EP 52- Jenny Hooker: Club Volleyball, Unfiltered

We sit down with Omni Volleyball Club director Jenny to break down how club volleyball really works, from tryouts and travel to the behind-the-scenes reality of recruiting. We also get blunt about sports parenting, athlete identity, and why the healthiest path is often less control and more trust. 
• club volleyball vs school volleyball and why club drives college recruiting 
• the real cost of travel sports and how new clubs dilute talent pools 
• what sets a strong club culture apart, including “bigger than volleyball” values 
• Jenny’s path from athlete to college coach to club director and founder 
• how parents can support without coaching from the sidelines 
• the post-game car ride and why keeping joy matters 
• why “let go” is the most effective parenting advice 
• scholarship chasing vs investing in life lessons 
• what college coaches actually watch, including parent behavior 
• social media pressure, comparison traps, and focusing on the process 
• building a facility, scaling teams, and growing through COVID 
• pro volleyball leagues, club buyouts, and what the future could look like 

Transcript

Welcome And The Walk-Up Song

SPEAKER_04 0:19

I hope you're ready.

SPEAKER_02 0:20

I'm always ready. Even when I'm not ready, I'll be ready.

SPEAKER_04 0:23

Hello, Kaylee.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Hi, Dan.

SPEAKER_04 0:25

How are you today?

SPEAKER_02 0:26

I am very well. Yeah. Excellent. How are you?

SPEAKER_04 0:30

I'm great. Yeah? Great. Yeah. Not a lot to catch up on. I mean, I know it like it's a little bit more. 24 hours. Yeah. A lot can happen in a day. We're pretty back to back. We've got a kind of an out-of-the-box type of guest today. I think she's going to be awesome.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

I'm really excited. We haven't had anybody like her before.

SPEAKER_04 0:49

Yeah. So I've gotten to know Jenny through the club volleyball world. I know club volleyball comes up quite a bit on the on the show. Yeah. We never really go that in depth.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

People have questions.

SPEAKER_04 0:59

Yeah. And uh and and and you know, full disclosure, she's been great to to my family and my daughter and us. We're so appreciative of her. And so when I asked her if she wanted to come on and talk, she said I'd never done this before. And I think she was more nervous than she should be. So we're gonna just like rip this band-aid off and uh and play her in.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

Oh, we'll see. We'll see. There it is.

unknown 1:29

Come on, over baby. Come on, over here.

SPEAKER_02 1:34

Little 2000s throwback.

SPEAKER_04 1:36

Yes. So uh when we when I when I reached out to Jenny and said, wait, we need a walk-up song. She's like, I don't have a walk-up song. I was like, of course you don't. You're not a baseball player or a boxer. But uh, but I said, you know, a song that a song that you use to motivate yourself. So Jenny, talk to us about Christina Aguilera. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Hello. Um, that was my song that I played before every single match that I played. It just like put me in a good mood and made me happy. And um, that was just the song. I love it. That's what I played.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

That's what she played. All right. So did you have that song in your head when you're like playing it was volleyball, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:16

I assume that's what not really. It was just kind of my pregame, like, let's get mentally ready and let's go.

SPEAKER_04 2:22

And after that, it was laser focused, kill mode, just destroy.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

I'm a pretty um intense competitor. Yeah. So I just needed to get into like a fun, good mood and then go into my intensity.

SPEAKER_02 2:37

I love that. I love that. I feel like uh we're all athletes in this world room, especially, but it's a lot harder when you go into it with that like pressure of intensity rather than just I'm gonna be in a good neutral zone, like a happy place, and then you can dive into it and like kill attack. I don't know. It's a much better way to approach it, especially when you're younger. Yeah, I was trying to get pissed.

SPEAKER_04 3:02

Of course. Back back in my man versus woman. Yeah, like if you if it was an athletic competition, it took me a long time to kind of even like differentiate this moving into like the business adult world. Like, if you didn't wear the same uniform as me, like I wanted to hate you and I wanted to kill you. Really? So, like going into business, like that was a whole thing. Like, I had to learn, like, you know, not all your competition is your enemies. And then I had one, I had one one uh my like one of my first sales managers, he told me the best piece. He goes, he goes, there's he goes, there are clients out there that you want your customers to have.

SPEAKER_02 3:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:35

And because they will, they will, they will suck your time dry, they will, they will just run you through the ringer, and at the end of it, it will, it will either not come to fruition or it will not be anywhere near worth it. And I thought that was great.

SPEAKER_02 3:47

I've heard something recently, and this is just a segue, but in our world and in our space, um, there's a phrase that says, like, it's not a crime to lose a customer. It's a crime to take a long time to lose a crump customer. So it's like we spend all this time holding on to things, trying to make stuff work when it in the end, we're just gonna part ways anyway. So up front is so much better, it saves time. So, question, Jenny. What is your official title?

SPEAKER_01 4:14

I am the director of Omni Volleyball Club.

SPEAKER_02 4:17

Okay. Yes. And for us simpletons who have no idea about volleyball, can you explain and elaborate on the difference between club volleyball and what everyone else might play?

SPEAKER_01 4:29

So, like high school and middle school. So it's the same thing as AAU basketball or travel soccer. Okay. It's the same thing. So we go from uh November right after high school to July with our national teams. Okay. And we traveled and we go to these national qualifiers trying to qualify

Club Volleyball Explained Simply

SPEAKER_01 4:49

for um like the national championships. Okay. And that's where all the kids get recruited nowadays, or at these qualifiers. And so if the kids have that dream to play in college, then club is the way to go.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 5:04

And in volleyball, there's not really like a predominant rec sector. So even to get kind of the rec experience, you kind of still have to go the club route and you can play for like a local team or what what do they call it? Yeah. Yeah, premiere team, something like that. So they don't travel nearly as far.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

But I assume you have to like have a certain level of skill to be able to get into the club, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Well, I mean, yes and no. Okay. I mean, that's what Premier is for, is more of the regional teams and beginners, but we also offer programs that are for beginners. Oh, okay. So they can come in and learn the game. And we actually start them very young. We call them O minis. Oh. And um so we have like sixth graders there or six-year-olds to 12-year-olds, and that's them just learning the game. So we have different programs to grow the sport.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Okay, and you oversee all ages.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Yes. Wow. Yeah. But to be honest, we have an amazing leadership team, and there's four of us that founded Omni that kind of run the ship. And so it's not just me by myself, it's all of us because it takes a team.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Oh, I'm sure. Yeah. I'm sure. How many players are you guys overseeing in any given season?

SPEAKER_01 6:15

572. Oh my God. Boy, boy, boys and girls.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

That is an insane amount of like coordination and communication. Right. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

That's why we need a team.

SPEAKER_02 6:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:29

And then and then and then when you have like the parents like me, they're just outspoken and don't bite the team. Want to be involved. They want no. I just we want court time. We want consistency. We want we and like and Jenny and I have a lot of people. We have an opinion, yeah. Like we want, we like my daughter plays for a premier team, like one of the best teams. An LED team. Yeah, an Late National team. The second ranked team in the state of California this year. So that's insane. And that's and that's Jenny's club. Um, but it's like so now like the club season just ended, we had tryouts, and now we go into high school. And you know, so it's like this is like the gossip portion of volleyball season. The moms are going crazy and we're finding out all these players that have made moves. It is, it is. I mean, literally, I created a meme it was great. It's just popcorn.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

Why, just because like the tryouts happened and now you're moving into high school?

SPEAKER_04 7:18

Well, so yeah, I mean the teams, the teams for the clubs are formed.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 7:23

And then and then and then you take three months off. You know, so it's like that's wild. Cross your fingers, probably no one gets hurt. But I think what I was going at is like, so this year we've got a couple new clubs. So like we play in the in a league, air quotes, in northern California. So we go to the Bay Area basically north. Okay. Um, and so as more and more clubs pop up, you kind of dilute the talent pool. Um, because now you have they're spread out.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

Yeah, exactly.

Costs, New Clubs, Talent Dilution

SPEAKER_04 7:52

And you know, and the reasons for starting a new club or whatever vary. Um, some have great intentions, some want to make a bunch of money. So, you know, I mean, like there's a there's a cash component to you know, club volleyball. It's a fairly exclusive sport financially, I would say. Um the it's a it's a high cost to play. Um so what do you think, like what are your thoughts on on that, I guess? Sorry, it was a very indirect way of getting to a question, but you know, the the like all the new clubs and at the end of the day, when the goal for the goal for these elite teams is to play at the next level, are we creating a better competitive landscape?

SPEAKER_01 8:28

I think you nailed it when you said it dilutes it, and so you're not gonna have all the best players on one team, which makes it hard. Um, but it's reality, it happens everywhere. You look at Texas, you look at different states that are very competitive, and they have actually tryouts before a season ends.

SPEAKER_04 8:47

Yeah, and so that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

So, you know, they the talent there, yes, there's a lot of talent there, but it's all over what three clubs or four clubs. So I think it's just how it is, and how do you make your club better with the kids that you have in it? You know, and so I think at the end of the day, you just have to focus on yourself and and what you're doing and not what's around you. I think there's a lot of noise that you just have to tune out.

SPEAKER_04 9:11

Well, and I think and I think another component of it too is that like getting back to kind of the foundational beliefs of the clubs, like you know, the Dallas clubs to we'll just use them as an example. It's a major metro. There's 800 eight eight point five million people, I believe, in the metro Dallas area, compared to you know, Sacramento, we're drawing from about two million, two and a half million. So you just I mean you get strength and numbers, right? Um but it's but so it's it's it's hard because you you compete at the elite level and then you get to some of these things and you're like, you know, do we have a chance? Do we need to catch lightning in a bottle? Like, what needs to happen? But it's like, but I guess what I'm getting at is some of the as a as a former athlete, you always want to play for the name on the front. Right. Not so much, you know, the name on the back is your family, your legacy, whatever, but the name of the city.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

The reputation of the team, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:01

But club sports have kind of baseball does it, basketball, they all do it. Where these club sports, because it's the platform to get recruited, have become this individual-based, you know, where the where sometimes the the more times than not, unfortunately, the name on the back becomes more important than the name on the front.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

Right, right.

SPEAKER_04 10:19

So that's so that's that's I would say that's something that I love about Omni Omni's been great about promoting the name on the front.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

And were you guys kind of like the premier inaugural club that started in this area? No.

unknown 10:34

No.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

But would you say that you guys have kind of created that reputation of having more, you know, star athletes and getting more recruits that are sent to college? Like what separates you guys from the other clubs that are out there?

SPEAKER_01 10:46

I think that we provide a product that performs.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Um, and I think we focus on the complete package. Um, for us, we've always said like our motto it's bigger than volleyball. Like it's life lessons through volleyball. Um, and we we provide the athletes a

Building Culture Beyond The Court

SPEAKER_01 11:05

lot, you know. So it's not just technical training. We want to do the recruiting, we want to do the mental side of it, we want to do the physical side of it. Um, we've talked about nutrition. So I think what we're trying to do, and we've always done this from day one, is we just focused on us and not people around us because we want to be better, you know. And so um I think that our culture in our gym is really good where people feel cared about as people and not just athletes. So um a good friend, he always says, volleyball is what you do, it's not who you are. And so that like really hit hard because that's the culture that we want to create. And that's super important to me because these kids, they just think they're volleyball players. And I'm like, no, no, you're not. Like, who are you? What other hobbies do you have? What do you like to do for fun? Or just ask them, like, how are you today?

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Isn't it crazy how difficult it is to define who you are without using the label of what you do? Like, who are you outside of Well, it's it's just wild.

SPEAKER_04 12:06

Yeah, I mean, you know, I mean, I'm in my mid forties and growing up, like I've been grew up in a small town. Like as an as an athlete in a small town, the expectation was football, basketball, baseball, you play whatever season's in season, and that's your thing. And and this this this this specialization, it's it's a double-edged sword, right? It's the best thing in the world for development, and it's probably the worst thing in the world for identity. You know, like I mean, my poor daughter had a so since 11 years old, she's 16 now, so for the last six years, she's you know, played volleyball 10, 11 months out of the year. Like we are clamoring to find two weeks off where we could just tell her, shut it down. Yeah. You're not doing anything. You know, and so it is. It's really, really hard because for her, she spends most outside of school. She's spending more time playing volleyball than anything else. Yeah. You know, so it's kind of that constant that that battle, like I'm constantly checking in. She probably hates it.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

She's like, Well, how amazing to have a club that pours into that and realizes how important it is to build the identity of the youth that's outside of just like I'm an athlete. And it kind of it probably humbles them a little bit too to remind them that, like, hey, you might be good on the court, but who are you outside of the court? Because you're just like everyone else out there. Yeah. But okay, so I have a question about how you got to where you are.

unknown 13:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:34

So you've mentioned you used to play. Yes. How old were you when you started?

SPEAKER_01 13:38

I was 12 when I started playing volleyball. Wow. Yes. Did you play other sports? I did. Okay. So I grew up, I'm a coach's kid. My dad was a varsity basketball coach for the boys. I grew up in the gym. Um, basketball was my first sport. And then he coached softball.

Jenny’s Path From Player To Director

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Um, so he taught me how to pitch and all of that. Fun.

SPEAKER_04 13:57

Um that's a whole nother It always gives you an edge it always gives you an edge when you grow up with the boys, right? The softball pitcher is a whole lot of things.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

Oh, there is insane. But no, the funny side about this is that I started volleyball in middle school. It was my own thing. None of my family members played it. And then um I played for a small, I grew up in Sonoma, I played in a small club in my town. Um, but I kind of outgrew it. And there was a really good club 45 minutes away, and they were trying to get me over there. And then I my dad was like, No, you're not. You're not going over there. It's more expensive. It's 45 minutes away. Like, why would we do this?

SPEAKER_04 14:41

Our parents were so much better than us.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

But then, but then I got the coaches to come to our house and talk to my parents. Smart and just kind of tell them the benefits of it and all of that. And I want to play in college. And this was my sophomore year in high school now.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

And it was it was funny because I had to quit on my dad. He was my softball coach in high school. Yeah. And I had to quit on him to go play volleyball. And he was not happy. But at the end of the day, when I like walked off the plane with my first full right offer, he was like, I get it now. Yeah. I get it. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

So it was a cool thing. It only took a full right offer for him to be like, okay, this isn't happening.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

I mean, I don't want to throw him under the bus. He still gives me crap about it. Like, and I love that. Um, but and he took me to every single tournament. It wasn't that he didn't support me, but it was like, what are we doing? You know, like you're a three-sport athlete and now you're gonna quit on me. Yeah. You know, so it was it was cool. Um, it was a great experience. But then also I had an amazing club experience too that coaches were family. And so I think that's kind of what put that in my heart of when I started the club. Well, when I got into the club scene, um, it was just something that I wanted to provide.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Okay. So you played in college. I did. And then you got out of college. Yep. I was there like a gap before you got back into it and wanted to create this club and bring it to younger athletes or I coached college for five years. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

I um right after graduating college, I coached at Fordham University in the Bronx for a year. Um, great experience, but too far away. Yeah. So I kind of made my way west and uh landed at a D2 school in Colorado. Nice and coached there for four years. Um, met my husband, started a family, and then said, I'm being a really bad mom right now and a bad coach, and I need to pick one. Yeah. And my husband's like, you can stay at home. It's fine. Like, we can do this. And so I gave up college coaching to be a mom. I did that for a year, stay-at-home mom, and I was like, I can't stay at home.

SPEAKER_02 16:59

Honestly. I the fact that you even did it for a year. I'm like, I get it.

SPEAKER_04 17:04

Kayleigh has a one-year-old.

SPEAKER_01 17:05

So I'll credit to the stay-at-home moms because it was it's so the hardest.

SPEAKER_04 17:11

I love three months.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:12

Stay-at-home dad, Mr. Mom over here. You know, biology does not account for the other stuff we have to do. Like rearing children is a full-time job and it does take a village. So anybody who can stay at home with your kids the whole time, like, hats off to you. It is not, I'm not built for it. Yeah. It is so brutal. It's so hard.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

It was hard. The only adult conversations I was having was when my husband came home from work.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

And I was like, I love my children. I like they are, I honestly love being a mom.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

But I needed something else.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

Well, especially when you're a highly driven individual, you're used to being in these crazy environments with so much going on and you're passionate about it. Yeah. It is it's heartbreaking to walk away from something like that. And even if it's for your kids, which is like the most noble of causes.

SPEAKER_01 18:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Your heart is still like just yearning for this passion that you love so much.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

Right. So I got into the club world.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:11

And I brought my kids everywhere. I love that. So they grew up in the gym and it was amazing. Like I have pictures of them sleeping in the gym. I would set up camp and say, okay, here you go. And they were awesome. Like I wouldn't change that at all. You know? So that's how I got into the club world and just did that. And um, husband got a job in Utah, went to Utah, had a startover. We didn't know anyone there. Um, interviewed at some clubs. I had one hire me, and I just said, My kids are coming with me. So um I don't know if you guys accept that or not, but I need them in the gym. Yeah. So they were, they were awesome.

SPEAKER_04 18:52

And then um and the volleyball world has like this whole subculture of like gym kids. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Oh, I'm sure. We have we have I'm sure like every competitive sport has that, right?

SPEAKER_04 19:04

Like the coaches, kids, yeah, and the other kids of the parents. And those kids are so behaved, like they're not like kicking balls across the court. Like they know. Oh, I bet. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

We had we had five coaches, I think, pregnant at one time. I'm like, your kids, come on, yeah, bring them. Yeah, and so they know they can bring their kids in our gym, and it's uh it's amazing. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 19:25

Well, I think that the like the players interact with the players, love it. Like, I mean, my kid, my kid is a kid lover. So, like, yeah, actually the the the the coach that recruited her for Long Beach, like is is a coach who brings her baby, and he's she's got he's like Rourke's age. Yeah, and uh, and I mean it's at these tournaments, you literally watch 75 different coaches, collegiate, club, and parents handle this child.

SPEAKER_01 19:50

Yeah, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_04 19:51

That sounds like great for the kid, too. I mean, great social skills. I said I go, I go, the kid's gonna be, you know, by the time my daughter gets down to Long Beach, like the kid's gonna be there with his shirt off in front of the student section, like leading the cheers. I go, it's just it's bound to happen.

SPEAKER_02 20:05

That's incredible. Yeah, what a fun culture. And so, how long have you and Dan been working together? Or I don't know if it's called working together, but just yeah, well, two two seasons.

SPEAKER_04 20:15

Okay, two full seasons, so coming up on two years, I guess. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Yeah, we um my daughter left our old club to join to join Omni. Um she kind of saw a place that she thought she could fill a void um and add to the team. And also, like our big thing was was her personal development as well. Um we didn't really know a whole lot about it, but I mean they I think they beat us three times. We were one and three against them the year we thought we were pretty good. And uh so then so she said, I want to go try out over there.

SPEAKER_02 20:50

I love that.

SPEAKER_04 20:51

I want to go see, I want to go play for play for that coach. And uh so our coach coached at Sack State for a long time. She's like got a resume that's unbelievable, Hall of Fame. And uh so yeah, so that was kind of what what took us over. It certainly wasn't the 45-minute commute across across Hazel three days a week.

SPEAKER_02 21:09

So, where where are you where is your gym located?

SPEAKER_01 21:11

We're in Ranchild.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Yeah, right off Olson Boulevard.

SPEAKER_02 21:14

What advice would you give to parents who have kids that are interested in going this club route? Like, where should they start? How do they evaluate the kids? Like, give our listeners some advice who have these athletic children and they want to figure out how to get them on track to you know the collegiate level.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

I think it depends on their age, but I would definitely recommend just getting in our gym as much as you can.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

You know, so we have clinics, we have O Minis, we have um Fall Academy, we have a lot of different programs, but just getting in our gym so then we know who you are and we can get eyes on you. So um for us, evaluations are big. Um even before triouts, we do two weeks of evaluations because you can't evaluate a kid properly in in two hours. Right. And so just being in our gym, I think, is massive. Um, and knowing if you like volleyball or not, you know. So we do we do have programs that um all summer long we have camps and um even just intro for middle school or high school, just see. If you like the game.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

Wow. Yeah. This is so fascinating to me. I'm like, I know nothing about the volleyball world. And I but I do, you know, I'm athletic and I love sports, and I know my son is going to play sports, so I'm like, this is helping me figure life out for that.

SPEAKER_04 22:35

You've got this explosion of beach volleyball, men's volleyball. It's all it's I mean, I don't know. I look back and PE and as a young adult, like playing volleyball, like it's so fun. I can't believe it's not like already bigger. Yeah. You know, and I'm pretty biased now. I mean, I've spent a lot of money and a lot of time over the last six years. Right. Well, you're in it, so you get to see it. Yeah, and my you know, my I mean my volleyball was what brought me my wife as well. So I mean, I my sister played collegiately, so yeah, it's been a part of my life for a long time.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

But and does your son play sports? We've talked about this. He plays baseball. Okay. And volleyball? I don't know. I know you were just talking about how you were surprised I was taking off. You can start the generation here, Daniel. It's all it's on your shoulders.

SPEAKER_04 23:19

His current his current uh his current size would would would mean he would have to play a really, really hard position that I don't think he would want to do. Maybe a Libero. He'd have to be diving and having all the you know, all the big swings coming at him. I don't know. Okay. He plays catcher, so he he likes, he might. I don't know. Stuff getting thrown at him. He sees his sister and everything and all the attention, and he's like, I'm gonna do my own thing. I get that.

SPEAKER_02 23:48

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 23:49

I think that's important to be honest. Yeah. Having let like let the kids have their own identity. For sure. Get out on their own path. Like, I think that's massive.

SPEAKER_04 23:57

And I think, well, and and that's I'm glad you brought that up. Because like that's something I think like as we see, and you probably experience it a lot with just crazy parents, you know. Like Marina and I try to be so hands-off and let our daughter make all of our decisions, but at the same time, there's times when we have to step in and this is it's hard for me to imagine you two being hands-off because I imagine you guys are like the sideline parents that I can't wait to be.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Like, I'm gonna be so loud and opinionated and just like uh out there supporting, but also you know, they do it in the right way, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

You know, so I think being formal former athletes and knowing balancing acting for sure, knowing the landscape of it. I think just the conversations that I've had with you and with Marina, they do it in a very healthy way. You know, and so I think Kaylee knows the expectations, yeah. And I think she knows that it's it's on her. Yeah. Right. Where I know, like just with the conversations that we've had, that she's getting the right type of conversations at home.

SPEAKER_02 25:01

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Which is so important.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

I had this conversation with another um friend of mine who has all of her kids are now grown and out of high school, but a lot of them played competitive sports. And she we were just kind of reflecting on that experience for her. And she had mentioned that one of the teams brought in a big collegiate. I don't know what she did. She kind of worked with the athletes. She wasn't a coach though, um, but she was more on like the mental side of things, like kind of on the psychology

Sports Parenting And The Car Ride

SPEAKER_02 25:32

of things. And she brought to light how we affect our kids when we put them in this world and we're pushing them constantly. And then, you know, they leave a game and the whole way home, instead of making it fun and talking about what they enjoyed, we're you know, saying, hey, this is what you could do better, and this is what you did, and just like kind of breaking them down a little bit and taking the joy out.

SPEAKER_04 25:56

The car ride is like the the most important conversation.

SPEAKER_02 25:59

Yeah, it's the most important conversation. I didn't even think about that.

SPEAKER_04 26:03

Every professional athlete, like former professional athlete across the board, will tell you the only thing you need to talk about in the car ride home is where do you want to go for ice cream?

SPEAKER_02 26:10

Yeah, make it fun.

SPEAKER_04 26:14

I think I've shared on this podcast like I lost my shit in the car a couple times. Like I'm so out of line, you know. I have to like backtrack and apologize. Um, but it's really hard to do. And I think that like, and you know, the hardest part the hardest part for me about like the competitive sports scene is is is seeing some of the parents push so hard and their intentions are great. Right. Like it's not because they're ill-intended, it's because they they don't know any better. And that's like that's so hard to see. Because like for me as a as a parent, I'm a peer. Like it's an overstep for me to go, hey, chill out, you know, or like let your kid do their thing, and tell you to fuck off. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I know, right? Like, how who are you? As they should, right? I mean, so I don't know, like you your experience with that, it's I mean, all all own up.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

I was that parent with my daughter when she was young. And when she was 11, she set boundaries with me.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

Really? Yes. At 11. At 11. You've raised a very strong woman.

SPEAKER_01 27:15

I hope so. Um, yeah, at 11, she was like, Mom, I just want you to be mom.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

And I know that you're a coach and I know that you know what you're doing, but I need you, I need you just to be mom.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

And I'm like, I hear you. She's like, I don't want any feedback unless I ask. I'm like, okay, done. And she's 19 now, and throughout her whole career, that was our relationship. And it was amazing. And when she would ask, we would talk about it, we would have great conversations. But on after every game, it was I love you and I'm proud of you. And that was it, you know. And then when she would take me aside and like want a vent and get everything out, it was like, okay, cool.

SPEAKER_04 27:58

Because the game, the game, the game is hard enough.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

Yeah, and they already have coaches, you know, it's like they don't want parent to be coached too.

SPEAKER_01 28:04

But like he said, I think all these parents want the best for their kids. Right. And they see what they can get out of it, and so they want to help that, but I I don't know if they really know how, you know, and so I think that's the hard part.

SPEAKER_04 28:18

And frankly, like there's a financial tie, like um, you know, and I think the more of a strain that this, you know, sport can put on a family, the the more the parent needs to ring out of the towel, right? Like, and is that fair? No, is it right? No, does it happen? Way too often. Yeah, right. Like, so that's it, the that's it's really hard, right? I mean, we're scratching some significant checks to do this. Right. So the parents invested too. Why are we doing this? You know, hey, I mean, if you got the money and your kid wants to do it for fun and has no, you know, intention of playing beyond high school or whatever, they're just doing a be with the friend and their friends, and you could afford it, by all means. But I don't know if that's everybody. Yeah, that's a pretty unique situation.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

I think a lot of parents, it's an investment.

SPEAKER_04 29:12

It yeah, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:13

Because they they are hoping to get a scholarship out of it for college. And so it's like, let's invest now to get it for later. Um so I think maybe you win, maybe you don't. Yeah, but I think you know, but at the end of the day, it's it's never the kid is not trying, you know. And I think that's where sometimes parents, the emotions get the best of them, and that is the comment that they say like, I'm paying this amount. I mean, at least you can try. Yeah. And it's like, no, they are. It takes away the the fact that they are yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:48

So can you offer a little bit of advice for the parents out there who have the children that, you know, they have the talent, the parent knows that they can do it, but they just like keep wanting to push, and their the relationship is strained because the parent is showing up and pushing. Like, what advice what's the best thing you could advise a parent to do that's struggling with a kid in sports right now and how to best show up for them?

SPEAKER_01 30:12

Let go. It's their journey and it's not yours. You gotta let go. You know, and if they if they want it, they'll do it.

SPEAKER_04 30:22

God so simple, that's so profound. And but as a parent too, you have to be willing to you have to be you have to be willing to understand that your kid

Letting Go And Scholarship Myths

SPEAKER_04 30:31

might quit. Yeah. Right? Like, I mean that's and that's your biggest fear because like you said, it's investment. It's an investment. Well, is it or is it not? You have to consider what you're investing in. Like Marina and I believe that athletics taught us time management, how to do how to how to be a team player, how to how to compete, how to maybe get along with people you don't like. Right. Because they're on your team. Um if you're investing in those kind of things, a hundred percent. And then like and then kind of the windfall, you know, everything else happens from there on. Um if you're if you're doing it to get a scholarship, I think, I think it's a recipe for disaster.

SPEAKER_01 31:15

Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think that goes back to the life lessons that we're trying to teach, you know, and I think that's an amazing investment that we're doing. Um But yeah, I mean, if if your driving force is only a scholarship, that road is very hard. Yeah. You know, it's it's stressful, it's um, it's hard, you know, and we have athletes going through that process now, and it's not been great for them.

SPEAKER_04 31:42

Well, and especially especially in the in the social media world, right? Where everything's a fucking highlight reel. I know.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

Like, I mean That's the thing. Like the mentality, that the mental state of kids is so fragile these days because of everything they have access to. I'm like, I that's why I really love that you guys are taking a focus to that and helping them identify who they are. Because imagine the kid who's like, My only goal is to get a scholarship and go to college, and then they don't get that, and then they're like, Well, who the hell am I now? You know? Right.

SPEAKER_01 32:11

But I think even college athletes have that identity crisis when they're done playing.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

Yeah, you know, so it's if you don't go pro, now it's like, all right, you've gone even longer playing.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

They're like, that's all I know, you know. So I mean, I have conversations like that when we're in the recruiting process because I want them to show who they are to the college coaches, not like, oh, I'm only a volleyball player, these are my highlights. I'm like, no, we're gonna write an email of what you do outside of volleyball and show that, you know. So we had an artist and she was sending college coaches the progression of her art. And I was like, that's so cool. So cool.

SPEAKER_04 32:47

And what's wild is so like we were we were in where it was at Nationals, oh, and we were talking to a a very prestigious collegiate coach who one of our players is going to go play for. The big time program. And it was funny because he was basically telling a small group of us parents, he comes to tournaments, he goes, Look, if I'm watching your kid, your kid can play for me. He goes, after the first time I've seen him, he goes, I'm watching you guys. I'm watching how you interact with your kids, I'm watching how how you how you cheer them on, or how how you react when they when they make a mistake or or have an error or something like that. And it was like, oh my gosh, like like mind blown. You're like, oh, you could you can go out and play like shit. He's watching how how the player reacts after a bad game or a bad day. Um, you know, and in these things. And it's like, as a parent, for all the reasons that we've already discussed, you're so hung up on these things, and you're like, oh my god, like we had a terrible day, we're gonna lose our opportunity. And they're like, They don't care. Not if you not if you handled your not if you handled yourself, right? They're like, we've already seen like what what you can do. Yeah, they wouldn't be there if they wouldn't be here. And you know, I do I wanted to talk about this a little bit, obviously, because we just finished a 16-year-old season and 16 and 17s and club volleyball is is God, it's I I I couldn't even imagine being a kid going through that. Like when I look back at Kaylee's sophomore year in high school, going into her junior year, and the club and the recruiting and and everything that went into that, like, oh my god, it's so much. And like we were very fortunate. Like, she made a verbal commitment early. We get to kind of we kind of get to check in with them and play kind of carefree. Obviously, it it you know, it wasn't the finish line. It was definitely more of a starting line. Um got your foot in the door, but there's but there's so many kids that are still going through it, and like as a parent, like it is it is it is gut-wrenching to watch. We were so fortunate. Like my daughter committed to the city. I can only imagine. We were so fortunate. Like our ours was a one in a million chance. Yeah. Great fit. We've watched really good players go through just hell, trying to, you know, trying to trying to get picked up, trying to get seen, trying to figure it out, trying to find the right place.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

And there's so much pressure around it.

SPEAKER_04 35:13

And the rules have changed, so it's like this year was crazy. There were so many girls that had that committed early because now you can play for five years, and that affected so many other the financial pieces. Yeah, like the the what happened what goes on behind the curtain is is crazy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:33

My gosh. Jenny, what do you see being the biggest challenge for young people in sports today?

SPEAKER_01 35:42

I honestly I think it's social media. I think it's I want results right now, instead of um accepting and loving the process and not the result. Because social media, they get instant gratification, they get everything right now. And so I think

Recruiting Reality And Social Media Pressure

SPEAKER_01 36:01

that's the difference.

SPEAKER_04 36:02

Like factoring in like comparison with right.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

I think the noise of social media is so hard. So hard. But well, I mean, even when they post a picture, what are they looking at? How many likes do I have? Or all of that. So they get instant gratification. Who c who commented? Right. Right. And so who's watching me? Who's yeah, exactly. And so I think with sports, we want them to have the growth mindset and we want them to fail, and we want them to try new things, and that's a process. And they want the result right now. And so just being patient with that, I think, is the biggest challenge. But also with the social media is all of the noise in comparison. And oh, look at her, she just committed, or look at her highlights. And I have to tell her.

SPEAKER_04 36:43

Or that girl committed there. Oh my God, I'm so much better than her. I can't believe she got a comparison. You know, like the comparison thing is wild. Right.

SPEAKER_01 36:51

And so I think too, like just having that noise and being able to tune it out and accepting that your journey is going to be different than everyone else is massive. Like it's gonna be unique to you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 37:03

You know, we talk a lot about how to like how to use that as motivation too, right?

SPEAKER_02 37:07

Is there anything that you guys do to try to mitigate that exposure or that pressure, at least while they're like with you guys? Are there any ground rules or I think just having that conversation?

SPEAKER_01 37:18

Yeah, you know, so it's something that we talk about all the time. I do the recruiting for the club, and so when I'm having those meetings, we talk about that constantly. Um, even just like the highlights, you know, coaches don't want to see highlights. They know who you are, you know, and so they feel the pressure of, oh, I have to do this, I have to post this. And I'm like, no, you don't.

SPEAKER_00 37:37

You really don't.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Yeah, you know, or I have to be on this list. I have to be on, you know, I have to go to this camp. And I'm like, no, you don't. The college coaches don't care about that. You know, they're watching you, they're doing their evals, and like he said, they're watching how you react to things, they're watching if you're a good teammate. They're what they don't care if you win or lose. Yeah, they're watching you. They know physically what you can do. Yeah. Now they're watching all the other things. And going back to social media, they will go on your personal social media more than their your athletic one. Yeah, they want to know who you are. Exactly. They're gonna do their research, just like we tell the kids to do their research. So they are trying to figure out who you are and who you hang out with and all of that.

unknown 38:18

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 38:19

This is so deep.

SPEAKER_04 38:22

It goes, it goes so deep. Like, and and you know, I mean, you're you're 10, 15 years away from it. It's not one, it's not going anywhere. Two, it's not gonna get any easier.

SPEAKER_02 38:33

It's only gonna get worse. I mean, technology and the way that it's going, it's AI, and who I mean, Lord knows what else we're gonna be facing in 15 years when Rory gets going through this.

SPEAKER_04 38:44

It's wild. It is, it is truly wild. Um, okay, so I want to get back on track. So, can you talk to us a little bit about like the formation of Omni? You said you have three partners in the business, and um there's lifestyle and real estate components to this podcast. So we want to talk about like that. Let's talk about the facility, like identifying the place and and and building it out and going through that process.

Starting Omni And Building The Facility

SPEAKER_04 39:09

And like, what did you learn from that? And did you did you learn those things somewhere else and bring them with you?

SPEAKER_01 39:15

Or oh it's been loaded question.

SPEAKER_04 39:20

Just trying to get you throw Gabe under the bus.

SPEAKER_01 39:22

I was no, no, Gabe is honestly a worker, you know. We are very alike in that aspect. Um all right. So Gabe and I we competed against each other as coaches, and it was always a battle. I had a good team, he had a very good team, he won a national championship, um, but we would battle. But I loved coaching against him because I knew his games and he knew mine. So it was like a mini competition between the coaches while our teams were playing. And so um, I'm like I said, I'm from NorCal. I knew that we were gonna move back. And so I contacted him and said, Hey, I'm moving home. I want to be where you're at. And I respect you. And so I want to be where you're at. And so he connected me with Rick and John, the two other partners. And I met Rick at Nationals and had a talk with him. And at that time, they were under the umbrella of another club. And it was kind of just a two-year thing. And so I came in in year two and we all sat down and said, we need to do our own thing. Like, let's do it. So when we made that choice, we um started looking at facilities. We were at Mayher, um, that gym there for a year, and we just knew it wasn't big enough. And so our first year, when we're at our location now, we actually used that one too for more court space because we only had two courts. Um, so our first year we had nine teams, then we jumped to 20 our second year, 30 our third year. Wow, 40 our fourth year with boys and girls. And so we um yeah, so in the space that we're in now, we in the suite uh 160 with the basketball courts, um, that was the original space that we wanted. And there was another basketball group in there. And the broker told us, hey, we're trying to get them out and you can have that space. And then I got the phone call of, oh, they just came up with a full year's rent up front, we're gonna take that offer. And I'm like, oh you're right to a shared space. So now we partnered with um touch shooting and got that front space with two courts, and then he had his basketball court. And when we were renovating it, the suite in the back that we have um was sitting empty. And we're like, can we just use half of that space while we renovate? And the ownership said yes, and so we used it and then it just sat empty, sat empty, and we made an offer on that space and they took it. So then we had the front space and the back space, and we had a total of um seven courts. And after a couple of years, the basketball group kind of fell through and we had rights to first offer for that one, and so we picked it up when we could. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 42:18

So you have the whole place now.

SPEAKER_01 42:20

So yeah, so we have three suites, but we actually just moved out of the touch shooting space. Okay. Um, and now we're just in the two other suites.

SPEAKER_02 42:28

So how many courts total?

SPEAKER_01 42:30

We have nine.

unknown 42:31

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 42:31

That's a lot. Yeah. And how many teams?

SPEAKER_01 42:34

Uh last year we had 43.

unknown 42:36

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 42:37

That's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

No, 45. Yeah. We had 33 girls and 12 boys. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:46

The growing pains. Yes. And how long have you so how long have you guys been established as Omni?

SPEAKER_01 42:51

Uh since 2020. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:55

Oh, was that the first year? Oh god, I thought you guys had been around longer.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

No. 2020.

SPEAKER_02 43:00

What was the like attraction process? Yeah. Like how do you grow? Like what was the process to get the word out and to get people to bring their kids to your guys' club?

SPEAKER_01 43:12

Um I think honestly it helped that we were the only club open during COVID.

SPEAKER_04 43:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:19

You know, where on the 50 corridor, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:21

Yeah, on the 50 corridor.

SPEAKER_01 43:22

Yeah. So we were getting kids from Vacaville from all areas because they just wanted to play. And so we made it optional that year.

COVID Growth And Scaling A Club

SPEAKER_01 43:31

Tournaments were optional. Hey, we just want to provide something. And I think that pulled a lot of kids and families. And then also I think our reputation helped. Um, the quality of coaches that we have is insane. Um, you know, and so I think that definitely pulls families and kids. Um, but I think over the years, just proving what we're doing, you know. So every year it's not like, oh, that was just a good year. You know, it's every year we're trying to be better and um and provide a product and an environment that people want to come to.

SPEAKER_04 44:08

She's so modest. She needs to plug the schools that she's putting these kids at, these programs she's putting these kids in. Like it's like I said, I mean, we make a we made a 45 minute community. Like my daughter learned how to drive making the commute from Rockland to Rancho Cordova on Hazel and Sierra College and all that. Um because it was where we needed to be from a competitive standpoint. Yeah. Um and that was super important to us. So obviously that was worth the sacrifice. Um and and and all those things that that that Jenny said is are are the reasons why we why we did that. Um it's been a it's been a great experience. Um what else? What else do you think?

SPEAKER_01 44:49

I mean I do I do think the recruiting part does help. You know, I think that attracts people. But um I also think that you can what you put into that process is what you get out. And so, you know, I think it's it's I mean we've got girls coming from Walnut Creek.

SPEAKER_04 45:06

Wow. Yeah to Rancho Cordova.

SPEAKER_01 45:08

I mean we had it, we have had we had families come from Nevada City, um, from Modesto. We have we have a pretty big poll.

SPEAKER_04 45:16

That's incredible. I don't know if I heard that Marine my Marina and I funded our wedding, coaching club volleyball together. And I don't know shit about volleyball. I really didn't know anything back then. Uh we coached for Gold Cal, which I don't think there's anything around.

SPEAKER_01 45:30

That was a club back in the day.

SPEAKER_04 45:31

So so we coached for Gold Cal. Uh fortunately we got married in Brazil, so we're getting like a pretty hefty exchange rate. So we didn't have to make a ton of money, but we made we made made enough to fund our wedding. Um but yeah, we had a girl that commuted from South Lake Tahoe to El Dorado Hills three days three times a week through the winter.

SPEAKER_01 45:49

Yeah, we have we have kids contacting us from Reno, you know, and they're just looking for a good club.

SPEAKER_02 45:55

Yeah. Wow. I didn't realize it was like that far reaching. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:00

Yeah, I mean you're talking you're not just talking about the the the financial commitment, it's time, it's energy, it's it's all the things. All the things. It's a lot. It is a lot. And you know, you you're your hat goes off to a lot of these parents, especially the ones that do it right for the right reasons. Um it's cool. I've met so many just amazing parents and players from other clubs around because you you literally see these people all the time. Twice a month for for years. You know, and it's like at first you you you know, you kind of you kind of grin and walk past each other, and three years later, you know, you're exchanging texts or congratulating their kid for committing somewhere. And you know, it's it's just it's just such a cool, it's such a cool community. And I think that gets overlooked too because of the competitive aspect of it. Like there is a community component to it as well.

SPEAKER_02 46:50

For sure. And with that comes the hot goss, which I can just as like see Dan sitting back on the sidelines like literally.

SPEAKER_04 47:00

No, not thank God Maureen doesn't listen to this podcast, but she goes through multiple phone batteries a day during tryouts. And and it's it's funny because like she's not a gossiper, but she's a hub.

SPEAKER_00 47:11

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_04 47:14

Yeah, because she knows what she's talking about, right? Like, so suspected. She she she can watch players and and and and and tell, like, you know, where they probably should fall.

SPEAKER_02 47:24

So like so you get all of the info just because you're married.

SPEAKER_04 47:28

Well, I don't get any of it. I get I get frustrated because she's over on the other side of the couch, just blowing her thumbs out, like you know, texting with all the other. And I'm like, you know, just trying to hang out and watch TV and have a conversation. It ain't happening. It ain't happening during tryout week for sure. That is true.

SPEAKER_02 47:45

That sounds really fun, actually. I can't wait. I cannot wait for that experience with Rory.

SPEAKER_04 47:50

So what's the um what's so what's the goal? Like where where are you going? I mean, um I've only got another I mean, fingers crossed, everything stays. I got one more season. This will be our last our last season with Omni. Um, if Kaylee's plan goes accordingly. Right. So where where where do where are you guys trying to take this thing? What are you trying to do with it?

SPEAKER_01 48:09

Um there's things in the works, you know. I think for us. Um it's big picture, you know. We want a multi-sport facility and grow it bigger than volleyball. You know, I think that's always been the plan for us. Uh like kind of a one speech. Yeah, one stop shop, you know. So even like batting cages and stuff like that. Um, but that's a long process. So I think so.

SPEAKER_04 48:32

You guys were the ones trying to buy Sunrise Mall.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

I know.

unknown 48:36

No.

SPEAKER_04 48:37

Hockey reading all the things.

SPEAKER_01 48:39

I know, right? But I I mean, I think that's, you know, that's not in the near future, but I think that's just our dream. Um, but right now it's figuring out just the volleyball side of it and making it better. You know, I think we're only in year six. We're still babies. And so um just making sure that we have that set. And um yeah, I think it's it's fun to dream.

SPEAKER_02 49:02

I think it's uh what is what is gonna be the next sport for you guys?

SPEAKER_01 49:08

Uh great question. We don't know. I mean, we've we've entertained basketball. Um, we do have basketball courts in our facility. So um we've had outside groups use our facility for that. Um, but yeah, right now it's just dreaming.

SPEAKER_04 49:21

I'm gonna I'm gonna take this somewhere that's gonna blow Kaylee's mind even more. So now you have these multiple professional women's volleyball leagues developing.

SPEAKER_00 49:30

Right.

SPEAKER_04 49:31

MLV, which is Major League Volleyball, which is like backed by Kerry Walsh and Granadive. Um, and then you have another one called Love with spelled with a B, which is really weird. But Love is like buying up all these clubs. I mean,

Pro Leagues And Club Ownership Choices

SPEAKER_04 49:44

so it's like kind of following the European soccer club model. Okay, so where they're trying to build these funnels like so far below, I mean, down to the down the age groups. So um talk to us a little bit about that. And kind of, you know, as a club director and as a prominent club that's that's gained notoriety. Um, you know, where do you where do you how do you feel about all that? Um talk a little bit about.

SPEAKER_01 50:10

Um we've been approached by love. We're not interested in selling our club. I think it's um something that we're very passionate about and we're not we're not ready for that.

SPEAKER_04 50:22

Um I know for us as parents, like we're super appreciative of that. Because, like I said, I mean I've referenced the cost of club volleyball multiple times. Like it's significant.

SPEAKER_03 50:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 50:31

And when you start seeing things like that come in, and now you've got a Adidas agreement. I think you're like, okay, like we're being funneled in the direction of anytime you're getting funneled somewhere, it's not towards the lesser cost option.

SPEAKER_01 50:47

Yeah, right. Um yeah, I mean, I think it's a great thing for our sport. I to have pro leagues in the US is massive for the athletes to have those role models. So I think it's good that we have it here. Um, I'm pushing hard for a pro team in SAC. I've talked to both leagues. So I think it's a great location. You know, you're only competing with one other pro team in the city in this area. I mean, I know the A's are here right now, but they're not gonna be here.

SPEAKER_04 51:17

I'm not saying you know they've made that perfectly clear. Right. They didn't even put Sacramento on their jersey here too. Baskets, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:25

So you have the Kings and that's it. Um and I think it's a different market than the Bay. So I think you can definitely do it. So I've been definitely in contact with both leagues to get a pro team here. Um I think it's super important.

SPEAKER_04 51:38

So I do gloat to all the like parents of kids that play other sports, like softball and football and outdoor sports. I'm like, oh, we're air conditioned. Like we're heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer. Like that is a luxury.

SPEAKER_02 51:54

I will say I was an outdoor soccer girl and I loved the indoor days. Yeah. Ugh. Wow. Okay. Dinge.

SPEAKER_04 52:03

Do you think that, like, do you think that that influence obviously it's gonna it's gonna affect the landscape of it? I and I my personal belief is it's almost with the with the multiple leagues, I think there's that dilution factor as well, where none of them are gonna be as good as they could be as long as all three of them exist. Um but but obviously love seems to be the one that's leaning into the club scene and really trying to have an influence there.

SPEAKER_01 52:30

Do you do you see that having it's so it's their business model. Yeah. Like both leagues have completely different business models. That's their business model. The MLV, it's completely different. So I think that's why they are leaning in that way. And they talk a lot about relationships and the culture and you know, having the pros in the gym with the young kids and stuff like that. Um, so I think that's why they're doing it that way, too, is a motivation. But I know I think their business model is leaned towards the club world.

SPEAKER_04 53:03

Yeah. Go where the money's at. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:06

You bring you keep on bringing that up.

SPEAKER_04 53:07

It's well, there's a lot of money.

SPEAKER_01 53:10

And I'm not trying to pick on volleyball.

SPEAKER_02 53:12

Investor over here. He clearly feels invested in this right now.

SPEAKER_01 53:17

He is very, very much so. But he, you know, it was a good investment. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 53:21

Oh, for sure. I know. Look what came of it. Like that's so incredible for Kaylee. It's weird to say my name, by the way.

SPEAKER_04 53:29

She spells it differently.

SPEAKER_02 53:30

We all do. Let's be real. Um, okay, so we have only a little bit of more time left, and I I want to talk a little bit about the lifestyle part of this. So you currently are you in Rockland? Where do you live?

SPEAKER_01 53:42

In Cameron Park.

SPEAKER_02 53:44

Ooh, Cameron Park. Okay. What are some of your favorite spots to go for food, for coffee, whatever you do with your free time, whatever free time you have?

SPEAKER_01 53:55

To be completely honest, I have hardly any free time.

Family Time And Cameron Park Favorites

SPEAKER_01 53:59

Right, I imagine. And when I do, I just want to be at home with my family. Um because it's so limited. Two of them are out of the house. Well, one just moved back, but two of my kids, you know, left. And um my husband actually works out of state every other week.

SPEAKER_02 54:16

Whoa.

SPEAKER_01 54:17

Right. So when he's home, we just want to hang out. Okay. You know, and so when my when I have free time, which is hardly ever, um, we just want to be a family.

SPEAKER_02 54:30

I love that.

SPEAKER_01 54:31

Yeah. So I don't like things that we do as a family. Um, we'll go explore. He his first car was a 56 Chevy Belair that he rebuilt with his dad. He still has it. That's fun. Yeah. So he just rebuilt it again. And so we'll take drives in his car and just kind of drive around a Krueland. Yeah. Which is amazing. It's fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:54

Beautiful area up there.

SPEAKER_01 54:56

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:57

Okay. All right. I'm like, Cameron's the only thing that comes to mind in Cameron Park right now is Moonraker.

SPEAKER_03 55:02

But I feel Moonraker is a fantastic spot. It's so fun.

SPEAKER_02 55:06

Food is actually above par for pub food, what I would say. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, no, no.

SPEAKER_04 55:13

And their beer is second to none. The beer is a good thing. I'm a hazy guy, so yeah, Moonraker's. Yeah. I just like the vibe there. It's such a great vibe. It's such a cool spot.

SPEAKER_02 55:21

It's a family environment. Yeah. They have a great playground.

SPEAKER_04 55:24

That's the first time I think that Moonraker has come up on the podcast, and it's such a cool spot. Really? Kind of like a hidden gem.

SPEAKER_02 55:31

Well, we don't really have anybody that talks about Cameron Park very well. Yeah. But that's their original location. They weren't set up like Cameron Park. Like their food was primarily served through food trucks and stuff. And it's actually a pretty small area. And this Cameron Park location is massive. Like it's huge.

SPEAKER_04 55:48

You guys ever head up the road to the uh what is it though? Where do you get the golden Cadillac? Uh Poor Reds.

SPEAKER_02 55:53

Poor Reds. Poor Reds. Oh my gosh. Yeah, you gotta go. You gotta take your husband up.

SPEAKER_04 55:58

Take that 57 up there for 56. 56, sorry. Sorry.

SPEAKER_02 56:02

It is um it's a beautiful, you know, a lot of bikers. It's it was a biker bar because it was such a beautiful route. It's kind of on your way to Amador and um Sutter Creek area, and it is the holiest hole in the wall bar that they're known for their Cadillacs. Yeah. I saw somebody wearing that shirt at a farmer's market the other day, and I was like, poor Reds! And I was like screaming after her, and I don't think she got it. I looked like a crazy person. But um, yeah, it's beautiful. It would be a great drive for you guys and a great stop. I don't know. You might want to like stay a while if you're gonna have a golden Cadillac because they are strong. Very fun though.

SPEAKER_04 56:43

Um Well, you want to go some lightning round here?

SPEAKER_02 56:46

Oh, I mean, I feel like we okay. Well, she's like she has one life pretty much, it's like volleyball and then family. Okay, but we'll we'll do this. All right. So I got a couple for you. Okay, so she might surprise herself. Yeah, I know. She's gonna surprise me. All right, ready, here we go. Coffee or tea?

SPEAKER_01 57:03

Coffee.

SPEAKER_02 57:04

Mountains or beach?

Lightning Round And What She Watches

SPEAKER_02 57:05

Beach. Okay. Um American River or Folsom Lake. I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 57:15

That's a good one. It depends on where you are.

SPEAKER_02 57:18

Very true. Very, very true. Um what's called what the what are the coffee shops in Cameron Park? That's just made me stop. I was gonna ask like Temple or Starbucks, but I'm like, I don't even think you have a temple up there.

SPEAKER_01 57:30

No, but I like Phil's. Oh, Phil's Phil's is good.

SPEAKER_02 57:34

Phil's is a good one.

SPEAKER_04 57:35

And Phil's is not everywhere. Phil's is legit coffee. Phil's is good coffee. Phil's is good.

SPEAKER_02 57:40

Okay. Uh paperback or audiobook?

SPEAKER_01 57:43

Paperback.

SPEAKER_04 57:45

Podcaster book.

SPEAKER_01 57:48

It depends on what it is. So um Do you listen to Youth Inc.?

SPEAKER_04 57:54

Greg Olson. I think I've sent you a couple. Like it's a fantastic. Is that a podcast? It's a podcast. Yeah, Greg Olson was an NFL player. Um, it's a fantastic podcast. He talks about kind of a lot of what we talked about, like the the youth sports environment and the challenges and the benefits and all the things. And he brings in some fantastic interesting.

SPEAKER_01 58:12

I'm obsessed with uh A Bit of Optimism podcast by Simon Sinek.

SPEAKER_00 58:18

Oh, I love Simon Sinek.

SPEAKER_01 58:20

It's so good. He interviews people in every different world and just the positive aspect of it and the trials that they go through. And I yeah.

SPEAKER_02 58:31

A bit of optimism, that's what it's called. Yes. Oh, I love that one. Okay, I'm gonna have to start listening to that one. I pretty much solely only listen to this podcast. I don't know why. I just it's yeah, it's a great podcast. I'm not biased at all, but also I just feel like there's so much noise out there with podcasts and stuff, and I'm like, I'd rather just soak up knowledge and books. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 58:53

I'm always amazed when I go back and listen to ours at like the stuff I forgot. I'm like, ours is always like we're pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 59:00

I mean, we talk about a lot of stuff. We have some great guests. Okay, I'm gonna ask this question because I want to leave room to be surprised. But what is your favorite sport?

SPEAKER_01 59:10

I mean, I it's volleyball for sure. It is volleyball. Okay. But I love, love college softball. It's so fun. It's so fun to watch.

SPEAKER_04 59:21

That's another one that's on the grow. Oh my gosh, it's so fun to watch. So fun to watch. It's so fun to watch. It's so fast.

SPEAKER_02 59:26

It's so fast. The way that they pitch, I'm like, I don't even think my arm can make that movement without popping out of the socket.

SPEAKER_04 59:32

Well, it's way more natural than like throwing a baseball or hitting a volleyball or throwing a football. Overhand. Overhand is not what your body was made for, but underhand is a lot more natural.

SPEAKER_01 59:43

It's true. My my dad had major shoulder surgery and he was a pitcher in college, and he couldn't throw overhand. And so that's when he learned to throw fast pitch and got into this traveling fast pitch league in California is amazing.

SPEAKER_02 59:57

That's so fun. Yeah. That is so fun. Oh, yeah. I had so shoulder surgery as well, and then retore after the surgery, never got it fixed. So I'm just like, who has time to sit around for six months again after that? But that's also the reason why I'm not allowed to like throw anything in my house because I'm a hazard. It usually goes backwards or or I hurt myself or I damage things. Like throw something at my feet, I'm good. But don't try to have me throw anything. It does not end well. The last time Danny was like, throw the toy for our dog, I was like, Are you sure? And I literally hit this one little plant she'd just planted, snapped it in half, and she's like, the whole yard you have. And you hit the one plant. I was like, I wasn't even aiming for it. I don't know how that happened, honestly. It's comedy. Um, okay. Well, that's it for my lightning round, but I know Dan has a very important question that he'd like to ask you.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:52

So we're we're we're coming, we're up, we're coming up on an hour here, so we don't want to take too much more of your time. We ask every guest this, the last question of every podcast if you could be anybody for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:07

Okay, so my answer is my grandma, because she lived through everything. So I honestly like just from her upbringing, super poor, going through all the wars, um, going through depression, going through all of that. Um, and if I were her for a day, I would go to a spa. Because she worked her butt off all this might be my favorite answer that I've heard. All of her life. And she was amazing. And so um, so yeah, like I was just taught I think I say her because I was just talking about her the other day. Um is she still with us? No, she passed, she was 95. Wow. Good for her.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:56

Um isn't that so wild, like one generation removed. You think about how fast the world's growing and advancing. No, I don't want to think about it. It gives me anxiety. Like, yeah, like our grandparents saw like you know so much. So much the first cars or the you know, the the the first generations of cars and then the evolution into the 50s and the 80s.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:17

They saw the first computer or the first crazy cell phone, like just to have that knowledge in those memories. I just want to like take it all in.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:26

It was like old world knowledge. Seriously. Yeah. Wow, I love that. All right, guys. Get us out of here.