Women's Volleyball Alumni Q&A: Katie Messing
11/4/2015 1:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball, Competing With Purpose Blog
Pepperdine indoor and beach volleyball alum Katie Messing recently turned professional and plays for the Foton Tornadoes in the Philippines. As one of last year's most prominent players, she is now balancing volleyball as a career while living in and navigating a foreign country.
Â
Q: How did you get signed with the Foton Tornadoes?
A: I told my agent what I was looking for and he told me what countries and leagues would be a good fit based on level of play, length of league, standard of living,culture, etc. When he mentioned the Philippines it sounded perfect for me,and he was able to get me the contract I wanted.Â
Q: What is the biggest difference that you've experienced since moving from the U.S.?
A: The food here has been a challenge for me. It's all fried and every meal is centered on meat. It's been a challenge trying to function at a high level while not having the nutrition options I am used to. They have this specialty called Balut, which is a type of egg with a partially formed fetus inside. I'll pass.Â
Q: How does playing professionally compare to playing at the collegiate level?
A: It's similar in a lot of ways, but when every player has financial incentive to win, it changes the feel of each game.
Q: What is a typical day for you as a professional athlete?
A: Each day is different.Most of the time I wake up late and go work out, find something edible and run errands. There are lots of events they have the imports attend so we may have something during the day. The traffic here is so terrible. Going somewhere that is 10 km away can take two hours. We practice at night on weekdays. We have a couple games a week so that mixes things up and keeps our schedule from becoming too much of a routine.
Q: What has been your best or favorite moment as a professional athlete so far?
A: When we were walking out to our bus after the first game, there were hundreds of people waiting outside screaming and freaking out when we walked by. They love volleyball here,and my teammates were totally used to it. I thought it was hilarious and ridiculous but it was a nice welcome into the Filipino volleyball community. It feels good to know people care about what we're doing and find enjoyment in watching us compete.Â
Q: Is there a language barrier for you?
A: Not really. Everyone on my team speaks at least some English but most are close to fluent. Coaching is done in a mix of Tagalog and English. It works because I know if something is said in English it's relevant to me and I should start listening.
