Women's Beach Volleyball Q&A: Madalyn Roh
4/8/2016 10:29:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball, Competing With Purpose Blog
Madalyn Roh is starting as a freshman on Pepperdine's top-ranked beach volleyball team. After the team's most recent win over #6 Arizona, Roh and fellow freshman Anika Wilson remained undefeated as a partnership, amassing a perfect 15-0 record as they head into this weekend's competition. Roh has provided us with insight into her first year at Pepperdine and how it feels to start her career as a Wave on such a successful note:
Q: Why do they call you 'Sunshine'?
A: Well to put it simply, I am sunshine.
Q: What drew you toward coming to Pepperdine?
A: Mostly the beach volleyball program. The coaches are a dream team and the program has had so much success I could not turn down the opportunity to go here. I can't imagine being part of any other team of people who push me to my full potential and also help me discover my potential, as well. The view, location, academics and wonderful/welcoming environment of the school is just a cherry on top.
Q: What has your experience been like at Pepperdine sofar?
A: So blessed. I don't really know how to describe it, but I have just been surrounded by the most amazing people. My coaches, my team, my roommate/partner, and other friends throughout Pepperdine have been such a blessing in my life. It was difficult to adjust to the college life and most of all the student-athlete life, but because of the people around me I was able to really have fun and succeed at the same time. It is very rare being in a place with your best friends and people that you truly love who are always around you. I can't wait for more memories to be established here.
Q: How have you enjoyed working with the coaching staff at Pepperdine and specifically Coach Nina Matthies?
A: This is an easy question: It has been amazing! I love my coaches, they are truly the dream team. They keep us on our toes, keep us accountable and working hard, and they never give up on us. They know our potential as athletes and want us to unlock that potential and improve on it every opportunity we get. Being coached by Nina Matthies seemed so far out of reach when I was in the early stages of beach volleyball, so having this opportunity to work with her is just unreal tome. She is so fiery when coaching that it gives us the energy to improve and play. When Nina speaks, it is all eyes and ears with no exceptions and I can't imagine it any other way. Whenever our coaches give us input, we are all ears,heeding whatever they have to say, because we know they know best and they are just helping us realize our abilities.
Q: How does the number one ranking affect you as a team, and as a doubles partnership?
A: At the beginning of the year, during preseason, we as a team set a standard. Even when we were only training eight hours a week, that standard was to work harder every day and every opportunity we get. So, to be ranked number one doesn't necessarily change that standard, but holds us more accountable to upholding that standard we have set since the beginning and throughout the season. Yes,it is a target on our backs, but we wouldn't want it any other way. It not only pushes my partner and I to improve on every touch of the ball, but also the team as a whole. The team is not just my partner and I, we train and compete to hold that number one spot as the whole Pepperdine Beach volleyball team.
Q: You are starting as a freshman on a freshmen pair --how does that affect you on the beach?
A: We are the babies of the team, but I don't think it affects us that much. We don't feel extra pressure from it, and we are not downgraded because of our experience. No matter your experience and position on the team, you work as hard as you can in practice, conditioning, lifting and competition. I will say that I love my partner so much. Because we are both freshmen, we have this extra fire and energy that is most prevalent in young souls. We decided when we were first paired up to use that energy to our advantage. I guess to answer the question further, being both freshmen and starting has affected us very positively, because we are able to transfer our energy on the court in order to contribute to the team.
Q: You and your partner are still undefeated at 15-0 this season. Is there pressure that comes with that?
A: It has caused us to have high expectation for ourselves, but what is most important is the outcome as a team. It is cool that Anika and I have yet to lose and we will do whatever it takes to keep it that way, but we focus on how the team does as a whole. With that thought in mind, it relieves some pressure that might come from that record and help us to keep that record up in order to have a positive outcome for the whole team.
Q: What are you looking forward to the most as you head into the remainder of your beach volleyball season?
A: Competing gives so much satisfaction, not only to me but to the whole team as well. We love to compete and challenge ourselves every day. We have a lot of big games coming up, so to just play the sport I love with my best friends in those kind of environments gives me so much to look forward to. I love spending time with the team and this season has just been full of team bonding moments, and I know there will be more of those as the season continues.
