Aug. 11, 2014
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Last month the Mountain West sent an all-star volleyball team to train and compete in Europe from July 8-19. Three Aztecs were members of that team including current SDSU players Baylee Little and Alexa Saba along with Johnna Fouch, who finished her Aztec career last fall. In addition, SDSU's Deitre Collins-Parker served as head coach for the team while Julie Parker was an assistant coach. The trip concluded with the team participating in the 2014 European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia, where it captured the bronze medal with a third-place finish.
We interviewed sophomore right side hitter Baylee Little and redshirt freshman libero Alexa Saba about their trip to Europe with the Mountain West All-Star Tour and their experience playing in the Global Challenge.
How do you feel this experience has helped you for the 2014 season?
Little: As far as international play goes, there are fewer substitutions, so I had to play in the back row a lot. I didn't get to do that very often in my freshman year last season. I think being able to get that experience helped me learn the value of playing in the back row and will definitely help me this season competing to play all the way around.
Saba: Playing abroad gave me the opportunity to see what skills I needed to improve since the game internationally is played faster and the ball is coming at you harder. By competing against these different countries and different styles my volleyball IQ increased. We are trained here at SDSU to always play hard, but I learned to play smarter during the Global Challenge.
What was the biggest adjustment for you to be successful in the international game?
Little: Being smart and quick! Many of the international teams were incredibly scrappy on defense. To be successful against them I needed to be smart and really pay close attention to where I was placing the ball.
Saba: Being able to compete as well as push through physical and mental situations within the game. Instead of focusing on the adversity in front of me, I had to be positive, move forward and focus on immediate improvement.
What lessons did you learn about team and leadership that you will bring to your SDSU team this fall?
Little: Being placed on the team with girls from the conference that I had never met, was an exciting challenge. The time we had together was short, so there was a window of opportunity to step up as a leader. As a freshman last year, there were nine seniors on the team that were leaders. I was a follower in the 2013 season, learning from the more experienced players. In Europe we were all able to step up and have input in because there wasn't one specific leader. I think that will help me to step up more as a leader in this 2014 season.
Saba: I learned that every team has their own unique playing style, and if we recognize that team's weaknesses and attack those and execute to our potential then we can win. What did the experience of traveling to Europe do for you as a person?
What did the experience of traveling to Europe do for you as a person?
Little: I enjoyed competing with athletes from other Mountain West Conference schools. We had a chance to connect and I learned from them as leaders and competitors. They were encouraging and gave great advice to help improve my game. I learned traits I appreciated in teammates and leaders and I hope to emulate that for my teammates this season.
Saba: Playing abroad opened up my eyes to how different the game of volleyball and the world are from my experiences to this point. I think this trip has made me more independent and more open to cultural differences in people and places. Being able to go on this amazing journey made me much more thankful of the opportunity to play the game I love and share that with my teammates this season and always.