Dogs, Houston Takeover, and Overseas VB with Amber Igiede

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Boom, check it, boom, check it, boom.

00:00:02
Speaker 2: It's severing pancakes on the way. Boom, it's Hat and Maddie and yeah we're here to stay. Bo I'm going to give you all the volleyball news coming and strong what.

00:00:11
Speaker 1: You want to do?

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Speaker 3: Oh that's good.

00:00:13
Speaker 1: That's a better one. We're getting better at it.

00:00:16
Speaker 3: Were getting That one was actually really good.

00:00:35
Speaker 4: Welcome to serving pancakes. Boom, mic drop. That was the best rap I've ever heard in my whole life. We had today on the pod.

00:00:43
Speaker 5: Amber e g Day. Make sure I'm.

00:00:46
Speaker 4: Saying that right, Hey, guys, yeah it perfectly Yes, Okay, Amber from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

00:00:55
Speaker 5: Happy Marty Gross sister.

00:00:56
Speaker 3: Happy Marty Gross season. Have y'all been Marty Gras No, Sadly it's crazy. You guys would love it. It's wait bucket list. We're going with Amber. Yeah, it's a crazy scene, but I think y'all can handle it. It's actually it's actually really fun. But it's always during volleyball season during college, so I never got to go, but I got exposed to when I was younger, and it's so crazy, guys, I love it.

00:01:21
Speaker 4: What's like your Marti Gras celebration.

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Speaker 5: What do you do specifically?

00:01:25
Speaker 3: So basically, it's obviously in New Orleans and my family goes and there's like big parade floats, like like huge, they're huge, and they all like have like masks on, and there's obviously like a lot of history behind it, but it's just like a huge celebration. They close down the roads, hundreds of people, people like tossing beads everywhere, and.

00:01:48
Speaker 5: You you because I know, we know how you get.

00:01:51
Speaker 3: You'll know the tradition. No, I'm kidding, but I love it. And my goal is to be on a parade flow one day and okay.

00:01:59
Speaker 2: Be mady, okay shout out to love. Love should send a parade float to body.

00:02:04
Speaker 5: Love Marty Gras Parade. That'd be crazylo.

00:02:07
Speaker 1: That'd be crazy.

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Speaker 3: It's gotta happen, and it's so amazing. You guys would love it, you really would.

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Speaker 5: I'll go.

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Speaker 2: You're taking us, Yeah, I'll take you coming. I invited myself.

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Speaker 3: I'm going to party bus from Texas.

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Speaker 1: Hey, that'd be a long would you.

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Speaker 3: Fun?

00:02:23
Speaker 1: It'd be fun.

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Speaker 5: I don't think I would make it there alive.

00:02:26
Speaker 4: Honestly, for two time All American from the University of Hawaii, twenty twenty five, National team member twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three ABCA All American twenty twenty two women's Collegiate national team, and you made your national team debut at the Pan American Cup in twenty twenty four you won a silver medal. And then you've played in Love, you played in Italy. Can you just talk a little bit about like your volleyball journey and like.

00:02:56
Speaker 5: How did you get to Hawaii initially and get to where you are?

00:03:01
Speaker 3: Wow? Thanks for that intros. Okay, So basically I would say, Okay, I started when I was ten, Obviously, I think a lot of people start in fifth grade or whatever. And I went to this small club, but like I loved it. Like you know, people like a lot of people go to big clubs or they move around, like to get eyes or whatever for college. But I stayed true to this club. To this day, I'm still happy with my decision. I'm so loyal. I stayed true to the club. And I think I was a junior in high school and I watched this video of like Hawaii volleyball playing I don't even know what team it was, but it was a volleyball rally, literally the longest rally I've ever seen, and I don't even know Hawai won the point, but guys, they like threw themselves on the ground like they were so hard working. I really was like, I want to go there, and so I reached out probably to every This is embarrassing to admit, but I really reached out to the probably like every d one school. I'm not even kidding, y'all could literally like name it. And I applied that.

00:04:05
Speaker 1: Not even as you should, as you should just say you.

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Speaker 3: Every single one. And I emailed everybody twice, I kid, you know. And so Hawaii was the one that answered me. And they always made fun of me because they said that they had to walk to like tim bucktoo to watch me on but far court, like the far far court. So they walked all the way there and they watched me, and I was so nervous, and they actually offered me, like I think it was my first tournament of my junior year, so sixteen sixteen going to seventeen. Yeah, so I was so excited and I said yes because it was low key my only big school offer, but also I had such a good feeling about Hawaii.

00:04:42
Speaker 1: So well, how was it being in Hawaii?

00:04:44
Speaker 2: I think you think Hawaii, think a vacation experience island line.

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Speaker 3: People really say like like it's really like the movies, Like it was probably the best, like to this day, like one of the best five years of my life. Like people obviously outside of the volleyball the coach is so beautiful, like people like you guys have been to Hawaii, like y'all know, and culture. Everyone is so welcoming. The food, the food child was so good. And I don't know, like going to the beach between classes, like the outside life was great.

00:05:16
Speaker 4: Did you ever feel like you got island fever or you know?

00:05:19
Speaker 3: And everyone always asked me that too, if I got island fever? But I think because I made like lifelong friends there, I never got I live fever and we traveled.

00:05:29
Speaker 4: Is that you should know that From playing in port, it's like you feel like you're stuck and like, yeah, you.

00:05:37
Speaker 3: Can't go anywhere. Yeah, and it's not exciting anymore, but it was. It was always an adventure. Maybe in Hawaii. I loved it.

00:05:44
Speaker 5: Oh my gosh, you know, it's so funny.

00:05:47
Speaker 4: I went to Hawaii every year for preseason really because our coaches, well, Dave Soji and Dave Rubire, like we're beesties. They would always plan so that we could go, they could hang out, and then we could play. So I always went there and it was like everyone's favorite favorite trip.

00:06:03
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:06:03
Speaker 2: I've only been to Hawaii once and it was with Texas. We went, and it was we were there for maybe like five days, and it was probably.

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Speaker 1: The best time in my life.

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Speaker 3: Oh, Like, isn't the arena so great y'all? Like, I don't know if you'll remember, like years insane.

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Speaker 4: The thing I remember most that will be here forever is because they sell garlic fries in stand Sheriff and I just remember playing and it's smelling like garlic in there, but like in a good way.

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Speaker 3: In a good way though, Like it's so funny they sell garlic fries like in the arena. Ooh, and that was good too, Oh my gosh.

00:06:36
Speaker 4: And then so post collegiately, then immediately did you did you graduate and then go do a half season in Italy?

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Speaker 3: Yeah? I graduated, and then I was waiting a long time, like for an opportunity, you know. I did get drafted by the Omaha Supernovas. But and I'm so grateful for them for drafting me. But like I wanted to go to Italy just a little taste of it. I wanted to just like.

00:06:59
Speaker 1: Try it good for you.

00:07:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean thanks, guys, I really and not like got like you know, so many different opinions about that, but I don't know. I really decided to follow my own heart with that and just like, oh, I want to like try something different. It was really hard, but it was so much fun. And I think I came either mid January or beginning of February. Like it was such a long process because I didn't think I was going to get an opportunity, but I ended up getting one. My agent texted me and I ended up going and it was so much fun. Yeah. Yeah, I was in Rome and my first practice, first practice, guys, was horrible, Like it really bad. I was like that though, especially I think my agent was like especially as a medal, Like he just told me, like, just prepare, it's not going to begin. So I went there and I didn't let the girls see, but I shed some tears in the car after practice. Bro, it was crazy.

00:07:58
Speaker 5: Yeah, I don't what I'm seeing.

00:08:00
Speaker 3: Don't let them see though, but it was. My teammates were so amazing, but it was. It's just so hard transitioning from college to pro volleyble. Everyone knows that, but I feel like, especially as a middle, like your eyes are like cross side when you first practice, like and on a different level because the pace is different, you know what I mean. So I don't know. Yeah, but it was so much fun. I loved it. Right after Rome, I did the summer with the Pan Am national team group and that was like my little integration into that summer, which was really fun, and my integration into like knowing some of the girls that I'm close with now, you know. And so after that was when I moved Sack you send to do love and it was so amazing. I don't know if you remember our first practice, Maddie, but do you know, I don't remember.

00:08:53
Speaker 5: I don't know. But how did it go for you?

00:08:57
Speaker 3: I don't, I don't. It's really no, it's really hard for me to remember. That's why I'm asking you. It's hard for me to remember. But I just remember. I think we our team started off pretty strong, and I think I just remember thinking that we have a super competitive team, and I really enjoyed that, and yeah, after that was yeah until now I think.

00:09:19
Speaker 4: Yeah, right or no, well then you because because then after that you did national team again, right, and then you did Italy again.

00:09:27
Speaker 1: Yes, you just ran it back.

00:09:29
Speaker 3: Yes, guys, I think last year was one of my favorite years, honestly because after the Love season season one, I got invited to do the senior women's national team and like do some vmls and stuff like that, and I was just so grateful honestly to be there. Guys. It was so much fun. Like I got to learn. I feel like I got better, like mentally and physically, so I really enjoyed that and the social aspect of it, getting to know a lot of people and players, and and I got to travel in different countries, which I was so happy about. And then after that I was feeling a little, you know, ambitious again, and I did a little excursion in Italy and I went to Navara and that was so much fun, guys, like so much fun. It was only about I think it was seven weeks, but it was so amazing.

00:10:23
Speaker 2: And absolutely killing it. You were all over my Explorer page. I didn't even know you were in Italy, so I saw you like literally all over the place.

00:10:33
Speaker 1: That was like what every day?

00:10:35
Speaker 5: Like, Amberg stop playing? So well?

00:10:37
Speaker 1: Are you coming back?

00:10:40
Speaker 3: Yeah? When I tell you, they were literally texting me. I think it was Yourdan first she was like are you still coming back? I'm like, who told you all? Wasn't coming back? Like I'm trying to live my life right now in Italy. It was so much fun. But I was for sure coming back obviously, but I didn't tell nobody I was going basically, and so like, yeah, I didn't that. That's why I think I didn't tell anybody I was going, because I was. I was so nervous. I was like, Okay, let me just go there and then see how it's going, and then then I'll start posting about it.

00:11:09
Speaker 5: And so they started posting about you, which was a.

00:11:12
Speaker 3: Good choice to me. Yeah, I know they started posting burns.

00:11:16
Speaker 2: Was the reaction to hold the difference to yourself because you like, for a reason, like you want to make sure you're gonna go there and do well before you have people.

00:11:22
Speaker 1: Like following you and that kind of stuff.

00:11:24
Speaker 2: Or you were like, let me just get my feet wet really quick, and then I'm gonna let people.

00:11:28
Speaker 3: Know exactly I think it's the second one. Like I really just wanted to get my fee web feet under like before I started, like you know, telling everybody about it. And I think that was a good choice because I was for me personally, I'm going to know this in my circle. But I can get overwhelmed pretty easily. So like if I'm telling everybody, I'm going toandling and then I'm dealing with the travel, dealing with like the healthy systems running and everything like that, I'm already overwhelmed. So I really wanted to stick with what my goal was. And my goal was to just learn a difference all of volleyball, learn how to block different players, how to hit against different players, and really just be a better volleyball player, you know. And so that was really my goal. I wasn't really going to tell anyone honestly, like the whole time.

00:12:13
Speaker 1: And I'm like, you, I love it.

00:12:15
Speaker 4: Do you feel like people a obviously gonna bust you. I feel like, now that's really helped you coming back here. Like all of the experience that you have in Italy, what do you what would you say, is like the biggest piece that you've taken away from like your two kind of short stints in Italy.

00:12:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, So honestly, that's a that's a really good question because there's so much stuff that I learned, and I think in Italy a lot of the coaches, for me personally, I feel like, don't talk as much like our coach and Navara he was very he was very kind of letting the players figure out what they need to do, you know what I mean. And so for me growing up, anytime I did something, I would like look over to the coach and be like, oh, like did I do that right? Now? Did I do this right? You know? And so I feel like in Italy and on the team specifically I was on, he really wanted us to kind of problem solve on our own. And I think that helps me better with with my mindset, with figuring out things. Just playing wise, and then just playing against different type of players I think can really help you too. It's not to say like if I go somewhere else, like I'm gonna block the players the same. I feel like knowing different players and how they hit the rhythm and their approach, I think it can help you a lot. And so I think for me that's what I valued a lot for some reason, I don't know. And it was over there and we were playing in the arena and there's so many people, like it really is a lot of pressure, and yeah, and I learned to really enjoy that. Like I liked it. It felt like I was literally I don't even know, it felt so good. So I liked it.

00:13:56
Speaker 2: What was like someone like, you know, that's all I have permission to take in especial when comes, like you said, trying to block different players, learn new system definitely probably different than the American style kind of system, and then going into a massive gym environment and you know, learning how to take that environment and enjoy it and be able to really focus in, you know, keen on what you're doing on the court. What were some of the practices that you did for yourself to make sure make sure you're.

00:14:15
Speaker 1: Ready to go every day?

00:14:18
Speaker 3: So I would journal a lot. Are you talking about mentally or like physically mentally?

00:14:22
Speaker 1: Mentally? Mentally physicis yea.

00:14:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, So I would journal a lot. And I remember, like I said, before my first practice going into Rome, I think I was just like I just want to, you know, like do good. I hope I do so good or whatever, like it was so broad my goal basically, and I feel like when I was going to Novara it was way different, Like my goal was like, Okay, just be patient each drill, make a goal like if we're doing cross court pepper, make sure you're moving your feet quick or if you're blocking, make sure you're just watching the ball and not be too frantic, you know. So I kind of section each drill and had a goal for each drill basically, and I think that just made my life easier, honestly. So just looking back at both the situations I was in, I really valued my second one because of my mindset.

00:15:20
Speaker 1: I feel like, what's been.

00:15:25
Speaker 2: The biggest transition from season one to season two for you?

00:15:27
Speaker 3: I don't know, Okay, if I'm being so honest, I think, honest give us if I'm being so honest, because and Maggie can probably back me up with this one too. But I think for us it was an adjustment because essentially we have the same team essentially. Yeah, and everyone in the league, all the teams essentially, I think, have different people and I think like going into season two, I think a lot of the teams did a great job of seeing that we're essentially the same team and scouting us because as obviously they've seen us before, you know, And so I think that was a big adjustment for us, knowing that we know what we can do well, but we just got to do it better, you know. So I think that was a wake up call for a few games, and we just had it bounced back, like we know, everyone knows how it is to lose a couple of games in our own losing streak, it felt very morbid, but we bounced fun. So it's not fun. It was really tough, and I honestly think that's a big reason.

00:16:33
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree with everything that you it is.

00:16:36
Speaker 4: It was definitely a challenge because people know us so well and they know like our arsenal and what we can do when we're on and we had to learn everybody else.

00:16:46
Speaker 1: But you guys are also in the same way.

00:16:49
Speaker 2: You're kind of being able to use your bench a little bit more too, you know, you have the depth of that you guys every now and then that's different, you know, ye last year.

00:16:56
Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's.

00:16:58
Speaker 4: An adjustment different, different, a little bit different style for sure, but but yeah, like I agree with Amber, and then just kind of figuring other things out as we go to has been different than last year?

00:17:12
Speaker 2: Is there? I guess for both of y'all, is there like a certain like a certain amount of like pressure of stress to know that, Okay, yeah, we're all the same team and we have this camaraderie like we should be able to, like, you know, with stand whatever that's kind of coming towards us and kind of soff shaky. How which were you guys to say we're trying to like maintain and get out of that, like you know, downward spiral.

00:17:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, honestly, honestly, honestly, wasn't spiral. No, honestly, I that was I think part of the frustration for me was, oh my gosh, like okay, like we're like we have these peaces where this seem like but the result wasn't happening, you know. And I do think as athletes, and I do have to remind myself of this a lot, like as athletes, I really do think we compare like what you or the team was last year versus this year, Like every year is different. You know, you really can't compare anything from last year because every year is different. So we're all the same good players, but you just have to recognize that and not compare, because there's really no point to compare. Oh we this happened last year. Okay, well it's not last year anymore, you know. So I think I think our coach really just gave us a talk and she was like, Okay, we're just gonna have to do this better, you know, like point blank period, Like it's really not rocket science. You just have to play better. So I think we started to. I don't know, I don't know what's looked, honestly, but we got it back.

00:18:40
Speaker 5: We did well, you figured something out, figured out.

00:18:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, No, it just had to take a little time, I think, and I think it was needed, like those first few games.

00:18:50
Speaker 5: I think, so, yeah, now we're rolling cat you see.

00:18:59
Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Yes, one is a win. A win is a win.

00:19:04
Speaker 5: You were there someday.

00:19:06
Speaker 2: I's all, what's crazy and we're going to keep it one hundred percent on this. My mom is a huge Houston fan. She loves Mica, she loves JT, she loves Maddie and even yeah, she's yeah, it's so crazy because I get in the car with Maddie after the game, and you know, I come to Houston. I just say the night and just you know, to spend time with her kind of hang out and stuff. And I get on the phone. I called my mom just like hey, like I'm with Maddie everything. I call my mom and I was like hey. The first thing she says, she goes, we're Maddie at and I was like right here. So I put her on speaker phone and she was like, Maddie, y'all whoop they asked.

00:19:42
Speaker 1: I was like, girl crazy, JT is this and that? Blah blah blah blah. And I was like, they were just chatting.

00:19:53
Speaker 2: They were just and they were just chatting.

00:19:57
Speaker 1: Up again, and she was just she was really happy about it.

00:20:00
Speaker 2: But so far, like what's been your favorite, Like, you know, what's your favorite thing about playing for Love?

00:20:03
Speaker 3: Ooh Okay, Honestly, I think the fans, the turnout has been so good and like even though we have we have a new arena this year, we obviously play in both of them, and the first game, I obviously knew fans were gonna come, but I think the turnout was like so amazing, and then even our last few home games, people have been coming, and the support is like obviously it's always been there, but it's just like a new, a new fresh like support that they're doing. Like everyone is more personalized, Like people are like saying everyone's names and knowing their stories in the crowd. I just genuinely have really enjoyed these past home games because and it makes me even though I'm always excited to talk to people and girls that you know, know volleyball and play volleyball, but everyone like really like knows your story and they're like, oh, where's Lauren, like talking about Baylor, like they like know everything about the player, and it makes it so enjoyable to talk to them. So I've really enjoyed I think the in person experience and in fan experience this year.

00:21:11
Speaker 5: Yeah, the fans this year have been doing their things.

00:21:14
Speaker 1: Yaas looks good, it looks nice.

00:21:17
Speaker 3: Yeah. One of the fans asked me to flex or something, and everybody that knows me really knows, y'all, y'all don't know this, but I used to hate the flex, like I hated when people ask me that, but like something about it, I was just like, Okay, let me just do it. I loved it. Like the fans are just so cute and they just mean well, it's not like they're I don't know. They just mean, well, it's so cy.

00:21:37
Speaker 4: Yeah, and there's so many people like when we're playing, especially at our game this last weekend, it felt like like I could really feel the crowd and I love that feeling.

00:21:46
Speaker 3: Yeah. I know.

00:21:46
Speaker 2: My nephew he came to the scrimmage early on this season that we were there. And so my sister came to the game this past weekend and my nephew she told her like she was coming. She told him that she was coming to the game and he was like, oh, he was like, you know, she caught herself trying to get cute and and he was like, at fan's going to be there, and she said like when she sit in the.

00:22:03
Speaker 1: Video, he was like dang.

00:22:05
Speaker 2: But again, difference between scrimmage and the real match, you know what I mean.

00:22:08
Speaker 1: So man rocking for sure, we really do.

00:22:11
Speaker 4: It's so cool to see what's your favorite thing non volleyball related about being with love and in Houston.

00:22:21
Speaker 3: In a Houston, the nightlife is great, guys. I really enjoy I just enjoy like the social settings. Maddie. You already know. Maddie's so good at finding like holes in the walls or just finding like events that are being held, like I don't know how you find it, but somehow you find like some pottery making class or you find like this wine bar. I don't know. I think our team is really good at that, and you're really good at that, Maddie. And for me, I'm never good at like like finding stuff or coming across things how people do. And I just love saying yes and things like that. So I love the social aspect of Houston. And honestly it's a pet friendly friendly place. Cat I don't know if you have a dog or a cat. No, Maddie has a cat, but he so pet friendly. No one would think that everyone on my team, Maddie, you don't have to lie. Everyone on my team shouldn't have gotten a dog.

00:23:15
Speaker 4: But season made im getting a dog, and we were like we travel this weekend.

00:23:25
Speaker 3: No I had to get it. I didn't listen to nobody except Jess MRSK was the only one that was like, Okay, you should for sure get one, and.

00:23:33
Speaker 5: Boom, she also got one.

00:23:35
Speaker 3: Right this year, she got a dog. Now like it's a trend. It's a trend.

00:23:40
Speaker 2: So these like dogs, I deferately love all these like emotional support animals.

00:23:44
Speaker 1: What is what's going on?

00:23:46
Speaker 3: Why can't it be? Why can't we be both?

00:23:48
Speaker 4: Okay, okay, tell us give us a name and breed and a little intro.

00:23:53
Speaker 3: His name is Saying and he was named after Yeah, he was named after the New Orleans Saints US. I'm obviously from Louisiana and my mom and me are very spiritual, so my mom was like, Saint Thick, the name saints in the Bible and so right, and so I really think it was a perfect name. And he really is a Saying. He's a goater retriever and he's just perfect. Guys, He's he's amazing. I got him as a foster at first, which I think, Cat, you were there too one time lunch. You got to hold a saint a little when he was little, but he was yep, and I knew as soon as I picked him up I was going to keep them, so it didn't matter what I said.

00:24:35
Speaker 4: I feel like you kind of have golden retriever energy as well, so it's like a.

00:24:38
Speaker 3: Person thank you. And that's a compliment because I really think I'm my dog.

00:24:43
Speaker 1: I love that.

00:24:47
Speaker 4: Okay, Cat's giving Pug.

00:24:55
Speaker 2: Pitbull and Pug no do Oliver, Do do Oliver, And speaking of bulls, what is your favorite thing about having Maddie as a teammate.

00:25:04
Speaker 3: Oh, my gosh, My favorite thing, honestly is I was telling my friend this the other day that because Mattie, your video has really come across a lot of people, like on the social medium.

00:25:16
Speaker 7: And yeah, they's famous, right, so she's And so I was telling my friend that you are obviously super funny in your videos, but like in person, you're so quick witted.

00:25:31
Speaker 6: Like she's like, I'm witted, I'm witted, but you're not, Like I'm not like quick, like you're quick like with it and so right and it's just so funny, Like I don't know, And for me, I need a teammate like that.

00:25:43
Speaker 3: You're serious and competitive, but you're also you know how to play and play.

00:25:47
Speaker 1: So she has balanced.

00:25:49
Speaker 3: You have balance, and that's my favorite thing in a person I get.

00:25:55
Speaker 5: Say the same about you.

00:25:56
Speaker 1: Oh no, it's not about me, No.

00:25:59
Speaker 4: It is because now next is what's coming up next is me returning the favor. And I also agree, so retweet with what you said, because you're like, inadvertently so funny.

00:26:11
Speaker 5: I think sometimes you don't mean to be but.

00:26:13
Speaker 4: Like I realize all it's so you're so humble, and it's just like you and your personality, and she's just a wonderful teammate and we are so much.

00:26:23
Speaker 1: Better because you're Maddie.

00:26:24
Speaker 3: Sorry, okay, I'm not even trying to bring in age or anything, but like you playing volleyball but not but listen, listen, this isn't even about age. It's about experience. Maddie's been playing volleyball, she said, like I think eight years, ten years, I don't remember, but I remember obviously in college. The fact that you are so like energetic is like what I aspire to be because I'm always wondering, like when I'm playing volleyball a few years from now that I'm gonna be kind of like, oh, like I don't feel like doing this no more, or like coming to practice dragging my feet. You come and skip in, so I really enjoy that.

00:26:59
Speaker 4: I think that, like from playing so long, I truly believe that how you show up every day is kind of like what makes the gym a certain way, and that's why I do that. I think like some days I don't feel it, but like you know that I yell a lot and I like to scream and whatever. It's more to like kind of help raise the level of the gym because I think it's just more fun to play volleyball like that. And so I really I hate to like be serious more for me because I think I play better when I'm having fun, but also for other people. I just want to like lighten the mood and be like, Okay, it's it's our job. But at the end of the day, it's also like we get to play for work, and it's so what a blessing?

00:27:41
Speaker 3: Honestly, yeah, this is honestly I hate to flip the question on y'all, but you guys have such fun, big personalities. Do you guys ever feel that since y'all have this personality, that you can't not show up like on on like a good level every day, like with your personality, because sometimes I feel like when I'm quiet just because I'm tired, like someone might be like, oh, what's wrong, then it's like, okay, you know what I mean. Like, so it's so annoying actually, you know, And honestly, listening to Maddie just now, I'm like, Okay, maybe I should just be better, just like, you know, even the days that I don't feel like because it's not like it's not like I'm coming to practice and dragging my feet. There's days that like I'm just really intensual about like and about like what I'm doing, and I'm just like I'm really focused keen on me, you know what I mean, And it's like doesn't and I try.

00:28:36
Speaker 2: I'm not going to say it takes away from the team just because like I'm not yelling and screaming. I think we also have such already a big presence of that. For me, it almost almost seems sometimes overwhelming when you have like so many people yelling and screaming and hollering and you know the type of stuff. So it's like, you know, so I'm very almost like personal too, just like I'm if you next me, a that was a that swing was crazy, you know.

00:28:56
Speaker 1: What i mean.

00:28:57
Speaker 2: Like I'm still talking, but I'm just not like, yeah, you know what I mean. So, yeah, I hear guys, he I hear guys watch it.

00:29:12
Speaker 4: But yeah, I think for me, it's more of just like a personality trait. I think it's really like for me, it's baseline to like be like that, and if I dip it's not like a super far dip from that. But I think that I like to show up like consistently like that because I think if I if I showed up like that like one or two days out of the week and then I was down the rest of the week, like people would be like what is going Like this is too high and too low?

00:29:36
Speaker 5: Then so I'm gonna stay high.

00:29:38
Speaker 4: And try to like raise that level for people who need it, and.

00:29:44
Speaker 1: I try to maintain like right here.

00:29:46
Speaker 2: You know, I've been really good about being right here. There's no days I'm just there's no like a high shift, but I'm either like right here or I'm right here.

00:29:53
Speaker 1: It's never like right here and right here.

00:29:55
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's good to just find your find your kind of even keel and you can kind of fluck way around that.

00:30:01
Speaker 5: But like knowing where that is is different for everybody.

00:30:05
Speaker 3: All Right, I agree? I like that.

00:30:07
Speaker 2: So getting back into some more volleyball, let's talk about these standings.

00:30:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, ye don't ya, don't climb you all way up to.

00:30:12
Speaker 8: Today when I say climb today, one of my friends texted me the greenshot of that and I literally sent her back, it's the climb by Miley Cyrus and I was, but.

00:30:29
Speaker 3: Back to the standings, I really feel like knocking on what obviously like. I really feel like we're in a good flow state, even if God forbid we lose, I feel like we're in such a better mindset and place to feel like we're flowing, like on the same boat, you know what I mean. So I was, I'm not gonna lie though. I was happy to see that number two. I really will.

00:30:49
Speaker 5: Yeah, it was nice.

00:30:50
Speaker 3: I'm sorry I was.

00:30:52
Speaker 1: I don't know.

00:30:53
Speaker 2: Now we're now we're all looking low key kind of stressed.

00:30:56
Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, it's fine. We sill. We even halfway through.

00:30:58
Speaker 3: We are.

00:30:59
Speaker 4: It's gonna to make sure if you keep going to five, you're not gonna have any players left.

00:31:06
Speaker 1: Sorry, I don't. We just pretty deep. Don't worry.

00:31:12
Speaker 2: So we'll make a stubby if we if we need to. No, but you know, I will say shout out to our rookie. She probably got her little debut last weekend. She put Arizona State. Bailey came in. You know, I think Eric was trying to run a test on her because she she never practices playing left back and serving and running too, you know, play defense and he literally called her in, and to do that, I think it's more of like to see like her mentally. She was prepared to go in and do something that's out of her realm obviously, and she did amazing.

00:31:49
Speaker 1: So yeah, I want to shout her out real quick.

00:31:52
Speaker 3: No, she deserves to shout out for sure. She's that's crazy coming in especially. I really do think coming in to serve is one of the hardest things because that shoulder and cold, so yeah, oh for sure cold. She did her cold. Come up.

00:32:07
Speaker 1: This week we have the Love Classic.

00:32:09
Speaker 2: I know you guys get there kind of late, but what are you guys expecting for Live Classic?

00:32:12
Speaker 1: Are you guys excited?

00:32:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm excited because I have my college coaches are actually coming to watch, which low key I'm nervous about because I don't know why. But I'm just super excited, but also nervers for them.

00:32:24
Speaker 5: I'm always again the.

00:32:26
Speaker 3: Recruit of me again, so I'm getting flashed back. I'm getting from it, no for real, but I'm super excited for them to come. And last year the Classic was really but I know it's a little different this year, so I'm excited. That is just one game we got to focus on.

00:32:40
Speaker 5: So, yeah, yeah, that is really nice.

00:32:44
Speaker 1: But I love classic last year, did.

00:32:47
Speaker 3: You Yeah, I'm so happy we wont that, bro was but yeah, that's when we had the super points.

00:32:56
Speaker 4: No super point this year though, right, oh yeah, there's no there's they got. They did away with the super point.

00:33:02
Speaker 3: Did y'all see me as a super point got in the finals?

00:33:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, we didn't know. We didn't need to.

00:33:09
Speaker 5: Uh no, they didn't have it in the finals.

00:33:17
Speaker 1: I think we did. I think we did. I think we did. It's hard.

00:33:23
Speaker 2: I'm so quick to y'all been y'all, y'all been shooting us.

00:33:26
Speaker 3: I'm trying to get.

00:33:28
Speaker 5: Remember last year.

00:33:31
Speaker 3: I think we used this last weekend and the.

00:33:38
Speaker 1: Can't imagine or we.

00:33:40
Speaker 5: Had a bet for our games this season.

00:33:42
Speaker 4: We had a bet that if we beat Austin that she would owe me like a really nice dinner and then obviously the other way around to so now so now you don't ask Taco.

00:33:55
Speaker 5: Bill Carbone.

00:33:59
Speaker 3: Tomahawk. She ordered the most expensive stuff too, Bro, that's crazy, she said that. I said, you're going to You're gonna one of the most impensive.

00:34:13
Speaker 4: Said that's crazy because last time I went with cat.

00:34:17
Speaker 5: She ordered the flaming tomahawk. They rolled it out, they wheeled it out. It's hanging.

00:34:21
Speaker 4: A piece of me is hanging from the rack viewer. They lit it on fire in the whole rest.

00:34:25
Speaker 3: It was God, that's what you get. I that was crazy, and there's here the whole thing.

00:34:34
Speaker 1: Ate it, we ate it. I share it. I shared, and it was good.

00:34:37
Speaker 3: That's nice to share.

00:34:39
Speaker 5: I had one piece, she shared.

00:34:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, you gotta taste of it.

00:34:44
Speaker 2: But I'm going to see you all this weekend, and the love Plastic are looking.

00:34:48
Speaker 4: Forward to seeing me again. Of course, this has really been a treat. I've seen Kat like what a couple of times in the last two weeks.

00:34:55
Speaker 1: We have to do a segment or something like that. Since we're together.

00:34:58
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah about Salt Lake, y'all went to five with them last time.

00:35:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, we did five.

00:35:05
Speaker 3: It was close, it was closed.

00:35:08
Speaker 1: I appreciate that we did and I got to.

00:35:10
Speaker 2: Play and I got to play.

00:35:16
Speaker 3: I was actually gonna I texted run after, but I was actually gonna text you and be like you ate you did really well, thank you. I actually thank you.

00:35:26
Speaker 1: That's what I do.

00:35:27
Speaker 3: What I did. There was one line shot you swung really hard.

00:35:30
Speaker 4: I was like, okay, period, no period in front of Manami. I was like, oh really, I think that was straight down.

00:35:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, any Annie Drew's actually like randomly reached out to me.

00:35:42
Speaker 1: I didn't even know.

00:35:43
Speaker 2: I don't know if she follows me or not, but she reached out to mess me and she was like I want she know. She's like I watched you and she was like you killed and I was like, yeah, yeah, she's herself.

00:35:55
Speaker 3: I love that.

00:35:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm like hell yeah. But yeah. So this has been great.

00:36:01
Speaker 2: We love you so much and we are so thankful that you're able to join us on this podcast.

00:36:05
Speaker 3: It's going to do so well.

00:36:07
Speaker 4: You're so funny, guys, this is amazing, really cool.

00:36:12
Speaker 5: Do you want to keep going?

00:36:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, let's do a sleepover on FaceTime, y'all. That's like I gotta go. I know she got to. Thanks guys so much for having me on your pod. I think it's gonna literally keep blowing up. Like I'm so excited to even be on. When you asked me, I was so happy because I need to be on this. I need to and have me on again. I'm I'm down to do a little segment or something.

00:36:35
Speaker 5: Do you want to just be a co host. There'll be three of us.

00:36:37
Speaker 3: Listen. The guests will not talk if I'm on you.

00:36:43
Speaker 4: New episodes of Serving Pancakes come out every Wednesday everywhere you get your podcasts and also on YouTube. This has been Serving Pancakes. I'm Maddie rachel I'm Cat Bell, and I'm em Y Gen and we will catch you on the flip of the flip side.

00:37:00
Speaker 5: Boom clock it.

00:37:03
Speaker 2: Cute.

00:37:04
Speaker 3: Thanks burg y'all are so cute.

00:37:07
Speaker 9: Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen's sports production and partnership with Deep Blue Sports Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Production by the League one Volleyball, we're your hosts, Kat Beell and Mattie Rachelle.

00:37:21
Speaker 3: See you on the flip side.