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2010 World Grand Prix MVP and one of the world’s best middle blockers, Foluke Akinradewo, is featured on SI.com. Below are some of our favorite quotes from the interview.
On heading to Colorado Springs to train with Team USA:
“To be honest, it was hard. My mom came with me and I remember telling her, I don’t know if I can make this my life. These girls just play volleyball and they eat and sleep and train and train some more and I don’t know if I can do this … and we laugh all the time because here I am and all I do is play volleyball and eat and sleep and play volleyball.”
On her first week of training:
“I was just awful, and I was sore in areas I didn’t know I could be sore. When I thought about volleyball I thought about picnics and barbecues, really chill, but it definitely wasn’t, so it was kind of a rude awakening, but I think the challenge of it kept me going.”
On one of her most heartbreaking defeats in college:
“I can’t forget that moment. We were playing Santa Clara in the second round of the tournament at Stanford and it was match point for them in the fourth set. I got set the ball, and I hit it out of bounds, ending our season. It’s easier said than done, you know, it’s not just your fault, but you don’t remember that. I felt responsible in a large way. It really hit me hard. I don’t think anyone expected that much emotion out of me. It made me hungrier for the next season and it allowed me to know that I can’t really take things for granted. Unfortunately we never did end up winning a national championship, but we did get further.”
Coach McCutcheon on Foluke:
“She is a fantastic athlete but she’s become a fantastic volleyball player. In the international world, just being physically superior isn’t enough. You have to be physical, but you have to be technically efficient. It’s the combination of physical dominance and skill that’s helped her established herself at the international level.”
Foluke is definitely one of the players to watch out for in London!
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Click HERE to Read The Full Article!
Click HERE to Read The Full Article!
(images: FIVB)
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