Volleyball player Bridget Fuentez
In the two months or so that this blog has existed, I've focused almost exclusively on football, basketball and baseball. Those three will remain the primary focus, but the university does compete in 17 varsity sports so I've decided to try to give a little bit of coverage to some of the other sports too.
Today, we have an interview with Bridget Fuentez, a junior from Tomball, Texas. The volleyball team is in the midst of conducting camps for middle school and high school players, so I appreciate her taking time out of her hectic schedule to answer a few questions.
Bridget Fuentez: We visited Hungary, Slovenia, and Czech Republic where we played club and national teams with a variety of competition levels and styles. I guess you could generalize most European teams with a laid back style that is often error free.
RBR: Did you get much leisure time?
Bridget Fuentez: Yes, we enjoyed plenty of leisure time! This trip as a whole was pretty laid back as far as our schedule went which sometimes challenged our team to compete even with an extremely short warm-up time. During the leisure time we were able to make many memorable experiences.
RBR: You play outside hitter. What are the main responsibilites of that position?
Bridget Fuentez: Outside hitters are basically the studs! (laughing) [We] do hold many responsibilities. We hit from the far left side of the court where we try to kill the ball (hit the ball so the other team can not get it up). We are also usually one of the primary passers (one of the main players who pass the serve to the setter). Along with hitting and passing, we contribute by serving, blocking, and playing back-row defense.
RBR: Auburn and Tennessee are Alabama's main rivals in football. Do those rivalries carry over to volleyball or are there other teams you have rivalries with?
Bridget Fuentez: I struggle to pick our main rivals because I look at all other SEC schools as rivals, but Auburn and Tennessee are definitely two of the main rivals. I would have to include Florida, LSU, and Arkansas as well. I could ramble on and tell you exactly each reason for each team, but I will just say we are always eager and pumped to play these teams.
RBR: If someone were to choose only one game to attend this season, which one should it be and why?
Bridget Fuentez: Oh! That is hard to choose, but I would not want to miss the Auburn home match on Friday, October 27th because it is always a great rival atmosphere with both teams competing for pride. I would also suggest any match against Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, or LSU.
RBR: Student-athletes maintain a hectic schedule with class, practice, games and travel. Do you have time to be a fan of other sports? What other sports on campus do you follow?
Bridget Fuentez: I love to support other teams! One of my favorite things about Alabama is how each team does a good job in supporting each other. This year, I was the biggest fan of football, baseball, gymnastics, swimming and tennis. I also made it to some basketball, soccer, and softball games. I cant wait to see even more this year!
The team opens their season at home on Friday, August 25 against Miami. To learn more about the team and see their schedule, visit the Volleyball page at RollTide.com.