Volleyball Newcomer Q&A: Sarah Swanson
8/17/2021 1:24:00 PM | Volleyball
Middle Blocker – Elkhorn, Neb.
On her start in volleyball
"I moved to Nebraska when I was 11 years old and my mom asked me if I wanted to play volleyball. I didn't know what the sport was, but I figured I'd try it since I was already playing other sports. We were still in the process of moving so I missed my first two practices and then we had a game, so that ended up being the first time I ever tried volleyball. My mom sat me down before and asked if I knew what a pass was, what a serve was and I didn't know any of the terminology or how to do it. We were in the kitchen and she showed me the basics of having a platform and underhand serving. I played the game and was terrible but kept playing YMCA volleyball and improved a lot and then eventually went to club."
On volleyball as her favorite sport
"Once I started getting better at it, it definitely became my favorite. I was playing basketball and softball at the time as well. I was excited to go to volleyball practice but I didn't really like going to basketball or softball practice. I couldn't really find my groove in those sports but I physically felt myself getting better at volleyball after every practice. When high school came around I had to pick between the sports and volleyball was an obvious choice."
On playing in college as a goal
"As I got to high school that definitely became the goal. I remember my sister and I making a joking bet with my dad, since we were both playing volleyball at this point, that if we got a full ride scholarship for volleyball that we can get a car for college. At that point we were only freshmen and were joking about the bet but decided to make it just in case."
On the turning point in the goal becoming reality
"When I went to high school and made varsity as a freshman, I felt like I was better than most of the girls my age. Then I started getting noticed by colleges and that continued from there."
On what she was looking for in a college
"I didn't care where I went. I didn't even know what power five conferences were at that point. I didn't want to stay in Nebraska. I felt that getting out of the state would be better for me, but beyond that I didn't care where I went. Even if was a Division II or III school, the main criteria was just finding the best fit."
On settling the bet
"I did get the car. My sister didn't play volleyball in college so she had to pay for hers."
On the decision to play her fifth season
"Before we got the extra year of eligibility, I was done with volleyball. I had played in enough games where redshirting wasn't an option. When I got the opportunity and was reflecting on my time, I realized I wanted to try somewhere else. I got to graduate from a great school in TCU but also get to have a brand new experience. One of my best friends played her fifth year at a different school and said it's the best experience you could ever ask for. I did my time there so it was time to go somewhere else and get a new experience."
On the transfer process
"I still didn't have a set place I wanted to go. The main thing I looked for was the team culture. There are coaches out there who will change who they are when they recruit you but will be totally different once you get there. There's little things that indicate whether coaches are being real or not and I felt like Lindsey [Devine] and all the other coaches were very real."
On Alabama coming into the picture
"They came in late in the process. Alabama first got in contact with me on a Wednesday and I had to make a decision on where to go by Monday. I had other schools I was talking to that gave me offers but Alabama seemed like an amazing opportunity. Lindsey and I talked on Wednesday and then I met the other coaches on Thursday and they showed me videos of campus and it looked amazing. We had a Zoom with me, the coaches and my parents on Friday to get to know them a little bit. My parents thought it seemed like a great opportunity and they asked me after what I wanted to do and I told them I wanted to commit. It was such a fast turnaround but I really felt like it was right for me.
"I also knew Abby [Marjama] went here and I played with her in 2014 at USAs so I knew her a little bit. I reconnected with her and we have a lot in common. We have a lot of the same values and goals. She said she loved it here and I knew that was it for me. So within three days I had decided on Alabama."
On the acclimation process
"I couldn't ask for anything better. I was talking with the coaches the other day and I just wanted to thank them for the opportunity. The girls here are a family. I love every single girl on the team. I feel like I've known them for way longer than I actually have. That's what I was looking for. Everything about the coaches from how they run the practices, how they treat their players and how they do everything together doesn't seem forced. We all want to be together. That's the coolest part of it. It's so enjoyable and I got my love for volleyball back after I thought I had lost it."
On her value as a teammate
"Whether I'm playing or not, I bring energy that we can use on or off the court. Everyone needs to be fully invested, so I like bringing that energy. I played four years of collegiate volleyball, so I know little tweaks people can make and I love helping my middles that way. I love looking at the little things and sharing that information with my teammates. I'm trying to help them improve while I'm also trying to improve. You have to focus on helping others along with yourself to get the team where you want it to be."
On her personal and team goals for 2021
"The team goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament. I've never been, so it's a personal goal of mine too. I can see this team doing it. This group of girls can accomplish that. Everybody is in the gym every day working hard. That's another goal of mine is to get better every day. I only have one year left so I want to make the absolute most of it."
