Volleyball Dads Setts and Hitts! Season 4

We are BACK for Season 4! This season will be filled with new guests, players, coaches and of course your world famous dads! For this episode we have Vball Dad Femi Bello engaging us with his tri-fecta of volleyball daughters and how they have elevated and navigated from high school, club to the collegiate level. Listen in and follow us! #volleyballdads 

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:08

I don't know if Mim. Yeah, but maybe we have some excuses. We don't have a freshman to uh graduate. I mean, I'm sorry, uh Slinger to graduate now freshman year. Everybody knows go knows what's going on with Senior stuff. And volleyball became something we just had to put it back. The name had transitions going on as well.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

I'll be there, man. And this is the main. Hey, it's been so long, man. We we don't even remember our cues anymore.

SPEAKER_03 0:54

But we've been podcasting, you know, they ain't they say we're a little lighthearted show, somebody said we'll right now. But guess what? We just come and have we have we do have fun. We let people say what they want to say on our show. Yeah, but if you have something to email us about, one of you have a topic you want us to talk about, a question like y'all have, volleyball dads podcast at gmail.com is how you find us on XBall Dads. Where you can find us on Instagram, D.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Volleyball Dads Podcast on YouTube, volleyball dads podcast, and we're on Facebook, Volleyball Dads.

SPEAKER_03 1:33

Yeah, yeah. So find us on Facebook. So we all are weird, you know, and we and shout out to those Facebook moms because uh we get a little content from y'all once in a while, you know. And I will say this being anonymous, you get something to say, just go ahead and say it. I I mean though, we kind of but hey, we're great guest hosts, people to come back and banner with us and talk about a little bit. But we got another what I call super volleyball dad in the building. Yeah, he's got two girls already headed. Well, one in D1, one headed to D1, and the little one, my little favorite, because I know uh she's gonna be a D1 superstar too. But with that, Bello, and y'all gonna know that name Bello for a long time here, because of these uh this, you know, he still got the me and Damon shipped off our last ones. Introduce yourself, Bemi.

SPEAKER_00 2:32

Yeah, appreciate the introduction. Hey everybody, Femi Bellow here, uh volleyball dad like these gentlemen. Uh had three girls, three amazing girls. Uh two of them, one of them's been is in college now, like like Spurge, you know, just graduated uh high school and freshman year in college. Uh yeah, yeah, it was rice at rice. She's playing volleyball at rice. Then I got a uh uh junior. Uh just committed. Yeah, had to think about it. Junior who just committed because it just literally just started school. So I'm still thinking sophomore, but she's a junior now. Just committed to Kansas. Uh yeah, appreciate it, appreciate it. That was uh yeah, that was uh very exciting time. And uh so yeah, yeah. So got those two playing. Youngest one is really a baby, so she just got started at club volleyball. Yeah. That's it. Yeah, that's a little bit a little bit about my background volleyball eyes.

SPEAKER_03 3:32

Yeah, yeah. Well, you're true volleyball dad. So uh Timmy and I, my daughter, they played together. Um, I think I'm a little biased, but I think at one point in time the two best setters in the city probably were them two. And they were set up. But we were teens. They were 13s and 14s, yeah. 13s and 14s. 15s. Oh, 15s too. Okay, okay, yeah, yeah. I think it's 13, 14s, and 15s instead of so you know, two top says in the state. I said it. And somebody had messed it up, and I said that two twice. Anyway.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

This guy. Okay. Okay, you know, I didn't love anymore. So so so so, Finny. Yes, when you're having three girls in the space, how did you get into the volleyball space in the first place? Like, how did like being a dad in a house with all women? How did you even like what got you started with volleyball?

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Great question. Great question. So the backstory, uh looking for something for the girls to do, yeah, you know, just just outside of just sitting around, and you know, so we we started off at the YMCA like everybody else. Let's go see what they could do. Let's start with mine. It was it was Claire's day from first couple of like as soon as we showed up. These kids are not quite as athletic as you guys are. You're standing out way too much. This doesn't because you look like a hero amongst uh zeros. So I'm like, so so we did that, you know, play through this season, but we already knew we're like, we gotta try something else. And so we ended up at uh Sci-Fair Sports Association, which is like a level up. I mean, they're better than the Y, but it still was clear as day that this is still not your level, right? Like you run in circles around these kids and you don't know what you're doing. At that point, at that point, at that point, it was like, okay, so what's the next level? And the great thing about it is there's always people in circles that tell you what the next level looks like. So there was some parents in there were like, you guys should try club. We've never heard about club. And so we got to club, and it was at that point where we're like, okay, this looks more like it.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Because now you're not sticking out, you're not the best. You got people on here that are just as good as you guys. And uh that was uh originally New Age volleyball. Okay, was where we started off at. Yeah, yeah. And they were Tim. Yeah, shout out to Tim. Shout out to Tim. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And um great, great coach, you know, uh from a mindset perspective, from a volleyball perspective, he just really instilled a lot of like discipline. Early, early. I'm talking about like my younger one was eight at the time, and the other one was nine out of ten. And so it was just like they just they got that early on, right? You know, and so we were we were there for a while, and then we showed up one season, he didn't have enough girls, had to find somewhere else, you know. Small club didn't have enough on the team, and then we ended up at fast. Actually, we went to Skyline first, Houston Skyline, and um they put tried out for both teams. And I think at the time, no, we went to fast first. But did we? No, no, no, no, no, we went to Skyline. Anyway, anyway, they put one of them on the 11s and they put the other one on the 12s. And I knew at that point, I knew my younger one was able to play on the 12s. I'm like, nah, let's try something else. Right. And so we ended up at HJV and Houston Juniors put them both on the same team. It was just more convenient for us. I mean, it's 12s volleyball, and then like, you know, and younger one was quick enough, you know, she was little, real little, but she was fast enough to play, and that's how we started. You know, and then we progressed. We, you know, we went from we played that one season together, and then COVID hit. And so that was a short season. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But team was great, and then obviously following that, they had to obviously break up and start playing on separate teams. And um, we were with it ever since. The one thing I will say though is early on, and with every tryout, and I think I think I'll credit the wife for this. She always like looked out to see what is your trajectory. You know, she looked at my oldest one, she was like, You only eight tall, you hitting right now. That's that's a pipe trick. I'm looking at the girls older than you, and the hitters don't look like your size, so we gotta transition you into a position where you could play. Switch to being a setter. That's how that started. And luckily she had beautiful hands, you know, great setter, so we just kind of stuck with that. Similar situation happened with the younger one. Looking at her size, we're like, look, dude, you wanna be in the back row. They don't you you you jump in the hit right now, but this is 12's volleyball. Let's let's be realistic. But you know, a lot of strange volleyball, you know, with with pens not being quite as big, you know, uh games getting a little faster, so I think it was 13 because she played up the whole time until she got to about age 13, no 14. And so at that point, you know, uh she was just kind of jumping out the gym. And even though she was a libero, she she stretched out a little bit, got a little tall, a little taller, not tall, but taller. And um she was she she would swing in practices, and it was just like she was hitting harder than anybody else on the team. She was probably the fastest fastest one on the team. And at that point, there was a coach that pulled me to the side of my wife and told her she said she needs to swing. And I said, Well, she's she's she's with Daryl right now. She's like, Well, we need to go talk to her and let him know she needs to be a hitter. And I was like, Well, you know, she's this side. She's like, Look, go talk to them. If they don't let her hit, you take her somewhere else, because she needs to swing. I was like, best advice ever. Because what so what we did at that point was we approached administration and we're like, look, this is what she wants to do. And they say, Well, she can, but she's gonna have to play her age. We're like, cool, you know, she's playing up anyway. Let's go see if she can handle it. And that's all she wrote. Yeah, yeah, literally, literally, literally.

SPEAKER_03 10:04

Yeah, you see, uh, as much, yeah, uh, ever since, man.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

And that that arm is is a million-dollar arm.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

I appreciate it, appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Who she reminded me of, yeah, because of her size, and this kid played at Pitt. And so it's a similar situation, and her name was, and she's playing professionally now, too, was um uh Lecator Member Men. I don't know if anybody I do know her. I do know so so that that you know that that um you know again, if if a kid can apply their athleticism and and move their shots and understand that and see the blocks, hey, why why limit it? And like you said, the game is the game is faster. Um you know, I mean, you get you got middles that are by 10, 5'11, 6 feet. Um you know, and and and so it's just a matter of if what the kid is putting into when they're in the gym. And you know, we've watched them from afar. And even even your your daughter as a setter, I mean, they've had to have her swing too at times because of how things were structured and having that background at work. So um the same with Spurs, daughter. So, I mean, it's good you listen, but and I I find it intriguing how people's journey is and how they go through things, and um, you know, so you did listen, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Yeah, and I think I think we always did our we always did an evaluation every season for tryouts, you know. As much as the club is looking at you as a player, we're looking at what they have as options, right? And so when you do that type of homework and you're like, okay, I feel like this kid is coming over, I feel like that kid's coming over. Oh, you look, you look at who's in the gym at tryouts, you can kind of tell, you're like, uh you might not be, you might not get a shot.

SPEAKER_02 11:55

Right.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

You know, so you want to do that before the club even makes that decision for you, in my opinion. And I feel like that's where a lot of people kind of get disappointed. Is you know, they want you all to come in and they want to make you feel like you got a chance, but you have to know right. Like you do your own homework on yourself and you kind of do your own self-evaluation. You know, I mean it sucks sometimes because you're just like, yeah, there's no way for me to play here. Like I can't beat out anybody that I'm looking at. And so if that's the case, what ex what do you expect them to do? You know, so we didn't we didn't live in that delusional world, is what I like to call it. We were doing our own test before they got a chance to even say, Oh, yeah, she should be on this team, or yeah, she should be on this team.

SPEAKER_01 12:39

And so, and and that there's a very fine line with that. I'm not gonna say fine line, because this is where you start getting in those muddy waters, so to speak, where where things, you know, hey, did did you know this this person come over and slide a couple of more bucks or or something like that to get their kid looked at because they may have been at another place on a second team, and so and these clubs, I don't, I don't know, but they kind of battle one another, so to speak, kind of sort of for kids. And so, you know, I think sometimes they do stuff out of spite and really don't be thinking about the kid. Um best interest or even the best interest for the team, because you you know, people always talk about fits and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, I mean, if you got a competitive, most of these kids that are playing at that level are very competitive anyway. Right, right. So, as coaches, you gotta figure out how to manage those different competitive personalities and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

I agree. I agree. I mean, you control what you can. There's always gonna be politics. You know, there's always gonna be politics, there's always gonna be favoritism. But I feel like, you know, if if if you have if if you have the skills and if you're good enough, I feel like you can you can kind of transcend that, you know, at least to get in the door. Yeah, whatever happens after that is that's all down to you just working hard. But I'm just saying, like at a at a surface level, yeah, I feel like you control what you can because there's gonna be times where it don't matter what you do or how you perform, they already pick somebody else over you. Yeah, you know, and you can't control it. That's that's that's the you know, that's the politics of the game. It is, you know, and I think some of that is it can be challenging for people, but I think in a way, it's kind of the nature of what it's gonna be like at the next level. So you're just getting a taste of what's coming.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

That's absolutely 100% at the next level. I mean, we hear about it so much more, not in club, but it's funny saying some of the high school chat around it, because high school is a whole nother different political cycle to some degree, philosophy to some degree. You know, people, you know, it's everything from who's in in Texas here. For those who are national audience, we have this magazine called Vipe. And sometimes it's the issue who's gonna be on the bike cover or who's gonna be on the bite, you know, uh school picture, etc. And some people say I'm gonna put my singers, some people say I'm gonna put my cap. Some people say I'm gonna take two people, some some five, and so it becomes this things of this one little magazine becomes a big kind of political, you know, football around, and I'm not volleyball, volleyball right now, right? Of who's who's, and even in high school, like coaches, high school coaches sometimes have a different agenda than your club coach will. You know, some of them just want to get a group of groups of place, some of them want to do it by hey, who's been here the longest and you know, wait your turn kind of thing, because they know they got you for four years and you can play. Uh, others want to put you in different positions because where they may need if they're a smart coach, all those different things. So I hear a lot from parents and some of these uh emails you get about high school so much, and we try to focus more on hey, high school's for fun, you know, but you need to really get in a good club system. One to learn and two just to grow. But as we're seeing more and more actually, high school coaches also who are also coaching clubs, we are seeing some transformation at the high school level as well. But and also in high school, you don't get to pick your teammates, it's whoever's in the neighborhood, but it's growing up with these shadow creek sharks out there. Shout out to those as they sit quiet on the creek, all the way down to the high school show.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

But in some instances, when when you know, like the the Shadow Creeks and the Sci ranches and the woodlands and stuff like that, who are perennially talented every year. I think those coaches care a little bit and they may have a little more of a backstory. I and you guys can speak to it more. Is there a little bit more politics in the high school space?

SPEAKER_00 17:05

Uh I don't know about more. Uh well maybe, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 17:09

Um, because I think it's more because I think it's when you'll let you, I'll let you talk about to say why you think it's more.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

I think I think it depends. I think it depends. I think a lot of it, because I think in high school there's more there is more this push to the returners versus somebody coming in new. Whereas with club, there isn't as much of that because they're turning over like almost every other season, depending on how good the team is. Um school, I feel like there's more of a, oh, you know, I've had this girl before, even though you look like a new shiny toy, I kind of still trust this other person, even when in some instances it's clear as day that this person coming in might be better. You're like, I kind of, you know, so there's a there's there's a lot more catering to girls who've been there versus the new, you kind of really have to earn your stripes. So I feel like that's when a lot of the politics come in. Because sometimes it's it's not making a whole lot of sense as to why doing that, but you're like, okay, well, I guess she's a senior or she is, you know, and this one's a uh, you know, this is an upperclassman versus the other one that isn't. So I think when it comes to that, yes, absolutely. If they've been in a program, they're getting, especially if it's not glaring, yeah, uh, you know, skill set difference. If it's close, yeah, you might as well just, you know, just just eat your eat eat eat your eat eat the bench for a little bit, and the person be going before you, and then you get your turn.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

It it but it it it it is until it comes back to bite you, and it and it and it always in pivotal moments comes back to bite you. I I've watched it, I've seen it. Um, you know, I one of the things they they always try and tell us observers, even though we've uh been involved in sports, and so if you have any type of intellect, you can pick up on things relatively quickly. And so they'll they'll they're quick to tell you, well, this is not what you do. So how can you tell me? And and and and I'm okay with that. But I'm okay with that. But but also just like in the spaces that we're in, people make mistakes. Yeah, I mean, it you know, and I mean it happens, and so people do have agendas at times. They can say that they're impartial, cool, whatever works for you and make you sleep well at night, um, if if that's the case. And so obviously, for the people who are on the right side of it, and it it works out perfect. At some point, though, some form of adversity will set in, like, you know, uh even at the top kids, what no matter what, whether it's an incident or or whatever, where you gotta deal with something and and you gotta show your mettle. Um, how do you prepare your daughters to deal with adversity? Um whatever it may be, you know, their mental makeup. And it's good that you're a strong father, your wife. So that that's a positive thing. And so you you're already instilling certain values and stuff like that is, but just have to kind of foreshadow and prepare them. Like you say, when you go to college, you're starting over again, right? And so you gotta figure out your way and figure out the lay of the land. And so how are you, what are the conversations y'all are having, and how are you preparing your daughters as they one who's now there, and then one who's preparing for you know, when that comes up, because it'll be here before you know it.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

Right. Ah, that's a great question. That's a great question. And um, I I think if I'm being uh sincere, I'll be completely honest, my opinion on that is what you do at home. Yeah, so so there's a lot of you know, so one of the things we used to get a lot when when we uh transitioned or I guess transitioned from a smaller club to a bigger club was you know coaches and coaching styles. And you talk to parents and they'll say, How do you how does she just deal with this coach that's doing XYZ? I'm like, she understands that he's doing a job, it's got it's nothing personal. You know, and you know, your kids don't get down on themselves. I said, because they train a certain way and they know that if in the heat of the moment a coach feels a certain way about what you're doing, but you know you're better than that. So you're not buying into what you're what's being said right there. You understand it is a it's an intense moment, there's some frustration. And they're letting that frustration out. It doesn't mean you're a bad player. It doesn't mean it's it doesn't define who you are. So I think I think it it always baffles me when people are trying to address a personal problem because it shows up in volleyball. And I'm like, that's not a volleyball issue. No, that's an issue, period. Right. It's just showing up in the sport, and now you're trying to fix it, but you should have fixed that before you got to the court anyway.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

And so it just because I've had people ask me all kinds of like, why does this? I'm like, dude, this this if I'm being real with you, this has nothing to do with volleyball. This is just a character problem. Yeah, you know, you if you can deal with adversity, you can deal with adversity on the volleyball court. You just have to learn to deal with that in general. Yeah. And so for us, it's always been about, and my more my wife jokes about this all the time. People ask, like, how do you deal with such and such screaming ideas? She's like, they gotta deal with me. There's no coach that's gonna give them a taste of what they've gotten from me at home, and that's a fact. And so, because of that, they're very, very, I mean, they my kids got tough skin, and y'all have watched them both play. Yeah, it's very rare you see them break down, it's very rare you see them lose focus, and it don't matter from coach to coach, and and that just goes to because they're totally different people, yeah. You know, one's more reserved, one's more outgoing, but when it comes to how they approach what it is they're doing, it's the same. Yeah, it's it's the exact same, you know. So I think I think for me, it's a it's how do we get them prepared? Is you just train your kids right from junk. Yeah, and it starts early, it's not when they're 12, 13. No, it starts early.

SPEAKER_03 23:42

Yeah, you know, I think you look at you know, high school club and stuff, you know, it's a little different. High school, you know, the coach is gonna be who the coach is, can't change much of that, and you gotta work around wherever their philosophy is. And I'm saying politics that I was talking about, and just certain coaches have certain philosophies about what they're gonna do on the court. And as we know too, in a 20-game, 25-game season of uh high school ball, you probably got eight tough matches if you're lucky. What high school? What high school do you play at 25 games?

SPEAKER_00 24:16

We play like 30, 30, 39, almost 40.

SPEAKER_03 24:23

But yeah, you probably got about eight tough games, right? I mean, you know, rock number games, etc. Right. And so it's wrong to play a lot of different people, right? So, and that's I think coaches need to monitor uh and parents need when I say, you know, there'll be chances when your daughter will play and shine, but we've also got this nature in sports in all in general. Everybody wants to win. It's no secret about that. Everybody wants to win and put the best product out there, and you know, whether your kids, where you think they're average or great or better, always at some point in time, somebody thinks their kids should play. Period. There's not rare, it's rarely a parent sitting up there, and I but I've seen them on the iPad the whole time, didn't watch nothing their kid is doing. I mean, didn't watch one play, didn't know if they got it or not. We know it's one parent that parent is out there doing that, but you know, pay attention to your kids and they'll get the same enthusiasm by it. But it's tough, but when in high in in club and in in high school, you know, your coach is kind of set, you know what you're walking into. When you can select your coach going into college, right? In a sense. And I say select because you still have people don't believe you have a choice where you go. And it's a lot of factors in that. Me and Dame always talked about this. You gotta love the school you either want to go to, because the coach may, you never know. Every coach, listen to public service announcement to every parent, will tell you great things during the recruiting process. They will shower you with the beauty of guess what? Your girls are the best, yes, because they're recruiting you, and then you know, and they would do it just like anyone else. It's the nature of business and everything else we see in the real world, right? Even in club, right? They're gonna shower to get till they get you in there, and so and the dynamic changes when the when they got you started with two-a-days, these girls August 1st or July 3rd, first life changed if you were a freshman. It was different. I had to tell my young daughter, it was different. Two a days were different. I said, This is another step up, and she had to quickly realize like, wow, this is a little more intense than high school and club two-a days. Ain't a little more, it's a lot more because you still require the lift beforehand.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Yep, you don't really have no time.

SPEAKER_03 26:47

Um they only they're on a rigid schedule when they eat study hours and school, and it's a whole different process. And so they're learning that, and then the coach is no longer the nice person no more, you know. It's the coach that they drive, yes, because they want you to be your very best and getting you ready for they know a tough collegiate season. So, one is no, also that transition that your older daughter's on is just similar as mine. You know, how is she interesting racing that change?

SPEAKER_00 27:22

Yeah, I I I got a funny story about that. So she she had talked to uh a teammate ahead of time just to get a feel for you know, are these 5 a.m. workouts real? And she's like, absolutely. And you know, I don't know if y'all know I'm a gym rat, not I'm an early bird, so I'm usually I usually go work out early in the morning. So she she kind of reached out to me and was like, you know what, I want to go with you and trying to prepare. So I kind of give her credit for that, but even that didn't get even that didn't get her ready. You know, so she because she did that a couple times, but then of course she fell off, you know. So yeah, but so she gets there and it's like you know, they got the they had them in a month early before the coaches showed up, and then when the coaches showed up, it was even more intense. And funny story is, you know, it's it's I called her one evening, probably about 8 15-ish. The girl got her PJs on. I'm like, You going to bed? She's like, dude, I gotta get my rest. Like I have to, because the days are just so jam-packed, you know, between team activities, working out, practices two a day sometimes. There's just this there's no time. You got to get your rest when you can. So I'm kind of I'm I'm I'm glad to see that you know there's a lot of structure because now you you you have that going on, then you tack on school starts, you know, here soon. Yep, and so it's just like, yeah, she's uh it's it's gonna be tough, it's an adjustment. It definitely is.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

And your conversations will get shorter.

SPEAKER_00 28:50

Yes, yes, yes, yes, they really yeah, yeah. But it's uh it's I'm looking forward to it. You know, they they they got a game coming up uh Friday this Friday in Texas. I'm driving up to Austin to watch that, so I'm excited. I don't know if she'll get to play, but I'm gonna be there chair the home.

SPEAKER_01 29:07

She'll be there, yeah. You know, everybody should play, you know, it's it's early.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

I'm looking forward to that. I'm like, if we got a chance to play, it's now. So let me go watch before the season starts.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

No, no, I'm gonna play with the well, and like I said, it's it's a long process and all these ages and stuff. But for um parents that are transitioning into college, Dame Dame's you know, been there. He's had you know the freshman run and just understand the dynamics of that. So me and you are kind of well, at least I'm I'm learning, I'll just speak for myself, and just seeing them, but it's amazing to see how these young ladies grow. Yep. And it's just to me, it's just so different to see some of the maturity and and things you didn't wouldn't conceive about and how they handle situations. And it's it's one, and uh all of you know too, you know, whether I talk to referees, coaches, or what all the time, etc. Uh, this is the first time I have not even said nothing to this coach. Don't talk to this coach, doesn't really do because I'm like, hey, hey, if they're yours now, you know, and yes, and you right goes back to what you trained them through and give them over and stuff. And and as parents, you know, we've got to learn to just sit back and trust. I hate to say trust the process, right? But you know, going through it as well is just like, but you you don't want to leave your kid alone, right, Dame? I mean, in a sense, you gotta be able to still listen to them, yeah, make sure you're understanding what they're if they're going through stuff and how to deal with it, because it is a new environment for them. And you know, whether we've all been you know high school athletes and college athletes, we know it's different. And I took day one, two days, oh ain't no joke. Yeah, yeah, no joke.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

The advice you give them, though, when they when they go and prepare for two days. Well, first of all, you ask them, you know, this is what you signed up for, so you know that. Um, so that's the expectation from the beginning. But you also tell them, you know, set some goals and have some expectations for yourself. Like just because you're a freshman, don't mean you gotta wait. You push that person, you you drop. You make you the you make the decision, the choice the coach have to make so hard, you know, that that way that you know you'll know in your heart, okay, that person earned it. You know, if you go in there resign with the mindset, all right, well, I got time because I'm a freshman, you're gonna forever be behind the eight ball because they're constantly recruiting. Every year, like like that, that's the the difference between college and club, in college, every year they're trying to get better, especially depending on how their season ended. So they're looking for pieces to improve their team, you know, and and so with with the portal and stuff like that, it it it you know, they have those conversations. You have just like you do a review with your boss, they do the same thing with these kids. And and it is truly a trans, you know, it's end of the year meeting, you know. Now, obviously, if you got numbers and stuff like that, that weighs in your favor um heavily. And then you realize if there was something else. Um, you know, and and kids will know, like they'll learn what works for them, what doesn't work for them. Um, and that's when you listen, you know, for the most part, because it's parents we try and tell them because you know, objective is this is a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision. And so you're going into it, choosing what you want to do for the rest of your life. Because you're gonna wear heels, in our case we got girls, much longer than you wear those gym shoes. And so that you're using this for that. And so you got to think about why you're there. Yeah, you're there, they're getting their sweat equity out of you, but you're getting what you need to out of that. It's a win-win, it's not one-sided, and so you got to take full advantage of it. Then you show, then you show them those fee sheets um of what it would cost if you weren't using your sweat equity versus that you are, and you're not having to go wait in line, you know, your classes and all that kind of stuff. So the the the benefits that you had. Yeah, all those perks.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

I mean, one one thing, one thing that jumped out to me when uh um right after she got recruited in senior year and high school was just you know, having conversations with with classmates and how they were struggling with, you know, what they were having to do for applications and all this other stuff we couldn't prepare for college, and she's just like, wow, dude, I did, I mean, I really this is a great spot to be, and I don't have to worry about any of that. You know, and so there's those are the little things that even all that, like you call it sweat equity you put into club, that's what's paying off. You know? And and as much as we would like to say, you know, I I think the one thing I will say, especially for our girls, is you know, having to play club as long as they did, um, and having to, there's a certain level of discipline that's already there, you know. So if you have that foundation of having to sacrifice vacation, having to sacrifice being uh city to city every other night, getting up, going to compete, there's a certain level of discipline for you to show up and be ready. That you have that baseline foundation. Now, college is gonna add a whole lot more to that, but if you don't even have that baseline, we don't have nowhere to start from. So you have that foundation of you know what? I know how to handle being somewhere and being dedicated and putting in the work because I've done it. Do I want to be now? It's time to stack up on that. So I think I think they have just playing club, competitive, open volleyball.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

Right.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

If that don't get you ready, like at a base level, then you nothing's gonna get you ready.

unknown 35:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

You know, you prepare, you know. Um, you know, we look at the whole season roster. I mean, and like, you know, and and where my daughter's at, they won their championship, you know, three out of four years, etc. And so it's always that target on their back, though, too. But it's also been this rise as expectation. Yeah, I know your daughters, like I said, she's at rights too, and you know, and looking at the conference that y'all in as well, you know, yeah. Are they how how do you prepare yourself for conference play? Same thing with game two, and over now at the ACC as well. You know, now you got certain teams you're focusing on, right? And you want to beat literally, because the end of the day you want to get to that championship, you want to get to the NCA tournament, right? And no, the easiest pass is win championship, win your conference championship, right? Or have a hard high RPI. But you know, how are your girls preparing for that? That's one. I mean, do they look at also? I know everybody says they take one game, but you also there's a few rivalry teams in there, you know, you gotta beat. And, you know, is that coach focused on that? And and and how you stack up and measure. I mean, how are they looking at that? Because I think I look at that from a lot, saying, okay, we gotta beat X, Y, and Z this year, and we gotta continue to raise that trophy we can't at the end of year.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

I'll go first. I can speak on on what I think, how I think she's addressing that. She's not even thinking about that. Right now she's focused on how am I gonna play. I want to be yeah, yeah. So it's like it's like it's is you said you have you have micro goals to get to that macro goal. That that championship and all that is when you're actually in rotation, a piece that's being utilized, which is all it is all they want. You know, once you get that and you have you're having some success doing that, now you can think about okay, now we gotta, you know, I mean that's that's how I think she'll approach it. Her focus right now is yeah, I want us to be competitive, I want us to be in the mix, and I want us to do this, but I also want to make sure that I am getting an opportunity and I am putting myself in position to be ready if I'm if I'm called upon. So I think I think that the the whole what are we gonna do uh as far as you know the conference goes and how are we gonna be successful in the conference, I let the coaches handle that. I'll focus on giving the coach my best self. You know. Good point, good point, good point, good point.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

No, I mean, I mean, you know, they met with uh Zoe, you know, and just said wanted her to take a leadership role, you know, and and you know, obviously she's transitioned from Tennessee to Georgia Tech. And so you know, build on what she did. She had a good, good freshman campaign, reads her freshman campaign there. Um, you know, made an all-rookie team uh with some you know, a lot of other top kids. And so hopefully, you know, bring that over, and that translates over here. That that's their expectation. That was their expectation when they brought her in, is that hey, we need you playing at a high level for us to be what we need to be. And so they're predicted sixth um, you know, in the conference stack with Stanford, um, Louisville, Pitt, um, SMU, North Carolina, and then them. Um, and all of them got a lot of returners, and so got a lot of new faces, they're young. Um but you know, it's one of those things like hey, you you you're a piece, and you do your part as a piece, you know, to help um elevate those around you. But everyone has to play their part, but do your part, and so, you know, as a middle, hey, you know, transition and always be up and be ready, you know, block controllers, right? So, you know, they've done a lot of things as a team. They just recently went to Florida um for a retreat where they went on a Saturday and just got back yesterday on Tuesday. So a lot of team building stuff, um, you know, with a lot of the staff and um ancillary staff as well. And um, and from the the videos and pictures I saw, it's like they're having a great time and a lot of you know, um, a lot of different activities that they had to do that require you working together. So I thought that was a really, really cool thing. And so, you know, she's excited to play. Um, that's that's her thing. All has ever been, I just want to play and every and that'll work everything else out. And so it's kind of like when that's taken from her is when you know things kind of go otherwise, especially when people they use stats. Now when you use stats and you tell it, you know, tell kids that we're using stats to to base this off of that, and then they have those stats, then they got they're scratching their heads. Um, and I think a lot of that kids, you know, they come from club and then they go to the next level. They're expecting you as an adult to be transparent and and them the same. It's like, hey, what you tell me is what I believe. And then when you show them otherwise, is when they they start to like, hey, it gets a little fuzzy. But yeah, I mean, she just she just, I mean, I know it's cliche, but it is one game at a time. You know, it starts off, um, you know, they they have the golden white scrimmage Friday, and then following on the 22nd, they they they see Auburn, so they'll they'll be facing someone else. Uh, then they got a tournament in Iowa where they play UNI, Iowa State, and I believe Loola. So just one game at a time and try and build on that, man, and then um improve as a team and work collectively together, you know, and see what you have these scrimmages to figure out what you need to work on, what you're kind of good at now, and right what they're seeing in practice and those type of things, and um you know, building one another up. You I think personally, man, a team that flies that when you fly under the radar, um, you know, the the you got you're putting pressure on yourself, but when you're flying under the radar, no one's predicting you that to be top, but they've been a perennial NCAA team, so you know that's the expectation. But if they can get you know win some games in there, they they I think the best they've ever done was in the uh Elite Eight. So you know, we'll see. They got great coaches been there for a while. So yeah, man.

SPEAKER_03 41:31

I don't know like with the thing, you know, not even talking about NIL, but we know the transfer portal and all that. Um, you know, people can put the Greek team together and and and run with them. We saw that last year a little bit too, and we'll see that every year as well.

SPEAKER_01 41:46

I mean, I can name several teams that have um kind of turned their situation around just like that with the use of the portal. Um and I mean it's you know, a few years back, I mean, SMU did it when they had like nine super seniors come in post-COVID. And then they've been building on that ever since. They picked up those girls that played at TAV that was at USC. Um, and this year they picked up you know, Suey Davis from uh SMU, I mean from BYU to SMU. Right, right, right. Gabby Plus, who was in the SEC. She came over from Ole Miss. Then uh Libero came over from South Carolina. So they're building, and I mean, that's that's the thing at the collegiate level. It's just like club. Like the more the more talent you have on the team, um, because we always talk about development, right? And you do have to develop your your players, but if you you know it's a hell of a lot easier when you already got high-level talent.

SPEAKER_03 42:46

So it comes down.

SPEAKER_00 42:49

It's developing from the ground and the development where you're already kind of midway.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

Yeah, it is from that perspective. And so what you what you hope for in those situations is some of those get kids get tired of watching. Um, you know, because at some point, you know, they're competitive. You know, you only put seven at a time because you with the middles rotating out. So, you know, it just depends. Um, you know, if unless someone's having a bad match or something like that, subbing it depends on the coach. So, yeah, I mean, it I mean, the portal, I mean, Arizona State built their team, you know.

SPEAKER_03 43:25

Arizona Safety built their team uh last year who ran uh well, they had a pretty good run last year was uh uh um and it it I don't know why flip flips of mine will come to me a team that was like the uh underdog that went pretty far last year. Uh but we see that in and all. And by the way, I told y'all Dane was the uh volleyball uh uh guru around here, right? Move to work as well, you know.com. Don't forget to email your questions to us if you. be on our show, like our guest host here, Mr. Bello, uh, tells about uh through that as well. Hey, I want to do step into your recruiting process too, because I know a lot of people are, you know, went through June 15th or got sophomores coming up. They're going to be juniors, they're gonna hit that same thing. But you know, we've here, you know, we went through the recruiting process and you know a couple years back and we know it's always changing, but some things do remain the same about the year as well. It's taxing on that June 15th night we've just been bothered with stuff. And then there are kids like yours who are, I'm sure day one just had a plethora of opportunities and offers. There's still some kids already looking and we know that too. We understand that process as well. And something that's going to choose to wait as well. And we uh we've seen that process work out very well for them too. So tell us a little insight your mind into your recruitment process because you've had to do it you know a couple of times here.

SPEAKER_00 44:53

Yeah it was uh totally different for both um one obviously being more highly recruited than the other um I think going in in in the club did a really good job of preparing us for uh Shade's situation because we we knew early on that it was going to be different because of the interest the interest was a lot more um there were a lot more emails to to kind of fill through and there was a lot more um I I don't want to say we didn't want to weed on anyone early because you never really know you know but uh they did uh they did advise us that it's probably best in order to make the June 15th opening a little less chaotic and so it felt very weird to me because I did we did not reply to anyone saying not interested until June 15th or you know so this was it was very it was a different you know I was like we making the right decision here but as soon as June 15th hit I was like I'm glad we did because it was a it was it was pretty busy and I was actually out of town so I was I was joining some of these calls remotely and I was just like we got another one we got another one we got another one but the one thing I will say though is you we were much better prepared because we had done it before you know and so I think I mean her goal was to have it done before high school season starts and and we so that was that was the focus. So and and everybody we spoke to was very they didn't quite give a timeline but you could tell based on how the conversation went that they didn't want you to sit on it for too long. And so we already knew we're like you know we'll we'll fill as many calls as we can within like the first week so that we can make a decision by that following week. And so that's how we kind of that's how we kind of went through it. I mean it was it was like 13 offers that we had to go through like day one.

SPEAKER_03 46:54

Did you look at it from a perspective of I mean I don't know in your recruitment process and I know we're talking about Saday more than and uh older uh Zora shout out to Zora too that's my one of my faves you know obviously um but did you look at did you are these schools you have I know you made by conversation with them so I'm sure maybe a couple you were surprised by not I'm you know were you surprised by any and then two did you visit any schools or had you have a chance to see what their campus was like or any other things what kind of help you make those or make her make the decision I'm I'm assuming that I know she probably made the decision but right what were some of the things you used to filter down that 13 as you say down to hey I'm going to Kansas yeah so uh a lot of what we were doing was looking at who's who's showing interest and showing interest consistently over a period so um we had and so you kind of narrow down your focus to those to that group.

SPEAKER_00 47:57

Barry White I need you to speak up a little bit you know we on we I know we're on live camera I know you love that soft tone uh uh um magic ball two boys but uh volume give us oh sorry sorry sorry okay okay yeah yeah so we we we essentially focused on the schools that were kind of consistent is what it was so because I feel like you want to go in where they really want you versus where they're just kind of considering you and the one way you can show that you really want me is is how engaged are you leading up to that time you know are are you are you communicating with with our my director and am I seeing are we are we communicating through the director and and is it consistent you know and so we made camp choices based on that because you can't go to every camp I can't afford to so I'm like okay let's pick three out of the top however many schools pick the top three that you would like to go to and so that's how we made that decision on camps and you know you get a feel for the coaches at camp and so that's kind of how we did that. I did the same thing with Zora you know I think she went to two camps or maybe three you know and we did this 15 year before you know because you know a lot of times there's all this come to camp after June 15th and I was like no I already went to camp so if you really pay this camp fee for that right right right so so we try to do that ahead of time that way we're not trying to use we're not trying to go to a whole bunch of camps come like June 15th or right up until June because there was a lot of them back to back to back before June 15th. Yeah oh yeah it just takes oh yeah so it just takes and and this this is not something we came up with this is something that just talking to people that have been through the process before we did I did a lot of that I would talk to other parents who've been through the process I'm like what do you think and yes we did have schools that were like well we didn't know you were looking and we have schools that were emailing us like the year before like well we calling you on June 15th come next year and they disappeared. So that that happens you know so they their situation changes what what it is they're looking for changes. So you can't really get dead set on anything you got to stay open all the way through until you're literally on the phone talking about okay you know because until that happens it's all it's all talk. It ain't nothing real until you get a call you know so my advice to do would just be stay in communication you know keep an open mind. Some kids be dead set on the school I'm like that can be kind of a tricky a slippery slope you know especially if you want to go there to play volleyball if you just want to go to a school because that's your dream school fine that's perfect. Just be ready that you might not go play volleyball you know but if you're really dead set on playing you got to keep your options kind of more open you know maybe have a select five as opposed to just no I'm going here.

SPEAKER_03 50:55

It's like nah that school might not be looking for you volleyball wise so did you have a look at you know roster composition type of players where other girls come from yeah yeah and I only say that I want to make sure parents are looking at it more than hey wait sit by the phone you gotta do some of your homework too absolutely absolutely so you have to look at obviously what it is they recruit you know at this position are they looking at people that my makeup first of all and my skill set you know um and then also look at I mean those are those are two big things look what that roster looks like if you don't fit that mold chances are if you're not some kind of shiny toy they're not coming for you you know uh it's one of that just so those we did that too we did that too that's also part of the process just looking to see this is a school that I'm really interested in let me see what they look like let me see how they recruit because it'll tell you you know that's good that's good as well it's very good as well so that's what we look at I mean parents you know we get emails all the time about you know recruiting process and you know I got one even recently about you know you know they're talking about not that that situation here that you know whether or not the school you know first year they got paid next three years they know all the kind of dynamics around it really depends on the position a lot of times um as people know certain positions are going to you know get off the table first middle pins et cetera we know setters and then you get you know regular barrels and you get into some of the DS's you know you're paying I mean you're playing because you love it sometimes more so or at least so you start like that and then you grow into it. But if you write kids are passionate about what to do and love what they do you know they'll find a way to earn their way through the court and like you said that's the beauty of NIL too and some of these larger programs that have it as well um going looking at the recruiting process looking through both your girls what is it that you know I want to say what would you do differently if anything you would do differently what would have been if it's something that you said I would have done differently if I had a chance and maybe not at all but is anything that comes to mind that you would say I would do something different if I had the chance to do it all the way I don't think so I don't think so and and part of it is just you know if I'm being completely honest we've we've been we've been blessed you know in that we've been very open minded from day one we've been very very much about you know you guys if you want to play you got to be looking at places where you can play at and keeping your options open.

SPEAKER_00 53:46

And so there really wasn't any disappointment you know because the way we moved was we moved according to who was looking for us versus I'm just I just want to go here. So it's and it that's why you couldn't you can't really fall in love with anybody too quickly because it's like you gotta have a group like I'm loving this five I'm gonna see where things move and so that's how that's kind of that's kind of how we moved so honestly they both ended up where I feel like I love both coaches uh and so I and I think I think both coaches just showed a a lot of like just interest and a lot of you could tell they really wanted both kids and so that's why I feel like I wouldn't change anything in fact you know given thinking about Zora's situation right before the rice offer she got an offer from Howard and he was offering five years back then because he's like I really wasn't looking for a setter but I didn't want to pass up on you. And so that was really where we were looking and then Rice came along and it's just like can't pass that up you know as much as I was loving this Howard situation and I was already kind of mentally going there. Yeah and then here comes Rice it's like you can't pass up a rice education now.

SPEAKER_01 55:08

Right.

SPEAKER_00 55:09

And that's when she started thinking that's how quickly that love shifts. It's like whoa we had this but then this came along well it's like you know but I think because the reason it's easy to make that shift is because Rice was in that group that she was already kind of you know thinking about so it's not like it's somebody that came out of left field that you had no interest in this was already somebody in there it's like okay okay well there we go.

SPEAKER_03 55:33

So yeah so I think if you keep it open keep a good selection of them in there based on you know your interactions with them and and and how engaged they are with you I think it makes the decision a little a little easier it's never easy you know but it makes it it may it definitely makes it easier at least for in my experience that's that's been what I think helped us to where we left the whole situation just thinking oh I'm glad this over this is over versus did we make the right decision I don't know no we were both in both situations just excited for it to be over and excited at where they were going to play yeah we were um um kind of excited about our I mean it's interesting because I also wanted to see what your relationship is with the coaches and head coaches both of you as well because you know that's always interesting dynamic because we try to step away at least I think as parents we try to step away and let the kids make decisions and stuff but you want to make sure that whoever you're leaving your child with is still going to take care of them to a certain degree because they're still your baby 17 18 year old going into college and it's a new environment for them is a whole lot of just other things they got to deal with right and then one being being independent and making decisions on their own like you told them but I always felt like well at least my experience has been as well and and I think Damien you'll say this too that the girls when they made the decision you felt it like that's really where they wanted to go and where they wanted to be because it it just felt right right it was one of the at least we had you know it just I was surprised at the time because what we were looking at but they were just in love with it. They were like oh yeah this is what I want to do this is where I want to be and that is also the relief of like you should yeah good that's that's where you want to be and I think that for all these young ladies playing volleyball and we've seen them in all different levels uh and different um level athletism they find a place eventually they really do find a place as a you know a few people on I know wait till last minute and it seems like for them but then they found a place to be and and that's another thing I want to focus on but that last and that interaction with that coach I don't know how much interaction I have with head coaches and stuff like that. Like I have none with mostly I give them the kids I'm like it's on you but it's least to comfort me to know that this is a person that speaks to what they see and envision your kid to be and where they expect him to go. And particularly I'll say a bit about my college academically he was very focused on her success academically and that's you know something that I'm proud of I mean he basically broke down like look if you do everything right and I need you to do you'll leave here with your master's degree if you get this done right. And you know even outside volleyball right he said you know those are things that you know you take advantage of and looking at same scope we are you know Damon says he'll I told me can't use that reference no more because my oldest daughter was at Mouse Square Garden they wore tennis shoes all uh every day yeah you know I was just thinking while you were talking I was thinking about something when you said what would you change uh I don't know that I would change anything but one thing I will say for people out there is you know um you kind of want to pay attention to the head coach's interest versus an assistant coach and so you can't fall in love with an assistant coach showing you interest until the head coach is showing you some interest because ultimately that's who makes a decision.

SPEAKER_00 59:35

For us it was like okay you know and then and then not to say that head coaches don't also move because they do but I find that assistance does more turnover there.

SPEAKER_01 59:47

So um or they're going to another good job too they're looking for exactly exactly but I feel like if if if we're betting on who's more likely to leave first I would probably think assistance so I'm like you don't want to get carried away by you want to make sure that the head coach wants you there you know and is is is the one showing interest because they do they will and they'll make it known you know that's a good point and I'm glad you thought of that too because at the end of the day until the head coach calls you until the head coach reaches out to you head coach emails you back you know they can go through recruiting coordinator all day and and then Cisco but you're right that head coach is not picking up the phone want to talk to you yeah it's a difference and and that's why our level engagement was direct with the head coach it was uh you know even the assistant coach would say hey you need to go talk to the head coach because at the end of the day he's gonna make the call on this and like yeah you're right and and that that was the difference and stuff like that so yeah as well um and then the final tidbits man we know we had you on here and talking a little bit about volleyball all over from high school now and then and your daughters I'm sure is going to be and let me guess she in that bike magazine with well unfortunately she wasn't uh because she was well there's this is a good excuse she was at the uh USA volleyball trade oh yeah well of course of course of course of course it's always a good excuse the propagand and all that stuff I don't know that that was an option they probably could have done that you know now that I think about it they could have done that but uh yeah no so that's why she missed that yeah no problem at all yeah well no we look at these man we're gonna watch high school we're gonna watch a little college I don't know about you but I know I'll see I'll see Dame Dame be at the games I don't know about you smurge you know I'm gonna come some high school I trust that Dame will be doing his research at Intel as well games in Atlanta more do you think oh that is true that is true I'm gonna run it to Atlanta more than I'm gonna run into him here it's it's one of those things that uh like I mean she's doing your kid I mean like she lost she wasn't a college town kid so you know that's why she picked LA in the first place and then you know she had a slight detour and then now she's in Atlanta because it's near Houston and so and again you know the a Georgia Tech education you know kid yeah yeah yeah 40 year decision so yeah let me tell you something my daughter this young one love her some HBCU I don't know she was here about two weeks or two days at the summer she's like yeah I'm gonna go back home my mom hit the roof like that ain't home you know that's awesome though that's what you want that's what you want man but uh they're having a good time and what we want to see you know but I'm about to switch a little bit to some just talk about D1 basketball and I want to get your opinion on this well at least then we just want to just talk about volleyball that's a basketball volleyball period yeah Nebraska's rank number one again yeah they always will they didn't lose anybody what did y'all think about that all right they didn't lose that and plus you know I mean it's it's it's one of those deals how do you rank them other than first yeah I mean talent wise talent wise I mean they're they're they're going based off of like what they have on the court like what's available and yeah I don't I don't see why they wouldn't be yeah I mean you you got disagree I was just curious how they rank number one once again so it's a it's a it's a coach it's a preseason poll but again based off of what they did last season they only lost one game lost in the tournament and so um you know I mean they're they're they're they're juggling out so it is what it is that's what I'm saying like like the opposing team can have three high level players that could play there they got they got a whole nother six that could go somewhere else it's um I mean like I said you and and either you just love it and they got to because I mean you know so yeah man I mean until otherwise like I said it anybody on any given night and the the the probability of like we know the law of averages the longer you go undefeated the probability of you having a loss you know later on down the road yeah like they may have played AM last year 10 times it may have won nine out of those 10 but that won. But if you leave in that game and they didn't play their best it still went to five you know it still went to five you know AM had nine seniors. You know my my thing is what I wrote about these polls are like when you have teams that do lose a lot and I guess they replenish some in the in the portal but they still highly rank and you got that uncertainty. And that's why I say it's it's it's not consistent. You know where will someone will lose like you know for instance SMU setter situation. I mean the the the freshman that they have she's good I remember her from Drive Nation so she you know I don't she'll probably do fine and they had a transfer come in from Kansas because the young lady from USC went to Kansas. So I mean all these places they play musical kids and all that other kind of stuff and you know yeah I mean and and so it's like what what they pick up you know you got teams that lost eight players in the portal and still rank. So you just it's it's all subjective right I the the bottom half anyway the top half You know, when you got you know Pitt bringing back what they're bringing back, and then they add Izzy Stark, who won a national championship or freshman year at Penn State, she's she's gonna make them better. You know, you can't it just is her volleyball IQ is that that high. So I mean you got to say I I mean I studied, I watch it. I find myself watching volleyball more than other sports. I do too. You know, obviously, because of you know, you want to know what's going on, who's doing what, and so forth.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:26

So we had this stage where we we kind of know the kids now playing college because of where we've been, and now we just see them now come back. Hey, big news, McKenzie going back to Texas and playing, also and running track. Shout out to my girl McKenzie as well. Um, another shower creek shark, by the way, happened this mention.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:47

Yeah, man. I mean, it's it it is um it's an exciting time. Like I said, kick they kicked off last week, and then they got these big kick things will be coming up in the next week or so. Um, it's gonna be interesting, you know. Excited for me. It's gonna be exciting times for us.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:05

Y'all thought of success, yeah, yeah. That whole class, you know, that helped.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:09

Everybody, which you know, everybody kind of like in a new place starting off and and doing some new things. So I think it'll be fun, but you're right. It's all about this trying to, you know, we prefer Vladar say, hey, at the end of the day, try to, you know, work your way on the court, you know, and you know, remember now. I want you to say, like Dane, like you said, don't think this is your freshman, you can't push other people to to to be better. But true, you know, we also try to just manage it, you know, it's a new environment for them, but we want them to be well. And you know, I look at the um centering in Kentucky went to uh Skyline, you know, beginning. We just thought she might be a service specialist, etc. That started off as one.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:49

She started off as one. She did start off as one in change real quick, right?

SPEAKER_03 1:07:54

Yeah, so you just never know. It's a long season, injuries sometimes playing stuff. We hate to see that and stuff like that, but we see it in every level of sports, right? So always be ready, always be ready.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:08

Show up to practice. If you get through these two a days and you you're competing, you know, because again, your teammates are going through the same thing you're going through. So that whole I I'm tired, so are they, you know what I mean? So it's all like that. So this is what what's gonna separate you know good from great, uh, or those who want it and who don't want it. Like you can always find justifiable excuses, and in humans, we have the propensity to do that all the time.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:38

But never mind. Yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:41

No, no, no. But separate yourself. When you what happens is you know, you think about all the times and you miss going places and doing stuff that you want to do, like Fimmy said earlier, you know, about certain vacations and stuff like that, and you'll find a way to squeeze some stuff in. But you did all that to get to this point, get to this point.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:01

So now ain't time to rest.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:03

I mean, you might you'll throw some stuff out there and and they'll they'll vent to you a little bit, but then you say, All right, now, hey, yeah, you know, what are we gonna do? Exactly. Yeah, and you know, and and that's what it really boils down to. And then that adrenaline from actually getting in there and then playing someone else. And so you want to have like-minded people around you, so that's why it's good that these teams you you want to have, you want to be, you want to have these coaches that are that are builders, right? That that that bring people together and create the coach, because they're all collectively creating a culture, and that's what you want. And it's it's it's like, look, man, I've I played for a coach that I mean, it was just so obvious how how he made differences and stuff like that, and how it made other people feel. And when you're thinking about 19 and 18, 19, and 20 year olds that are very impressionable, you know, that can go either way, you know, depending on how strong their their foundation was and so forth. And at the end of the day, they'll they'll truly do you know what's best for them. So man, these are exciting times. It goes by fast. I mean, look, I mean, technically, you know, a lot of these girls you're talking about, they're already juniors.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:15

I know they are literally juniors and stuff like that. So we're seeing a lot of people do places and as well. So it's gonna be good, it's gonna be fun and gonna be a good experience. So we're gonna watch a live viol this season, um, at all levels, etc. And so you parents out there, uh, once again, you know, appreciate y'all always tuning in with us and following us as well. We promise we'll be better. We're gonna get back on a rhythm now to have our podcast to you at least weekly and stuff. So we're gonna make that commitment. Uh, we just had to take a hiatus over the summer, just a lot going on. Uh you're right, blame it more on me with the graduate and and and going to summer school and all that. So uh I would just run around a lot, but we're back, and we're back with great dads like uh Mr. Bello here, who like I said, shout out to Sade at Kansas going to Kansas and shout out to Zora who's over at Rice as well. Uh good luck, Dane. Uh, tell Zoe the same at Georgia Tech, and y'all watch out for them rattlers, boy, because they come at with my little money.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:18

But anyway, um you know it interesting, I was thinking like last year when Rice was in the tournament playing Florida, man, um they were making moves until Arissa went down in the middle. Um, so and that's the thing, like how how players you know make a difference. And I mean, if if everybody can lock in, like I said, I tell my dog the time, those girls put they well, she don't care about the the people on the other side of the net anyway, but she tells them all the time, like those people put their leg their pants on one leg at a time just like we do, you know. So it's just like you know, put in the work. So it's it's like no reason to be scared. Um, you know, it's volleyball. You've been playing for however many years.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:03

So it's gonna be, you know, it's gonna be what it's gonna be. You know, and I you know, and they're good players on the side of that too. I tell them I say, hey, you know, you know, they you know, they they come to shine as much as we do. We just come and play, we see what happens as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:18

So often people psych themselves out before they even play. Um I can promise you that you can take a many of kids and you can plug and play, and the the record will still be the same. You know, you take a piece out, put a piece there, and so forth. Like there will be no drop off. Um, just from knowing the sport and watching the sport, it should be it's just these people have stockpile talent. And and so that that that's the biggest difference in a lot of these places. They stockpile, but then you got to keep them all happy. I mean, a few years back, I mean, like like a lot of the Texas kids, you know, they went to different places. The one girls at Florida, Jordan Bird doing well. Um, singletary is out of UCLA. So, I mean, man, it happens, man. I mean, you know, it some of the kids are you know, if if if if they don't want to wait too long or or other diff other reasons whatsoever, then you know they'll they'll find another home for themselves. But I'm excited for it, man. It gets me pumped, man.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:19

It's gonna be a good year, and we appreciate it. Y'all tune in to volleyball dads podcast at gmail.com. Catch us on X at V Ball Dads. We're gonna drop this and uh here next week. And you too. Y'all be watching us in volleyball. We'll be talking a little bit about, we're gonna get talk a little bit about NIL because I know a lot of parents ask about NIL and transfer portal. We'll have a little conversation about that too. Enjoy your high school season. Good things. And once again, appreciate y'all always signing on and tuning in. And you have a complaint or comment, send to Dane. Just about guests.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:01

With that, we out uh appreciate y'all.