Duran Ventura: Hello everybody and welcome to the Talon Marks Podcast. I’m your host, Duran, and today we’ve got a special guest from the volleyball team. Her team is going on an unbelievable streak. They’re eight and two, and on the road they are dominant. And unbelievable, they have not lost the set in five straight games. Now that’s what I call a dominant team. Now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome Leeya Rubio.
Leeya Rubio: Hello everybody, it’s nice to be here. Very excited.
Duran Ventura: How are you doing by the way?
Leeya Rubio: I’m doing really good. You know, just getting by day by day. All my classes are luckily online, so it gives me a little bit more freedom to do what I can. Yeah, it just gives me a little bit more room to be able to fit more things into my schedule.
Duran Ventura: Especially, you know, when I think of student -athletes, I always wonder, when do you have time to go to class?
Leeya Rubio: You know, that was something that was kind of, not an issue I would say, but it was a little more difficult last semester during spring just because it was beach season, so it was like we would practice off-campus since we don’t have beach courts, so we’d practice there in the morning. I would have to come back, make sure I’m on time for my classes, so that was a little bit, it was a little difficult, but I was able to manage. You know, I had some of my friends, some of my best friends actually, helped me get through every day, so yeah.
It was definitely a challenge, but I got through it.
Duran Ventura: You mentioned you played beach volleyball, you played two sports.
Leeya Rubio: Yes, I do.
Duran Ventura: Wow, Bo Jackson, I like it. Okay, when I think of volleyball, everybody thinks, okay, it’s just six on six. There’s a bunch of players just getting ball, just hitting and spiking and getting a point. Actually, it’s called kill, but when did you start getting into volleyball?
Leeya Rubio: Honestly it’s a very funny story both my older sisters they played volleyball their life they actually tried getting me into volleyball when I was I want to say around 7 -8 they took me to tryouts I hated it I did not want to be there cried at the tryouts left and one of my coaches actually told me you know you’re gonna be back I told him I swore that I wasn’t not gonna be back but I mean here I am I am back so he was right.
Duran Ventura He proved you wrong, their we go.
Leeya Rubio: He did.
Duran Ventura: In volleyball, there is like, of course, everybody thinks, okay, when you start it, you all serve, but there is actually some different positions. There is a defender, a bit blocker, but your position is a setter, right?
Leeya Rubio:Yes.
Duran Ventura: Would you mind explaining that? Like, what is a setter?
Leeya Rubio: So, to put it into simpler terms for people who don’t really understand the game of volleyball, basically, a setter is the quarterback of the team.They run the plays, they are one of the biggest leaders on the court, they make sure everybody comes together, make sure every single one of the plays is as clean and as simple as possible. So, it is kind of like the person who runs all the fun things, and you know, you try to do as much as you can to just carry the team on your back and do as much as you can as that one person.
Duran Ventura: I believe that because last game against El Camino, 33 assists.
Leeya Rubio: Yes. That was actually one of our first games this season that we had run a 5 -1 only because one of our other setters, Sydney Mae, she was injured, so we gave her that game off. I had to set all around, which was, it wasn’t difficult. I had ran a 5 -1 last year, so it wasn’t anything new to me, but it was definitely a challenge coming back into it after a long time.
Duran Ventura: So you’re saying it’s just, it doesn’t go like 3 -3, it could also be like one in the middle and three in the back and two in the back?
Leeya Rubio: Yeah, so it could kind of be like, when you’re running a 5 -1, you’re running all the way around, so the setter is front row also, so that leaves only two attackers in the front, which can be a little bit difficult, especially if you have a smaller setter like me in the front and then you also have two, even one attacker in the back row, so yeah, it’s just, you try to leave your options as open as possible.
Duran Ventura: Do you play another position besides setter?
Leeya Rubio: I do not. All my life, I was a setter. My freshman year of high school, I was a libero, which I wasn’t, I wouldn’t say I was the best. I managed and I got by.
Duran Ventura: Here’s one thing though, when everybody sees volleyball on TV we always see the one in the different jersey on the same team. That is a Libra, right? A libero. Every time we think of volleyball there’s always the one player who dives into this crowd or dives into the score table and getting the ball. Have you ever done that?
Leeya Rubio: Not that I remember. I have ran into people when it is a smaller court. Like I’ve kind of gone into like I’ve accidentally bumped people or like I see my teammates run into like the other court even with like club tournaments as a court is a lot smaller and the seats are almost right there right next to you. It’s almost impossible not to run into people but yeah it hurts it definitely hurts but once you get the points oh my gosh it’s such a relief. It feels so good.
Duran Ventura: I can tell like with our court here at Cerritos we actually have a much bigger space Yeah, we have a lot of space We have a barrier for you guys to play but when you guys are away It’s just right the fans are right next to you close to the line
Leeya Rubio: Yeah, and it’s obviously it’s not the same for every school, but there are some times and there is Schools and gyms that do have the fans right next to you. So With the ref they kind of make it as like a border I don’t know if you notice those thick lines on the on the end of the courts They kind of make it as like that border so you can’t pass that to keep a play alive Which is it is like it’s like a safety hazard I guess you could say only because they’re trying to keep the keep the players as safe as possible
Duran Ventura: Do you like prefer that like the fans really close to you like or do you prefer like a wide open like court or like the fans are a little more back.
Leeya Rubio: Um, honestly, it’s very 50 -50 for me I feel like it can go both ways as a player You definitely want any distractions like out of your way. You don’t really want people to be yelling in your ear all the time But it is good. It’s a very It gives you more power I guess you could say it gives you a lot more energy to kind of feed off of so it’s like it’s very 50 -50 for Me, but as I think it’s best to kind of keep them away just so that nobody gets hurt in the end of it.
Duran Ventura: When you’re going into a game like what is your like your mindset do you have like a motivational song you try to put into your head.
Leeya Rubio: I don’t usually listen to songs. I used to But now I just kind of keep peace of mind I usually say a prayer side of the cross if you if you do notice I do sign across before I serve I say prayer for every game every match. So it’s like that’s what kind of helps me get my mind right helps me focus Stay calm and yeah, that’s kind of what I do my little pregame.
Duran Ventura: That’s the only thing you do in your routine before a game.
Leeya Rubio: Most of the time yes, I also am very superstitious when it comes to playing So I always have braids in my hair no matter what but no, yeah I like to keep faith and I I like to keep God well I’m playing.
Duran Ventura: Ok I could admit, you know everybody is a little superstitious.
Leeya Rubio: Yeah
Duran Ventura: Kind of do their own thing for good luck, but You know it’s good. It’s kind of true guys. Come on fans. We kind of do that We’re all trying to do it for Friday for the Dodgers.
Leeya Rubio: Oh, yeah Oh, of course for the Dodgers. I really really really hope they win. They had a very good game yesterday So hopefully they can carry that on to the next game.
Duran Ventura: Let’s go. There you go guys, there is one thing though that is going on and actually in professional sports mental health It is very big now Do you do anything to like get your mind off the game?
Leeya Rubio: Sometimes yes, I like to obviously my life outside of volleyball. I like to keep it Very small if you could say I don’t really try to do anything too big before a game obviously But when it is time to live my life without volleyball, I kind of I try to stay as calm. I do try to stretch as much as possible. I feel like that kind of helps me. I watch as many shows as I can, listen to music, spend time with my friends, my family, my boyfriend even. So it’s like, yeah, I definitely try to keep myself as calm as possible when I’m not with volleyball because I feel like it is kind of like my whole life. It’s what I do. It’s what I’ve been doing for such a long time now. So yeah, I definitely try to have as much fun as I can outside of the volleyball world, but yeah, as for what I do, it’s mostly the same, get home, relax as much as I can, watch any shows that I have, hang out with friends, family. So yeah, that’s kind of like my life outside of volleyball.
Duran Ventura: What shows do you actually watch?
Leeya Rubio: Grey’s Anatomy, definitely my top favorite show. There’s a show called In the Dark. It’s also on Netflix. It’s a very good show. I definitely recommend. There is another show that I do like. It’s called Outer Banks. I know the newest season came out. I haven’t watched it in a very long time, but I’m going to try to get back to it when I can. Stranger Things is one of my favorite shows. I have a lot, but yeah, the list can go on. But if I had to name one, my top favorite would be Grey’s Anatomy for sure.
Duran Ventura: Here’s one thing, though. Where did you play your high school volleyball at?
Leeya Rubio: I went to Schurr High School. It’s in Montebello. It’s a smaller school, but that’s where a lot of my teammates went to.
Duran Ventura: So you guys can say that you guys have a little chemistry playing together.
Leeya Rubio: We do because we play in high school, and before that we played club together, so we’ve been together for a really long time.
Duran Ventura: Was it hard to transition from high school volleyball to college volleyball?
Leeya Rubio: Honestly, no, only because with club. Obviously high school ball is a very competitive but with club it’s also it’s even more competitive I feel only because you are playing girls from around the world. We went to Florida for a tournament my senior year and that was one of the hardest tournaments and most competitive terms that I’ve been to. We play teams from Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, so you know you play girls from all around the world and you see every side and what each team has to offer so it’s like it kind of helps you prepare for college ball in that way so yeah the transition wasn’t really difficult the only thing was just I feel like building that chemistry again with your new teammates I think that was the hardest thing for me.
Duran Ventura: Of course when I see volleyball it’s always every four years after the Olympics but you gotta admit you know college volleyball has grown that was you know what Nebraska did 90 ,000 fans outside.
Leeya Rubio: Yeah, in like Nebraska volleyball, they made a very big statement with that, especially for female sports. I think they definitely caught a lot of people’s eyes and they kind of made it, made it seem like, oh, volleyball isn’t just like, you know, something that is kind of thrown to the side until, oh, it’s definitely a bigger sport than people seem and people think. But yeah, for them to do that and for them to go out like that is definitely a good way to bring out volleyball.
Duran Ventura: I always wonder, because this school, I’m surprised they do not have a men’s volleyball team.
Leeya Rubio: Oh, yes.
Duran Ventura: Do you consider volleyball as one of the top women’s sports?
Leeya Rubio: Obviously, honestly, yes, I do. Obviously, every other sport is very competitive, very physical, and volleyball isn’t the most physical sport because there is a net that you’re divided by. But I feel like it’s definitely a competitive sport for women, especially, and it’s one of the bigger sports, I feel, only because it just takes so much individual talent that you have to create as like a team. So it’s like, you’re not just doing it for yourself because it’s not just a single person, you’re doing it for the whole, for your entire team. So it’s like, obviously, it’s something that I do carry and I do try to make as big as possible, but I think volleyball should be viewed as more of a competitive sport rather than like just a fun sport that people can play on the side.
Duran Ventura: Let’s talk about the season that you guys had. You guys, when you looked at the schedule, were you surprised that you guys had to go on a five game road trip?
Leeya Rubio: I was a little surprised just because freshman year, most of our games were home. I think preseason, we only had one away game, maybe two at that, but this past preseason, we only had one home game and the rest were away. way. So as our coach says, we are road dogs, so we do dominate on the road more. But it was kind of not hard to adjust, but it was just a little bit more uncomfortable I guess you could say, being on the road all the time and having to leave at a certain time, making sure everything’s ready, everything’s packed. So yeah, it was a little surprising and it definitely caught me off guard a little bit.
Duran Ventura: Where did you guys go on the road actually?
Leeya Rubio: So first game we went to College of the Canyons, that’s in Santa Clarita I think. Second game was Golden West, not too far from here. Third game was I think, it was here, LA Mission, and then we went to Saddleback, we went there, which wasn’t too far. And there was a few other schools that we had went to that were pretty far oh we went to San Bernardino. That was a pretty far trip um But yeah, coach made it made sure that we were fueled and that we were fed by the end of the day.
Duran Ventura: I did go to your one of your way games at Rio Hondo College and I kind of think it was really good. You guys really dominated. It’s just A second set you guys struggle all the time.
Leeya Rubio: Yeah Yeah, I think that second set we definitely got a little bit more comfortable because of the Result of the first set. I feel like we kind of went out there with them and tell it like okay We’re gonna win which is okay in some Circumstances, but in that it wasn’t that just kind of shows how getting comfortable during a game can kind of mess up your focus a little bit So I think Obviously after that set we kind of brought it together a little bit We kind of talked it out made sure we had Our game plan ready made sure we had our mindsets, right and we did struggle a little bit that second set but we got the job done. So i’m just glad we did that
Duran Ventura: Does it surprise you still that you guys have not lost the set on this winning streak?
Leeya Rubio: I wouldn’t say it surprises me only because the group of girls that we have are beyond talented We have a very good chemistry and I think obviously you can only get better from there But it is amazing to see how far we’ve come and how Good of a job that we do coming together as a team rather than playing individually And I think honestly that’s the biggest thing that you have To have when you play a team sport because it’s not just you on the court, you know It’s multiple other people and you have to do it for if you can’t do it for yourself You have to do it for them. So I think we’ve been doing a very good job with that we’re not really we’re not playing selfishly, which is amazing and We’re keeping it together keeping things as simple as possible and getting the job done.
Duran Ventura: One last question before we wrap this up. Do you consider yourself going pro?
Leeya Rubio: Honestly, as much as I would love to live that dream, I don’t know where I could see myself in volleyball. I would love to go far as far as I can, any offers that I could possibly get in the future, whether it’s for indoor or for beach, but because of my size and because of my position, I don’t necessarily see myself going pro, maybe a good collegiate team beyond Cerritos, but yeah, because of my size, I don’t necessarily see myself in that position just yet.
Duran Ventura: There is actually a pro volleyball league that just started. It’s called the Pro Volleyball Federation. Have you heard about that?
Leeya Rubio: That is a very good question. I have not. But I definitely do my research on them.
Duran Ventura: They just started their inaugural season and I think the average attendance was around 4,000.
Leeya Rubio: Oh wow, for a new organization, that’s very good. That’s really good.
Duran Ventura: Well like right now you see the path of women’s sports growing, so I think another sport, volleyball especially, will actually grow.
Leeya Rubio: Yes, I think so too.
Duran Ventura: First of all, I want to thank you for coming.
Leeya Rubio: Thank you for having me.
Duran Ventura: We’d like to do a quick shout out to anybody?
Leeya Rubio: Obviously a quick shout out to my family for always being my biggest supporters. I love you guys very much and a very big shout out to my team for staying behind me through every single game, every single match, even outside of volleyball and practice. So I love you guys. Thank you. One more shout out to all my coaches specially Keri Hemmerling for making today possible and all my past coaches making collegiate career possible today so thank you guys.
Duran Ventura: Thank you very much for coming, Rubio. And that’s another great episode on the Talon Marks Sports Podcast. I’m Duran. Thank you for stopping by.
