Florida Condition seashore volleyball’s 2023 year is just receiving started with the Garnet and Gold exhibition match this earlier weekend. The new season also brings in particular additions to the team: two athletes from FSU’s really personal indoor volleyball group. Freshman Audrey Rothman and sophomore Audrey Koenig were being ecstatic to obtain a concept from beach volleyball head coach Brooke Niles all through the fall inviting them to engage in for the beach front group. Indoor coach Chris Poole experienced suggested the players to Niles as he assumed some seashore experience would be advantageous for their advancement as athletes.
“This is my initial time definitely becoming formally coached in seaside volleyball,” Koenig states. “The to start with time I played seaside was when I was all-around 12 many years previous, but it was just for entertaining.” Rothman shares identical activities, only enjoying beach front in middle and superior college through the summer months.
As methods also proceed indoors all through their off-season, the two have a large amount on their plate.
“On a usual working day, we have lessons in the morning,” Rothman points out. “After class, we go straight to lifting and conditioning, then beach exercise. We may have more classes after that, and on some days, we have a tiny break just after beach front prior to jumping right into indoor practice.”
“In the early morning and at night time, we’re college students,” Koenig provides on. “But throughout the day, we have to block out the educational feelings so we can really be concentrated as athletes. Weekends are ordinarily when I feel like I can grind out a good deal of my schoolwork.”
The added time determination hasn’t been the only problem these girls have confronted with leaping into a new sport. Seaside volleyball has essential a complete new established of physicality that the athletes are studying to adjust to.
“Being out in the sand is a huge variance,” Koenig said. “My legs are nonetheless acquiring altered to that.”
Both equally players also talked about how the timing and rhythm of the activity is distinctive than that of indoor.
“With indoor, I really feel like it’s less complicated to examine a block,” Rothman claimed. “Beach normally takes a ton additional figuring out exactly where your defender and blocker are heading to move. Choosing a participate in transpires way afterwards, it is not as instantaneous.”
Rothman states she may well like the communication approach additional with one teammate as opposed to 5.
“You get to hone in on a single participant independently, and genuinely get to know what they want or how they participate in, so it’s a lot easier than reading through five men and women.”
Conditioning has notably been the hardest adjustment as both gamers reveal the problems of transferring in the sand.
“Running back and forth, and especially turning in the sand with no slipping is something we have experienced to get utilized to,” Koenig said.
A single of the most exciting sections about the switch was finding a full new coaching perspective from Brooke Niles. Niles, who has entered her eighth season coaching at Florida Condition, has led the crew to victory in the very last 6 consecutive Coastal Collegiate Sports activities Association convention championships. Her crew also repeatedly retains the very best GPA across the total FSU athletic department.
“She’s so constructive and encouraging, but I love her mindfulness the most,” Koenig stated. “Before observe, she provides us routines for focusing on our breathing so we are in the right way of thinking. It is super beneficial and one thing not a lot of coaches do.”
Beach volleyball has certainly experienced its benefits, as both of the girls stated how a lot they really like finding to engage in in the sunshine.
“The weather, the tunes, the strength, it is all very laid back and just entertaining,” Koenig says.
“It’s a whole distinct sport,” provides Rothman. “I just love mastering new points, assembly new teammates, and forming people relationships.”
The staff will have their initially match at the Seminole Seaside Bash in Tallahassee on Saturday, Feb. 25.
