Countdown to AAU and USAV Nationals

Davis and Elyse discuss FEVA's dominating performances at Buccaneer Bash, as well as getting ready for AAU and USAV Nationals. They also discuss our upcoming tryouts and some advantages to joining FEVA. Leilani also makes her podcast debut.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome to Above the Tape and All Access Fever Podcast. We are back. My name is Davis Lauderdale, and I am your favorite director at Florida Elite Volleyball Academy. But more importantly, I am the host of the number one volleyball podcast in Florida, at least in the Tampa area. I am joined by the greatest co-host in the history of Club Volleyball Podcast. She is the head coach of our top six teens team, as well as the two-time conference coach of the year at her high school team. She is also the mother of the cutest little girl and the bougiest dog ever. Please welcome back Elise Zapata.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Thinky thinky thinky. Like I'm looking at like there's actual people clapping. You'll probably hear uh Leila in the background. So sorry about that guy.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

There's no budget for babysitting with uh with above the tape. So we're uh we're just gonna let it wing. And I have a feeling she might end up in your lap before this before this thing is over.

SPEAKER_02 1:01

I I think so too. That's all good.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Miss Rachel can only do so much, right? So before we get started, once again, please subscribe to our podcast. And while you're there, give us a five-star review to avoid the stigma of being a hater. Love it. Yeah, um, and again, we're on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you get your podcast. So let's go. Right? Right, Leilani? Okay, so um, I don't know about you, Elise, but I am excited to be back.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

Oh, I'm so excited. I think like I was even texting you like, when are we gonna record again? Because that was like me saying, like, hey, I miss you. Come do this.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Well, we try to get the boys coaches together. Um, that has not worked out successfully um just because of their schedule and and whatnot. But we're we're still we're not giving up hope. But it's it's just it may be a little while. It will happen. Um but yeah, we'll we'll get there eventually. And it's really, you know, we've just been kind of all over the place and and you know, just haven't really had the time to do it. So I apologize, but we are here and we're gonna try to give you a great episode today. Yeah, we will.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

We will give you a great episode today.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

And as always, I am I am ready to give my joke. Oh, I'm here. I'm here for it. Here we go. What do you call a guy who can't stand?

SPEAKER_02 2:20

Lele said, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 2:23

You ready?

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Neil.

SPEAKER_04 2:28

You're ready.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Okay, all right. Sorry. That's a good one. That's a good one. That's a good one. I saved I had to I had to come with a strong one. Yeah. It's been a couple weeks, so I I couldn't come out with a weak joke. So that was good. Um, you know, and and maybe in a year I'll use the Eric joke, but you know, for now I gotta come up with my own. Um that was good too. Yeah, so um, I do have to admit, you know, I've been I've been um pulling in a lease and take a vacation last week while you while you were coaching. You know, you know, my when I say vacation, my my son had a basketball tournament in Virginia, so I went I went there to watch. Um so you know, last year I I stayed back and did volleyball. And this year I just decided that I'm gonna try to be a good dad and and go watch him play.

SPEAKER_02 3:15

You are a good dad, even before this year.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Yeah, I'll give you that. He played really well in two out of the three games. Um, and then I disowned him for the for the other one. But you know, he overall he had a good he had a really good tournament. He's been working really, really hard. Um, you know, he and I have been training together. So we go like we go to LA Fitness and he does other stuff too, but with me, you know, I try to take him to LA Fitness like once a day. Um and it's great. It's been a lot of fun, but I have to admit, it's killing my body. Like I am in so much pain all the time that it's just I'm it's it's killing me. I can't, I I I hurt so bad. So like today he's like, Dad, I gotta, I gotta get a haircut, I can't go play basketball. I'm like, oh man, okay. But in my head, I'm like, thank thank you. Everything hurts. So, you know, we've been playing, and you know, for an old for an old fat guy, I can play bath. I'm not bad. Yeah, like I play with everybody I play with is average 25 years younger than me, and I can still hang. I'm not the best anymore, but I can still hang.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

Are you still in that like dad league, old man league?

SPEAKER_01 4:18

I don't do that anymore. No, but I so I just don't have time with volleyball. But but the LA fitness, I mean, like everybody in there is like between 18 to 25 years old. So, like literally the prime, and I play with them and I can hang to a point. Like they're you know, to a point I can hang. Um, you know, sometimes they make me guard the the the most athletic person out there, and I'm like, really? Like, you really think I can guard this guy? You see my belly? Like, really?

SPEAKER_02 4:42

This is Hey, that means that means you got the skills, you know.

SPEAKER_01 4:45

They're like, dang, this guy can do it. So it's fun. I I enjoy it. Um, you know, basketball is my first love.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

But um Jordan finally beat you too, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:53

Yeah, that's what I was getting to. So we used to we played one-on-one, and and this is all this is taking place with this story is taking place within probably the last six to eight months. So originally, you know, I would beat him, and I'd beat him pretty good, you know, to the point where I'm not even playing full speed. I'm kind of letting him get a bucket here or two. Yeah. Then it started getting harder. And then it started getting harder. So then we started, so then it got to the point where, okay, we'll play three games. I'll beat him the first two, third, I'm done. I'm so tired. He beats me. I'm like, okay. Then it started to get to where the second game he's beating me. And then about two weeks ago, he beat me the first game, and it wasn't really that close. And I had no answer. I had no answer to guard him. It was really bad. So therefore, we will no longer be keeping score when we play basketball. I wanna we will no no longer be got his one and that's it. That's it. I'm not giving it. And so you're not like I'm not giving him anymore. Because I already told him my back was sore, my knees hurt, and so I had my I had my excuses ready because I'm not letting that happen again. But yeah, I'm officially no longer keeping score with him. So it is a good thing, and I know that I should be happy. Yeah, but I'm not. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. It's just it's just another indication that I don't need that I'm getting old.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

You know, that made me think of a story like my dad, my brother, so those that I know, my brother played professional baseball, and my brother was pretty good, and like he was good, he was very good, and he used to play catch my dad a lot. And my dad said there was one day he just knew it was time to be done catching for Jason, and it was like the ball just swerved like this, and he was like, like, couldn't catch it. He's like, Nope, that's it. I'm not doing I'm not doing it anymore. He's like, I'm not doing it, I can't. Your light throwing is like scaring me.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Yeah, so so yesterday, this is a true story. I hired his um his club coach to come out and and do a lesson with him and play one-on-one just to beat him, just so I could be like get the satisfaction of it. Uh so anyway, that was kind of fun. But um, before we uh do get into Buccaneer Bash, which happened last weekend, um, I'm gonna get serious for a second, which is not something I normally like to do, um, but I am gonna get serious for a second. Um, the volleyball community um lost a member last week. Um, Madeline Briggs, um, who played for Tampa United. I I believe she played for her her entire career, um, passed away. Um, I did not know her very well. I mean, I I took pictures of her a couple times at um her media day, um, but I remember seeing her play, you know, many. We played her many times. You've played her this year many, many times. Yeah, a handful of times. You know, so by all accounts, she was a you know complete sweetheart. Um, so you know, on behalf of myself, Elise, um, everyone at FIVA, um, you know, our deepest condolences go out to her, her family to her family, um, her teammates, you know, everyone at you know, Tampa United, and anyone who's really been, you know, affected by her loss. Yeah. So just just a really sad, really sad situation. I I just absolutely hate it. It kind of reminds me sometimes that even though we are different, you know, we're on different clubs, you know, we're all one. We are at the end of the day, we're all big one one big family. Yeah. Their loss is our loss, and it's just a loss for the whole, you know, the whole community. So you know, terrible, terrible, terrible thing. Um we unfortunately lost um an amazing girl a few years ago. Um uh her name was Sarah McCormick. Um and she wasn't with us very long, but when once she was the time that she was with us, she made a amazing impact on the club. Um kind of a sad story, but the night the the practice before her last practice with us, um Fernando was telling me and Cody after, she's like, oh man, that's that's Sarah just she is just like the the heartbeat of that team. Like she leads that team, she's got such a great attitude. Um so you know, it was just it was just an awful, awful, awful thing. Um Sarah she loved the color pink. So every year we've been kind of um raising money by selling pink shirts. So you know, the first year um we took that money and all the proceeds went to um the family, you know, because they had obviously expenses and whatnot. Um then the next year the mom the mom contacted me and said, Hey, could you put that in a in a scholarship or two under her name? Um so that's what we did. Um ended up raising almost five thousand dollars, I believe. Um we did pink tie-dye shirts. The first year pink t-shirts, the second year pink tie-dye shirts. Um this year we decided we're gonna do pink jerseys just to kind of switch it up. Yeah. Um so the girls were, you know, they could buy their jerseys. If the whole team gets it, you know, they can wear it for Pink Day or, you know, at AAU Nationals. Um if not, they can always wear it as a warm-up shirt or you know, that kind of thing. So um, and we ended up raising five thousand six hundred dollars. We sold two hundred and eighty shirts. That's amazing. So um that's gonna be given out to you know a few scholarships next year. Um just you know, it's it's just one of those things where it kind of um keeps her memory alive, I think. And I think they did something similar at Lando Lakes. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Yeah, yeah. So um the high school I coach at is rivals with the high school she went to, but we're all in the same community, all we're we're all the same county. So head coach of that school asked uh if we can do kind of a pink out night. Um shows shining bright for Sarah McCormick. So we did that. It's a really great opportunity to to start. That's what kind of started the scholarship um for them. And it was it was just a great opportunity to because so many people in the community come to that game. So we were able to raise an incredible amount of money that night. Yeah, I was there, I was there. Yeah, my team wore the pink, you know, pink shirts as well with our school logo, and yeah, they did the same thing. So, you know, there's like I said, uh all these girls are friends. Yeah. They're you know, at the end of the day, like we have athletes on our club teams that are friends with some of the individuals. Um, so it's just kind of one of those things where we all come together, uh it's not looking what club you're at, what school you're at. Right. You know, we're one volleyball community, and you know, my heart goes out to all those families on unfortunately with these tragedies.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

Yeah, awful, awful, awful. But yeah, it was it was a great, it was a very special night. Um parents are her parents are so strong. Um just anyway. So I mean, you know, no easy way to really segue out of that, but um, we're gonna go ahead and do the best we can. Um this week, so last weekend we had 28 teams competing in Buccaneer Bash. Um starting out, how did your team do?

SPEAKER_02 11:29

Well, so my team had some players either on vacation or they went to some college camps and things like that. And we won the tournament. We we had seven girls and no subs, other than my libera going in uh for my middles, but other than that, literally no subs. Um so it was it was it was it, you know, I don't like the competition was pretty decent. Yeah, like I have to say, Buccaneer Bash's competition level has gone up in the last few years. Yeah, it has. Um and it was a tournament that we weren't originally in, but then we saw the teams that were there, and we're like, okay, let's let's get in that. Um, but it was fun. I mean, we played well, you know, for not playing in what a month and a half, really like in actual game like situation. Um, it was it was nice. It was just nice to be around everyone in again, sports world, and but they did great, you know. We we for having seven players, I mean, we did everything we could do. Yeah, and like, you know, it's it's it's fun to see like and it shows the girls too. Like I could step up and I can play all the way around and I can step up and I can do this. I had Maddie on the outside playing and playing middle back. I had Gabby playing right back, right front, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Did you have any um playing time complaints over there?

SPEAKER_02 12:49

I hope not. I didn't, you know. If anything, I had complaints of I want to be off the court. Not not necessarily no, but I'm really proud of my girls. Uh they came together, they they they pulled off that win, they were bringing some medals home to their their teammates that were on vacation and stuff. Yeah. So uh yeah, it was fun. It was a great tournament.

SPEAKER_01 13:10

Awesome. So and and as a club, you know, Feva, we won 14 open, 15 open, 16 open, and then 15 club. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:18

Um you need you need it's you need to explain it a little better, though.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Some of our I'm getting there. Okay. So our you know, uh 14 Michaela won 14 open. Yeah. Um, they again they just continue to win. That's that's what that's all Michaela does is win. Yeah. You know, that's all she knows how to do. You know, so um, and then of course, 15 open was a finals between 15 Brittany and 14 Kadia. Uh 14 Kadia ended up taking it. Um, but how cool is that? You know, open and both. I love it. And two of our teams are in there. Um, 15 Club, Michael doing what he does. Michael. So Michael has now won four tournaments out of eight. He has won the gold, first place. He's the male version of Michaela. Yeah, he's gonna be. Like he just keeps winning.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Like, I just keeps like the way he just walks around, carries himself. He's like, Yeah. Oh, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

And he, you know, and he it's funny because he um he keeps texting me, like, when am I gonna be on the podcast? When am I doing the podcast? And I keep saying, You gotta win this tournament, and then he keeps doing the tournament. So now I guess during AAU, we're gonna have to have him on. Yeah. I mean, he's he's I think I guess he's kind of earned it. That's okay. But Michael, Michael is the I mean, I'm telling you, Michael may be the most beloved figure in FIVA. He takes my Fernando's crown sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

I think honestly, like who doesn't like when Davis was young and cool? I feel like it was Michael.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Michael's old too. He's just not Michael's not old. Michael knows how to hang. Yeah, he does.

SPEAKER_02 14:42

He does Davis over here on the other hand. Like, Davis comes out and then like we turn our head, Davis is gone. Like, poof, like the fairy god father just leaves. Oops. Where's Davis?

SPEAKER_01 14:54

Listen, I got I got I got I got stuff. I got stuff going on. So anyway, it was overall a great weekend. You know, some of our other teams did really, really well too. Um, but it was just it's a it's you know, nice little warm-up for A.

SPEAKER_02 15:05

I love I just love that tournament because like I don't get the opportunity to see a lot of these teams because we're at different tournaments, but everybody's together. It's great. Like, and you know, I got to sit down, talk to some of the parents about the podcast, and you know, even some of the coaches, like the coach I was talking about, uh at St. Pete that was talking about the podcast. He's like, Thanks for the shout out. So you don't like you got another shout-out. You got two shout-outs.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

Hey, all you gotta do is come up and talk to us and we'll shout you out.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

Like, come on, you know where you know what, coaches? I know you guys listen to it, right? Tell us some stories. We'll like we'll share some stories.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

And and you can send it to FIVA podcast at gmail.com. But I really wish, I mean, I really wish people would, you know, do that because this is for fun. This is not, I mean, it's a FIVA podcast, but it's really a volleyball podcast. Like it's for everybody. Like, we're not trying to get business from this, it's just it's just to have fun.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

Honestly, it's just probably really to fulfill me and David's bucket of being podcasts. We're like cool, you know. Yeah, we can we can hang out. It keeps it keeps us the cool title for us.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

Yeah, and I you know, I love coming all the way up here. I'm I you know, just to see Leilani, of course. But you know, um, but yeah, it's it's it's uh come up and you know, come up and give us a shout-out. Yeah, we don't we don't bite.

SPEAKER_02 16:12

No.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

I mean, Elise might when she's in a bad mood, but you know, other than that, we'll we'll be fine.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

I'm I call it passion.

SPEAKER_01 16:19

There you go. So now we are um headed into AAU nationals as well as USA V nationals, which are, you know, I think mine and probably most people's favorite tournaments of the year. Um, you know, it's it's kind of like the obviously it's a four-day tournament, so those are they're both four-day, so they're big tournaments or you know, teams from all over the country. Um, it's just I don't know, to me it's just a good time.

SPEAKER_02 16:42

Yeah, I think it just it like brings the volleyball community together. Yeah, like everyone enjoys it, you know.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

You know, you have like, for example, you'll have a kid that you know moved to Ohio, you know, and and the next thing you know, like you don't see him again, but you'll see him at A U National. So that's kind of I I love doing that, like kind of reconnecting and I had a player, Brooke Rohr.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

That's what that's that's what I was talking about. Brooke Roar. I remember seeing her. I'm like, how did you? Oh, you coached her. She coached I coached her. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

She was like, she's exactly the one she's the one I was thinking about when I was when I was just saying, but it happens to other people too. You know, you see, you know, you suit kids, and you know, when I um I said I used to live in Hawaii and um you know I shot weddings. Yeah, and so there's a there's a girl there that of a family there that I I shot their wedding probably eighteen years ago, something like that. And their daughter plays. So every year, you know, I'll I'll find them on their core and you can start some I say hi. So it's it's just it's kind of a cool thing to do.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Wasn't it like people outside the United States where it will play before? That's that's like back in the day 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Not even 10 years ago, like four years ago. So they that's after COVID, before COVID. That's what it means.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

I feel like I remember playing like a team from Japan.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

Were you there? I I think it was Japan or China, I can't remember which one. Yeah, I think it was Japan though. But that that's the thing, is that that's the downside of AU nationals. I mean, I said there's a couple things that I don't like as much, and that's that's the number one.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

I remember it was like really sad because like we would yeah, we would meet a lot of amazing people.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

I mean, how cool is it to be 13 years old and play against Japan? Yeah, like come on, like that's just so it's awesome. Yeah, it's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

Maybe you guys need to consider bringing that back.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Yeah, we I've already had that conversation. I've actually called them and had that conversation really, and and their their response is there's just too many teams that are trying to get in, and we want to you know let the American teams get in first.

SPEAKER_02 18:29

But man, yeah, but I feel like if an opening comes, like give them an opportunity, just make another wave.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

I mean, you know, we're already there for a month and a half. We're six waves as is. Why not just go seven or eight? You know, that's uh and if I'm not mistaken, didn't it used to just be one wave? Or am I am I crazy? No, you're crazy. Okay, um, I it wasn't four, it wasn't four.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Two okay, it wasn't four because I want to say it was two waves, to be honest, because I remember used to staying at like before I went to this club, staying out there for like eight days, eight, nine days, back to back.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

Yeah, but I mean like 10 years ago, was it not one wave?

SPEAKER_02 19:01

No, I think that was yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like I remember being like there for the whole eight days and then we were done, AAUs were done. Oh, okay. Like they were cleaning up, packing up and stuff. Yeah, so yeah, I think, and then eventually it became like three waves.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:13

And now this is outrageous, to be honest. I'm like, oh my god. It's six waves now.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

It's one of the insane. And it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Like, oh, we'll wave you in 14. Yeah. Well, I thought uh a lot of times parents will text me and be like, Oh, what wave are we in? I'm like, I don't know. I gotta look it up because I can't wait.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

Aren't they like also splitting up like the age groups too? Like 15. I hate that.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

Yeah, they yeah. I hate that.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Just put all the 15s together. Why is some 15s playing well like this four days? Well, then another four days pass, and then another 15's age group is coming.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

Like okay, so since we're in the mood of complaining about it, I got one more complaint. Why do we have USAV nationals and AAU nationals on at the same time? Yeah, that's so like our for example, our 13, you know, 13 Fernando, they can't go to AAU because it's USAV nationals at the same time. Um 14, I'm sorry, 15 Britney, same thing. 14 Cadia, same thing.

SPEAKER_02 20:07

Do you think it's USAV trying to take money from AAU?

SPEAKER_01 20:12

Well, okay, so possibly maybe they're beefing. Oh no, they're absolutely beefing. But uh this year USAV came out with their dates first. So I actually maybe I shouldn't say this, but what it is an all access podcast, right? So I called AAU and I and I and I talked to the head guy. Listen, I'm just telling you the truth. I'm not lying, I'm telling you what he said. And they and basically they don't want to be they don't want to have to change their dates because of USAV. So it's just a you know, it's just they're beefing. It's a it's a pee. It's a problem. It's a peeing contest, is basically what we're doing. It's it's that's all it is. It's a peeing contest because you know, they don't want to move their dates for this team. And I'm like, can't we all just get along here? Can't we just I want to give both of them our money? You know what?

SPEAKER_02 20:57

At the end of the day, guys, AAU, USAV, you could cancel me for this, but like it's about the kids. Yes, and girls really honestly honestly a lot of the girls probably like AAU way better than USAV.

SPEAKER_01 21:13

Yeah, but you can't not go to USAV if you're in a business. And that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_02 21:16

Like, it's just they're there because they have to be there. They worked all season for that, right? Which is great. It's a huge accomplishment. And I've got you know, I've got to coach in both.

SPEAKER_04 21:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:25

And well you want me, you want me a way to answer that? No, no, no. Go ahead, go ahead. And AAU is incredible. Yeah, like I love it. It's fun, like David says, you get to see everyone, you get to be a part of it. It's four days long. Like it's just fun volleyball.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

And and when you win, like you know, you actually it's a way cooler celebration. The celebration is way bigger. I mean, you used to have Mickey Mouse, but now they have like a um generic thing, but it's still really cool.

SPEAKER_02 21:52

It's so grand. Like you could tell that AAU is putting a lot of work in. Like USAV, I love it. It's great seeing the best in the country. It's so fun.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

USAV is probably a little better competition. Correct. Because it's everybody had to earn their songs. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

But it's also so it almost feels like any other tournament. Yes. Or like it just feels I'm trying to find the word. Like USAV, it's just like a suit and tie compared to like jeans and a t-shirt.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Like, does that make sense? It was a polo. It was a polo. It wasn't a t-shirt. It was a polo. But do you get what I'm saying? No, it is. It is. It is. Pretty soon it's gonna be, oh, he was in a t-shirt and shorts and flip-flops. And flip-flops. Were you in flip-flops? No. I know now, but you know, the the camera only goes from here up. It doesn't matter. Yeah, I'm not even wearing shoes.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

So if you can see my dogs, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

So anyway, um, so yeah, so I am I am headed up on Monday to AAU Nationals. Okay. Um, and I will be there for two and a half weeks. Um, however, I get a four-day hiatus um to go to Indianapolis for USA V Nationals to watch our um. I was gonna say, are you yeah, I wanted to do it. I I I thought you know, we had three teams at that one way. The 13s go by themselves, but the 14 Cadia, 15 Kadia, and 15 um Brittany are all there at the same time. Okay. You know, I just felt like that was a good, you know, it's a good one to do and uh kind of get kind of get me out of the the Orlando thing, you know, after a while.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

There's only so many so many times I can go anything other than volleyball this summer. Please tell me you're going somewhere.

unknown 23:38

I'm not going anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 23:39

I don't I'm not going anywhere. But we are so listen to this. When we're in, and I don't think you probably don't know this. While we're in Indy, your boy found out that the Indiana fever with Caitlin Clark are playing. And I got yeah, I got I got tickets um for the whole thing. Like everybody who wanted to go, there's like I think there's like 60 of us going. Wow, that's awesome. And we're gonna get to um before the game go to the shoot around. So we get the they're gonna walk us down to the lower area, we can sit and watch before everybody else comes in. And and you do this, anytime, because I know people I just called. I love it, but no, like in anytime you like for with basketball, profession professional basketball players, the coolest thing to do is just watch them shoot around. Yeah, it's almost better than the game because you can see how incredible they are. Like they just technique, they're it's just incredible. Yeah. So I'm actually super excited about that um to go watch that. So that's that's gonna be kind of the highlight for me. Um, that's so cool.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

I would love to watch her play.

SPEAKER_01 24:41

Yeah, I mean, I would too. I mean I mean, at the end of the day, the girl's just an athlete. I just I did just say she better not get. I told the guy, the ticket guy's like, she better not get hurt. I don't care. Put her out there in a wheelchair. We're not I'm not coming to watch anybody.

SPEAKER_02 24:53

When you have like 60 people coming, if she's hurt, she better come out on that court anyway.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

I know, I know. So that's I'm I'm I'm looking forward to that. Yeah, that's cool. And it's it's gonna be it's gonna be a lot of fun. And then, you know, after that, we go straight into tryouts. Yes. Um favorite time of the year. Yeah, as I've stated before, not my favorite time of the year. Um, and and it's and it's mainly because you know, I know we're gonna lose, we're gonna lose families that you've kind of grown close to. Yeah, you know, it's just it's just you know, it is part of the deal. I know it, but it's still not something I enjoy. Still don't like it. I still don't like it. Um, but I do, you know, I do like getting new families. You know, every year we get new families that you get to meet and get, you know, and and you grow, you know, like some of these families, like there's one particular family, um, the Clarks. I'm gonna give them a shout out, see if they listen. I'm not gonna say anything. We'll just see if they just but they um, you know, they've been here for a year, and I feel like they've been here the whole entire time. They're just such great people. Yeah. Um, it's also because they're always in the gym because they have two kids. Um, but yeah, they're they're you know, people like that, so you know, so fortunate to get to know them in the year. So that that so you know it's good and bad, but at the end of the day, you know, there's I don't like, you know, you never want to disappoint. My job my job, you know, I always want to, I always want to, you know, impress people and help you be happy. And so there's no way you can make everybody happy. No, whether it's I don't make the team I want or we're not gonna like bite you like if you leave or anything.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

Yeah, but like we're we still even go sit at some of those courts and and support the girls.

SPEAKER_01 26:23

At the end of the day, everybody's gonna do what they think is the best decision for their child, whether or not it's whether or not it's right or wrong, it doesn't matter. You know, you have you just gotta support them. And you know, some people make it make it a little awkward, and I and I get it. Um, but from on our end, you know, look, it's doors always open. Absolutely, and if you don't, look, we wish you the best. You know, there's a lot of girls that have have moved on and done well, and I'm and I'm still we're still big fans of them. So, you know.

SPEAKER_02 26:48

I think that's like the the one thing about our club that's pretty awesome. Like everyone coaches, directors, you know, everyone wants the best for the kids. Yeah, and that's all we care about. So it's like don't think like you have to really try to burn a bridge and to burn a bridge with us. Yeah. Because we're always very open and and happy. Yeah. You know, bring people back.

SPEAKER_01 27:12

For those of you who are not loyal subscribers to the podcast, first of all, shame on you. But uh if you are not a loyal subscriber and you, you know, didn't see it on the previous episodes, um, at least what ex what are some things that you're looking for in a girl when they try out?

SPEAKER_02 27:29

Oh, I love this question. Um, well, one, the the demeanor that you have in the court, right? Um obviously that we're looking for their skills, whether you get your platform, footwork, agility, athleticism. I think that's a big one. And I you know, I think coaches sometimes can focus on like, oh my god, that girl hit the ball, show me hard. And then there's nothing else that really stands out, right? Um, the way they're communicating on the court, um, the focus, the the listening of what a coach is trying to say. I think the biggest thing though is just is really going out there. I think some girls get scared, obviously, right? Um, but going out there and just doing everything you know how to do, and it will it will go, it will, it will flow, right? So we're looking at your skill level. That's number one. Um we're looking at how you perform in in game like situations, right? We're looking at if you can comprehend what we're actually bringing to the table, like what we're telling you to do. Um, and you know, there's so much that goes into an athlete, but the biggest thing, you gotta be, you gotta be athletic. Yeah, you gotta be an athletic, you gotta be athletic. We can teach the skill, right? And we could see that, like, you know, and we're not afraid at tryouts at fright, like, hey, try doing this and see if that helps correct. We don't mind telling you guys what you're doing wrong to see if you can correct it. Yeah. Um, and that just shows like if you're an athlete, if you're an athlete, you're able to go out there and make that correction. Yeah. Um, and that's a big part of the sport in a school. I'm gonna assume attitude places. 100% that's my biggest, that's my number one. I would always, you know, I'll pick a girl with with a a better attitude, and maybe she's hitting six of the ten in than a girl that is awful attitude, dirty looks, rolling eyes, that's hitting nine out of the ten in. Right. I'm gonna pick that girl the six out of ten every day.

SPEAKER_01 29:31

That's you know, one of the things I always tell, you know, my my son when he's getting coached, I'm like, you always look your coach in the eye. Yep. You never make excuses, you know. It doesn't you don't argue with the coach. Yeah. Um, because those are all those are all red flags. Those are all.

SPEAKER_02 29:43

And like I said, we look at your skill, we look at your footwork, we look at your platform, we do all of that, but at the end of the day, we're looking to see if one, you can be a good human being on the team.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Well, you know, I think I think a lot of players they get to the point where they're like, well, I I have to everything is based on strictly on performance. No. So if I hit two balls out, well, I'm gonna blame the setter, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna blame that, instead of owning it, because everybody makes mistakes. It's just like, you know, they say that college coaches, they kind of when they're looking at players, they're they're looking at how they respond to adversity. Yeah you know, when they don't play well, like are they hanging their head, are they blaming everybody else? Are they crying? Are they throwing a tantrum, you know, that kind of thing?

SPEAKER_02 30:21

Or are they just and at the end of the day, the coach can always teach the skill. Yeah, you know, but you can't teach attitude, you can't teach the I want to be here attitude, you can't teach to being a good teammate. That is all on you and you're doing, right? Um, you know, and it is a small volleyball, you know, volleyball world, it's there's so many teams out there, right? But the small world, yeah. We we already know how you play by the time, especially if you're like 15, 16, right? Yep. We're looking, who is Rebecca outside of, you know, like how is she just in the gym rather than just being the opponent on the other side, right? So I don't know. There's no one named by the name of Rebecca. I was just using that as an example. Like anything but Rebecca Smith that you're talking about is whatever reason, whenever I like do anything like that, I'm like Rebecca, like Rebecca's a real person about it. That's your Jane Doe.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

Yeah, Jane Doe. Yeah, but no, I mean, and and the thing is it's it's there's really I know there's no real answer because there's so many answers. It's it's a combination of everything. Yeah, I mean, you can't you can have the greatest attitude in the world, you can be, you know, all these different things, but if you're four foot nine, you're probably not gonna play in the front row and open. It's just the way it works, you know, and it and so you know, there's there's so many things that go into it.

SPEAKER_02 31:33

Um, but you know and I always tell, like, I know this is very hard to do, parents, players, right? Be optimistic when you go to tryouts, be open to different types of opportunities, right? Because no matter how much people probably want to be on a ones team, yeah, there's only uh what's the one percent of athletes go to the play Division I level. Yeah, it's a very low, super low percentage. It's it's hard to be on a ones team. There's a lot that comes to being on a ones team, and of course ones depending on the club. Correct. Yes, and yes, and that's another thing, right? A ones team at a certain club might not be the same at another.

SPEAKER_03 32:19

Right.

SPEAKER_02 32:20

But our look at our twos teams, our twos teams are kicking people out of of of ones teams tournaments, you know. Like it's you gotta look at it. You have to look at it at the skill level of the team and not what number that team is for that club.

SPEAKER_03 32:37

Right.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

Yeah, and I think people forget that sometimes we kind of get caught up and that's tryouts, right? That's the the thing and in in clubs we'll use that as like a way to get players. Oh, you can be on our ones, so you can but look at that skill level and look at the coaching you're gonna get compared to another team's maybe twos, right? And the coaching you'll get there. Yeah, you know, always look at the girls around you. Sometimes I even tell my players when I do it for high school, just I want you to stand right here and look and observe everyone. And I want you to see like oh, I can see why that player is right there and on that court right now.

SPEAKER_01 33:15

Yeah, and that's the thing too, is I I usually remind you know, I have to remind parents sometimes that you know, oh, my daughter had a great trial. I don't understand why she didn't make you know this team. I say, Well, I'm not saying she didn't have a great trial, but the one thing is you're not watching, you're not really watching everybody else. Your eye your eyes are fixated on your daughter, which is obviously normal. That's where it should be should be, but you're not seeing everybody else. You can say, Oh, I saw this girl hit you know the bolt out, but you didn't see everything else. You're not watching that girl as closely as you're watching her. So we're as parents, we're always gonna be biased. I'm still, I'm, you know, even though I do what I do and I'm giving you this lecture, I'm still biased when it comes to my son. 100%. You know, you can't help it. You cannot help, but you know how because you know exactly how hard your child is working, you know exactly how much they want it, and so on and so forth.

SPEAKER_02 34:05

So it's it's very difficult, but you know, yeah it is don't knock down the twos team until you see what the twos did. Look what our twos team does.

SPEAKER_01 34:14

Look what look what Britney's teams did, and look what Michaela's team did. I mean, these are these are both, you know, these they regularly beat other clubs once. Regularly, like all the time. So, you know, it's not always a bad thing to make the two. And look at our threes. I mean, look at Michael, four tournaments. I mean, that's incredible.

SPEAKER_02 34:33

So just just look at the skill level. Yeah. Just look. That's what I just that's all I'm asking players and parents to do. And the reason why I say that, because I don't want you guys to lose out on a great opportunity just because you don't think it's the number one team in our club. Right.

SPEAKER_01 34:48

And you know, and and of course, you know, in in a way, you know, when you know, we are also trying out as a club. Correct. You know, when they come to us, you know, we're, you know, because they the athlete still has to accept the position that they're offered, and you know, a lot of them are going to be happy where you're at. They're they're kind of going to multiple clubs and and I and they're getting, you know, they could, there's some players that get offered the ones at any any club. And so, you know, we have to kind of um, you know, without so without trying to sound like a FIVA commercial here, um, I was gonna I go ahead and give you about five reasons why I think we run a good program or very good program. Um, and of course, you know, like every club, we're not gonna be a fit for everyone. We understand that. Nobody is. Um, but I think we do have a lot of positives and a couple of unique things that um I think are kind of almost exclusive to us. Um, so here we go. So number one, I put our training. You know, the master coaching system um I think is excellent in the fact of everyone in the club gets the same training. Yeah. So you can't there's nobody in our club, nobody on the 15 sevens is gonna say, well, you know, the the ones team get so much better practices than we do. Uh that's actually not the case. Because you're being coached by the same coaches running the exact same drills um as them. So that's that is that that complaint has completely gone away. Um so they're getting the same exact training. Now, of course, how everybody takes the training is different. Everybody's gonna, you know, pick up on things faster than others. We were just you and I just had a conversation off camera about, you know, like my son, he picks up things in school really, really fast. Some people just pick it up faster. Some people, uh, you know, in an athletic sense, pick up things quicker. Yeah. That's just the way things work. There's nothing you can that's just like reality. And so, uh, but that but that's you know, and we've had this is it's a proven successful system because we have had multiple bids, you know, and at all levels, and we continue to have success at all levels. So it it definitely works, you know. Again, a little distracting here with Leilani, but you know, it it has been successful, it has been successful.

SPEAKER_02 36:51

And I wish you guys allowed a camera. We needed one this way. We need a Leilani camera. So everyone can actually see. I'm sorry, David.

SPEAKER_01 37:01

No, you're good. I'm just it's all good. She's getting mad now. She's getting mad. You may have to go get her. But anyway, we've had you know, so we've had success. Um, and so, you know, it it the proof the proof is you know based off her. Go get her. Let's go get her. Leilani, you want to be on the if you want to be on the podcast, all you gotta do is ask. And we are back with Leilani.

SPEAKER_02 37:28

She knows how to say it. I know.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

I've heard. I haven't seen it happen yet. But I I've I've heard. All right, so that's the first thing. Um number two is uh is our coaches. I think we have an amazing coaching staff, um so many high-level coaches, so many um coaches that are that are you know, maybe we have a few that are younger that are getting better. I mean, we had Coach Kennedy on. How incredible has she been as a coach. I mean, she's been amazing. Um and so, you know, just to be able to we have such a great staff, such a great staff, so many, so many highly qualified coaches. Um and we just they just continue to to do well. Um again, not everybody's gonna like every coach, but you know, they are all we just have a great staff. So proud of them. Um number three, communication. Um no matter what kind of experience bad you've had in our club, I don't think anybody can ever say we don't communicate. Correct. I mean, we are that's essentially my only true job. You know, this podcast is an extra thing that we do, but I mean, communication is my number one thing that I've always done. And um I love it. You know, but as a coach, but Cadia, I mean Claudia, Brittany, they everybody, we all communicate, we're all accessible. Um, there are so many clubs, and I'm not this is not a knock because I totally understand why, but there are so many clubs where you just can't get a hold of the director. Yeah, somebody can call me as soon as this podcast is over and I'll pick up. It doesn't, I always won't answer my phone. Um 813-833-8746 if you don't believe me. Give me a call. But I'm just saying. I hope your phone gets blown up.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

And if you guys are call, are calling and he doesn't pick up, leave a voicemail, but like, this is per podcast.

SPEAKER_01 39:15

You're a liar. You're a liar. But I will call you back if I don't answer. But no, so we but you know the communication is really, really good. And that's a under that's a very sometimes under undervalued by parents until you have until you don't have it. It's very, very frustrating to I think to not be able to get in touch with with people. Um so anyway, that's number three. Um number four, gotta go, gotta use the word again, our culture. Yeah, I I think we have a um for a big especially for a big club, we have a very tight, we are a family, we are a very tight-knit family. Yeah. Um, with both the coaches and the players. I mean, our coaches hang out all the time, you know, our players hang out all the time. Um, the families hang out all the time. It's it's just that's kind of the it's the thing that's my probably my favorite thing about this whole thing. It's just how how if if all we did was show up and play in tournaments, that'd be boring. It would I would not do this. I wouldn't do this. I wouldn't do it at all because honestly, the games are probably my least favorite sometimes. I mean, they're stressful, it's loud, it's uncut, it's either too hot or too cold or you know, whatever. And it's just it's not my I I much rather, you know, meet all these people and and you know, have all that aspect of it. Yeah. So that's that's that's a big one. Okay, number five, this is the this is the one that's kind of the the one that gets us in trouble sometimes. Um, but I feel like it's the most important one in a lot of ways, is honesty. Um and what I mean by that is we are not gonna tell you what you want to hear. Correct. We are gonna tell you the truth. Yes. And as an example, if you are, you know, 15 years old and you are five foot tall and you want to be a division one outside hitter, we're not gonna, we're gonna probably tell you, look, you you need to, that is that is probably not gonna happen. You grow like a foot and a half. You need you need to grow, or you need just you know, just take a look at you know, these division one rosters and see. Not saying it it will absolutely will not happen, but it's probably not gonna happen. Yeah. And and people don't like that, and we have lost countless kids as a result. I can't, you know, or we tell someone, look, you weren't, you know, setting is not your position. You should be a DS. You know, we had a we had a girl a few years ago that um, you know, we basically told her, Look, you need you're you're you're not gonna be a setter on the ones. If you want to, if you want to play on the ones, you can be a DS and you'll be fantastic. She chose to go elsewhere. Literally, as soon as we see her the next turn, the first tournament, guess what position she's playing in? DS. Yeah. And it's just so and she was mad at us probably probably to this day. But it's just, you know, we're gonna tell you that we're gonna tell you the truth. And again, it sometimes gets us in trouble because people don't like to hear it. But I just I wouldn't feel right telling someone, not that I tell anybody anything, but I don't think Katia would like this. I know that's not your role. I don't think Katia would feel right telling someone, you know, you're gonna be, you know, on the national team, you know, as a as a five foot middle. I mean, it's just I just don't think that would be something we could ever do. Um, and so I'm I'm proud of it. Um we gotta sometimes we have to work with Katia on on um her I am so distracted right now, Lilati. Just so you know, I am so distracted by you. All right, we're gonna finish this up now. Clearly, she wanted to be with me. So we're gonna go.

SPEAKER_02 42:38

I'm not making that up either.

SPEAKER_01 42:39

Yeah, I'm as soon as she as soon as I came in today, she reached for me. Yeah. Both hands. Both knows who's he is. Yep, she's gonna type it up. Go ahead, type it up. Davis is my favorite. Um, anyway, so that's so that's you know, those are kind of the reasons that I feel like we are um a good choice for most people, you know, and everybody can make that decision on their own. So, you know, it is what it is. Hopefully, hopefully we have a you know great turnout this year for tryouts. We got some cool stuff planned. I got some little advertising stuff I'm gonna do that hopefully will be really cool. Um, one more thing, really quick. Um, Elise, you are the recruiting coordinator for FIVA. Yeah. Um talk to me a little bit about what that entails, like what that job is, and um what you kind of do to help these athletes get recruited.

SPEAKER_02 43:25

Yeah, so something that we have here, FIVA is what we call sports recruits. Um, it's a great opportunity that Fiva uh took for our athletes, honestly. Um it's a platform that you're able to upload your film, communicate with coaches. Since we do have it for our club, we have um a lot more features than you would like on the free version and stuff. So what I do is I upload, I I put all the uh all the the uh athletes in their respective teams and their categories and things like that, um, and kind of monitor their websites. I I speak upon what sports are. recruits offers that we need to be taken advantage of. Um and I'm really I really wanted to talk about this before on this podcast before AUs because AAUs is a humongous tournament where a lot of colleges come and come watch you guys play. So if you have not started submitting videos on on sports recruits, you need to start doing it. Another great thing FIFA does is we have Huddle. So we have the film you just need to put it together and you just need to upload it.

SPEAKER_01 44:26

And it's really easy. I mean Huddle is so easy.

SPEAKER_02 44:29

Huddle's easy it's it it you know you just it's it's time consuming. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:33

Um not as time consuming as what it was when I had Kylie yeah I can only imagine to go through and actually make highlights by yourself.

SPEAKER_02 44:39

Yeah yeah like if if you you can make one that pulls it for you you can make one from scratch right if you really want to be specific. Yeah um so there's opportunities but we do have Huddle we do have sports recruits. So our girls that have not done it yet and you guys are looking to get recruited get on it get on it. And you guys they all know they have access to me at any time at any you know any day to send me a text call me anything like that I'm not gonna give my number um but you would be sure six but uh no it's a great opportunity it you're able to email any coach in the country right any coach in the country right we even have templates that I have that just say coach I wanna I want to email this coach can you help me with this template I have so many different templates that I can give you whether it's academic based right because some of the schools are looking more academically than the athl athletic side of things right you still have to have a great athletic score to get in and and stuff like that. So templates can vary of what I have so just give me a call right that's what we're here to do. That our our goal my goal is to make sure these girls are getting recruited and seen um one great thing is with sports group recruits too is when coaches are looking for something they're able to put that on that platform and I can share like hey we have five 15 teams or I'm pretty sure we have like nine but you know what I mean and you know X amount of girls haven't been recruited yet and they're looking for that year. It's really big the sophomores are going into junior year June 15th is coming around the corner that colleges are now allowed to communicate with you with actual communication emailing you back and forth. So get your emails out let them know let them know who you are it could be as little as just hey I'm here at AAUs during wave 59 right and I these are the days I play and update them. It's super easy update them hey after day one we went three and oh now we play in the AM this is my court this is this communication is gonna be your biggest thing on getting recruited and it's something that I feel like athletes can get a little lazy about um so use that platform if you're still questioning what your you know your profile everyone that is on there and sports recruits for FIVA I'm looking at your profile and I know if you're putting in the work and I know who's not so it's one of those things of you still have to do your part but once you could get those videos and that information up you know I always say it's like a little profile of the coach understanding who you are and it's a little just of who you are but it they're able to connect with the athlete and what you're looking for before they even get to even talk to you and introduce you. So take that and be you know take advantage of it. Because June 15th is around the corner and it's gonna be super exciting. I can't wait especially my sixteens right a lot of them are sophomores going into junior year. So it's gonna be really exciting to see what schools are going to be contacting them especially playing at the USA level this year. So it's gonna be fun. It's a great time but take advantage of that camps are coming up you'll probably get some invites to camps. I'm you know those kind of just depending on if it's not like an invite invite from the head coach it's kind of a hit or miss where you're going with camp wise because they're all kind of the same but um take advantage of sports recruits take advantage of Huddle. Those that are not even a part of our club it's another great advantage that you can have if you're looking to come and possibly join us here at FIVA. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:17

Alright that is Elise Zapata the recruiting coordinator of FIVA thank you and of course thanks Aleilani for joining us today guys she's welcome here she goes um we will see you guys soon we'll probably we're definitely gonna record in in uh at AAU nationals for sure probably gonna have coach Michael on but we'll go from there thanks guys we go above the tape every story every play break it down on the daily club brings on the tools take it from the first balls put it with the freeze every dot every drop dot it takes from the leaves deep deep this money