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Special Entry – My Tryout in Salzburg
By BIP Tour Veteran Liz Goubeaux, Towson University
On Sunday the owner of the Salzburg, Austria team approached Tim and asked him if he had a middle that would be willing to play within the week. Tim immediately recommended me and plans were set in motion to send me to Salzburg the next day to tryout for the team. That night, the two Americans from Salzburg (Lauren and Michelle) stayed the night with us in the hostel. Then we woke up early the next morning and caught a bus to the train station. Accompanying us were Amy, Julie, and Jennifer. They were coming because they wanted to train with the team and see what it was really like to be a professional volleyball player.
We embarked on our two-hour journey from Innsbruck to Salzburg at 11:30. During the ride I had the chance to ask Lauren many questions about the team and how it is to be a professional player. I became increasingly excited at the prospect of being a part of this team. At the end of the train ride the 6 of us caught a taxi back to Michelle and Lauren’s flat. During the ride we got a quick glimpse of Salzburg. It is absolutely gorgeous and also ridiculously cold. But since I am a native of Buffalo, New York it did not bother me too much. Once at the flat, we got to see first hand how some professional players live when they are here. The flat was not glamorous, but it was cozy and comfortable. Lauren and Michelle stay on a school campus so they have access to a cafeteria and a washer and dryer.
After relaxing for a short while, we met up with the team’s trainer and went to a local restaurant for a late lunch. I took this opportunity to practice my very limited German. I must say I didn’t do so bad; I think the waitress understood me most of the time. After our stomachs were nice and full took the next few hours to rest before practice. Lauren and I took the bus back to her flat and relaxed some more.
At about 7 we caught the bus again and headed over to their gym. My stomach was full of butterflies as I was anticipating the practice and hoping that the coaches would like me. Practice started with some partner peppering and a quick stretch. Then we progressed to another warm-up drill: 3 vs. 3 on half of the court. I got to play with all of the natives from the team. They were so nice and supportive. I was beginning to find my comfort level and calm down a little. Next we practiced our hitting in hitting lines. This was not any different than in the States. Finally, we organized a game play drill. One side served and defended while the other side passed and attacked. After a few minutes we would rotate through so we could practice every skill. I was happy with how I was playing, although I know I could have hit a little bit better. Once again, the girls on the team were extremely nice and supportive. My fellow Americans and I really seemed to fit in and we were having a great time.
With the end of this drill came the end of practice. The coach immediately called Michelle and Lauren to him. I sat waiting anxiously because I knew he would be talking about me. After a few minutes he approached me and thanked all of us for coming. Then he told me that they were looking for a middle who could pass better and hit harder than myself. I have to say that this stung quite a bit and I am still disappointed about it, but I am using it as a learning experience. I know that the coach was not saying that I am a bad player, I am just not the type of player that they are looking for.
After practice Lauren and I hitched a ride back to her flat while the rest of the girls stayed at one of Lauren and Michelle’s friend’s place. Lauren and I just watched some movies and chatted, then we went to sleep. Bright and early in the morning we woke up and ate breakfast in the cafeteria and caught yet another bus to the train station. Once at the train station I met Amy, Julie, and Jennifer and we hopped a train to meet up with the rest of the tour in Munich.
I know the other girls had a wonderful time hanging out in Salzburg, as did I. We are all glad that we got to see first hand what it is like to live and play over here. We have learned more from this experience than anyone could have simply told us about. I am still sad that I will not be playing there but this experience has shown me that I really do want to play over here. I still have faith that there is a team out there for me, and I am determined to find it.
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