Volleyball Newcomer Q&A: Eva Borrowdale
8/29/2019 11:38:00 AM | Volleyball
We will be posting Q&As with each of the eight newcomers on this year's Alabama volleyball team as they head into the 2019 season. Our eighth Q&A is with Eva Borrowdale from Sheffield, England
How did you get your start playing volleyball?
"I started when I was 12 years old in the park with my best friend. My first coach was friends with her dad. I was quite a tall kid so he came up to me and explained that he coached one of the teams in Sheffield. I was a very sporty child so it was something I probably would have done anyway. I just fell in love with it straight away.
"At the same time I was horse riding, playing lacrosse and high jumping. Volleyball was more of a team atmosphere than high jump, which was my main sport, and lacrosse is quite small in England. It was the first time I was able to have a regular team sport every week. Volleyball is also very technical, which I like."
What is the general progression of a volleyball player in England and how did that lead you to playing in college abroad?
"The volleyball world is very small in England. There are no professional leagues. Fortunately, where I was in Sheffield, we were able to get a lot of the girls from the national team to our program. It was really well-run and was a priority sport for the University. It was a good setup and they were running things as though it were a professional team. After you finish university, you can either just play for fun for the rest of your life or take it to the next level. I decided to play here and then hopefully that can lead to a professional league after."
Did you have any prior playing experience outside of England?
"Starting quite young actually. I was put into England's program at a young age and we fly around to a lot of places. It set off my want to travel and the sport can take you a lot of places. I want to travel the world so it's nice that you can do something you love like volleyball and that can help you do something you want to do like travel."
When did Alabama come into the picture?
"I was looking at my options of what I could do to keep playing, so I got in contact with the coaches and they looked at me and decided they wanted me. I fell in love with the coaches and the master's program here is really good with such a broad spectrum of options."
What was it about Alabama that made you commit without visiting or having been in the U.S. before?
"I talked with the assistant coaches first and really clicked with them. I liked the way they ran the program and their aspirations for the team. After speaking with Coach Devine, I really fell in love with the program. She made me feel like I would really progress as a player. I was comfortable putting my trust in them."
Was your family nervous about you traveling so far away from home?
"Obviously my family misses me and I miss them. My family is a big rugby family and both my brothers play professionally in England. My father always said it would be a great opportunity to play sports and have it take you to amazing places. More than anything, I think he's proud, not worried."
What are the biggest differences between playing in Europe and here?
"The game is very similar, but there are small differences. We play with a lighter ball in England, so I had to get used to that. I have quite a European style of playing and I think the coaches are trying to get me more into their Alabama style of playing. The biggest difference in the play style is the setting. In the European game, you have a lot taller players so the sets are usually a little higher so I'm used to that. I'm starting to settle into the playing after seeing it in person with the scrimmage against South Alabama."
How has the team meshed so far?
"The coaches have instilled a very family-based setting for all of us. They've made it so everyone is equal. Everyone has a chance. If you play well, you'll be on the court. It's not like the freshmen won't play and the seniors all play. That gives a sense of respect for everyone that you have to earn your place. Anyone on the team can be a leader. If I see something, I can tell someone else and they can do that too. Everyone has a voice on the team.
"Because all of us are friends and we get on really well, we know criticism isn't coming from a bad place. We always say that our constructive criticism is because we want you to get better and build as a player. When everyone switches their mindset to that, you don't take it negatively. You have to hold yourself accountable too."
What are some of your goals for the season?
"As a team, we want to finish in the top of the SEC. We want to keep playing as a team, lift each other up and keep getting better. I want to be a consistent player and prove that I can be a leader. There's been a lot of changes for me having to adjust coming from England but over the season I want to prove that I can be a player to rely on."
What is the next step in your volleyball journey beyond Alabama?
"Fingers crossed, I'll start looking at playing professionally. I'm pretty sure I'll go back somewhere in Europe. The biggest countries for volleyball are probably Italy, France or maybe Sweden."
