Serving Pancakes | LOVB is Here! The First Two Weeks with Sarah Franklin and Chiaka Ogbogu

The League One Volleyball season has started! LOVB Austin opposite Khat Bell joins Tiffany as co-host, and the two break down what’s happened so far in the season with insights only an athlete who played in those matches can provide. The pair also chat with Khat’s teammate and LOVB Austin Founding Athlete Chiaka Ogbogu and LOVB Madison rookie Sarah Franklin, who joined the league as part of the LOVB 6 in December.

Follow Khat on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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Follow Sarah on Instagram and TikTok.

Host: Tiffany Oshinsky
Senior Producer: Anya Alvarez
Executive Producers: Carrie Stett, Tamara Deike, and Lindsay Hoffman
Theme Music: Pancakes by Eric W. Mast, Jr.
Sound Designer: Daniel Gonzalez

Serving Pancakes is an iHeart Women's Sports Production, in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky and this is Serving Pancakes with
League one Volleyball. The inaugural Love season is finally here.
Each episode will be going over the matches from the
week to keep you up to date on everything League
one Volleyball. Then stick around after the analysis for interviews
with some amazing people in and around the sport. Today's

(00:22):
episode features recent Wisconsin grad Madison outside hitter Sarah Franklin
and Love founding athlete in Austin middle blocker hiaka Ubago.
But before we chat with them, I'm so excited to
share that Love Austin opposite hitter Cat Bells here co
hosting Serving Pancakes with me. Kat, Welcome back to Serving Pancakes.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Thanks for having me back. I'm so excited about this opportunity.
I'm stoked about it.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
I'm so excited that you are going to be joining
me and we're going to be recapping games, talking analysis,
dishing out information about the game and the players so
that everyone can get to know League one Volleyball better
and better.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
So let's actually start because it's week two, yeah, and
let's start with your team Love Austin, because you guys
had your first serve, as did Love Madison. But we're
gonna start with Wednesday's match, which was you guys Austin
hosting Love Atlanta, with Atlanta winning in four competitive sets eighteen,
twenty five, twenty five, twenty three, twenty six, twenty four,

(01:23):
twenty five, twenty one. So what did Atlanta have that
night to pull out the win against you guys.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
By throwing salt in the moon? You know, just throwing
salt in there.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
I'm sorry, but we got to talk about it.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Exactly, you know, get it off my chest. No, honestly,
Atlanta is an amazing team. I think Kelsey Cook is
obviously a phenomenal athlete, like she's from the national team,
and just being able to see her live and the
action is just great. So Atlanta came out really hot
and heavy against US. You know, I think there was
kind of a big judgment as far as like US
versus Atlanta. I think we were obviously expected to win,

(01:54):
but Atlanta came in and just really went to town
in our town, which is sad to say.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, I mean, they did lose their first match of
the season against Salt Lake, yes, but this match they
made a bit of a change they put in Rachel Fairbanks,
who led Pitt to four straight NCAA semi finals before
joining Love. She was just you know, a college student
a few weeks ago, and she finished the match with
forty three assists, eleven digs, a kill in a block.
So what did you see when it came to this

(02:21):
connection between Fairbanks and our hitters?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
You know, it was a depth sub And I think
that's one thing that Love offers in this league is
that we have so many opportunities to make changes and
mike switches, and I think right now all teams are
kind of leaning towards that depth.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
Sup.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
We have so many great athletes on each team, and
she was able to put everyone out there on the
floor and do some really big damage against competitors is
a big thing. So when they made the depths of
then they brought in Tests, who was her opposite, and
bring it in the college kid from as their center.
It was definitely a round of applause. You know, I
think her and Tested connection was amazing. Tests was unbelievably unstoppable,

(02:54):
you know. And then obviously we have Kelsey coming in
and doing what she does on a night on a
daily basis, So it was very hard to big against
them in a defense around them as well.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Now, you guys get to play Omaha in week three,
So what does Austin need to do to prepare for
that match.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
We got to do a lot we have to do.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
You know, Omaha is they're undefeated right now and they
have just made such a huge wave. I'm coming into
Love obviously. You have Jordan Larson, who is the governor.
They have this amazing German opposite Kimberly. She is just
a force to be reckoned with. And I think as
being on the Austin Love team, you know, blocking a
defense going to be a very big thing for us.
You know, send him a good block versus their sly

(03:31):
hitter who's also a middle blocker. I'm playing opposite again
with that dev Sup and Gabby who is a player
I got to play against and with Wilds and Au
was also an amazing office of a setter from Penn State.
And you know, for us, it's all about communications, serving
well and trying to get them out balanced a little bit.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
Love it all right? Well, the next match was on Friday.
We saw another hard fought battle between Love salt Lake
and Love Madison with Madison, winning in five sets twenty
four to twenty six, twenty five, nineteen, nineteen, twenty five,
twenty five, sixteen, thirteen fifteen. It was Madison's first serve.
Do you think being in Madison in Wisconsin that helped

(04:06):
fuel that come back a bit?

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Of course.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
I think having a big environment, a big loud environment
cheering you on and having a big, large dand base
to help you long get your game is a great
way to use that momentum. You know, having everyone in
the gym yellings from your name, it's going to trying
to want to match, and I think that's part of
the plan. I think for any team going to have
a home game to use that as a momentum changer.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
Now, last week, you guys actually swept Madison, So what
differences did you see them implement in this match.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Honestly, everyone's getting good. I think the repetition is coming
in across the board for everybody. The hitters connecting well
with your setters. Madison is a different team. You know,
Annie Drews is also amazing opposite hitter, but to be
able to have someone coming and back you up and
also do damage is an amazing team.

Speaker 5 (04:46):
No clear.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Chausse had a Trances player against her in another previous
league with volleyball, and she is just another four see
referenced with Claire's It's so balanced. She's a great pass,
she is a great server, she has an amazing strong tip.
So they're definitely a different team than what we saw
versus in Houston.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
Now, this match also was like an absolute defensive battle
and one of my favorite liberos to watch in the league.
And I'm not saying it just because I was a
libero back in the day, but Manami Kojima, she's just
absolutely insane. She's so good and fun to watch. She
you know, both sides, I should say it had sick digs,

(05:21):
but Kojima was just kind of like unstoppable. So as
a hitter, how do you get past someone like that?

Speaker 3 (05:28):
Mayna me, that's my girl. I love some Anami like.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
I also had a chance to have played with her
and against her, and she is just an amazing libero.
Like she's like a ghost, like you can think she's
on the court and maybe you don't think she's in
a different position and she's going to be the addict
the ball, just trying to find any type of shot
against her is very, very difficult, So I think she
did really good jobs holding down the fork for Salt
Lags w.

Speaker 3 (05:49):
She could all right.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Now for Saturday's doubleheader, first off was Love Houston defeating
Love Salt Lake in four sets twenty five to nine,
twenty five, sixteen, twenty five, twenty seven, twenty five, twelve.
So first off, wow, twenty five nine is just crazy.
Twenty five twelve, twenty five, sixteen. I mean they outscored

(06:10):
Salt Lake by thirty six points. It was one hundred
to sixty four. What about them made them so dominant?

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Micah Micah is the glue man Mike Micah heard think.
I think she had four aces in the first set
to get the game get on and yeah, she was
just ripping them. And I think also, like I said,
everyone's finding that connection. JT JT is starting to find
her rhythm on the opposite side right now with Micah
and they're finding a flow as well as like they're
the college kid that came into she is also amazing.

(06:37):
So I think everyone's just trying to find the rhythm
together right now. And I think Houston is also going
to be a force to be again. I Reckon Wez
for sure.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yes, Jess Murzek is the college player that you're talking
about from Penn State. She's amazing. But before I want
to ask you about her, but before I do, Micah Hancock,
let's talk about her because Yeah, so the match started
with four consecutive ases from Micah Hancock and she eventually
was named player of the match. Now, Austin played Houston
in week one, so you got to play against her,

(07:04):
and I know that you know her from previously. But
like me watching on TV and watching those jump serves,
I just like, how do you attempt to dig that?
But what is it actually like to be on the
court with that ball coming at you?

Speaker 3 (07:18):
That ball is coming very fast, it's beIN on it.
It floats a little bit.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Obviously, when Mike is serving from the court, the director
of the ball is going cross court but almost dies
back towards the line.

Speaker 3 (07:27):
So it's all about Honestly, what I.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Would say to anyone is just stand there and put
your platform out.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
If you try to make any kind of motion and movement,
the ball is gone into the stand and then to
the rafters.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
So being able to witness that serve live coming at you,
it is scary.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
I can only imagine. Well, now talk about Jess Murzach
outside of hit her for Houston. She just got the
NCAA championship title for Penn State a few weeks ago,
and now she is here playing with love Houston. What
makes her so deadly and what does she do in
these matches that just makes her so dominant?

Speaker 2 (08:03):
No, Jess, she has so much experience it almost seems like,
you know, she's very crafty.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Her ball control is really good.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
She just brings a certain maturity about her game that
I think most college players don't really quite have yet.
So I think her a will be being in the
gym with Batty King day Rachelle is also like a
great experience for her to be an opportunity for her
to have as well. So she's just she's lethal, She's
very calm. I think one thing about her and I
watch her serving, is that like she does the same
thing every single time. And if you have a great

(08:29):
like routine as far as like what you're doing making
the same platform for passing the same arm swing depending
on even if you're going cross cord down the line,
even from serving, I think having a great routine also
makes you a better volleyball player. So I think her
routine and what she does and sticking to what she
knows is definitely making her play do what she's doing
right now in the league and as well she's doing
in college.

Speaker 1 (08:47):
And the final match of the week which almost kind
of felt like the match of the week be who's
Omaha versus Madison versus Wisconsin?

Speaker 3 (08:54):
I mean, come on, that was the game.

Speaker 1 (08:58):
That was That was the game, and Oma ended up
winning it in four sets, twenty twenty five, twenty six,
twenty four, twenty five to fifteen, twenty five, fifteen. It
was pretty tight those first two sets with Madison, but
then omahall put on a show basically for the last
two twenty five to fifteen both of those sets. So
what did they do in that third and fourth set
to change the game?

Speaker 2 (09:18):
I think at the first set, Omaha was starting off
a little bit slow. I think they started getting Kimberly.
Kimberly kind of found she's a German opposite. She kind
of found her rhythm towards the end moctially the middle
towards the end of the first set, and once you
got her.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
Going, that was just it was just insane.

Speaker 5 (09:33):
What she was doing.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
I think they kind of set the course once they
caught the ryb in their flow. De la Bero was
doing the amazing job covering a lot of ground that
kind of stuff. So I think it was my main
thing with just connection and rhythm and flow, and once they.

Speaker 3 (09:44):
Had that, it was it.

Speaker 4 (09:45):
That was it.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Opposite Laurence Stibns was named player of the match. He
had fourteen kills with no errors in twenty attacks. It
hit seven hundred. Stiffernce has never played opposite before this season,
so I mean, you play opposite, like, what is that
transition like? And how has she made this such a
successful move for her?

Speaker 3 (10:04):
I think it's a great thing to do. I also
meant the same transition.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
I was the middle at one time in college and
then Jarrett moved me to the opposite side because I
was really good off of one foot as well as
two feet. And I think being able to come into
that part of your game early right now and be
able to transition from a middle to a pen and
to an opposite pen, and be able to have that
those two kind of tools in your belt is a
great thing to have in this league for sure. But
her transition stuff are is amazing. I think she puts
a really good discipline block and it's a wall when

(10:29):
you're going from the position four, So I think it's
going to be a great move for her.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
Now, Omaha is the only undefeated team left in League
one volleyball. What is the key to beating them?

Speaker 3 (10:39):
The key that's a lot. There's a lot of there's
a lot of keys.

Speaker 5 (10:44):
There's not that.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
There's not too many keys.

Speaker 2 (10:46):
Probably say honestly, with a team like Omaha, who's so
dynamic and they have so many variations of players, I
think it's important to really focus on what you're doing
on your side as a collective team and what you're
doing against them.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
You know, if you get opportunity of a freeball, and
much a lot of free balls.

Speaker 2 (11:01):
They're not giving a lot back to the competing team,
But if you get an opportunity, you have to seize
the moment.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
Think it is really important.

Speaker 2 (11:06):
So I think when you're playing against a team that's
so diverse and as running a great offense, and they
have a great captain and they have a great flow
and structure and communication as a team, it's very important.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
To obviously rely more on what you're doing on your side.

Speaker 2 (11:18):
Those opportunities that you have, you have to take very
big risk and very good chances the things you have
to do as far as like going against them.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
All Right, Well, now that we've gone over all the matches,
well you're going to talk about the players of the game. Okay,
So we're gonna have a little debate here. We want
to see if you agree with who was chosen as
the player of the game or if you thought that
there may be with somebody else who deserves a little
more recognition. So let's start with Atlanta outside hitter Kelsey Cook,
as you mentioned her in the honors thanks to her
fifteen kills ten digs in two aces. Do you agree

(11:48):
or did anyone else stand out to you that you
want to give a shout out to.

Speaker 2 (11:50):
I think Kelsey is a very great player and someone's
elevis and obviously a great pick as well she holds. Also,
I think Kelsey's a big glue for their team as well.
Else He's going to be Kelsey day in and day out.
I don't think there's I mean, I'm not trying to
like put bad juju on her, but like she's gonna
have some really, really great days very very frequently.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
So I think it's hard for Kilsey not to be
less than what she is.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
But I think when they make the dev stuff, Tests
coming in and just doing what she does and doing
what you need to do for a team was definitely
a game changer. I think our blog versus Test was
very unpredictable. We couldn't figure out how to slow her
down at all. And I think Tests was definitely close
second run rout for having to be Player of the
match for sure.

Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeah, she had seventeen kills, nineteen points in total, an
ace block, and seven dicks, so she definitely stepped up.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
Yeah, Test put on for the city. Yeah, she put
on for the city.

Speaker 1 (12:37):
I also want to just give a shout out to
t Jafferson because you know, she's from Atlanta, and the
first week when they had their first serve, it was
just awesome to see her like show up and like
all the Atlanta youth cheering her on, and I feel like,
you know, she had fifteen points against you guys, and
I feel like she's just fun to watch, Like she's
someone to look out for. I'm not necessarily gonna take

(13:00):
over Kelsey or Tessen. This, Yeah, player of the game,
But I just want to give her a little a
little bit shout out.

Speaker 5 (13:07):
Girl.

Speaker 1 (13:07):
That's right. Our salt Lake versus Madison outside hitter Claire
Shawse had eighteen points from eighteen kills. She also had
ten digs. Do you concur or do you have another candidate?

Speaker 3 (13:18):
I'm gonna say shaw say, like Claire is. I love Claire.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
I guess I had a chance to play against her
this past year and like she's amazing, She's great, She's
gonna do what she does as well. I think Claire
has a very good game far as like you know,
staying calm and being resilient and a tough moment.

Speaker 3 (13:33):
She's going for what she knows and she's trying to
get that point. So I love her aggressiveness in her
as a player. I think she was very well deserved.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
You know, I am actually going to choose Lauren Carlini
as my player of the game. I thought, obviously like
Shasse played amazing, but Lauren Carlini her stats, so she
had fifty five assists, an ace, two blocks, and twenty digs. Okay,
watching her on some of the blaze, like there were
some insane cross court hits that she would just like

(14:00):
pick up. There was one rally unfortunately they lost the point,
but she had two amazing digs that kept the rally going.
And then I think it was Ronnie Perry Jones hit
the line shot right at her and that was like
the one that she missed three times of charm right,
But like that match, watching her polay, I'm like, oh
my gosh, Lauren Curline, this is why he made the
Olympic team this year.

Speaker 3 (14:20):
Of course, I would agree with Lauren Is.

Speaker 2 (14:23):
I played against Therm when I was in college and
she's amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing setter.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, and honorable mention for Kochuma too, because again she's amazing.
All right. Next, Houston versus Salt Lake. Saider Micah Hancock
had forty assists, twelve digs and four aces. Any other
shout outs you want to give.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
I'm staying I'm sticking with Micah Micah Is that's my
I love Baddie Richtel, It's one of my best friends.
I love her too, and Maddie's gonna put on for
the city as well, but Mike definitely go down for
the four. I think the same thing you were saying
about Lauren Carliny for Madison's the same thing I'm saying
for Mike Hancocky Houston.

Speaker 3 (14:59):
She also was doing what.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
She's supposed to do as a setter and auditioning out
the rock and finding out hitters on a good connection
and just being the dog that she is.

Speaker 1 (15:07):
And with those serves, I mean my guessing the.

Speaker 3 (15:10):
Rocket that she's launching from her arm the rockets.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yes, I will also give an honorable mention to Chess
Mercic again because she's just insane. She had twenty two
points from seventeen kills an ace. She had four blocks
twelve days and three assists, so she got a lot.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
Of good volleyball.

Speaker 1 (15:27):
This is really good volleyball, right, This is what I'm saying.
There's so many people who I'm.

Speaker 3 (15:31):
Like, yeah, people, they're finding that.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
People are finding their rethments, people are finding their connections,
you know what I'm saying, Like it takes normally for me,
like if I'm going abroad, I don't come into like
my playing body to maybe like a month and a
half maybe two months coming to season, and by then
you know, you're preseason for about a month with and
a half. Anyways, by the time you're like finding like
your stride. It's just only take off from there. So
the volleyball is already getting better. It's gonna keep obviously
escalating as the time goes on.

Speaker 1 (15:55):
So oh, elevating, sure, well, it's speaking of elevating your game.
Lauren Stivern's earned the honors of player of the Match
with Omaha versus Madison. We mentioned this, you know, hitting
percentage seven hundred fourteen kills two blocks. What do you
think does anybody else step up.

Speaker 2 (16:13):
For I'm also applauding Lauren just because it is a
hard transition, you know, like her being able to play
an opfice position one that slide and be so detrimentals
against the competition. She did great, but as greate as
she is, as well as she played, I'm going with
my German Kimberly.

Speaker 3 (16:27):
Kimberly is that girl? That girl friend ever would be
that girl.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
I've know Kim since we were I was playing against
her in Turkey and we have mutual friends and she's
literally the most kindest, sweetest, gentle soul ever. So, Kim,
once you got her rhythm that first set, towards the
end of that first set, she was unstoppable from the
power tax cross court to the push tips out of
bounds like she was amazing, amazing.

Speaker 1 (16:49):
Heart of Gold. But she's a killer. Nineteen kills against
against Madison. There, you know that one is a toss
up for me because I felt the same like Lauren
was amazing, saying Kimberly was amazing.

Speaker 3 (17:01):
That death service deep, it's deep.

Speaker 1 (17:04):
Yeah, I'll say, all right, well, we are going to
take a quick break, but when we come back, we'll
be chatting with the twenty twenty three and twenty twenty
four Big Ten Player of the Year and Love Madison
outside hitter Sarah Franklin, as well as two time Olympic
medalist and love middle Chiaka Tobago. All right, we're back

(17:35):
and we have Love Madison Sarah Franklin. Sarah is originally
from Florida, but went to Michigan State University for her
first foray into college volleyball before eventually joining the Wisconsin Badgers,
where she played a huge role in leading the team
to three national quarterfinal appearances. She was named the twenty
twenty three ABCA National Player of the Year, and she

(17:57):
was also a twenty twenty three sp Female Athlete at Nominee.
To top it off, She's a four time All American
with both Wisconsin and Michigan State University, and she represented
the USA as a member of the twenty twenty two
collegiate national team, where she competed in the twenty twenty
four NORSEEKA Women's Final six Pan American Cup and led
the US to a silver medal and her first stint

(18:19):
and professional volleyball is still in Wisconsin playing for Love Madison. Sarah,
Welcome to Serving Pancakes.

Speaker 4 (18:26):
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
We're so excited to have you. I know that Kat
and you have played against each other, but you guys
are kind of, you know, getting to know each other
in this league. What's it like so far for you
being now a professional volleyball player in the United States?

Speaker 6 (18:43):
It's been an absolute berwind. I mean, getting to play
against some really high level athletes I think is just
one of my favorite things. It definitely poses as a challenge,
which is something that I absolutely love. So, you know,
getting to know the girls who have been playing professionally
for you know, ten years, is something that's that's really
cool and I'm just like soaked to be a part

(19:05):
of it.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yeah, well, you guys had your first serve now in Madison,
and like watching it, the crowd was absolutely insane. Did
it feel like you were at a Wisconsin Badgers game?

Speaker 4 (19:16):
Oh? Fully?

Speaker 6 (19:17):
Fully the fans were like fighting between like red and
blue like in the stands, and I was like, this
is this is awesome, Like I feel right at home.

Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean, Kat, did you feel the same way when
you're in Austin watching man?

Speaker 2 (19:29):
It was I really a crazy situation, almost like being
back in gurgy, back at home, you know.

Speaker 3 (19:34):
So like having all the fans there and just seeing
this witness like this first more like Mammy until moment
was great for a woman's why the league too.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Also, Sarah, watching you the other night was phenomenal, Like
you say, like you know, it's a bit, it's a
bitch of a change for you and a fast pace,
but like you're taking it on with so much grace.

Speaker 3 (19:48):
And I'm really really mounting your admiring you right now.

Speaker 6 (19:50):
Seriously, I'm like kiking up right now too because like
all of you girls, like I've been watching at the professional.

Speaker 5 (19:55):
Side, like to be a part of it.

Speaker 3 (19:56):
It's just like, dude, you're killing it. You're killing it.

Speaker 4 (19:59):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (20:00):
I mean, so Kat has had to play professionally overseas before,
and you get to go straight from college to staying
here in the United States. I feel like you got
some advantage that like Cat and those girls didn't get
a chance to experience big time.

Speaker 4 (20:14):
Big time.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, what's it like, you know, playing here with your
family and stuff, being able to witness you be in
the par league.

Speaker 4 (20:19):
It's so nice.

Speaker 6 (20:20):
I mean, I have my parents right like at my
apartment right now, and it's just it's a dream come true.
Really because when I was younger, like I knew that
I wanted to play in college and I would have
to play overseas because this wasn't this wasn't a thing like,
this was not even like a thought. So to be
able to have that, to have my parents at my
first like home professional game is just it's like no other.

(20:40):
And I think, you know, talking with girls who have
had to play overseas and it being a struggle with
not having family close by just to support you.

Speaker 4 (20:48):
I know, I'm very very privileged in that aspect, and.

Speaker 6 (20:52):
Because of all the girls who have come before me,
who have played and done that and made this happen,
which is just something that is beyond me. So I
definitely got an easy route right into it straight from college.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
And you also get to play with some Wisconsin Badger's great.
I be like, how cool is it to play with
Lauren Carlini and all of them?

Speaker 4 (21:11):
Absolutely dream come true again, like it is.

Speaker 6 (21:14):
It is so fun just to know that I've watched
her as a as a former Badger, and then you know,
I played with Timmy here as well, and even have
Anne Marie on the coaching staff. I just it it's
been a seamless transition transition there. But me and Lauren
play very similarly, very competitive, very fiery. So it's been
It's been a lot of fun to be on the

(21:34):
court with her, for sure.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
That's really so awesome for you to hear, Like I
feel that way too, but like reverse, you know, like
it's almost like a full circle moment be able to
play with Molly and Hiyaka and like now I was
able to witness like Logan all them in college and
we're on the same.

Speaker 3 (21:45):
Team together, like we also has older players for the
exact same way. That's really cool.

Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yeah, So I got to ask in this first match
you had in the final rally of the entire match,
you had three hits. Eventually you got the final kill
to end the match fifteen thirteen. What was that like?

Speaker 6 (22:02):
I mean, I I kind of had a feeling that
Lauren was gonna make that happen, and I was just
I was determined because the first hit, I had a
one on one and I was like, all right, I'm
I'm blasting it trying to hit that corner.

Speaker 4 (22:15):
But you know, salt la Labert is fantastic, so she
got it up. We got a free ball bag.

Speaker 6 (22:19):
I got the next one and they they got They
got a good swing off of that, and then after
I was like, all right, I don't care. I'm going
for high hands. I'm hitting this as hard as I
possibly can. And to just have that moment again in
the fieldhouse to get a to get a big win
and just hearing the crowd erupt was It's just it's
such a special feeling.

Speaker 4 (22:38):
Like even thinking about it right now, I'm just I'm
getting so giddy.

Speaker 1 (22:43):
I Actually it's funny because Minami Kojima, the libero for
Salt Lake, is one of my favorite players to watch.
I mean, yeah, so insane. I mean all respect to
Justine and Lexi Rodriguez, who I also love is LABERTI.
I was a libero, so I'm all about the defense
of Like watching Kojama, I'm like, it's insane. What's it

(23:07):
like hitting against her trying to get a kill?

Speaker 4 (23:09):
Oh my gosh, it's it's again. It's just so fun.
Like I love a challenge, like I love something that's
gonna make me work for what I need.

Speaker 6 (23:15):
So, you know, in college, I get to hit those
shots and they go down. But here it's like I
hit those shots, it's like, oh, great shot, and then
it's like an easy dick for her.

Speaker 4 (23:23):
I'm like, all right, all right.

Speaker 5 (23:24):
Like I see you, I see you.

Speaker 6 (23:25):
So I'm gonna I'm gonna try a little sharper a
little further, you know. But it just makes it so
much more fun. It's definitely frustrating for sure, Like I
can definitely attest to that, but it just makes it
so fun. And find out at such a high level
in the United States, and can you just share that
with all of the Badger fans here in Madison is
something that I'm very.

Speaker 4 (23:44):
Very grateful for.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
I think it's also, like you said, it's a great
challenge for you also for you to kind of like
get your momentum going, and your gang will change eventually
and as you adapt and stuff your norse and you're
making better shots and better decisions.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
So it definitely gonna help your game in the long
run for sure. That's why I'm thinking better.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
Have you had a chance to take it all in
since you finished at Wisconsin.

Speaker 6 (24:02):
I feel like I've been I've been here for about
two weeks, so I feel like it's finally settled in
and I can get into a little bit of a
more routine. But even when I'm warming up, when I'm playing,
like it's still I do have those like moments that
I'm like, I'm getting paid to do this, Like I'm like,
this is something that people are like investing in, which
is something that's like really really cool because I've wanted

(24:25):
to play for as long as I possibly can, and
to know that it'll be in the States when I
you know, when I'm here and I can do that
with my family is something that's just oh again, it
just gives me so giddy, Like just being a part
of this is just it's it's so amazing.

Speaker 4 (24:40):
Really.

Speaker 1 (24:42):
Actually, going back, I kind of want to go a
little bit back to your roots because I always like
to find the origin stories of you ladies, like a
good story, right, right? So how did you actually get
into volleyball? When did it all begin?

Speaker 4 (24:57):
So? I was about eleven years old. I was soccer
player at heart. I absolutely love playing soccer. I'm from Florida,
so outside and the sun all that was great. Both
my parents played volleyball and I was going in soccer,
so I liked using my hands. And my mom was like, hey,
like you should, you should try volleyball, and I told
her word for a word, I'm a volleyball player, Mom,

(25:19):
I'm a soccer player.

Speaker 6 (25:21):
And I refused for the longest time, refused to try volleyball,
but finally she got me into a volleyball camp.

Speaker 4 (25:27):
And on the first day after we had finished camp,
I went.

Speaker 6 (25:31):
Up to my mom and I was like, this is
so fun, like I absolutely love this, and from there
like you couldn't take me out of the gym, like
I just I fell in love and have played it since.

Speaker 4 (25:43):
But it took me. It took me a little convincing
to get there, but eventually I got it.

Speaker 1 (25:48):
Your first route was that, like, your first choice was
Michigan State when you went to college, what was the
impetus for that, and then eventually switching to Wisconsin.

Speaker 6 (25:56):
Yeah, so I wasn't as highly recruited as most people
would have thought of me and me in high school,
so my.

Speaker 4 (26:02):
Top two choices were Illinois Michigan State.

Speaker 6 (26:05):
And I knew I wanted to be in the Big Ten,
but when I was younger, the Big Ten at the
time was like the place to be, the conference to
be at, and I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted
to be around girls who were great and girls who
would make me better. And so I happened to love
Michigan State.

Speaker 4 (26:22):
The girls. I still have so many best friends from.

Speaker 6 (26:25):
When I was there, And once I got there, I
developed and got to a place that I was like,
I feel like I can get more out of myself.
And so that's what kind of led me to transfer.
And Wisconsin fit the bill with everything with the girls,
with the coaches, and with how much I knew they
were going to pour into me. And so once I

(26:45):
transferred there again like just grew faster than I had
anticipated and was was just pushing that and pushing the
limits that I knew I could reach. And you know
that's led me here, which you know, being a bad
It was probably the best decision that I could have
made for my college career for sure.

Speaker 3 (27:04):
It was like one of your best like highlight moments
from being a Badger.

Speaker 6 (27:07):
Oh my gosh, there's so many. One that I really
remember was this year actually playing against Texas A and M.

Speaker 4 (27:16):
That game was one of the most fun games.

Speaker 6 (27:20):
Like I've had a lot of really fun games that
are like close that are just fun to play in
because it's just a gritty match.

Speaker 4 (27:25):
But the Texas A and M team was Logan Ludnecki.
She was insane. She was cutting us up on the
right side.

Speaker 6 (27:33):
Like. It was just so much fun because it was
really tit for Tad and it was close at the
end of the game, and to get to experience that
with the group of freshmen that are here and these
groups for the these girls for the last year was
something that was really fun. And it was a long
match and it was grueling and we pulled it out
on the end. But I just think those long matches
are the ones that you really remember and getting through

(27:56):
the highs and lows or something that's just so fun.

Speaker 1 (27:58):
No, I was going to play at Penn State, like
way back in the day, I was a recruited walk
on back in oh four, I'm old, but I ended
up not going I went to NYU Film, so like
that's a whole other story, but it was a time. Yeah, yeah,

(28:21):
it makes me feel super old things. Thanks, It's okay,
I've accepted it. I'm I'm proud to be my age
because now I thank you. I can live vicariously through
you ladies, and like what you've done, and I'm like,
oh my god, they're so amazing. But I just remember,
like you know, when I went to play, like this

(28:43):
idea of being a student athlete was seemed like really cool.
And then when I went to college and I was
just a student, I was like, how in the world
would I do this? So, like both of you experienced
this student athlete at intense schools, intense programs, very good
schools educationally too, but now you're going from that to
this pro level where your focus is like solely volleyball.

(29:05):
Now Kat's been out of it for a while now,
so I feel like you've adjusted. But like Sarah, since
you are so new, like you literally finished your season
a few weeks ago and now you're here, Like, what's
that transition.

Speaker 4 (29:15):
Like it's been weird.

Speaker 6 (29:17):
I feel like I'm on like a long like travel
USA trip where you're just like constantly playing volleyball and
you don't really have anything else to do.

Speaker 4 (29:26):
And I was I was even talking with Lexie about
it last night.

Speaker 6 (29:29):
It's like you're trying to figure out what to do
with all this time, because like I go to the
gym for the entire morning and get home at like
two o'clock, and you know, I'll cook lunch, I'll cook dinner,
and then I'm like, all right, I need to find
a hobby because I don't have anything to do with
my life, Like I just don't know. I can, you know,
watch film, but you know, I'm not going to spend
six hours watching film, like I'll spend an hour. But

(29:49):
you know, it's it's been a lot of trying to
figure out I'm living alone for the first time. So
I'm even like, Okay, I need to be better about
like going texting people and like trying to.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
Like so your life, you know, living your life you're
supposed to be doing, like having experiences, are supposed to
be doing.

Speaker 6 (30:05):
That's I'm like, I'm like, I got to figure out
what I want to do what those experiences are, Like
I just I just got to do it, you know.
So it's definitely been an adjustment, but it's something that
I've loved because I've loved school.

Speaker 4 (30:17):
It was great. But I'm glad that I don't have
to do that part anymore.

Speaker 6 (30:20):
Philly be volleyball and fully invest in and do all
the recovery that I want and and all that stuff
and focused on nutrition and all that those good areas.
But it's definitely been an adjustment, but I feel like
I'm finally getting into like a groove with.

Speaker 4 (30:33):
That, with that kind of stuff for sure.

Speaker 1 (30:34):
Yeah, do you remember your first hobby when you first
went pro sleeping?

Speaker 3 (30:39):
For sure? I got lots of rest, lots of lots
of lots of rest.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
I think it's also just really important to like fiel
that space because what happens in volleyball becomes like this
main focus and instead of like now you have so
much time, you don't want volleyball to take up more
of that time that you have free, like spend that time.
Obviously you said having those experiences and get to know
yourself and doing things, and maybe you didn't have time
for like being able to actually go to a coffee
shop and have your coffee and not reading a book
and just being there in that moment, you know, I

(31:03):
think it's like super important.

Speaker 3 (31:05):
So like, yeah, I I slept, slipping was my main thing.
I was like, six AM's done?

Speaker 4 (31:10):
What?

Speaker 3 (31:11):
No study hall?

Speaker 5 (31:11):
What classes?

Speaker 3 (31:13):
I'm out of here like that time?

Speaker 1 (31:15):
So yeah, what do you like to do now in
your spare time? Have you figured it out yet?

Speaker 4 (31:22):
Not? Not? Really, We're getting there.

Speaker 6 (31:25):
I'm I'm trying to figure out those little things I do,
like reading, but I can't do it for that long,
like I just get I'm like I need to move
and like do something, but I don't want to do
all that stuff, so I don't.

Speaker 3 (31:35):
I have not figured that parting is something.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
Doing nothing is something definitely like se So being still
is good, you know, because you're so used to like you're.

Speaker 3 (31:43):
Being running around your brain your body, Like doing nothing
is helping you. Actually, so I was just I wouldn't
learn to fall into that as much as you can't
for sure.

Speaker 4 (31:51):
Oh my gosh, it's definitely something that's really nice.

Speaker 3 (31:53):
I can yes, don't feel bad about okay, don't feel
a bad.

Speaker 4 (31:57):
I'm like I grew and ask me, and I'm like,
I cook, that's like, oh I got rid.

Speaker 3 (32:01):
Do not feel bad about it?

Speaker 4 (32:02):
Okay?

Speaker 1 (32:02):
Good cooking is pretty good though, and can be like meditative.
What do you like to cook?

Speaker 6 (32:07):
I'm big on like chicken thighs, rice and like a veggie.
Like I'm I don't straight from that too much. I'm
trying to get a little more outside of that, but
I just you know, different spices every time and then
and then we're good. But I do enjoy whether it's
baking like banana bread or something like that, too, little snacks.
I just feel a lot better when I cook at

(32:29):
home instead of eating out all the time. So that's
what I've tried to hone in on a little more
for you.

Speaker 1 (32:36):
Do you have any advice for cooking well, for coking,
for just like cooking cooking hobbies as a professional.

Speaker 2 (32:49):
No, honestly, I was just going back to what I
said before, like, you know, just spend in the time
that you have now for me just to focus on
you a little bit more and seeing what is that
you like to do outside of volleyball and getting to
know Sarah as you know, living in life and this
adult like we're about to start living and stuff.

Speaker 3 (33:02):
So I think what you're doing is great and don't
think you to do anything more.

Speaker 2 (33:05):
I think volleyball is amazing and focus on being the
gym and the things you can learn from other players
and just I say, focusing on you as well and
finding out whose there is at this time.

Speaker 3 (33:12):
It's a great thing to do.

Speaker 4 (33:14):
I love that. I absolutely love that.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
And actually, Sarah, now that you are a professional volleyball player,
like seeing the young like I was gonna say young students,
but like the young athletes, the club players out in
the stands like cheering for you. I mean you saw
that at Wisconsin too, but like, now knowing that you
are a professional athlete, what's that like for you?

Speaker 4 (33:34):
It's it's crazy.

Speaker 6 (33:35):
I mean we have our jerseys, like the shirts that
they sell and they were all like you're sold out,
like we have to order more. And to know that,
like I have that big of an impact on you know,
little girls, is something that I take very seriously, Like
I want those girls to be able to look up
to me.

Speaker 4 (33:53):
And know that you're gonna have to work for what
you want.

Speaker 6 (33:56):
You're gonna have to have integrity, You're gonna have to
be humbled, like all of those things so that they
can find what they love and they can do that
to the best of their ability. And it's something that like,
I just absolutely love after the game when I get
to you know, sit there and sign all the things
from these girls and I get a whole bunch of
the bracelets and stuff. To know that I have that
big of an impact is just it really makes me

(34:18):
happy because you know, when I was younger, college volleyball
wasn't as in the eye as it is now. Professional
volleyball wasn't even a thing in the United States. So
to know that I, like I have that much of
an impact is just it's crazy.

Speaker 4 (34:31):
But I love it. And I love every time someone
comes up to me and says, we love watching you play,
like you inspire me like that every time. It makes
my day. It never it absolutely never gets old.

Speaker 1 (34:43):
That's so sweet. I love that you get friendship bracelets.
Do you give any out.

Speaker 3 (34:53):
Bracelet?

Speaker 1 (34:55):
Yeah, I don't have one. When you make when I'm ready,
maybe that.

Speaker 4 (35:01):
Could be my new hobby I just start making.

Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, seriously, I'll take one. I'll take it.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
I love that, Yes, that can be the new hobby.
It's a perfect hobby to get into.

Speaker 5 (35:10):
It's great. It's great.

Speaker 6 (35:11):
I got I'll have to make a lot that I'll
give them, give them out to everyone and everyone get one.

Speaker 1 (35:16):
Amazing well, Sarah. We're so thankful for like you, being
in this league and being part of it, and for
making an impact for these girls and for like everyone else,
because I feel like volleyball is growing, people are starting
to pay more attention and it's people like you who
helped the college space, like Cat and Chiaka and like
Jordan Larson going back to just Jordan's my age, going

(35:37):
back to our age, like you know, this trajectory, like
seeing all of these girls and who've made volleyball what
it is and you guys are still continuing. It is
just awesome to see. And we're so happy that you're
part of this league and that you, like came straight
from Wisconsin and you're here and one of the college six.

Speaker 4 (35:55):
But I love it. We have a little group tad
together and we're like, hey, guys, how we doing.

Speaker 1 (36:00):
That's so that's so adorable.

Speaker 4 (36:02):
I love it.

Speaker 6 (36:03):
It's just it was the perfect, perfect little thing, and
I couldn't have asked for a better, better send off
into the professional side of things for sure, amazing.

Speaker 2 (36:11):
Well, Sarah, it's been honestly really good to meet you,
and like now I know you, now, I'm like, okay,
we're friends.

Speaker 3 (36:15):
When I see you next, I'm gonna give you a
hug and be like hey, like crazy before.

Speaker 2 (36:19):
You're doing so well and so gracefully, and it's so
awesome to hear your passion behind just knowing who you
are and feeding into that that you are and wanted
to help the young ones that are after you that
kind of thing, and I think that's really beautiful and
that has just honestly for me, like when I see you,
just want to give you like a big hug now
because I'm like, she's so cute, she's so sweet, So
you're awesome.

Speaker 3 (36:36):
Just keep killing it, girl.

Speaker 4 (36:38):
So well, thank you you guys have been awesome.

Speaker 6 (36:40):
I always love doing all this stuff because again, like
the Folly Bele world is so small and like getting
to talk and chat with everyone is honestly one of
my favorite parts. So thank you guys too for inviting
me to have me on here for sure.

Speaker 1 (36:51):
Of course, Sarah, thank you so much for coming on
and best of luck this season, although I know you
and Ken are going to be playing against each other,
So Katy's blue.

Speaker 2 (37:01):
I'll say best of blocks on the court though, yeah right,
all right, watch out, okay.

Speaker 1 (37:11):
Well, thanks very, I really appreciate you taking the time.

Speaker 4 (37:14):
Hey you, tar, thank you.

Speaker 7 (37:15):
Guys.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
Don't go anywhere because coming up we have our interview
with two time Olympic medalists and Love Austin middle blocker
Chiaka Obago. We are back and we are here with

(37:40):
Love Austin's Chiako vagu Chiaka is a Texas native who
led her high school to two state championships and was
named the twenty twelfth Gatorade Texas Player of the Year.
She then took her talents to the University of Texas,
where she was a three time first team All American.
She's also won two Olympic medals, a gold at Tokyo
and twenty two and a silver atte Paris in twenty

(38:02):
twenty four. Professionally, she's played for some of the most
dominant club teams in the world, winning the Polish Cup,
Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup, FIVB Volleyball Club World Championship,
Turkish Super Cup, and Champions League, while being named best
middle blocker at the twenty twenty two World Club championship.

(38:23):
Chiaka is a badass basically. Now she's back playing in
Texas for Love Austin, Hiaka, Welcome to Serving Pancakes.

Speaker 5 (38:31):
Oh, thank you for having me. I'm so honored to
be a guest today.

Speaker 1 (38:35):
So excited to have you. You obviously know my co
host Kat Bell very very well, not for her snap
snap snap. How well have you too?

Speaker 4 (38:47):
Like?

Speaker 1 (38:47):
How long have you two known each other?

Speaker 7 (38:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (38:49):
So I my freshman year.

Speaker 7 (38:51):
Kat was a junior, So we got to play together
two years and then have obviously stayed in touch and
be friends throughout the years.

Speaker 5 (38:58):
Kat was like our big mama in college, and I.

Speaker 7 (39:01):
Feel like just helped us like navigate college as stressful
and chaotic, as like the whole company of age thing is.

Speaker 5 (39:07):
I felt like she was a really good kind of.

Speaker 7 (39:09):
Like mentor role model big sister to help us through
that transition. And then I know we've just been friends
ever since. Then we just be friends temates again.

Speaker 5 (39:18):
Yeah, Kat, did you get to.

Speaker 1 (39:20):
Be like the big mom and like big sister character
when it came to Love Austin Too.

Speaker 2 (39:27):
I think it was a role I didn't think at
first was going to be presented to me and then
as things have kind of progressed on, I think it's
a role that I'm like to take it in on
my own. I think just trying to be the big
sister and help people through their stuff, Like mentally, there's
just like so many things going on within the league
and on our team as well, so just trying to
make sure everyone's in a really good, positive heads space
for the most part, and just make sure the gym
environment is still like, you know, good, and everyone's having

(39:48):
a good time for at our best we can and
then just you know, enjoin each other's time.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
So yeah, love it and Shiaka, you're a founding athlete
of love. What made you get into this league? What
made you want to be part of it in that capacity? Yeah?

Speaker 7 (40:03):
I mean I credit a lot of like my national
team teammates because they were the first ones to kind
of like jump ship show to speak of like the
whole overseas journey, and they've been talking my ear off
for the past like two three years about it. Obviously
skeptical at first because it's new, it hasn't really been
done at this level yet, so I was kind of like,
I don't know if I'm ready to commit yet. But

(40:25):
just seeing all of them take that leave and honestly, Kat,
I remember getting on the phone with Kat one day.
I was in Turkey driving I'm talking to Kat and
I'm like, but I don't know, Like there's obviously these
opportunities overseas, and at the time, that's all you see,
so it's really hard to envision what life would look
like outside of that, Like that was my new normal.

Speaker 5 (40:43):
But just having someone like her in my ear of
like you get to play at home, your family and
friends get to watch you.

Speaker 7 (40:49):
Like also outside of volleyball, we understand this sport doesn't
last forever, so it gives us another opportunity to kind
of like see what else is out there.

Speaker 5 (40:58):
So once that was is in it, and then.

Speaker 7 (41:00):
The idea of a founding athlete, like I know, I
want to stay involved in sports in some capacity. So
it was a really cool opportunity to kind of see
like how the league is unfolding and like kind of
play a little bit of a role in that because
overseas that you.

Speaker 5 (41:17):
Have zero say, so what it is is law. So
it's been really cool to kind of like have like
a little bit of a role in like how all
of this is you know, developing.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
Did you have a role in getting Cap on your team?

Speaker 5 (41:30):
All right, That's why I talked to her and she
was like, come on.

Speaker 2 (41:36):
I was like, and have good time, like get back
at home, you know, and just live a good life
far as like you know, almost like playing like we
were guys the NBA and if I'm being able to
play a pro sport that we love and making money
that we're making and be home and being able to
go to vintages, you know.

Speaker 5 (41:52):
So I was like, girl, come on, Yeah, she definitely
recruited me.

Speaker 1 (41:55):
I would say, I love it a big sister again,
right right, Well, you got to play your first serve
in Austin this past week. What was it like coming
full circle and being back in Austin, except now as
a pro?

Speaker 7 (42:13):
I know, It's honestly, it was really emotional, just because,
like I mean, a CAA, I think you saw her.
There were people who I remember from my freshman year
at Texas who were like either season ticket holders or
like people who would be in the VIP seats who
are now sitting at our game as a pro.

Speaker 5 (42:31):
So for me, it just felt like a very full
circle moment.

Speaker 7 (42:34):
There are people who have been in there who have
watched us grow and struggle and get better and have
followed our careers past Texas. So for them to be
in that room with us, like it almost felt like
this was for them too, Like how cool that they
get to continue to be a part of our story.
So it was it was emotional. Obviously my family and
friends were there. I had family who and friends who
traveled from Dallas just for that match that day, and

(42:57):
now that's a possibility people who haven't seen me play college.
So it was really cool to kind of connect with
them too. But I think overall just emotional.

Speaker 1 (43:06):
That's so cool that like you remember those people from
you know, when you used to play, Yeah, when.

Speaker 2 (43:11):
These people are at every day every day, Like she
was almost like she always like sat behind the service line.

Speaker 3 (43:18):
She was behind the service line. Only that change was
the gym environment and the color what she was wearing.

Speaker 7 (43:24):
I know, orange was wild, but even then, like there's
still burnt orange in the audience and you can tell
like the same people who have been keeping up with
our journeys since we were freshman.

Speaker 5 (43:36):
Yeah, that's so cool.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
I saw the head coach, Jared Elliott was also there.
Did he feel like kind of like a proud papa
seeing like all these players that he used to coach
altogether now on one team.

Speaker 7 (43:48):
Yeah, I'm sure he I know, I'm sure he does.
I'm sure he feels a little bit like, you know,
those are my girls.

Speaker 3 (43:55):
A little bit too, like he would make sure.

Speaker 5 (43:56):
You like a little things, right, security, I'm sure. Well,
but he also.

Speaker 7 (44:05):
Right, he also had his team there too, and I
remember they were behind our bench too, so that was
a really cool moment, just like kind of getting to
hear them as we're like coming.

Speaker 5 (44:15):
By again like grabbing water or something like they were
cheering us on too, so that was really cute.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
Oh that's so fun. I mean, you guys have like
nine Texas alums on your team, right or is it
eighty ninety nine? Yeah, all from like different I mean
got Ajio, Neon, Logan, Egleson and just graduated basically, and
then like, you guys, what's it like playing with this
array of different ages but all knowing that you were
all Longhorns, right?

Speaker 7 (44:42):
I mean it's really cool because obviously not all of
us have played together, but we have a lot of
like shared experiences, like it's been essentially the same staff.
Give or take one or two people at Texas for
the past fifteen years, so we've all played for Jarrett,
We've all really had We've had Eric in the program,
like Dan, like people who are the staple of Texas

(45:03):
volleyball are still there. So it's been really cool to
kind of like share stories and kind of how they
line up. And then also it's kind of it's just
like a genuine based understanding.

Speaker 5 (45:13):
Like at Texas, I feel like we took a lot
of pride in being.

Speaker 7 (45:16):
There and working hard and having a really good work
ethic and like kind of being dogs, and I feel
like it's kind of the same mentality across the board,
Like I know someone who played at Texas like their dogs,
Like they're gonna ride for you, They're gonna play hard,
they're gonna fight hard, and I know I can expect that.

Speaker 5 (45:31):
Each and every time from like a former like a lum.

Speaker 2 (45:34):
And it's also really cool to see be in the
gym with them too because you can also tell that
like they genuinely like look up to us just the
same way how they did when they were in high school,
when we were in college, even though we're at the
same level right now too, So being able to be
like a mentor for them and help with them, like
obviously get their career up running and going in the
Pro League has been great experience as well to I agree.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
What's it like now being like this mentor figure? We
talked to Sarah Franklin about it. But what's it like
to be a mentor for these young girls that are
playing club or who are in college right now at Texas?
Like knowing that they can see you in the United States?
Like what's that feeling like?

Speaker 7 (46:13):
Yeah, I mean Kat spoke to this a little bit,
but it's really interesting now with this emergence of like
the Pro League in America is most of them won't
get that experience overseas. And Kat can probably agree to this.
I feel like that's where you grow up very quickly
and you have no choice but to So it's cool
kind of like almost you don't have to feel the

(46:33):
burden that we did. So let's share what information we
had so you can kind of close.

Speaker 5 (46:37):
That gap a little bit quicker because.

Speaker 7 (46:39):
There's a huge learning curve overseas and professionally across the board,
and it's obviously harder to understand.

Speaker 5 (46:45):
When you hear but it's really cool that we have
like so many people who.

Speaker 7 (46:48):
Are experienced who can help like translate and share that information,
so you know, it's an easier transition for them because
it's it's not easy, I think, but in general I
feel like they've been good receiving it too.

Speaker 2 (46:59):
Yeah, just kind of picking your battles, you know, like
don't complain about stuff you should not even be complaining about,
you know what I'm saying, like for example, yeah, like
oh my ice, there's no ice in my water?

Speaker 3 (47:11):
What are you talking about?

Speaker 4 (47:13):
What?

Speaker 3 (47:14):
What do you what are you saying?

Speaker 5 (47:15):
Like we sometimes it's overseas.

Speaker 3 (47:18):
Yeah, everything you know, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
I don't I don't eat pasta, or this is not
the food that I want, or it could be anything.
It's almost like you don't know, Like I was in
China for a while.

Speaker 3 (47:30):
That's the trenches.

Speaker 7 (47:31):
You don't know, right, And if you ask for certain
things overseas, they're looking at you sideways.

Speaker 1 (47:38):
So yeah, when you say ask for things, do you
mean like in what regard like asking for a good
weight room or asking for just like a specific meal like.

Speaker 3 (47:50):
What you Honestly, it could be literally, it could be anything.

Speaker 2 (47:53):
One thing I will say like right now, we're kind
of experiencing as far as like you know, there's a
different culture. What you do is trans conditioning wise a
broth like conditioning wise abroad as completely different as it
is completely different here.

Speaker 3 (48:04):
In the States.

Speaker 2 (48:04):
You know, like we have a lot more I would say,
I would say knowledge, but as far as like you know,
facilities and like different like weight programs and weights, all
these different machines and stuff, and as well as like abroad,
they may not have as much as what we have
over here, so they're kind of compensate compensating. We're doing
like more band activity and that kind of stuff too.
So you can tell far as like athletic wise, muscle
masks where you're abroad is a lot different than when

(48:25):
you're here. As well as like training pts. Treatment over
there is a lot different than it is over here,
Like we have more essential stuff that we have a
lot more access to things.

Speaker 3 (48:34):
And over there, if something's hurting is more of.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
Like massage, rub you down, that's good, But over here
you're going to do ice thereby cry out whatever it
may be.

Speaker 3 (48:42):
It's just different kind of like ball game, Yeah, yeah, you.

Speaker 1 (48:45):
Say, we get the true pro athlete treatment here. I
feel like you hear that with you know, like the
football players, basketball players and all that kind of stuff, Like, yeah, there.

Speaker 3 (48:54):
Were times that sometimes you want need ice. They don't
have ice in the gym.

Speaker 5 (48:57):
They don't have ice.

Speaker 7 (48:58):
Yeah, ice like machines or any type of like really
high tech physical therapy items. Like you're kind it's kind
of like what you have is kind of what you
have to work with, and you figure out a way
to make it work.

Speaker 4 (49:11):
Versus here.

Speaker 7 (49:12):
I mean, we have a lot of privilege in the States,
like we have access to a lot of things. Whether
if we don't specifically have it, there's always somewhere you can.

Speaker 5 (49:19):
Go where you can go get it, you know, and
that's definitely not the case, and a lot of places overseas.

Speaker 3 (49:23):
WI Fi can be a thing like.

Speaker 2 (49:28):
You're supposed to have it in your contract, but they
haven't given you a car and it's been a month
and a half.

Speaker 5 (49:32):
You know, it can be see even in your apartment.

Speaker 7 (49:35):
You can get there in your apartments not ready and
you're two weeks or mona.

Speaker 1 (49:39):
Yeah, seeing that too, well, now you get the privilege
like your home and your friends are here and your
families here. I feel like that's such a huge perk.

Speaker 2 (49:49):
There's some people that go abroad and have to work
and play volleyball, so it's definitely it's a luxury here.

Speaker 4 (49:54):
I have done that.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
She ain't never done that.

Speaker 2 (49:55):
But there's leagues that, like in teams that have players
that come abroad and you're working for their shop filling
T shirts and playing on their team to help compensate
for your for your salary.

Speaker 3 (50:05):
Like it's a real thing.

Speaker 5 (50:06):
Yeah, you're like working for the main sponsor of the teams.

Speaker 1 (50:10):
Yeah yeah, wow. Well, now that you're in the States
and you do have like this quote luxury of you know,
having what you need, having your family and friends close by, Like,
what are you doing with your time? Chiaka, Like what's
what's free off the court volleyball?

Speaker 5 (50:27):
Like that is a great question.

Speaker 7 (50:29):
I realized I need to find myself some more hobby
because I now have more time than I.

Speaker 5 (50:35):
Like have ever had.

Speaker 7 (50:36):
I feel like, but this is kind of like one
of the main reasons why I wanted to play in
the States again was to kind of like establish that
part of myself. I feel like when you're overseas, it's
so easy to have this tunnel vision of just being
focused on volleyball because you don't really have much outside
of that to like stimulate your brain or anything.

Speaker 5 (50:53):
But it's been it's been really fun just trying to.

Speaker 7 (50:56):
Envision, like, Okay, what would I want my future to
look like if volleyball wasn't the case with this new
league and with women's sports taking off, Like, I've been
really excited about the possibilities of like what like ownership
and management and all that stuff looks like from like
the back end, Like I see all these boss women
doing it and like the w being owners, being gms, being.

Speaker 5 (51:16):
Things like that. So that's been something that you know,
I've been trying to like poke my hand in a
little bit just to see what that would look like.

Speaker 4 (51:24):
I put.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
That's something that also arranged with Sarah, you know, I
was telling her, so she has this free time, I'm like, yeah,
like resting and just kind of like being able just
to focus on volleyball and not treating to my space
that volleyball is consuming everything, but being able to like
enjoy your free time, enjoy your life outside of school volleyball.
But for us, it's like, Okay, well we've been doing
it for so long. What am I a different time.
It's a different process. Okay, well, my free time now,

(51:45):
I'm focusing more on okay, well, transitioning out of volleyball
with like she said, what that.

Speaker 3 (51:49):
Looks like, you know, post volleyball and when ball wasn't
a thing in her life right now.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
So I think depending on your age and when you're
coming in and when you're leading out definitely depends on
what you're doing in your free time.

Speaker 7 (51:58):
Right That's so true because I think, as like a rookie,
like you're really just thinking survival. Like I get home,
I'm sitting my butt on this couch, I'm watching my Netflix,
and I'm just trying to like unwind from the day.
Once you get used to it, like you start to
think like, okay, like now that I've been comfortable enough
to know like what I need and when I can
now like prioritize my time to dedicate to like hobbies

(52:20):
or things I'm interested in or you know, things like that.

Speaker 5 (52:22):
But it definitely it depends on where you are in
your career.

Speaker 7 (52:28):
Now.

Speaker 1 (52:28):
I know that also when you're overseas that you guys
don't really get to celebrate the holidays with your family
because you're traveling and living in another country and usually
another continent. But did you go to Nigeria for Christmas
this year?

Speaker 4 (52:42):
I did? I did.

Speaker 7 (52:43):
I was in the leg Us for something called Debty
December is what they call it over there.

Speaker 5 (52:49):
It's like a playoff the.

Speaker 7 (52:49):
Word dirty, but it's nothing really dirty about. It'sasically just
like everyone comes home for the holidays. So you have
a bunch of like Nigerian like nay their first gen
who live all over the world, but like come back
home for the holidays. So it's just it's a lot
of fun, a lot of family members, a lot of
like random pop up concerts, festivals, food.

Speaker 5 (53:11):
But I was there for a short amount of time,
but it was It was really cool to be back.

Speaker 1 (53:16):
That sounds so cool. Have you ever been to Nigeria?

Speaker 7 (53:19):
Yeah, actually I got to go last twenty nineteen when
I was playing in Italy.

Speaker 5 (53:24):
We got a week off.

Speaker 7 (53:25):
Myself and my teammate at the time, Paalogana, who's also Nigeria.

Speaker 5 (53:29):
We both went but different areas.

Speaker 7 (53:32):
But this is my first time I feel like being
in Legas, which is like the main city, as an adult.

Speaker 5 (53:37):
So it was really cool.

Speaker 1 (53:38):
That's awesome. Sore your parents like athletes are into volleyball
when they lived in Nigeria or was volleyball like a
brand new thing for like your family when you started
to play.

Speaker 5 (53:51):
Very brand new for sure. I mean my dad claims
he plays soccer. I don't know right, literally no record
and no witnesses.

Speaker 7 (54:01):
My mom's definitely not an athlete either, so sports is
very much new to them. But just it's funny now
like seeing how much they've just like adapted it to
their life. Like my dad watches volleyball more than me now,
Like he's the one who keeps keeps me updated with stuff,
Like he's still.

Speaker 5 (54:16):
Watching games overseas. He watches all the love matches. He'll
be like, oh, I saw Madison Omaha play like this
person played really well.

Speaker 7 (54:23):
So it's funny to see now like how much they're
like addicted to watching volleyball.

Speaker 1 (54:29):
Oh that's so sweet. I love that your parents are
so into it.

Speaker 5 (54:34):
Wait with my dad, he keeps up.

Speaker 1 (54:38):
When you first started to play, were they like one
hundred percent like all in or are they questioning like
what is this athlete sports volleyball thing?

Speaker 7 (54:47):
Right? I think at first, like most kids, it's just
like an extracurricular activity but I think with each stage,
like they saw, okay, this is also a way you
can help pay for okay, cool. And then once I
wanted to go pro, they're like, we don't know how
you can make a living off of that, but like
let's see. And so with each stage they've kind of

(55:09):
seen like, Okay, this is something that has like longevity,
you can support yourself, whether it was a school now
it's a professional, like this is my full time career.
So obviously there are a lot of questions and like
what are you.

Speaker 5 (55:21):
Doing along the way, But I mean it's worked out
thus far.

Speaker 2 (55:24):
What about the question maybe you have for yourself, like
what are you doing? And things are kind of tough,
Like it was some of the advice that maybe your
parents were giving you in those moments.

Speaker 7 (55:32):
Yeah, I mean their biggest thing was like you, at
the end of the day, want to be okay with
the decisions that you make, even if it doesn't pan
out the way you think it's going to. So like
there were moments where I was like questioning in the
trenches in Poland, like what the hell am I doing?
Like why am I in this foreign country struggling? I'm
not the happiest right now in volleyball. You know it's

(55:54):
not fun, But at the end of the day, Like,
would I be okay even if I failed in this
moment like taking the step, Yes, I would, because in
that moment I wouldn't be spending the rest of my
life wondering what if, Like what if I would have
gone overseas? Where could that have taken me? So I
think that was their biggest piece of advice, like, hey,
you made this decision, Like you're okay with failing even
if it's this decision, because you know you at least tried.

Speaker 4 (56:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (56:17):
I feel like the failure or the fear to fail
is like something that a lot of people are afraid
to do, which makes sense. I mean, you don't want
to look like a failure, but also feel like if
you don't do it, you're going to regret your decision
in the end, right, And.

Speaker 5 (56:33):
It's easier to say that than to experience it. Obviously,
when you're in it, you're like, nah, I'm really not
trying to do all this, like I don't want to
look stupid. It's the fear of all of that.

Speaker 7 (56:43):
But obviously, as you get older and you just start
to mature, like That's been my biggest thing that I've
just been trying to be okay with, Like I have
to be okay with the decisions I'm making regardless of
the result.

Speaker 2 (56:55):
I think also with failure, I think I'll ask athletes
we look too much far as like from people's perspective
instead of feel the fear failure doesn't come really stem
from us. It comes from the outside perspective life. Oh yeah,
I'm not playing will so people go things about me
or I'm not starting people think this way about me.
But like she said, with growing maturity, you turn to
learn how can I turn that part off about it

(57:15):
and focus on Okay, what am I feeling?

Speaker 3 (57:17):
How am I feeling about this? And getting myself out
of the situation.

Speaker 7 (57:20):
So yeah, and I think that comes with advice too,
Like as much as my parents tried to like help
me through this process, like they've never been a pro athlete, especially.

Speaker 5 (57:29):
In this space.

Speaker 7 (57:29):
So you also can't let other people's fear and projections
come on to you. You know they're doing their best
to support you and to help you, but at the
end of the day, like you're the only person going
through this journey, so you can't expect other people to
fully understand as well.

Speaker 1 (57:45):
For sure, I feel like it's such a good lesson
just you know, not just for people who want to
play professional sports, but just like life in general, just
going out there and doing that. But bringing it back
to volleyball in League one. You know, the season's young, right,
we're all we just finished Week two, Week three is
going to be starting. We got Love Classic coming up

(58:06):
in a few weeks. But you know, what are you
excited to see about how this league progresses and how
the season progresses?

Speaker 4 (58:14):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (58:15):
I mean, I'm excited to see like how good the
volleyball can get one like we've already seen it. Now
everybody is lost at this point, like there are no
undefeated teams, and it's it's funny because what you think
is going to happen is often.

Speaker 5 (58:28):
Not what is actually going to happen.

Speaker 7 (58:30):
Like you may think you have an idea of how
a team is because they beat someone three zero, and
then the next night they're losing three zero. Like it really,
the talent level is so even in this league that
every night is kind of like a question mark, which
is exciting because, I mean, Kat, you've played in leagues
like that where Okay, you're playing like the last place team.

Speaker 5 (58:48):
The league, and you card it. You already know what
it is, right going from the jersey to my clothes
to dinner, Like it's not even.

Speaker 7 (59:02):
Exactly you know, And that's just that's not the case here,
which a lot of us aren't used to like having
every single time we step on the court.

Speaker 5 (59:10):
It's going to be high level, it's going to be intense.

Speaker 7 (59:12):
So I'm excited to see how much better it gets
when teens.

Speaker 5 (59:15):
Like have a little bit more time to create that chemistry.

Speaker 7 (59:19):
And then I'm excited to see the fans like Austin
showed out for us, really really grateful for that.

Speaker 5 (59:24):
I think Omaha is gonna be lit. We're gonna be
their first game.

Speaker 7 (59:29):
And like bring all your bring your worse, like I
hope it is. I think that's going to help this
league and help the sport. And it was fun to
watch the Madison crowds too. So I'm just excited to
see with more people catching on to what's going on,
like how much bigger this gets from like a fan perspective.

Speaker 2 (59:49):
What's funny is Sarah was on here and she was like, yeah,
you know, we're saying like we're friends now and having
good chat. She's like, yeah, it's kind of mass and
you know, on the core, I'm like, mess it up,
be careful.

Speaker 5 (01:00:00):
You don't know what you're talking about.

Speaker 4 (01:00:04):
The lower.

Speaker 5 (01:00:07):
You don't know right, all right, it's all cute now.
But that's that's what's fun.

Speaker 7 (01:00:13):
And I hope there's more of that too. Honestly, there's
more a little bit like spiciness. Like we were watching
last night too, and it looked like it was good spicy.
But I personally like watching sports for that, so I
hope it continues to kind of get competitive and fun
and spicy and at the end of the day, like
we're all cool, but on the court it's a different game.

Speaker 1 (01:00:31):
Oh yeah, step on that court is game face. On competition,
we lose and.

Speaker 5 (01:00:36):
We're planning to win, right right, exactly?

Speaker 1 (01:00:40):
Well, Chiaka, I mean, we could talk to you for hours,
but I just want to say thank you so much
for taking the time to come on serving pancakes, for
you know, sharing your wisdom and your knowledge and your
your story, because yeah, so many people look up to
you and you are an amazing player and have done
so much for the sport and are still doing so
much for the sport. I can't wait to see you

(01:01:01):
as a GM or president Shiaka Wago at some point.

Speaker 3 (01:01:11):
Over there.

Speaker 7 (01:01:12):
I love that.

Speaker 5 (01:01:15):
Thank you so much for having me. This is so fun.
We got to do this more.

Speaker 1 (01:01:20):
Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen's sports production and partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by League one Volleyball. I'm your host Tiffany Oshinski
and my co host is kat Bell. Anya Alvarez is
our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Cameron Dike,

(01:01:42):
and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Joora Parker. Sound
editing and mixing by Daniel Gonzalez. Our theme music is
Pancakes by Eric W. Mass Junior special thanks to Sarah
Franklin and Chiako Balgo. Stay tuned for another episode of
Serving Pancakes next week. Thanks for listening.

Speaker 4 (01:02:05):
M