1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm timany Oshinsky, and this is Serving Pancakes NOE. 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: Not a podcast about food. This is a podcast about 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: volleyball and more to you. A pancake is a fluffy, 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: syrup drenched breakfast food, but in volleyball, a pancake is 5 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: a high effort move when a player flattens her hand 6 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: against the ground to keep the ball in play. And 7 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: that's us digging into high efforts that are moving sports forward. 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: Listen in as I talk with people making the biggest 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: impacts on global volleyball and women's sports perspectives, insights, and 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: behind the scenes stories, all with the side of pancakes. 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,840 Speaker 1: Today's episode features the best setter at the Tokyo Olympics, 12 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: Jordan Poulter. Raised in Aurora, Colorado, Jordan was a two 13 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: time All American at Illinois, where she led the team 14 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: to a final four appearance. Jordan has been part of 15 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: the US women's national team since twenty eighteen and was 16 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: the youngest member when they won their first ever Olympic 17 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: gold medal in Tokyo, and she'll be back defending her 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: title this summer in Paris. Hi, Jordanskay have some pancakes. 19 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: We have to start what's the Jordan Poulter special? 20 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: Where are the bananas and the walnuts? 21 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 3: You know, that's a great question. I didn't get any 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 3: think I'm not picky. 23 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: That's what we love about. Yeah, yes, So I want 24 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: to start way back when before you ever. 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 3: Played volleyball, what did you want to be when your crew? 26 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 2: I feel like every kid changes, you know, like each 27 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: week they want to be something different. I remember at 28 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 2: one time I wanted to be a vet tam. Yeah. 29 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 2: The idea of being with dogs and animals seemed really fun, 30 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 2: and I think that dream was surpassed by I don't know. 31 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 2: At one point, I just wanted to be someone who 32 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: just traveled the world. So I don't know what that 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: would have entailed. Flood didn't. Maybe there was always, I think, 34 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: for me, a dream of wanting to be in the Olympics. 35 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 2: You know, when you would draw a photo of what 36 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: you want to be. I remember when I was young, 37 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 2: drawing a picture at the Olympics and then being like 38 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: old official like that might not be yah, teachers saying yeah, 39 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 2: I remember. I remember being like, I don't know if 40 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: that's really. 41 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 3: A tagable, but dream big Jordan, but not that big. 42 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, that you didn't listen to that teaching. 43 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 2: It's interesting right to think about what you hope to 44 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: aspire and then kind of get away from. Like for me, 45 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 2: I don't know that I was ever constantly throughout volleyball 46 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 2: thinking I want to be an Olympian. But I think 47 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 2: at a young age had to have been the four Olympics, 48 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 2: remembering watching it on TV and it's sticking. Not necessarily 49 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: wanting to be a volleyball player, but just having that 50 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: American flag on your jersey and representing something bigger than 51 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 2: yourself at the highest level seemed really cool. 52 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 3: So when did you get introduced to volleyball? 53 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: My dad actually coached high school volleyball team. Well, I 54 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: was growing up. My sister and I grew up running 55 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: around in a gym and form of babysitting. Yeah, just 56 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: well they were practicing. We kept ourselves busy running around 57 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 2: and playing with different volleyballs or watching. So I think 58 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: I started playing organized volleyball maybe when I was in 59 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 2: third grade and. 60 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 3: Your dad coached. He coached to you. 61 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: Eventually he did coach me eventually. 62 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 3: What was that like some stressful car rides? 63 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: No, I I think that we both agree looking back 64 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: that if it had been at any other time past 65 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: the age that I was thin. He coached me when 66 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: I was twelve for a couple of years, and then 67 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: coached me when I was fourteen per year, and I 68 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 2: think if we had gone beyond fourteen years old, it 69 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: would have been Nah, it would have been some some 70 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: kas in the house. Does he still coach? He does, 71 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 2: on and off. He just finished coaching a club season 72 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: for a Beleague fourteen see it all right? 73 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 4: Up? 74 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, So when did you know that volleyball wasn't going 75 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: to be your sport? 76 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: What was it that clicked? 77 00:03:59,560 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 5: You know? 78 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: I feel like a part of it had to have 79 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: been that I grew up around it and just saw it. 80 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: And I think being always in a gym with older 81 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: girls that I could look up to and aspire to 82 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: try and get to where they were kind of was 83 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 2: the thing in front of me. But I love anything 84 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 2: that involves a ball, So my sister and I would 85 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: play every sport imaginable in our backyard and try everything 86 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: and had a lot of fun with it. But I 87 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: think because volleyball was so accessible to me was what stuck. 88 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 2: But I always say that if I had had the 89 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: chance to play basketball, I think I would have liked 90 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 2: the physical interaction with the other team, like you don't 91 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 2: get much of that in volleyball. 92 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: No, It's funny because a lot of your teammates who 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: did play basketball preferred not to do the physical anymore, 94 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: which is why they enjoyed playing volleyball. 95 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 3: When did you know, though, that you were going to 96 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 3: be not just good but good. 97 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: I had the fortune of playing up a lot, so 98 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: I was always one of the younger ones on the team, 99 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 2: playing with older girls who were either one or two 100 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 2: years older than me, And so I feel like you 101 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: learn pretty quickly. You're humbled quickly, and you learn faster 102 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 2: honestly when you're in an environment that forces you to 103 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 2: be better or you know you won't thrive or you 104 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: won't make it. So I think probably sometime early in 105 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: high school as a freshman came in and made varsity, 106 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: like a lot of my teammates, and you kind of go, well, 107 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: this might be something that I could run with or take, 108 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 2: and I think I speak for a lot of us, 109 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: when you just constantly tried to get to that next thing. So, 110 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: you know, freshman making varsity, then it's like you're in 111 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: high school and you're trying to see if you can 112 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: get a scholarship somewhere to play in college, and that 113 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 2: what's next, what's next, What's next? And so we have 114 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 2: such a large pool of athletes in this country with 115 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,679 Speaker 2: our college system for volleyball, and I know our national 116 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: team staff watches a lot and wants to make our 117 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 2: program the best it can and bring in the best 118 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: talent they think might be suitable for the future. And 119 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 2: so when cors calls, you know, you answer and you 120 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: you come. 121 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 3: They look good. Yes, exactly. 122 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: So it was fortunate to get the opportunity to get 123 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: my foot in the door, and I'm lucky to still 124 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: be here. 125 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: We're born in Illinois. It was Yeah, when did you 126 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: move to Colorado? 127 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 2: My parents moved out to Colorado when I was two, 128 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 2: I think, so I'm high. Yeah, so all of our 129 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: families back in the Midwest, but I grew up in Denver. 130 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: Hey, guys, I wanted to give you a quick fact 131 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: about volleyball in Colorado to set the scene. The Midwest 132 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: is a hot spot for girls and women's volleyball. That's 133 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 1: why places like Nebraska and Wisconsin are almost always in 134 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: the conversation when you talk about the best players, clubs 135 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: and schools for the sport. But Colorado is gaining momentum 136 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: and has amazing athletes thanks to players like Jordan and 137 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: her USA teammate Haley Washington, who's from Colorado Springs. When 138 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: Jordan was a senior, her club team front Range eighteen 139 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: Black was ranked eleventh in the nation and going back 140 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: to Team US, Jordan and Haley made up a sixth 141 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: of the gold medal winners in Tokyo and both will 142 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: be heading back to Paris. The Rocky Mountain region doesn't 143 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: look so i rocky to me. Now back to the interview. 144 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 3: Beautiful Tenver. So what drew you to Illinois for college? 145 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: I think a mix of who that coach was at 146 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 2: the time, Kevin Hanley, who is now the head coach 147 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 2: at Stanford and in combination with the team at that 148 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 2: time made the championship against UCLA. I think it was 149 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 2: twenty eleven. So it was just a lot of right 150 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: things at the right time in that regard, and having 151 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: had grandparents from central Illinois, my mom's from Central Illinois. 152 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: You know, both my parents growing up were Illinois fans. 153 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 2: A lot of yelling at the TV during basketball games, 154 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: so it just seemed like a great foot for me, 155 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: and I loved my time at University of Illinois and 156 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 2: wouldn't trade it for anything. 157 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: You were the top three recruit in the nation, the 158 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: top setter when you graduated high school. But how did 159 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: you decide on becoming a setter. 160 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: I've got to say that it was one of those 161 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 2: things that wasn't my choice to start. You know, I 162 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: was one of the smaller ones when I had first 163 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 2: started playing volleyball, so I was eight years old playing 164 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 2: with twelve year olds, so it was four years younger, 165 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 2: and it was kind of like, oh, well, you're definitely 166 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 2: not big enough to be one of our hitters, and 167 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 2: we need somebody else to say because we've got our 168 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 2: libro set. So it just, you know, by lucky, the 169 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 2: draw was kind of what I was led into, and 170 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 2: fortunately enough for me my personality and my want for control, 171 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: it fits well when being a setter. No, I'm just giving. 172 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: Apparently makes for the best setter in the country, I suppose, 173 00:08:43,880 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: so it helped. So being that highly touted going into college, 174 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: did you find yourself humbled a bit or did you 175 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: fit in immediately? What was kind of your transition from 176 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: high school club to college. 177 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 2: I went to Illinois and earned the starting spot, and 178 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 2: the current center at the time was a senior. So 179 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 2: was a freshman coming in and taking a senior's position, 180 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 2: and that had a learning curve to it for sure, 181 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 2: and kind of had some ups and downs through the season. 182 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: Was benched for a brief period of time, and then 183 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: re earned my spot and we finished out my freshman 184 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 2: year going to the Sweet sixteen. But every level there's 185 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 2: a jump in physicality, there's a jump in IQ and 186 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 2: I think for me, trying to get to know women 187 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 2: who have played together for a long time in the 188 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 2: short amount of time, had to figure out how to 189 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: ford relationships quickly, you know, similarly to when you come 190 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 2: to the national team and those girls who've been playing 191 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 2: together for ten plus years and you come in Brennan 192 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 2: bushytail just you know, have to have to form these 193 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 2: relationships and build trust and equity as authentically and quickly 194 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 2: as you can. 195 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: Mentally, when you're going through that initial phase freshman year, 196 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: bench not bench starting, taking over senior's position, how did 197 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: you mentally prepare yourself and get through that. 198 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 2: I don't know that there was anything that could have 199 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 2: prepared me. I think It's one of those life lessons 200 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 2: until you're in it, you know. The only way I 201 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: was through because I wasn't, you know, necessarily satisfied with 202 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 2: what was happening in the gym. I kind of self 203 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: taught piano in my dorm room. Oh wow, yeah, our dorm. 204 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: Our dorm had piano rooms, and so I was like, 205 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: you know what, this sounds kind of fun. We could 206 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 2: rent the rooms for an hour for free, and so 207 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: I just take an hour almost every night and sit 208 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 2: and try to equivalate, you know, the chords that you 209 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 2: learn on guitar and figure out the ham positionings on 210 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 2: piano and sort of that's kind of how I self taught. 211 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: Okay, can we take a second to just commend Jordan 212 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: for teaching herself piano, because wow, that takes a lot 213 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: of patience and dedication and just amazing. But I also 214 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: want to point out that playing an instrument could help 215 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: you become a better athlete. 216 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 3: I mean, think about it. 217 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: Both playing a sport and instrument need coordination, collaboration, and 218 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: self confidence, and both skills can help each other. When 219 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: you're stressed or anxious about your athletic performance, you can 220 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: relax by playing an instrument like music therapy or if 221 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: you're frustrated after trying to learn Hotel, California after the 222 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: nth hour, you can take that frustration out on the court. 223 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: But the biggest issue is time management. When can you 224 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: find the time to practice an instrument while still training 225 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: and performing at a high level. Well, Jordan was able 226 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 1: to find that while competing at a high level in volleyball. 227 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: And if Jordan can do it, so can you. Are 228 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: you a chord player or can you read the notes? 229 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 2: I can't read music, but I and tabs and chords. 230 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: See, that's actually the fun way because that's like piano 231 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: bar playing, and you can play anything. 232 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 2: That's the more social way, right, And that's what I 233 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: use it for as like a fun hobby social you know. 234 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: So did you find that cathartic or was it just 235 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: sort of a distraction? 236 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 2: I think both. Actually cathartic in the sense of I 237 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 2: was doing something that was enjoyable and challenging and I 238 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: was getting better and learning, and yeah, it was a 239 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 2: good way to detach and it was something that I 240 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 2: could do solely by myself and control the pace at 241 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 2: which I tried to attack it. There was just a 242 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 2: lot of fun, creative freedom in it that I don't 243 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 2: think that I could have found anywhere else. 244 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: And you were a film major at Illinois, it was 245 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: how did that work? 246 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 3: So as I ended up becoming a film major. 247 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 2: I think, like a lot of people who here, when 248 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 2: you're a film major or media in cinema studies, it's like, oh. 249 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 3: Nice, so you're going to work at a restaurant. 250 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,319 Speaker 2: But you know, being in the fortunate position of getting 251 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 2: a full Red scholarship, I wanted to do something that 252 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 2: I enjoyed. I wanted to be in classes that I 253 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 2: wanted to go to and I and. 254 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 3: That's what college is kind of I think so too. 255 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: But I did start out in the business school, and 256 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 2: after you can one O two. 257 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 5: I. 258 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 2: Tailed it out of there. 259 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 3: The opportunities are endless when it comes to that. 260 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 1: You said this before, but senior year, the US women's 261 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: national team game calling and brought you on board. And 262 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: so what was it like playing with these women who 263 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: now their life is just volleyball and professional sports? Did 264 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: you learn a lot about the next phase in this 265 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: world if you wanted to go pro again? 266 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: It's such an interesting jump for US Americans to go 267 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 2: from college to professionally, which you know, up until this 268 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: year you had to go abroad to play and make 269 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 2: a decent amount of money. And so for me, coming 270 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 2: out of college, I fell I had the perfect balance 271 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,719 Speaker 2: of school, social and sport. Then you leave all that 272 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 2: and it's all volleyball, and it's all just Yeah, you're 273 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 2: having to figure out how you find that balance in 274 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 2: other aspects. And for me that was pretty challenging, or 275 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: a pretty rude awakening, I would say, But kind of 276 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 2: like I touched on earlier, I think in life you 277 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 2: have to go through some hard things to grow as 278 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 2: a human and be better moving forward. As hard as 279 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 2: that experience was for me, I think I'm better for it, 280 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 2: I guess now in hindsight. But if young girls don't 281 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 2: have to leave America to experience high level volleyball, that's 282 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: one of the reasons that I think a lot of 283 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: us feel so compelled to to be a part of 284 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: League One, you know, is to provide that choice and 285 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 2: have the option because we never had the option before. 286 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: Did the girls give you advice since you were still 287 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: in college, did they give you advice on the next 288 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: step in life? 289 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 2: I think as much as they could. People are very 290 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 2: forthcoming with their experiences and things that they've learned. But 291 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 2: I think the essence of it all is really finding yourself. 292 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 2: And the more the more that you become comfortable with yourself, 293 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 2: the easier, and that everything else becomes both inside and 294 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: outside the gym. You know, when you make that jump 295 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 2: from college to pro there's a lot of imposter syndrome 296 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 2: or just feeling like what am I doing here? And 297 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: the growth curve is pretty big. But controlling what you 298 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: can and being open to learning and growing and keeping 299 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 2: yourself curious, I think would be my advice if I 300 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 2: could go back and tell my former giving. 301 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: Yourself when did you know, yes, I'm definitely going to 302 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: be playing professionally, that this is something that I want 303 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: to continue doing and pursuing. 304 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 2: Probably my junior and senior year of college was one 305 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: in those conversations with both my coaches at Illinois at 306 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: the time and with national team staff were happening. 307 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: Did you know where you wanted to go? 308 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 2: So I graduated in December of twenty eighteen, so I 309 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 2: graduated a semester early from my graduating class, and that's 310 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 2: the middle of the overseas season. So I was not picky. 311 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 2: I was very lucky that a team who was doing 312 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: very poorly in Seri one of the Italian League wanted 313 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: to make a change to try to save themselves from 314 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 2: a relegation, and they took a chance on a young 315 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 2: center out of college. So I then spent the next 316 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 2: four years after that playing in the Italian League, and 317 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 2: it was a really great place to learn and to 318 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 2: get better and to meet friends and people from all 319 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 2: walks of life and countries that I never would have 320 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: had I not gone. I don't know, it's weird for 321 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 2: all of us now. I think kind of being on 322 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 2: the other side of our overseas life, you know, kind 323 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 2: of mourn it in a way because for as hard 324 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: as it was, there were so many beautiful things in 325 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: friendships and memories that come out of it. It's a 326 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 2: bittersweet thing, but I'm really excited for the picture. 327 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure. So let's talk about Tokyo for a second. 328 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 3: Because you were the onest player on the team during 329 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,239 Speaker 3: that run. You get named. 330 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: Best senter in the Tokyo Olympics, which, like that must 331 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: have been so cool. You win gold, but you're twenty 332 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:06,920 Speaker 1: four at the time. 333 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, I turned twenty four during the Olympics. 334 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: So you're twenty three turning twenty four during the Olympics. 335 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: What was going through your mind when it came to 336 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: I just went gold. I'm twenty four years old. What 337 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: do I do now? What's the next goal? 338 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 2: Exactly right. I don't know if dreams are dreams are 339 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 2: dreams because they're this like huge attainable thing that you 340 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 2: hope to one day you know, achieved or accomplish. But yeah, 341 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 2: I don't know. Not you just don't think it happens 342 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 2: that that early, or I feel really fortunate that it 343 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 2: happened at all, because a lot of people don't get 344 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 2: to achieve their dreams. But there was there was a 345 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 2: period afterward of like, oh, well, okay, no, yeah, no, 346 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 2: what I mean, you try to do it again? Right? 347 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 2: But I think for me, being alongside of the eleven 348 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 2: other women that I got to be teammates with in 349 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: the took Olympics, I think all of us wished that 350 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 2: for as high a moment that that was winning gold, 351 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 2: that our friends and family could have been there to 352 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 2: experience that with us, or celebrate and relish in that 353 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 2: alongside us. And so for me, the new dream became 354 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 2: to be able to be wearing my country on my 355 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 2: chest and to be competing on the biggest stage in 356 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: the world and have my mom, dad, and sister in 357 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 2: the stands in that experience with me. So that's a 358 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 2: good dream. That's the new dream. 359 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: So I know you've talked about this a lot in interviews, 360 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: but there's probably people listening to this. 361 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 3: I don't know the story, so I know you know 362 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 3: exactly what I'm about to ask you. 363 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, in twenty twenty two, your car got broken into 364 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: and your gold medal was stolen. Listening to the interviews 365 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: that you've done, you know what you just did. Now 366 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: you're laughing. You know you got it back, which is 367 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: I did miracle. 368 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 2: It is a miracle. 369 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 3: But I had to ask. 370 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: When it first happened, what actually was going through your mind, 371 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:08,959 Speaker 1: because I don't think you were laughing. 372 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 2: No, well, no, no, but I wasn't crying either. It 373 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: was more like a God, you're so stupid. You're so stupid. 374 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 5: You know. 375 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 2: It was more of a disappointment in myself for a 376 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 2: couple of reasons. How could you forget that you put 377 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 2: it in your car? 378 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 3: I would have forgotten too. If it makes you feel better. 379 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I you know, I try to spin it 380 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 2: and say, yeah, I'm just not so attached to it 381 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 2: that I like think about it all the time. No, 382 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 2: I think also just knowing where I was living at 383 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 2: the time and having been just negligent and understanding, yeah, 384 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 2: maybe let's not leave your garage open and leave your 385 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 2: car unlocked, and you know, just things like that where 386 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 2: it's like, oh, I should put a little more thought 387 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 2: into into. 388 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 3: This very good life lesson. 389 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 2: It is a good life lesson. You know. One of 390 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: my best friends, Beth, she always told me never to 391 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 2: leave anything valuable in my car because smashing grabs, and 392 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 2: clearly I didn't listen to her. I had made peace 393 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 2: with the fact that I would probably never see it again, 394 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 2: which to me, did not take away from the actual 395 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 2: accomplishment itself. You know, as cool as the actual metal 396 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 2: is to me, doesn't mitigate the magnitude of the accomplishments. 397 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 2: And then, twist of fate. I got a call while 398 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 2: we were in Canada playing. Actually I was on my 399 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 2: trainer's massage table getting me some work done. I only 400 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:35,679 Speaker 2: have or something, and I got a call and was 401 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 2: told that the metal had been recovered. 402 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 3: All right, you're going to love this. 403 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 1: Jordan is very casual about how her metal was recovered. 404 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: But here's what actually went down. A woman was leaving 405 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: her office through the back door one evening to walk 406 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: her dogs when she spotted a fast food bag on 407 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: the ground outside her door. She opened it up and 408 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: was inside a gold Olympic medal. Yes, Jordan Poulter's gold 409 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: Olympic medal. The woman called her husband, who owned a 410 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: barber shop nearby, to tell him of her discovery, and 411 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: he was like, it's probably fake, but bring it over. 412 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: In another twist of fate, a friend of theirs who 413 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: happens to be a cop, was coming in for a haircut, 414 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,159 Speaker 1: so they showed him the medal and he said it 415 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: was real and it was stolen and that's how Jordan 416 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 1: got her medal back. So glad that you have it back. 417 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: Is it an essay spot now it is? You don't 418 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: need to tell me where. I don't want anybody else 419 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: to know where it is. But I'm glad that it's 420 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: now an assaie spot. Yeah, but you still take it 421 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: out every so often show. 422 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 2: Oh, whoever wants to see it. I'm very happy to 423 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 2: show anyone. Yeah, it's I think it's so cool when 424 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 2: people want to wear it or hold it. I feel 425 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 2: like part of the victory is getting to share it 426 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 2: with any other person or American who feels the same 427 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 2: and a weight of what goes behind when they one 428 00:21:58,600 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: of those. So for sure. 429 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 3: So there's a little bit of a low, a little 430 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 3: bit of a high. 431 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: But then in December there was another low for you 432 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: that year when you were playing in Italy. I believe 433 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: he used the word gnarly. You had to gnarly it 434 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: was really injury. So can you explain what happened? 435 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was playing for my professional team Navara over 436 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: in Italy and we were playing an away match and 437 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,479 Speaker 2: I went up for a tight pass and at the 438 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 2: top of my jump, I thought the opposing little blocker 439 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 2: kicked my knee and felt my knee like hyper extend 440 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 2: backwards and was told that that was my ACL at 441 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 2: the top of the jump, just oh fucking And then 442 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 2: on the way down everything else kind of kind of gave. 443 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 2: So yeah, did my ACL and sale PCL and meniscus, 444 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 2: and then had some other stuff in there too. It 445 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 2: was really difficult to get home from Italy to America 446 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: with all that going on. 447 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,400 Speaker 1: I can imagine So what was it like though, suffering 448 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: an injury like this obviously season end day, Yeah, and 449 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: being away from your support system. 450 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 2: I feel like the shock value of just trying to 451 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 2: understand what the next thing that I have control over 452 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 2: to do kind of kicked in for me, and it 453 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:27,959 Speaker 2: was like, Okay, the next thing that I can do 454 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: is try to get a flight in the next couple 455 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 2: of days and head home and get this checked out 456 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 2: by our doctors with TBSA and see what's going on 457 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 2: and get a second opinion and hopefully get on the 458 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 2: path to surgery. So that was kind of where my 459 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 2: mind went. It wasn't so much wishing that my parents 460 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: were there with me or anything. My mom actually offered 461 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 2: to come out of it. I'm just sitting around, You're 462 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 2: gonna be no help to me, or like it's not waste, 463 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 2: It's not worth your time to come all the way 464 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 2: out here. I'll be home, I'll be fine. But I 465 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 2: know how hard I think it was for them on 466 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 2: the flip side, being so far and not being able 467 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 2: to help too child. 468 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,360 Speaker 1: Then you're back in the States, you're rehabbing, you're trying 469 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:09,400 Speaker 1: to recover, but. 470 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 3: All of your teammates are abroad. So what was that Like? 471 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 2: It was lonely, to put it. To put it lonely, 472 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: I feel like I had mentally prepped so much for 473 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 2: what was ahead in terms of what I physically had 474 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 2: to go through, the milestones that I had to hit, 475 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 2: and like the plan was very clear in that regard. 476 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 2: So for a long time, I was like, you know, 477 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 2: people have been telling me that this is going to 478 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 2: get mentally really difficult, and I for ten months was 479 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 2: smooth sailing. You know, Yeah, I get, I get this 480 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 2: is hard, but I haven't. I don't feel like I've 481 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 2: endured anything mentally emotionally that has taken me out of 482 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 2: like myself. Then, yeah, my teammates headed off to their 483 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 2: overseas season and it was just me in our gym 484 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 2: and Anaheim with Kara, r trainer, and Brandon, our strength 485 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 2: coach and coach, and Tama one of our assistants, and 486 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 2: it started to become just Groundhog's day, you know, just 487 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 2: showing up. And there came a point where I was 488 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:14,239 Speaker 2: then able to start using my body again in more 489 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,159 Speaker 2: volleyball like movements on the court. And I think the 490 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,239 Speaker 2: reteaching of how to use your muscles and use your 491 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 2: body in combination with just not having you know, any 492 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 2: of my teammates who are also some of my best friends. 493 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 2: You know, in that environment too, felt really isolating and 494 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 2: lonely in my day to day, my Monday through Fridays. 495 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,479 Speaker 2: So I think it scratched at something that I had 496 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 2: never experienced as an athlete before and kind of said earlier, 497 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 2: until you're in something and the only way out is through, 498 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 2: I don't think you realize the value it has until 499 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 2: you're on the other side of it. And I do 500 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 2: think that I want to have a new appreciation for 501 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 2: just what this sport offers in terms of how lucky 502 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 2: I am to get to do such daily collaboration with 503 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 2: others and work to try and l and lift up 504 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 2: those around me. 505 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 5: You know. 506 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 2: I think, especially being a setter, you rely so much 507 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 2: on your teammates. You're the middleman. You rely on your 508 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 2: passers and your attackers. Without without either of them, you're nothing. 509 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 2: You're just really So there is a newfound, I think, appreciation, 510 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 2: and not that I didn't have it before, but there's 511 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 2: a new enlightened, I pick approach that I have after 512 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:24,680 Speaker 2: this experience. 513 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: I saw on the Love website that your motto is 514 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: low expectations, high hopes yolo. 515 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 2: I don't remember putting the yellow in there, but I 516 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 2: do like that. I like YO and I live once. 517 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 2: I think expectations is yeah, the thief of pe of 518 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 2: a lot of joy and a lot of potential happiness. 519 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 3: What brings you joy? 520 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: What off the court makes you happy and joyful and 521 00:26:58,080 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: makes you smile. 522 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: A lot of things. I think my friends and loved 523 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 2: once for sure bring me a lot of joy. I 524 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 2: would say my hobbies bring me good pure joy where 525 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: there's no end goal. It's just a fun thing to 526 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 2: pass some time. And I think hobbies are cool because 527 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 2: you're constantly approving and getting better. And hobbies like what 528 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 2: I've played the guitar a little bit and piano at 529 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: the piano a bit, and I enjoy longboarding are my 530 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 2: main ones. But I think I'd like to dip my 531 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 2: toe into DJing. Oh, it would be a fun hobby. 532 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 2: I feel like it's really really dumb to say nowadays, 533 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 2: I feel like every millennial or sillennial wants to wants 534 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 2: to start DJing. But I think it could be a fun, 535 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 2: really fun thing to learn when you're only planning on 536 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 2: doing it for friends or small gatherings, be fun. 537 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,400 Speaker 3: Was your music your guitar, piano? Was your family musical? 538 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 2: My dad was a drummer and a band in college, 539 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 2: and he I think is heavily influential in my musical 540 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 2: taste and just my exposure to different kinds of music. 541 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: Well, going back to volleyball, you're still so young. They 542 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: have plenty of years to play. But thinking about when 543 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 1: it is going to be all said and done in 544 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: twenty years, what do you hope your legacy will be. 545 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 2: I hope that my legacy alongside honestly, not not just 546 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 2: me personally, but the other women who have chosen to 547 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 2: be a part of this leak. I hope that our 548 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 2: legacy is that we created the path for the opportunity 549 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 2: to the next major professional sports league in America. 550 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 3: Where do you hope to see volleyball in five to 551 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 3: ten years from now? 552 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 2: I hope to see volleyball on my TV at least 553 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 2: three times a week. I love it. I hope to 554 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 2: be able to turn my TV on to any major 555 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:56,719 Speaker 2: network and be able to see volleyball. I love it. 556 00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: Well, Jordan, thank you so much. And now I have 557 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: to say pancakes. So I was wondering if you could 558 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: do something for me, and that's uh, play a little 559 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: guitar for me. 560 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 3: So we got we got one. 561 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 2: Hey, I'll play guitar whenly have you sing? Oh? 562 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 3: I will sing. Let's do it. I'm gonna bring it up. 563 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 3: Do you like to sing? 564 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 5: No? 565 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 2: But you just singing your brittany voice. 566 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 3: Do you want me to I? Yeah, I can try. 567 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 5: This is a story about a girl you mean, lucky 568 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 5: her limn. 569 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 6: She wakes up and a knock, knock, knock on the door. 570 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 6: It's time to make up, perfect smile and it's you. 571 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 6: They're all waiting. 572 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 2: For they there. 573 00:29:56,240 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 4: She love please this allie, well go and they say 574 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 4: she's so lucky, she's a star. 575 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 6: But she cry cry, cries in her. 576 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 4: Lonely hot thinking if there's nothing missing in my life, 577 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 4: then why do FEISTI comingn. 578 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: Ha ha. 579 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 3: That was amazing. 580 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 2: It's awesome. 581 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 3: Oh cheers, Joan. That was amazing. 582 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you so much for coming, for playing, 583 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: for having some pancakes, and you're for having me. Serving 584 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 1: Pancakes is an iHeart women's sports production. You can find 585 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: Serving Pancakes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever 586 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. I'm your host Tiffany Oshinski. Anya 587 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:03,959 Speaker 1: Olivarez is our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Tamaradikey, 588 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Jawara Parker. Our 589 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mast Junior special 590 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: thanks to Jordan Poulter. We'll be back next week with 591 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: Annie Drews, a lefty opposite hitter who also helped Team 592 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: USA when their first gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and 593 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: who will be back this summer in Paris. Stay tuned 594 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: for what we serve up next.