56
Speaker 8: I feel like for me, it was like as soon as I decided that I only wanted to play volleyball, which was pretty I guess probably eighth grade, I just poured so much time into it. Is like you're in club season, then you're in high school season, then your summers are with USA.

00:22:10
Speaker 4: And da da da da da da da a year round.

00:22:12
Speaker 8: And I feel like when you spend so much time dedicating to like learning and growing, then I feel like you kind of inherently have to get better. You would hope, I guess, But I feel like also my parents just really pushed me when I was in high school, and it was kind of like, Okay, do your homework so we can go to bed at nine o'clock because you got to practice tomorrow and da da da da dah. So they had that structure at home, which I think was a little bit of a learning curve.

00:22:34
Speaker 4: Going to college.

00:22:35
Speaker 7: I also think like coming from families where your parents were also athletes, it just like isn't graded in you that you need to pick a sport and be good ada. And like for me, it was like, oh, you want to go to college. Oh that's not in the budget, so you're gonna need to get a scholarship for a sport. So you figure out what one do that because you have to go to college and we're not paying for it. I was like, okay, great, so this is just we have to do little sink or swim kind.

00:23:02
Speaker 2: Of fun, right.

00:23:07
Speaker 1: I just remember those early, like morning Saturdays when I first started playing club. I was just kind of in a local team before I went into like the more national level team, And I just remember those Saturday mornings waking up at like five or six because we had to drive two hours to some tournament, then play all day to then drive the two hours back home. And I'm like that dedication, like for my parents.

00:23:28
Speaker 2: To to let me do that.

00:23:30
Speaker 1: And to be the ones to take me to all those tournaments, I'm like, I yeah, that that fire was lit from them.

00:23:39
Speaker 7: For that. And like when I was in like middle school, junior high even into high school, like I was a menace. If we would lose a game at a club tournament, like I would not speak the rest of the day. I was mad at everybody. I didn't want to talk to my mom. I didn't want to eat dinner, Like, and she's over here spending all this money to take us on this nice trip and stay at these hotels and all you know.

00:24:00
Speaker 9: I'll just put in all this time for her whole weekend, and I just you're, like, this sucks. Shout out to her.

00:24:08
Speaker 2: Do you still have that attitude on the court when you play?

00:24:11
Speaker 7: Gosh, I think a little bit less. Like now if after a loss, I just need like ten minutes to like do my little cool down stretches and be like a little bit huffy, and then I can be.

00:24:21
Speaker 9: Like, okay, we have to separate.

00:24:23
Speaker 7: Now we have to go love our families and like it's okay.

00:24:28
Speaker 1: Do you guys have that like Jacqueline Hide persona between off the court and on the court.

00:24:33
Speaker 7: I'd like to think so, Like I'd like to think like we're more of like dogs on the court, and like off the court, we're.

00:24:39
Speaker 9: Just kind of like, what's up, guys, what are you doing tonight?

00:24:42
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:24:42
Speaker 8: I feel like it also depends on the match too, Like if it's I don't know, maybe more of like a rival or kind of like you get into that intense like point to point, it brings out a different side where you can get a little like crazy eyes, like let's go kind of vibe versus you know, fun and bubbling or whatever.

00:24:58
Speaker 4: So I think definitely the match can bring out a different side.

00:25:01
Speaker 1: Now, Maddie, you got to play with Audrianna fitz Morris internationally.

00:25:05
Speaker 2: Now she's on your team.

00:25:06
Speaker 1: Were there are other players that you knew previously that you get to play against now or play with.

00:25:13
Speaker 8: Yeah, fifteen and I played together in Puerto Rico, and then I played with Lauren and Lexi and New Amber by approximation because of Lauren played.

00:25:22
Speaker 4: Against Gabby for most of college. Emily theater.

00:25:25
Speaker 8: Random enough, I actually was born in Kansas City and my dad's from Springfield, Missouri, which is the same city that she's from, So I would have gone to the same high school as her if I did, if we didn't move to Iowa, so I'd like known her, like heard of her and watched her since I was little too. So it just seems like there was a ton of connections actually to this group.

00:25:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, what about you, Jayley.

00:25:46
Speaker 7: I played against Emily and Conde this past season. They were in Paris when I was on another team in France. Obviously knew Maddie from way back when oh I played against vicky' all, so she was in France at the same time I was playing there. Fitz she was also in Greece the same time I was in Greece. So a lot of playing against each other.

00:26:08
Speaker 1: Now being brought together when it comes to playing other teams that you like may have played with those girls before or have known them before from off the court type of stuff, like do you have cordial relationships on.

00:26:21
Speaker 2: The court or does it get pretty competitive?

00:26:24
Speaker 7: So four it's very cordial, and it's really fun to like look across the it and be like, yeah, that was a bad call, like to like you know, and they'll just laugh like, oh.

00:26:32
Speaker 9: My gosh, like what just happened, Like it's pretty.

00:26:35
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's true.

00:26:36
Speaker 8: It seems more like a celebration of our league and of like getting to compete against each other versus like some kind of rivalry. And maybe that's because we're like first time in these teams.

00:26:48
Speaker 4: Or yeah, I don't know. Just seems like a celebration more than like a rivalry.

00:26:52
Speaker 1: That's actually a really cool way to look at the league because I feel like, even though someone's gonna be crowned the champion of the league in April, it is kind of cool that you because you know each other, you know of each other. It's it is a celebration, like you said, instead of you know, cutthroat rivalry type of situation.

00:27:09
Speaker 9: But at the same time, I hope we get there. I hope we have to cut through rivalries in the next couple of years. Do or die.

00:27:16
Speaker 8: It's true, but I do feel like there is more encouragement about like women supporting women and not being like and I think we were kind of talking to Jordan about this. She's like when we were in college, we did not talk to other team. We were like, no, we're not talking to him. There are enemy da da da da da da.

00:27:31
Speaker 4: And I feel like it's a lot less like that now.

00:27:33
Speaker 7: Yeah, especially because it's like probably one hundred percent of the players. If I was on the same team as you know, susie Q on whatever team, like, we would be best friends, right, So it's just not understand of like, if you put me on a team with anybody, we would probably end up being best friends just because of the proximity and like everyone's so cool.

00:27:52
Speaker 4: Yeah, it true, that's awesome.

00:27:54
Speaker 1: Talking a little bit off the court, I know internationally, your schedule can be busy or sometimes you know, a lot of the players said it can be kind of lonely sometimes because not everyone speaking English. So now that you're here in the States, have you been able to find new hobbies or new things to do during your downtime.

00:28:12
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:28:12
Speaker 7: I went to college in Omaha at Creating University, so I have gotten to reconnect with a lot of my friends that still live here, a lot of my old teammates that still live here. And it's so weird and so cool to have a life outside of volleyball. I like actually have cats now and like family around, and it's like it's fun to like have some roots and feel a little bit of stability outside of the gym.

00:28:35
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:28:35
Speaker 8: Absolutely, I think having our animals, like we kind of full circle back to the beginning of our conversation. But for me, like that is so much of my time that's spent outside of volleyballs, either walking them, brushing their hair, doing whatever. And I feel like it does give me like an outlet to pour into and things to like love and care for because yeah, I think we spend a lot of time at volleyball, but we need things.

00:28:58
Speaker 4: That balance our lives to care for, love, do whatever, etc.

00:29:02
Speaker 1: Speaking of caring for and loving, I mean, you just got married over the summer, Maddie, congratulation, Thank you. I saw you got married in Mexico. Well, I want to know why Mexico. I'm half Mexican, so it's super exciting to hear that you went to Quintana.

00:29:18
Speaker 7: Rue.

00:29:18
Speaker 4: Right, it was in toulom to Loom.

00:29:21
Speaker 8: Okay, Yes, So we got engaged last July, and I left to go live in Italy to play for the season in August. So for nine months of our engagement we were a long distance and so we knew that we wanted to get married this last summer sorry, two summers Agos when we got engaged, then in the nine months then the last summer was our wedding. But we wanted to be able to plan it virtually, and so the easiest way that we could do that was with the destination wedding, because we would get on our zoom calls with our wedding planner and kind of make our selections from pictures, and we knew that it was already going to be beautiful because of the scenery. So we were like, you know what totally fits our personalities and we get to, you know, go to this fun vacation and bring all our people and it.

00:30:07
Speaker 4: Was just a good fit.

00:30:08
Speaker 8: We didn't see our weddings in you or a reception space until literally two three days before the wedding. So I feel like, if you're like a super type a bride, that's probably not the move, but.

00:30:20
Speaker 4: For us it was perfect.

00:30:21
Speaker 9: I'm also getting married in Mexico. I literally think it's just the best.

00:30:24
Speaker 5: Yeah.

00:30:24
Speaker 7: Ever, I don't know who I'm married, but we will be getting married in Mexico.

00:30:28
Speaker 8: Like well, and Jamie's sister Airy got married literally the same weekend in Mexico.

00:30:35
Speaker 2: Oh sorry, Yes, still a destination wedding and a beautiful location.

00:30:39
Speaker 9: Yeah, destination wedding. Way to go.

00:30:41
Speaker 2: Oh that's so funny.

00:30:43
Speaker 1: We did not do a destination wedding, however, I was not a psycho bride. Our wedding cake was like super late, and I guess the wedding planner wanted it to be on the table so that when people entered the reception, like they would see it and they're like the cake isn't here, and I'm like, who cares. You don't need cake till like super late in the wedding, Like what does it matter? And he was like, but it's not going to be there when we open the door. I'm like, I don't care.

00:31:08
Speaker 8: Really, you plan so much for then a day that goes like literally that fast, and it's all the details that you were like, I didn't really think about that, Like, you don't know how much it takes to plan a wedding till you actually plan one, and then the actual day of it's like you wait around and then it's like boom boom, boom boom, and then the day's over.

00:31:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, so fast.

00:31:31
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:31:31
Speaker 1: What does your husband think of you playing here in the States now and this new venture that you're going on.

00:31:36
Speaker 8: Yeah, he's really excited. He just finished his NBA at Rice and so he's training to go try and play in the NFL right now. So we're doing long distance. He's living in Houston doing his training, but it's definitely nice to be on the same time zone.

00:31:49
Speaker 2: Very cool.

00:31:50
Speaker 1: All right, Well, I have one last question that I want to ask you guys. Bring it back to volleyball, especially because I like this idea that love has. You know, the pro teams, but you guys work a lot with the club teams. So talking about you guys as young players, with where you are now, if you could tell your younger self something or give your younger self some advice, what would you want to give?

00:32:12
Speaker 9: You're exactly where you need to be.

00:32:14
Speaker 7: I think as a young girl, as a young player, you like, wish you were doing this better, wish that this was.

00:32:19
Speaker 9: Wish that as a player.

00:32:20
Speaker 7: But it's like, if you were perfect, you wouldn't even want to play volleyball anymore. Like the reason we play is to get better, So like, just be okay with where your eye and keep getting better every day, and don't be so hard on yourself.

00:32:32
Speaker 9: Have fun.

00:32:33
Speaker 7: Part of the process and part of the enjoyment is learning and getting better. If I was perfect a volleyball, I would stop playing because what's what's the point?

00:32:41
Speaker 6: You know?

00:32:41
Speaker 9: So yeah, that's it's all part of the fun, all part of the journey.

00:32:44
Speaker 8: I think similar vain to daily just like go for it and be okay with failure and risk. I feel like that's something that I'm still learning and trying to do. But I think when I was younger, I was really afraid to make mistakes and that was going to be detrimental, and I was gonna do it whatever, the whole spiral that you take yourself on when you make mistakes, but I think, yeah, just to go for it and to just be okay with risk and failure and know that you're growing.

00:33:13
Speaker 2: Love that well.

00:33:13
Speaker 1: Jally, Mattie, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you so much for joining me on Serving Pancakes.

00:33:18
Speaker 4: Thank you so much.

00:33:20
Speaker 9: Was fun.

00:33:22
Speaker 1: Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen'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. Anya Alvarez is our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Tamara Dike, and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Juwara Parker. Sound editing and mixing by Daniel Gonzalez. Our theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mass Junior Special thanks to Jally Winters and Mattie Cubic banks. Stay tuned for next week, where we'll talk to three time Emmy Award winning broadcaster Anne Marie Anderson