Women's Volleyball Q&A: Jaiden Farr

Jaiden Farr, a junior outside hitter and defensive specialist for the Pepperdine's women's volleyball team, has contributed to the team's NCAA Tournament bid this year. We discussed her interpretations of the team's successes thus far and her remarkable family history:

Q: During high school in Utah you were awarded with the title of state Player of The Year as well as being an All-American. How did these accomplishments land you here on Pepperdine's women's volleyball team?

A: High school was super fun and I was blessed with amazing coaches. Those two aspects really helped progress my game. I committed summer of my senior year, and got those awards after I signed in the fall. But what really made me choose Pepperdine was once I stepped on campus I had totally different feelings and then once I started talking to the coaches I loved it. The sense of community was like no other and I came from a small school, so the small-school vibes were definitely a win for me. I was hesitant at first to leave Utah but loved the location and academics offered here.

Q: What have your first three years as a Wave been like?

A: They have been the best and hardest years that were full of personal growth within myself. I got to find what I'm really passionate about through volleyball and academics. I can't believe that I am a religion major because my faith was never as strong as it is now and academics helped lead me to theology. I also have grown more as a leader through volleyball. That has led me to the conclusion that I want to be a speech language pathologist with an emphasis on religious holistic healing. People don't put enough emphasis on healing that isn't physical, so I want to help the spiritual and soul aspect of a person rather than just their physical.

Q: This season the women's volleyball team has been extremely successful, how do you feel about it?

A: I am super stoked especially because everyone's goal has been to get to the NCAA Tournament. This year we actually had a chance to get the bid, in the years prior our team hasn't been this good to be in the running. So it's really exciting and cool since the team also has better chemistry than years before.

Q: How does your role as an outside hitter and defensive specialist affect your team?
A: I am a more versatile player, so whatever the coach needs of me, I can be there for it. In my other years at Pepperdine I was a libero, then I became a defensive specialist, but I have also played middle in scenarios when needed. When I first came to Pepperdine I thought I was solely going to be an outside hitter but now I have expended to helping the team and coach in whatever role needed.

Q: What was the highlight for you so far this season?

A: My highlight so far is our overall record because it is really good. Our team camaraderie really helps with that because we wouldn't be able to win any games without it. There is more camaraderie this year than in the past. We not only have to hang out on the court and travel trips, but we chose to hang out off the court, which transfers to our success on the court.

Q: In your personal bio, you mentioned that your grandpa was a Holocaust survivor. What do you know about his experiences?

A: My grandpa was originally from Hungary and part of his family knew Nazis were coming so they left for New York. The rest of my grandpa's family, him included, did not think that the Nazis were actually going to come, so they stayed. The Nazis did end up coming so they hid in the house of a non-Jewish doctor where they were safe until someone disclosed their location. Then they had to leave and the family got separated. His mother and sister got sent to a women's camp and he never saw them again. His uncle, dad, and brother were taken and shot. Then my grandpa got taken to the ghetto by himself and with other Jewish people. He had to wear the star but didn't have to have the tattooed number to indicate he was Jewish. He described the way that he was transported in cattle cars as unreal and extremely dirty. People were crammed in and there was no care for human life, they treated them like animals.

I would visit him but he wouldn't go into a lot of detail until the last time I saw him before he passed last year. Anyway, in the ghetto my grandpa and his friend that he met there were 16 and were being marched with the Nazis. There was a Nazi in the front and back of the group. While they were being marched there were regular pedestrians walking by so my grandpa and his friend took off their stars, acted as regular civilians, and joined the group of people walking by them. After that they country-hopped and had to eat dead horse, walked through the battlefield where gunshots braised his head, and he did this all alone because his friend went a different way. Eventually he found this farm boat that was coming to America and he tried to get into the U.S. but they wouldn't let him in. So instead he went to Canada where he met my grandmother and as soon as they were allowed in the U.S. they moved there and had my father.

Q: How has his story affected you?

A: If I was going through a hard time or a trial, my dad would always remind me of where we came from and to keep pushing and persevere. He used it as an example to be humble and grateful but it also gives my life a lot of purpose today because I would not be here if God not helped him through that situation. After the Holocaust my grandpa believed in luck more than blessings, but I see as it more of a blessing and reason why I am here today.

Q: How has his story inspired you to help others?

A: I feel called to help others and that God gave me gifts to do that. That's why I picked speech pathology because I grew up around a lot of special needs people. My aunt was mentally disabled and my cousin is also mentally slow and handicapped so growing up around them and seeing how my grandpa dedicated his life to my aunt makes me want to dedicate mine through my major to help others as well.

Players Mentioned

Jaiden Farr

Footer