This is the sixth edition of "Five Questions" and I just can't get used to how cool
it is to get answers back from people I personally find so fascinating! I can't tell
you what a kick it is to open my email and find a response. I am so honored, every
time. Today, I clicked open the "old" Gmail to find some insightful answers from
Team USA Libero Nicole Davis. Nicole's bio is available at
She has been in the National Team program for ten years and has traveled the world
as a professional since her graduation from USC in 2004.
Jamming in Five Questions, Nicole Davis!
Nicole Davis
Current Location- Cannes, France
Team Name- Le Cannet-Rocheville
College Attended-USC
Major- Political Science / Minor: Business
The libero position was not yet used when you started playing at USC.
What did it feel like to don that opposite colored jersey for the first time?
At the time, I felt a little special, but didn't really understand the importance
of the role/position in volleyball, in the way that I do now. I think the position
is often under valued and certainly lacking the glory of an outside hitter, for
example, but I believe we are the glue that holds things together for a team-we
are emotional and strategical leaders, and we create extra opportunities for our
team to score points, and I've since grown into that mindset. Whereas, when
I first started playing the position, it was about passing and defending as best
I could. Still part of the job description, of course, but a good libero has the
ability to change the course of a match for his/her team at any time.
Coming from USC, when did you first realize you might be able to represent
your country, and what was that like?
Volleyball was a means to an end for me when I went to USC. I never imagined
I would play for this long (in my 10th year as a professional and with the USA team).
I was invited to the USA team in January of my senior year and left school a
semester early. It was probably my third summer with the national team that I
realized I could do this and fully committed to the process, in an all-in, heart and
soul kind of way that it takes to be successful at this level. I didn't know what I
was getting myself into ;)
Who has been the most influential person in your playing career and why?
I've been coached by and played with some of the best in the world. I've tried
to be like a sponge and take as much in as I can from all of them. I've learned
from and been deeply touched and influenced from countless people. I've been
really fortunate in that regard.
Is there anyone on the planet who makes you wish you were somewhere else
when they serve?
There are a ton of phenomenal servers nowadays. However, I haven't felt like
"I wish I was somewhere else when they serve" since the beginning of my career
and the days of the dominant Cuban players with their top spin serves that rivaled the
speed and movement of some men. (Cuba won four Olympic gold medals in a row
and had/have some of the best players in the world in their respective positions, but
have since defected).
You have traveled the world. Who has the most courteous fans? The rowdiest?
The most knowledgeable?
The most courteous fans I would say go to the Japanese. The rowdiest probably
Brazil or Turkey, depends on if it's a "derby" match or not...as for knowledgable,
haha who knows, everyone is a self proclaimed expert at a sporting event ;)
Bonus Question;
If the "Nicole Davis Story" had a soundtrack, what three songs would surely be on it?
"Started from the Bottom" by Drake,
"Some Days You Gotta Dance" by Dixie Chicks,
hmmmmm and "I'm in a hurry" by Alabama are the first three to come to mind.
*I don't have all my music with me, and those are pretty random but that's my best go
at that question!