Speaker 1: Welcome to a Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we
Speaker 1: apologize to Tabitha Shawingo for getting her name wrong during
Speaker 1: Malawi's Wafcon run Tabitha not Tabitha. Instead of dropping a
Speaker 1: given twenty, We're instead going to link to Tabitha's insane
Speaker 1: worldy during Wafcon from none other than The Slice magazine on.
Speaker 2: Insta Go check it out.
Speaker 1: It's Thursday, August twenty eighth, and on today's show, Kentucky
Speaker 1: Volleyball head coach Craig Skinner and senior outside hitter Brooklyn
Speaker 1: Delay join us ahead of the first serve.
Speaker 2: Of the season in just a few days.
Speaker 1: We discuss why saying no can be more important than
Speaker 1: saying yes, the off court skills Brooklyn is looking to
Speaker 1: hone this season, the correct pronunciation of volleyball's back row
Speaker 1: defensive specialist, and where to sit.
Speaker 2: It a game if you want to learn more about
Speaker 2: the sport.
Speaker 1: Plus, these stars are golden who could possibly fill the spot,
Speaker 1: and the latest edition of Sports and Gayshit It's all
Speaker 1: coming up right after this Welcome Back Slices. Here's what
Speaker 1: two need to know today. A lot of WNBA news
Speaker 1: to catch up on, starting with a Big Story. Eleven
Speaker 1: time All Star and WNBA Champion Neca Ogumakay is retiring
Speaker 1: after the twenty twenty sixth season. The Los Angeles Sparkstar
Speaker 1: announced the news in an interview with Boardroom's Taylor Brooks
Speaker 1: published on Wednesday. The number one overall pick in the
Speaker 1: twenty twelve WNBA draft, Ogumakay retires as one of the
Speaker 1: most respected voices in the game on and off the court.
Speaker 1: Her career includes winning twenty twelve Rookie of the Year,
Speaker 1: twenty sixteen WNBAMVP, eight All WNBA Selections, seven All Defensive
Speaker 1: Team Selections, recognition as a member of the w twenty
Speaker 1: five honoring the twenty five greatest players in league history
Speaker 1: at the WS twenty fifth anniversary, and WNBA Champion.
Speaker 2: She led the Sparks to the twenty sixteen title.
Speaker 1: Ogumakay also helped lead the WNBPA through the recent eighteen
Speaker 1: months CBA negotiations and was recently elected to a fourth
Speaker 1: term as the player's union president. She told Rooks that
Speaker 1: those CBA negotiations were in part responsible for her to
Speaker 1: say to hang them up. They were grueling for one
Speaker 1: and the hardest part, she said, was quote having to
Speaker 1: fight for people who would probably not fight for you
Speaker 1: at times.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: But they were also a massive achievement, and it left
Speaker 1: oguma Kay thinking in training camp this year quote, I
Speaker 1: feel like I've done it. The thirty five year old
Speaker 1: Augumakay spent the first twelve years of her career with
Speaker 1: the Sparks and did a two year stint with the
Speaker 1: Storm before returning to finish her career in LA. She'll
Speaker 1: retire as the franchise's all time leader in scoring, field goals, made, steals,
Speaker 1: and double doubles, and even in this fifteenth season, she's elite,
Speaker 1: averaging sixteen point eight points in eight point eight rebounds
Speaker 1: per game while shooting almost fifty one percent from the field.
Speaker 1: So she could of course keep playing, but she said
Speaker 1: in a statement quote, I've learned there's power in knowing
Speaker 1: when to walk away. For so long, that strength meant
Speaker 1: finding a way to keep pushing. Now it means recognizing
Speaker 1: when you feel complete. I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and
Speaker 1: at peace with everything this game has given me and
Speaker 1: everything I've poured into it.
Speaker 2: End quote. The former WNBA MVP.
Speaker 1: This isn't done playing yet, though she was the first
Speaker 1: player publicly announced as playing with Project B, an international
Speaker 1: league expected to tip off in Europe and Asia in November.
Speaker 2: And she is expected to keep that commitment.
Speaker 1: As for what happens next when it comes to the WNBPA,
Speaker 1: sources tell the Nines Jackie Powell that Oguma Kai will
Speaker 1: remain president until the next election, which will take place
Speaker 1: prior to the end of the twenty twenty six calendar year.
Speaker 1: We'll keep you posted as more details come out, and
Speaker 1: we'll link to the boardroom story in the show notes
Speaker 1: more hoops and some depressing news out of the w
Speaker 1: On Wednesday, the Dallas Wings announced that rookie guard Azy
Speaker 1: Fud will undergo a knee procedure and miss the remainder
Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty sixth season. Friend of the Show
Speaker 1: and this year's number one overall draft pick. She'll undergo
Speaker 1: an arthroscopic procedure in Connecticut next week to address ongoing
Speaker 1: soreness in her right knee, then she'll begin rehab immediately afterward.
Speaker 1: Bud last played August fifth, against the Washington Mystics. In
Speaker 1: thirty games this season, she averaged just over thirteen points,
Speaker 1: one point seven rebounds, one point six, one point seven
Speaker 1: steals and just under a block per game. Her steals
Speaker 1: average led all rookies, while she ranked second among rookies
Speaker 1: and blocks and third in scoring. A highlight of her
Speaker 1: season was becoming the first rookie ever to win the
Speaker 1: WNBA three Point Contest. The Wings announced they'll provide additional
Speaker 1: updates following the procedure when appropriate, and we will, of
Speaker 1: course let you know when we have more info.
Speaker 2: We're sending our best to Asy for fast healing more hoops.
Speaker 1: On Monday Night, the Golden State Balkyrise beat the Dallas
Speaker 1: Wing seventy eight to seventy to clinch a playoff spot,
Speaker 1: becoming the first expansion team in league history to earn
Speaker 1: a postseason berth in each of its first two seasons.
Speaker 1: Friend at the Show Veronica Burton had sixteen points and
Speaker 1: five assists in that one, saying after the game, quote,
Speaker 1: there's such a level of joy that we have together.
Speaker 1: You make it to the playoffs, and that means you've
Speaker 1: succeeded because you accomplished the goal. But to do it
Speaker 1: in this way, and you do it with these kinds
Speaker 1: of people, it just means that much more.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: Other Friend of the Show Gabby Williams had another way
Speaker 1: of putting it.
Speaker 2: We please like buttcheck. Maybe we clinched like butt cheeks.
Speaker 2: Crazy crazy.
Speaker 1: The Valkyries have nine games left on their schedule and
Speaker 1: a chance at a top two seed. And while we're
Speaker 1: talking Bay Area, another Valx postseason run isn't all w
Speaker 1: fans on the left coasts have to be excited about.
Speaker 1: The league also announced Tuesday that the twenty twenty seven
Speaker 1: All Star Game is headed to SF next summer. The
Speaker 1: All Star Game will take place July thirty first at
Speaker 1: the Chase Center. While the Bay Area did not get
Speaker 1: selected as Good Games Personal epicenter of women's sports, it
Speaker 1: was a top contender and it's undeniable that the city
Speaker 1: is teaming with women's sports fans, energy and investment. I'm
Speaker 1: already excited for what will inevitably be another four days
Speaker 1: of Knowsley, and I'm wondering how many times I can
Speaker 1: shoehorn mentions of the Bay Area Bebs team. I'm part
Speaker 1: owner of the San Francisco Signal into a weekend that's
Speaker 1: sustensibly about hoops. More basketball in Chicago, where my Chicago
Speaker 1: Sky showed out in one of their best performances of
Speaker 1: the season Tuesday night, beating the New York Liberty ninety
Speaker 1: three eighty six skygard Natasha Cloud had a banner game,
Speaker 1: scoreing a career high thirty five points with nine rebounds
Speaker 1: and six assists. So good to see Tash thriving after
Speaker 1: struggling to find a home during the off season.
Speaker 2: And doing it for my team. Cherry on top.
Speaker 1: Branda Stewart still made her mark in the Libs losing effort,
Speaker 1: leading her team with twenty two points, including her three
Speaker 1: thousandth point as a member of the Liberty franchise. She's
Speaker 1: the fastest player in w history to score three thousand
Speaker 1: points with a single franchise, reaching the mark in her
Speaker 1: one hundred.
Speaker 2: Forty fifth game the Liberties.
Speaker 1: Junk Will Jones suffered an apparent ankle injury in the
Speaker 1: first quarter of that game and didn't return. Will keep
Speaker 1: you updated on her status when we get more info.
Speaker 1: More hoops in three games on the schedule tonight at
Speaker 1: eight pm Eastern in the Indiana Fever play the Dallas Wings,
Speaker 1: followed by two tip offs at ten pm Eastern, the
Speaker 1: Atlanta Dream taken on the La Sparks and the Connecticut
Speaker 1: Son facing the Las Vegas Aces. We'll link to the
Speaker 1: full weekend schedule in the show notes. To tennis, Serena
Speaker 1: and Venus Williams lost their opening round doubles match at
Speaker 1: the Cincinnati Open Monday night, falling to Marta Costuc and
Speaker 1: Peyton Sterns six six eight. The Williams sisters almost recovered
Speaker 1: from a six to zero deficit in the match tiebreaker
Speaker 1: before a double fault from Venus ended their day. Said
Speaker 1: Venus after the match, quote, it's our first time playing
Speaker 1: together in forever.
Speaker 2: It was great for us to get out there and
Speaker 2: do it.
Speaker 1: Serena agreed, saying quote, winning is obviously great, but in
Speaker 1: this position, just you know, having fun. It was really
Speaker 1: cool to be able to do this again. Over on
Speaker 1: the single side of the tournament, the quarterfinals take place
Speaker 1: today as the athletes make their way toward the final
Speaker 1: match on Sunday. We'll link to the schedule in the
Speaker 1: show notes. More tennis, Serena and Venus may be out
Speaker 1: in Sinci, but another opportunity is just around the corner.
Speaker 1: The US Open starts later this month, and organizers announced
Speaker 1: Tuesday that Venus Williams is getting a singles wildcard for
Speaker 1: the tournament. Organizers also said, there's still one more singles
Speaker 1: main draw wildcard to be announced, and we can't help
Speaker 1: but wonder if it might go to Sister Serena. We'll
Speaker 1: keep you posted with any news on that front. Speaking
Speaker 1: of the US Open, world number three Jessica Pagoula told
Speaker 1: Front Office Sports this week the top players are waiting
Speaker 1: on the US Open to announce this year's prize perse
Speaker 1: before deciding whether or not they'll protest. As a reminder,
Speaker 1: the world's top tennis players have been speaking out with
Speaker 1: concerns over their share of revenue from major tournaments and
Speaker 1: protesting by limiting their media availability.
Speaker 2: Pagoula said the US.
Speaker 1: Open has been willing to hear their concerns and seems
Speaker 1: open to making changes, but you'll ultimately wait to see
Speaker 1: how far they go. To baseball, we're now about halfway
Speaker 1: through the wpbl's inaugural season, and as of this recording,
Speaker 1: the San Francisco Fire Bells sit at the top of
Speaker 1: the league standings, followed by the La Queens, the Boston Hunters,
Speaker 1: and the New York Heights. We're recording this before Wednesday
Speaker 1: Night's game between New York and SF, so make sure
Speaker 1: to catch the highlights from that one. They'll almost certainly
Speaker 1: include some home runs from either the fire Bells Kelsey
Speaker 1: Whitmore or the Heights Done Benitez aka Danita Benita. Those
Speaker 1: two have been raking plenty more games starting tonight through
Speaker 1: the weekend.
Speaker 2: Will put the schedule in the show notes.
Speaker 1: Finally, to the track friend of the show and track goat,
Speaker 1: Alison Felix, will release her memoir in March of next year,
Speaker 1: titled Fast and Slow Discovering Strength Beyond Speed. Twenty twenty
Speaker 1: seven will be a busy year for the eleven time
Speaker 1: Olympic medalist. She announced in April she's ending her four
Speaker 1: year retirement and returning to competition. The ultimate goal is
Speaker 1: to compete in her hometown of la at the twenty
Speaker 1: twenty eight Games.
Speaker 2: Slices.
Speaker 1: It's been a minute since we did some gay shit,
Speaker 1: so let's do a quick sports and gayshit update. First,
Speaker 1: walking and gay shit. Spanish athlete Maria Perez made history
Speaker 1: over the weekend with a new world record in the
Speaker 1: women's half marathon racewalk, crossing the finish line in one hour,
Speaker 1: thirty minutes and six seconds, which yes, is a sub
Speaker 1: seven minute mile.
Speaker 2: It was the first time.
Speaker 1: The event was contested at the European Athletics Championships, and
Speaker 1: Perez took the opportunity to break the second world record
Speaker 1: of her career. Tbh, there wasn't anything particularly gay about
Speaker 1: how she did.
Speaker 2: It, But she's gay and she was racewalking.
Speaker 1: So racewalking and gayshit, let's take it up, not with
Speaker 1: running and gayshit again. Running is an inherent gay and
Speaker 1: a run club also not necessarily gay.
Speaker 2: But the stud Buds are gay as hell.
Speaker 1: And when a bud starts a run club aka Natisha
Speaker 1: Heideman's run Buds, that's running in gay shit, y'all. The
Speaker 1: run bud stated goal is quote bringing communities and people
Speaker 1: together one mile at a time. And Tuesday's second meeting,
Speaker 1: just the second meeting, saw over four hundred people join
Speaker 1: Tea Spoon for a two point eight three mile jaunt
Speaker 1: around Green Lake in Seattle.
Speaker 2: So gay, so great.
Speaker 1: Speaking of gay hoopers, some hoops and gayshit news thanks
Speaker 1: to Slice Colin Jones, who passed along an edition of
Speaker 1: the email newsletter charting hoops devoted to a new advanced
Speaker 1: stat for measuring teammate chemistry vander Quiggs, invented by the
Speaker 1: newsletter's author, Chris Gunther vander Quiggs, he writes, is value
Speaker 1: and efficiency remaining after quantifying individual girlfriend's stats, named, of course,
Speaker 1: after married couple and former Sky teammates Courtney vander Slut
Speaker 1: and Ali Quigley. Quote for ease of calculation, will measure
Speaker 1: value with points, efficiency with effective field goal percentage, and
Speaker 1: remaining after will be defined as the amount of given
Speaker 1: player stats increase when they play on the same team
Speaker 1: as their significant other.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: To find out how he came up with a vander
Speaker 1: Quigg score of three point seven x for Ali and
Speaker 1: one point three x for Courtney, and to see how
Speaker 1: other couples like Diana Tarassi and Penny Taylor, Gabby Williams
Speaker 1: and Marine Johannes fair with and against each other, check
Speaker 1: out the newsletter. We'll put the link in the show notes. Finally,
Speaker 1: mascots and gayshit and I know what you're thinking. How
Speaker 1: can we know whether a mascot is gay if we
Speaker 1: don't know their mascot partner. Fair question, But I don't
Speaker 1: need to see who does is dating to know that
Speaker 1: that tortoise is gay as hell. On Tuesday, the Toronto
Speaker 1: Tempo introduced not One but two mascots, a fresh play
Speaker 1: on the old tortoise and the hair fast and slow
Speaker 1: like a tempo There's Dot, the Arctic hare and does
Speaker 1: the snapping turtle.
Speaker 2: According to the team quote, Dot she.
Speaker 1: Her is an Arctic hair name for two Rono's longtime
Speaker 1: nickname t Dot, originally from the Arctic Circle. She brings
Speaker 1: seemingly endless energy, acrobatics, and enthusiasm to everything she does,
Speaker 1: making her the undisputed hype woman of the pair. A
Speaker 1: gemini whose hobbies can best be described as hops and hype,
Speaker 1: Dot loves cotton, candy, drive to survive, and any opportunity
Speaker 1: to get the crowd on its feet. Des she They
Speaker 1: is a Borealis blue snapping turtle from Muskoga, Ontario. Their
Speaker 1: name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love
Speaker 1: of music and role as the more measured half of
Speaker 1: the duo. Des is calm, clever, and always thinking a
Speaker 1: few steps ahead. A tourist who spins the ones and
Speaker 1: twos in their spare time. DES's secret talent is snapping.
Speaker 1: They also have a particular fondness for soft shell tacos.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: Are they special friends wink wink or just friends?
Speaker 2: That's not yet clear. What we do know is one of.
Speaker 1: The tempo's mascots is non binary butch and we are
Speaker 1: so here for it. As producer Bianca said, finally putting
Speaker 1: the mask in mascot, I too have to wonder what
Speaker 1: Sophie Cunningham thinks of Dez. The Temple were playing the
Speaker 1: Indiana Fever Tuesday night when their mascots were revealed.
Speaker 2: We got to take a quick break. Vibes and Bros.
Speaker 2: With Brooklyn and Coach Skinner is coming up in just
Speaker 2: a second.
Speaker 1: Welcome back Slices. One thing before we get to today's interview.
Speaker 1: You'll hear that I ask Brooklyn about her future Vib's
Speaker 1: career as a senior.
Speaker 2: I thought she was certainly graduating and.
Speaker 1: Headed to the pros, but after we stop recording, she
Speaker 1: pointed out that she still has one year of eligibility
Speaker 1: left to claim if she wants to. That's because the
Speaker 1: NCAA eligibility rules are changing this year. The new rules
Speaker 1: are based on the age of the student athlete when
Speaker 1: they enroll full time in college. The NCAA's website states,
Speaker 1: quote student athletes who meete all eligibility requirements and enter
Speaker 1: college no later than the academic year after their nineteenth
Speaker 1: birthday generally will have up to five years of eligibility.
Speaker 1: The previous rules included several elements that required more tracking
Speaker 1: for student athletes and their schools, including athletic redshirts, delayed enrollment,
Speaker 1: slash organized competition, and other sports specific rules, seasons of competition,
Speaker 1: and waiver opportunities. The new age based rules replace those
Speaker 1: variables with one consistent eligibility period.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: If you're confused, like i am, we put a link
Speaker 1: in the show notes to the NCAA's more detailed explanation,
Speaker 1: plus an ESPN story breaking down the new model and
Speaker 1: the story that just came out on Tuesday that actually
Speaker 1: has us wondering if this rule will indeed be put
Speaker 1: into place, or if the nc DOUBLEA will succeed in
Speaker 1: delaying or blocking the decision. We'll keep you updated in
Speaker 1: the future as to how this could shake things up
Speaker 1: across a bunch of different sports. Either way, we'll be
Speaker 1: watching Brooklyn play no matter where.
Speaker 2: She goes or stays. Here's my chat with Brooklyn and
Speaker 2: Craig joining us now.
Speaker 1: He's the head coach of the University of Kentucky Women's volleyball,
Speaker 1: the winning is coach in Kentucky volleyball history. He led
Speaker 1: Kentucky to their first ever Volleyball National Championship in twenty
Speaker 1: twenty and brought them back.
Speaker 2: To the Natty last season.
Speaker 1: Previous coaching stops include Nebraska and his alma mater, Ball State,
Speaker 1: where he played his college Vibs. He'll go to great
Speaker 1: lengths to promote his team's games, like up in the
Speaker 1: rafters of Rupp Arena and off the highest high dive
Speaker 1: kind of links.
Speaker 2: It's Craig Skinner.
Speaker 3: Hi, Craig, how you doing, Sarah? Thanks for having a song.
Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks for coming on also with us.
Speaker 1: She's a senior outside hitter for the Kentucky women's volleyball team.
Speaker 1: Junior year, she was first team All SEC and an
Speaker 1: AVCA First.
Speaker 2: Team All American.
Speaker 1: Sophomore year, she led the Wildcats to their first Elite
Speaker 1: eight berth and four years, earning SEC Player of the Year,
Speaker 1: First Team All American, and finalist for National Player of
Speaker 1: the Year following a freshman campaign in which she claimed
Speaker 1: the SEC Freshman of the Year title. A Topeka, Kansas
Speaker 1: native and former two time Gatorade Player of the Year
Speaker 1: in high school, she loves Mexican food and going to Italy,
Speaker 1: and she got engaged last month to her baseball playing boyfriend.
Speaker 1: It's Brooklyn La. Hi, Brooklyn Hi, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 1: Congrats on the engagement.
Speaker 4: Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2: I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1: As an old person, I suggest a long runway before
Speaker 1: you get married.
Speaker 2: Just give it some time and enjoy life.
Speaker 1: No one needs to be married while they're in college.
Speaker 1: But that also might just be coming from an old
Speaker 1: lady who got married late.
Speaker 2: Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 1: So excited to talk ahead at the start of the season, Coach,
Speaker 1: I was reading up on Kentucky before you arrived, and
Speaker 1: in the five years before you got there, the team
Speaker 1: didn't post a winning season, hadn't made the NCAA tournament
Speaker 1: since nineteen ninety three. And now you've led the Wildcats
Speaker 1: to sixteen straight NCAA tournaments, posting twenty or more wins
Speaker 1: in twelve of the last fourteen seasons. What were the
Speaker 1: most meaningful changes that you brought to Kentucky volleyball.
Speaker 5: I think just a belief factor that I think I
Speaker 5: wanted our players to know that I believed in them
Speaker 5: and that we had a winning culture. Even though it
Speaker 5: wasn't there, and winning culture doesn't always mean wins and losses.
Speaker 5: But I think getting people to believe in themselves and
Speaker 5: believe in each other and believe in a system is
Speaker 5: really important. So I think that was number one. And expectations.
Speaker 5: The expectation is to compete to win. It's not just
Speaker 5: a particip you know, Green ribbons were given out a
Speaker 5: long time ago when you were five at the swim
Speaker 5: meet and unfortunately no Green ribbons and NA division on.
Speaker 2: Volleyball, Brooklyn.
Speaker 1: What did you hear about coach Skinner and the program
Speaker 1: or what did you learn while being recruited that made
Speaker 1: you want to choose Kentucky?
Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, just like the person that he is,
Speaker 4: he truly values you more as a person than as
Speaker 4: a player, and just really cares about the culture like
Speaker 4: you kind of just mentioned. So that was just honestly
Speaker 4: a non negotiable for me. So after hearing that, and
Speaker 4: like talking to former players, it was really no other
Speaker 4: place I'd rather play at.
Speaker 1: Not too bad to go somewhere that had very recently
Speaker 1: won it all too?
Speaker 4: Yes? Was it was it the worst thing in the world.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Coach Kinner had to put in a couple of
Speaker 1: years of work before you got to show up and
Speaker 1: be like, yeah, this is the place, this is the
Speaker 1: place to be. Speaking of coach, a great season last year,
Speaker 1: another run to the NCAA title game. What are some
Speaker 1: of the biggest roster changes to note from last season
Speaker 1: to this year.
Speaker 5: Certainly, Morgan Gardy coming to us from Notre Dame is a,
Speaker 5: you know, a big addition on the floor and point
Speaker 5: scoring ability and proven player. Obviously, a junior in college
Speaker 5: is typically more ready for this level of competition than
Speaker 5: a freshman, so certainly a big addition for us. And
Speaker 5: then you know the freshman you know Sidney Burley, the
Speaker 5: Grayson Sailors, and you know Bellamy Abuse and Briah Brow.
Speaker 5: I mean, they're just great athletes, great kids, and you know,
Speaker 5: like always, I try and recruit who we are, not
Speaker 5: who we want, and they're who we are, and that's
Speaker 5: super important to us.
Speaker 1: How do you balance the idea that when you make
Speaker 1: it to a title game there are going to be
Speaker 1: a lot of interested folks from other programs who want
Speaker 1: to come over and be a part of what you're doing,
Speaker 1: versus wanting to reward those that were already on the
Speaker 1: roster that helped you get there last year and are
Speaker 1: now stepping into later years of their career. That's a
Speaker 1: tough balance to say, we want to keep working on
Speaker 1: this younger player and develop and keep them versus hey,
Speaker 1: we can go out and get a whole team of
Speaker 1: superstars to come in for their last season.
Speaker 5: Yeah, sir, you hit on something really important. I think
Speaker 5: it's very important for coaches these days to saying no,
Speaker 5: is is important or more important saying yes. And I
Speaker 5: think it's really important to have the right people on
Speaker 5: your team and the right positions and the right balance
Speaker 5: of classes that the best you can because talent is
Speaker 5: one thing, and accumulating talent is a whole different thing.
Speaker 5: But there's a lot of really talented teams in every
Speaker 5: sport and every level that don't win at the highest level.
Speaker 5: So it's just really finding out what's important for us
Speaker 5: right now this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a chemistry. It's putting together the pieces.
Speaker 1: It's everybody knowing their role and being willing to do
Speaker 1: their role.
Speaker 2: Which can change year to year.
Speaker 1: You can be really important in playing every game, and
Speaker 1: then you can be someone who's supporting from the bench,
Speaker 1: and that's really tough, Brooklyn. I wonder you know this
Speaker 1: is a relatively new thing in college sports, the idea
Speaker 1: of the transfer portal and the sort of mercenary system
Speaker 1: where you can bring someone in to be a killer
Speaker 1: in one season and they're gone, or in one season
Speaker 1: and they graduate as a leader on the team as
Speaker 1: a senior this season and as a junior last year.
Speaker 1: Even how do you welcoming in someone new into a
Speaker 1: team that's already got its traditions and it's inside jokes
Speaker 1: and its vibes and its power structures.
Speaker 2: That's really difficult because it didn't used to be.
Speaker 1: That way with anyone other than usually freshmen or maybe
Speaker 1: a rogue transfer. And now it's so often that you're
Speaker 1: having to reconfigure chemistry year to year.
Speaker 4: Yeah, for sure, I think, like you said, it does
Speaker 4: happen so often now, especially since I've been in college.
Speaker 4: But I mean, that's like putting all my trust into Craig. Like,
Speaker 4: I know that he does an insane job of just
Speaker 4: like picking these players, so I know we're not just
Speaker 4: like gonna get some like random people on our team.
Speaker 4: I know he's gonna find the character pieces just like also,
Speaker 4: like really good volleyball players, but also really good humans.
Speaker 4: So it's really not hard trying to put this team
Speaker 4: together every year because I mean, it is such amazing
Speaker 4: people and they're just always bought into like what Kentucky
Speaker 4: has had over the past couple years and like honestly
Speaker 4: before that too, So just the legacy that Craig has
Speaker 4: built here at Kentucky and that we just like as
Speaker 4: seniors and leaders try to just continue on for that
Speaker 4: next generation.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's going to make y'all better people
Speaker 1: later in life at jobs and work, because that's real
Speaker 1: life is somebody comes in and now you're dealing with
Speaker 1: a different boss or a different supervisor, or even someone
Speaker 1: that used to be below you is now above you,
Speaker 1: and like the power dynamics are constantly shifting. Whereas in
Speaker 1: sport it used to kind of be you're a freshman,
Speaker 1: you take your lumps, you're a sophomore, you kind of
Speaker 1: know how things go, but you're still not that important.
Speaker 2: You're a june.
Speaker 1: You're now you're kind of in charge and you're a senior,
Speaker 1: and you reap the benefits of having earned that.
Speaker 2: And now someone.
Speaker 1: Could transfer in that's equally as badass as you are
Speaker 1: and was leading something somewhere else and disrupts the sort
Speaker 1: of way that things are going, and you have to
Speaker 1: be willing to say, this is what's in the best
Speaker 1: interests of my team and going to get us the
Speaker 1: furthest and buy into what they can bring you as
Speaker 1: opposed to how they might be challenging for the role
Speaker 1: that you had, which.
Speaker 2: Again will make you better later in life.
Speaker 1: But it's a whole different ballgame for coach Skinner and
Speaker 1: everybody else trying to figure out how to negotiate all
Speaker 1: of that. You know, you made it almost all the
Speaker 1: way last year. Obviously, every year in NCAA title is
Speaker 1: what you want. But is there any extra motivation this
Speaker 1: year after coming so close and falling short.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean kind of, like you said, you have
Speaker 4: that going into this year, and a lot of us
Speaker 4: were a part of that team. So we just have
Speaker 4: tried to do our best job of just like telling
Speaker 4: the young ones or new people that came in on
Speaker 4: our team of like what it takes to get to
Speaker 4: that point, because the road is not easy, Like that
Speaker 4: was not an easy season to get to the very
Speaker 4: last game, and yes we did fall short, but we
Speaker 4: also learned so much about ourselves and just like the
Speaker 4: potential that we had that pretty much nobody in the
Speaker 4: country thought we were going to be in that place
Speaker 4: at the beginning of the season. So that was just
Speaker 4: a cool, like turning piece for us. But yeah, it's
Speaker 4: definitely motivation going into this year and also kind of
Speaker 4: a target on our back that we just have to
Speaker 4: prove every day in the gym.
Speaker 1: Coach, what can the team do better this season to
Speaker 1: end up the last team standing?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 5: Wow, you know, I'm not sure that I can pick
Speaker 5: something that they have to do better. I think that
Speaker 5: we learned a lot last year. I think one of
Speaker 5: the most important things for teams is learning what it
Speaker 5: feels like to play in the second weekend and to rent,
Speaker 5: learning what it feels like to play in a regional final,
Speaker 5: learning what it feels like to play in a final
Speaker 5: four and a National Chips because I can't tell them
Speaker 5: that I've been there a couple of times. I know
Speaker 5: what it feels like, but Brooklyn had no idea what
Speaker 5: it felt like to be in a final four until
Speaker 5: last year, and so now she knows has that experience,
Speaker 5: and as long as we put forth the culture and
Speaker 5: foundation and the program, what we want to do is
Speaker 5: give ourselves a chance. We want to give ourselves the
Speaker 5: best chance to be successful and a little bit of
Speaker 5: coach speak, but at the same time, you know it
Speaker 5: is and all those things will help people like Brooklyn
Speaker 5: hopefully have a successful career.
Speaker 3: Like you.
Speaker 5: I mean, you have a successful career now, and you
Speaker 5: may or may not have won a national championship, but
Speaker 5: that's less important to you now than what your career
Speaker 5: and what you're doing.
Speaker 2: I definitely did not. Thanks for bringing Brooklyn. What about you?
Speaker 1: What are you working on individually this year? What part
Speaker 1: of your game are you thinking? Okay, senior campaign, I
Speaker 1: really want to be great at this or better at
Speaker 1: this kind of just.
Speaker 4: All around, like my all around game, just being one
Speaker 4: in step percentage better at every single aspect of it.
Speaker 4: Because outside hitters have the luxury of like being able
Speaker 4: to do everything. You pass, serve, like play defense, you attack,
Speaker 4: you block, you pretty much do every skill in the
Speaker 4: game of volleyball. So kind of just being one percent
Speaker 4: better at that this year, but also kind of showing
Speaker 4: off my leadership skills, making sure that the team is
Speaker 4: in it for the right reasons, and just like going
Speaker 4: through those battles together and not just separately, which has
Speaker 4: been a big piece of like what Kentucky's all about
Speaker 4: is we are a team. This is the ultimate team sport.
Speaker 4: So making sure that like me along with the other seniors,
Speaker 4: are doing a good job from a leaderships perspective.
Speaker 1: You're talking about positions on the floor, and it just
Speaker 1: got me thinking, Brooklyn, how do you say the word
Speaker 1: for the person on the core that is a defensive specialist?
Speaker 2: Libero? Craig, how do you say it?
Speaker 3: Bro?
Speaker 2: Just brokay, Okay.
Speaker 1: Do you know the origin of the word. I have
Speaker 1: just learned this. It's Italian and they say libero for free.
Speaker 1: And so when I heard someone saying libero in pro
Speaker 1: Vibes conversation, I was like, oh my god, I've been
Speaker 1: saying it wrong the whole time.
Speaker 2: And They're like, don't worry.
Speaker 1: Americans always say libero, but the words actually libero.
Speaker 2: And we on this San.
Speaker 1: Francisco signal team of which I'm a part owner, We're
Speaker 1: going to say it the right way and start to
Speaker 1: lead the way for it being said correctly. And I'm like,
Speaker 1: but every time I say it, people are gonna think
Speaker 1: I'm the one who doesn't say so maybe I'll just
Speaker 1: go with Bro.
Speaker 2: I'm gonna go with bro.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a good one, I think. So. I mean
Speaker 3: it takes it all out of the equation and the
Speaker 3: Italian word for free, free substitution.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so bro vibes. If I just shorten everything, we're
Speaker 2: all set.
Speaker 1: I was looking at the expectations for this team, five
Speaker 1: Cats named by conference coaches to the pre season All
Speaker 1: SEC Team, three on the ABCA National Player of the
Speaker 1: Year watch list. How will this team's depth help you, Craig,
Speaker 1: And then what challenges does that depth pose for you
Speaker 1: when you're trying to make use of all that talent
Speaker 1: and make everyone feel like they're getting to contribute.
Speaker 5: Well, I've always kind of told people that better players
Speaker 5: make you better coach. We want as many good players
Speaker 5: as possible. But I want to go back to Brooklyn's
Speaker 5: comment because she's talking about herself, and I just I
Speaker 5: wish you could be at our last couple of practices
Speaker 5: and see the demeanor, the intensity of the urgency level
Speaker 5: that this kid had on the court, which you know, yes,
Speaker 5: she's had in the past, but you could see.
Speaker 3: A level of the.
Speaker 5: Desire for her to be really good in that moment
Speaker 5: and you know, I think that that is something that
Speaker 5: we all strive for because it's hard to let go
Speaker 5: of ourselves for the betterment of how we're doing for
Speaker 5: the betterment of the team.
Speaker 3: And she's doing it.
Speaker 5: But you know, to your question, you know, the depth
Speaker 5: is really important, and some people think it's only important
Speaker 5: in game time, but it's really important this afternoon at
Speaker 5: four fifteen, we step on the court and are we
Speaker 5: getting challenged or not? And if you're not getting challenged
Speaker 5: every day, you don't learn how to overcome the type moments,
Speaker 5: the pressure moments, the situations where you feel like you're
Speaker 5: defeated already and then overcome them. And so that's where
Speaker 5: we get the bost benefit of it. And you know,
Speaker 5: our group that's not starting is called FTU and you
Speaker 5: can figure out what that means, or whoever's listening can
Speaker 5: And if FTU is not playing at their level, then
Speaker 5: you know we don't reach the day's limits, and so
Speaker 5: that's a tangent.
Speaker 3: But there you go.
Speaker 2: FTU are there to f things.
Speaker 3: Up just after shocked back in the days. She's the
Speaker 3: captain f to you.
Speaker 1: Okay, I love that, Brooklyn. You are on both of
Speaker 1: the lists. I just mentioned preseason. All SEC and Player
Speaker 1: of the Year watch list are achievements like that on
Speaker 1: a list of goals for you, a physical list that
Speaker 1: you sit down and write before the season starts, or
Speaker 1: how do you decide for yourself what parameters you want
Speaker 1: to set, our expectations you want to set for a season.
Speaker 4: Maybe my freshman and sophomore year I probably would have
Speaker 4: put those on a list, but like going into my
Speaker 4: senior year, I pretty much am like all about the team, Like, yes,
Speaker 4: those are really cool that I was nominated for those,
Speaker 4: but like that's not really what I'm worried about. I'm
Speaker 4: worried for the ultimate team goal, which is the national championship,
Speaker 4: and that's what we're working for. So I'm super grateful
Speaker 4: to be on those lists. But like also the people
Speaker 4: that are on them with me are just amazing people
Speaker 4: as well, And like, yes, kind of like what Craig
Speaker 4: was mentioning, you like see those players in the gym
Speaker 4: every day and it just makes you want to work
Speaker 4: even harder.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do say there's a gift sometimes in the
Speaker 1: disappointment of the loss, because you come back and you're like, Okay.
Speaker 2: I got so close.
Speaker 1: The only thing I want is to win it all,
Speaker 1: like that's that's all I want now, because I was
Speaker 1: so close to having that feeling. The season is getting
Speaker 1: ready to start and two big ones on the docket.
Speaker 1: The AFCA first serve in Milwaukee, you're going to face
Speaker 1: fellow twenty twenty five Final four programs Wisconsin and Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1: And then the first week of September you'll be in
Speaker 1: my city taking on the twenty twenty four Aational champions
Speaker 1: Penn State in an outdoor match at.
Speaker 2: Wrigley Field, which is so cool.
Speaker 1: One of several high profile tournaments and events that are
Speaker 1: happening at unique venues for volleyball and coach. I wonder
Speaker 1: how you've seen the interest in and coverage of women's
Speaker 1: college volleyball change over the course of your coaching career,
Speaker 1: even going back to when you started as an assistant
Speaker 1: under other coaches.
Speaker 5: That's not even close, Sarah. We're in a different planet
Speaker 5: right now compared to where we were, and my goal
Speaker 5: is to not have to jump off a high dive,
Speaker 5: or not have to stand on a desk, or not
Speaker 5: have to go on an airplane because we're just picked
Speaker 5: over a football gamer. We're picked over a different sporting
Speaker 5: event and we're on our way.
Speaker 3: It's going to happen. When it happens, I don't know, but.
Speaker 5: You know, being able to play in venues like this,
Speaker 5: being able to play at Wrigley Field tells a lot
Speaker 5: of people how important our sport is. And you know,
Speaker 5: playing sports in college and you're you're asking and begging
Speaker 5: for attention, and it's this sport as well on its
Speaker 5: way to being elite mainstream you know TV and you
Speaker 5: know highlights of the top ten.
Speaker 3: So it's cool. It's awesome to be part of.
Speaker 1: I'd argue you should still jump off the high dive.
Speaker 1: It's just fun. I agree, no matter how many people
Speaker 1: are showing up, just keep them wanting more. Coach, who
Speaker 1: are you both inviting to the Wrigley Game, Brooklyn? Do
Speaker 1: you have some friends and family that you really want
Speaker 1: to come to that one?
Speaker 4: Tickets are like crazy, it's all sold out and we
Speaker 4: only get like four, so I have pretty much my
Speaker 4: whole family coming, pretty small family, so I have those
Speaker 4: four and I even like bought too just to have
Speaker 4: my like extended couple people to come as well. So
Speaker 4: it's just really cool that that is the case that
Speaker 4: we're like having to like find tickets for ourselves because
Speaker 4: everybody wants to be at that game.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you got to consider the in laws now, Brooklyn,
Speaker 1: so the family is going to get bigger at the
Speaker 1: ticket requests, We're going to get bigger. It's a good
Speaker 1: problem to have that everybody wants to be there. I
Speaker 1: think you could just, you know, give them a pop quiz.
Speaker 1: You know, right, name seven members of the team. How
Speaker 1: do you pronounce bro? And then you know, the people
Speaker 1: who know the most gets to go.
Speaker 2: What's thee leb? Would you like to see their courtside? Brooklyn?
Speaker 2: If anyone could show up? Ooh, that's a great question.
Speaker 4: Probably is An. I'm a huge Sundia fan. And if
Speaker 4: she could bring her husband Tom like that, bere we too,
Speaker 4: Spider Man, I know what about you, Craig.
Speaker 3: I'm gonna go mj and Dave Grol.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, Michael Jordan and Dave Girl good Combo.
Speaker 2: I would love that too.
Speaker 3: I should know. I gotta go Eddie Vedder Eddie Vedder Chicago.
Speaker 2: You know, yeah, he's there quite often.
Speaker 1: If they're not on tour, he will probably be there,
Speaker 1: and you know, he'll bring a whole bunch of others.
Speaker 2: With him. They're traveling packs.
Speaker 1: Those cub fans celebrities, so that would be fun Brooklyn
Speaker 1: senior season after this, what are your hopes for the
Speaker 1: future and your volleyball career?
Speaker 4: Honestly, just play as long as I'm loving it, Like
Speaker 4: I just want to play at the next level, and
Speaker 4: where that is I don't know yet, but then when
Speaker 4: my time comes to an end. Honestly, just I would
Speaker 4: love to, I mean, not be like Craig, but low
Speaker 4: key b like Craig, just keep influencing the game of
Speaker 4: volleyball and just maybe turn into a coach or do
Speaker 4: some things so a sports and just kind of pave
Speaker 4: the way for the next generation of just young athletes.
Speaker 2: I love that.
Speaker 1: You know, it's still a majority male coaches in women's
Speaker 1: college volleyball despite it being a women's sport, and so
Speaker 1: we need more folks like you to take that initiative
Speaker 1: after your playing career is done and get into the
Speaker 1: coaching side of things. No shade to coach Skinner, but
Speaker 1: we just need women to keep shown up and leading
Speaker 1: the way to and being those role models.
Speaker 2: Okay, final question.
Speaker 1: I love asking all our volleyball guests this because was
Speaker 1: never my sport. I played a lot of beach for
Speaker 1: fun growing up, but it was always the same time
Speaker 1: as field hockey, which was one of my sports, and
Speaker 1: so I'm not as knowledgeable about it as some of
Speaker 1: my other sports. And because of my new ownership in
Speaker 1: the San Francisco Signal and my desire to be a
Speaker 1: better smarter owner, I want to know your top tip
Speaker 1: for becoming a better watcher of the sport. It could
Speaker 1: be a book, it could be a YouTube tutorial, it
Speaker 1: could be an analyst that you think does a good
Speaker 1: job of breaking it down. I guess kind of regardless
Speaker 1: of level, is there so thing that you're like, Hey,
Speaker 1: maybe Brooklyn, your in laws are like, hey, we don't
Speaker 1: really know what's going on when you're out there. How
Speaker 1: do we know better whether you're doing something well without
Speaker 1: seeing you smash in someone's face and knowing that that
Speaker 1: was the desired goal.
Speaker 5: I would just recommend Sarah sit in the end zone.
Speaker 5: Sit in the end zone so you can see the
Speaker 5: plays develop and see all the action from antenna to antenna.
Speaker 5: That's where you can really see things develop. And then
Speaker 5: sit with a volleyball coach and have them teach you
Speaker 5: the rotations okay for six rotations on the floor, and
Speaker 5: you just got to note it's super hard to learn.
Speaker 5: But I think it's really it's like it's in a way,
Speaker 5: it's like chess. It's really hard to learn. Once you
Speaker 5: get the hang of it, it's awesome.
Speaker 2: Awesome, thank you for volunteering. That's so nice of you.
Speaker 3: To your success. We get another time on your show
Speaker 3: next month. I'm in let's do it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, that's a great answer. I was just kind
Speaker 4: of going down the road of just like watch as
Speaker 4: much as you can. I feel like announcers these days,
Speaker 4: like I mean, our team was talking about this not
Speaker 4: too long long ago. Like when you go and watch
Speaker 4: the game back, the announcers are doing a really good
Speaker 4: job of like breaking it down for someone that's never
Speaker 4: seen it before, and we're all just like, oh, yeah,
Speaker 4: we know that, but like trying to think back to
Speaker 4: like when we first picked up the game of like,
Speaker 4: oh yeah, okay, someone might actually not know this so
Speaker 4: honestly like just watching a lot. But kind of, like
Speaker 4: Craig said, if you're with someone that knows the game
Speaker 4: really well, like it truly helps because so there's some
Speaker 4: plays that are like obvious, but then others like just
Speaker 4: like the crafty plays like oh no, she like actually
Speaker 4: meant to like use the block to bring it back
Speaker 4: on her side to keep poll like some crazy plays
Speaker 4: like that that aren't just like smashing the ball as
Speaker 4: hard as you can and going tin fut line.
Speaker 2: Yeah, when to go over into and all the other stuff.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I do have a whole big group of Signal owners
Speaker 1: that are former players or experts, so I will be
Speaker 1: enlisting their help so by the time our season starts,
Speaker 1: I really know what I'm talking about, bros.
Speaker 2: And otherwise, thank you so much for hopping on.
Speaker 1: The plan is to be at Wrigleyfield, so I look
Speaker 1: forward to watching you there and good luck this season.
Speaker 3: Thank you so much, sir. Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thanks again to coach Craig and Brooklyn for taking the time.
Speaker 1: And don't forget you can now watch full length good
Speaker 1: game interviews on the Iheartwomen's Sports YouTube channel. We have
Speaker 1: to take another break when we come back.
Speaker 2: I love welcome back, Slice's.
Speaker 1: We love that you're listening, but we want you to
Speaker 1: get in the game every day too, So here's our
Speaker 1: good game play of the day.
Speaker 2: Slice.
Speaker 1: Gretchen Test wrote in with a question that doubles as
Speaker 1: potential slice work, writing quote, you do such a great
Speaker 1: job highlighting the business of women's sports and discussing how
Speaker 1: invested the w fans are in player brands, partners and sponsors.
Speaker 1: Is anyone a slice Perhaps maintaining a running list of
Speaker 1: players and their partnership so that fans will know what
Speaker 1: products to support the WNBPA players market on their website
Speaker 1: is a good source, but seems to focus on player
Speaker 1: owned products, foundations and brands only if there's a list
Speaker 1: of other partnerships.
Speaker 2: End quote. Great question, Gretchen. It feels like that spreadsheet
Speaker 2: would be a pretty big.
Speaker 1: One with so many more brands getting in on women's sports.
Speaker 1: We love to see it and we'd love to support them.
Speaker 1: So if anyone knows of such a list or wants
Speaker 1: to make one, let us know. Also one piece of
Speaker 1: slice work as you firm up your weekend plans. The
Speaker 1: next installment of Big Citrus and Chill is coming up
Speaker 1: in just a couple of weeks if you miss the
Speaker 1: first one. This is a new series where producers Alex
Speaker 1: Bianc and I watch or rewatch a women's sports movie
Speaker 1: and then talk about it.
Speaker 2: On the pod.
Speaker 1: The first flick was bend It like Beckham. Now, in
Speaker 1: honor of the wpbl's inaugural season, we're watching a League
Speaker 1: of their own release back in nineteen ninety two. It's
Speaker 1: available on Netflix, so watch it yourself so you can
Speaker 1: follow along with our conversation and if you have time
Speaker 1: to watch before Wednesday, the twenty sixth, feel free to
Speaker 1: send us a voice memo with your reactions to the film.
Speaker 1: We'd love to add reactions from slices into our discussion.
Speaker 1: You can leave us a voicemail at eight seven to
Speaker 1: two to four to fifty seventy or a voice memo
Speaker 1: to Good Game wondermedianetwork dot com and don't forget to subscribe,
Speaker 1: rate and review.
Speaker 2: It's easy watch.
Speaker 1: We love that rating infinity number of times we said
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 2: In our Big Citrus Chat on Wednesday review.
Speaker 1: When I was listening back to our Big Citrus Birthday
Speaker 1: Chat for our August nineteenth episode, I couldn't help but
Speaker 1: notice that we have just one singular response to hearing
Speaker 1: someone's goals, intentions, hobbies, favorite music acts. I love that
Speaker 1: if you Slices at home played.
Speaker 2: A drinking game.
Speaker 1: Based on the number of times Alex bianc and I said,
Speaker 1: I love that, y'all would be absolutely schnockered. I'll try
Speaker 1: to think of a better response slash transition phrase for
Speaker 1: next show. Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review,
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Coach, Craig,
Speaker 1: Good game, Brooklyn h the fact that I probably could
Speaker 1: have been a great vibes player if I hadn't been
Speaker 1: too busy crushing it at field hockey and basketball and
Speaker 1: track and field, and modesty. Good Game with Sarah Spain
Speaker 1: is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Speaker 1: Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the
Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1: Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi
Speaker 1: and Bianca Hillier. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Speaker 1: Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutterer,
Speaker 1: Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from
Speaker 1: Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain