Q&A with Carol Price
Sep 18, 2002 | Volleyball
September 18, 2002
| Junior middle blocker Carol Price talked with AggieAthletics.com about leadership on a young team, playing in front of friends and family up north and pre-game music trends.
You've got a young but talented squad this year that sports only two seniors. Do you, as a junior, have to take the younger ones under your wing as well or do you leave that up to the seniors? "I think a lot of it is [up to] the juniors and seniors. We've been in the gym for three or four years, some of us, and we need to step up and really take charge. We don't really rely on one person. We can't do that. We tend to get in trouble. We've got to step up and take charge and get going and people will follow." You're getting significantly more playing time this year. Is that allowing you to get into a rhythm and become an even better player? "It definitely helps my rhythm. Playing wise [it lets me] be more focused on doing what I have to do, who's on the other side of the net, and be more ready to play and help people out. At my position, [just being able to] follow such a leader like Julia. I have so much to learn from her, and she's really a good person to learn from. She's very experienced and I'm trying to take it all in. With the new position, I'm playing more and just trying to work as hard as I can to help the team out." Which do you enjoy more: a huge block or a big kill? "That's a hard one. I think I like a block more. It's always more fun. Though kills are awesome, it looks good to stop the other team. It lets them know that it's not going to happen. It's not going to work with us. I think that gets me, and especially the team, more hyped up, knowing that it doesn't even get a chance to cross the net. We shut them down before they even try." Is there a lot of jawing going on across the net? "Not right now, because we're not in conference play. I think it always gets a little more fired up in conference play, because you've seen the girls from year to year, they know who you are, and know what you hit. It's more competitive. You have so many rivals and so many big games that it gets a little more heated, but we try to focus more on our side of the net and us so that we don't get into little tiffs and verbal arguments with teams. That distracts us during the game. It's a big mental game. If we're in their head and all fired up and stuff like that, they just can't even do anything. So, I think that's more effective than to talk back and forth between the net." Was coming to Texas from Michigan a real tough adjustment at first? "Yeah, at first it was hard being away from my parents and family, going from them being at every game and every event in my life to rarely being able to see them. But it was a good fit-an awesome team, an awesome atmosphere-so that was the key to fitting in. it was like a family atmosphere, and that really helped me adjust to my surroundings. That's why I liked it so much." You're settled in now I'm sure. "Oh yeah, I love it. Everything. Everything but the heat." The heat? "Yeah, still can't take it." Country music, cowboy hats, all that stuff? "Not yet, not yet (laughs)." A few weeks ago you got to play in Wisconsin in front of all your friends and family. What was that like? "It was awesome. The whole Price 'fam' was in Wisconsin. It was really nice for them to finally see me play in some games. My grandparents and sisters and others were there, so it was good support, an awesome tournament and a good one for them to come to." The first conference road trip is this Saturday. Are you looking forward to riding in a plane a bit bigger than the last one, sometimes referred to as a 'pencil with wings'? "Yes, definitely. Definitely looking forward to the new plane, and the bathroom, and not having to stop in the middle [of the flight], get out, get back in, all that stuff. I'm excited to start Big 12 play, to go up there and get started." Do you room with the same person on the road every week? "I usually room with Melissa. We're good roommates, fun roommates. We love it. We're pretty much the same. It was funny, my mom came in [up in Wisconsin] and said, 'You guys have been here a day and this is how the hotel room looks?' We're like, 'Yeah, we just sleep in the beds and then leave. We're never here.' " Do you have to have the bed closest to the bathroom or closest to the window? "I like the bed closest to the window. She likes the bed closest to the bathroom. It's a good trade off." You know, the air conditioner is closest to the window usually. "Yeah. I like being cold when I sleep under the covers." Do you put the AC down to 'snow'? "Yep. Get that Michigan weather going in the room." For fun, when you do have time off, what do you like to do? Do you guys hang out together? "Actually, this year especially, we do hang out a lot. We go to a lot of functions, or to the movies, or out to dinner-whoever wants to come. We do a lot of movie watching-we're a big movie team. Whatever comes out first we go see or we rent. We're big movie critics. I would say that's the thing we do a lot. We also go to FCA and Breakaway a lot together as a team. It creates kind of a team atmosphere, being on the same page on and off the court. It really helps us out a lot." Who controls the music in the locker room? "I usually do, me or A.D. We pretty much take control and do the music in the pregame." I'm sure there's a lot of rap in there...do you get any arguments from the country fans? "No, we pretty much shut 'em up. The seniority thing. [We tell them] 'Next year, you can have a go at it. Give me something with a fast beat and maybe you can play it.' You have to get hyped before the game, so that's what we try to do." |
