Q & A with Rebecca Murray

Editor's Note - Rebecca Murray played for the Circle City 18 Cheetahz, which finished 9th in the Elite Open division at the 2007 Junior Olympics. She is now a freshman starter at the University of Connecticut. She recently had time for a short Q & A while in a Florida airport on their way to Georgetown.

Question - You only have about 5 or 6 matches left this year. Does it seem like your freshman season has flown by?
Answer - This season has flown by, our first match seems so long ago. But also my freshman season is only half way over we still have spring season and training!

Question - Congratulations on receiving Big East Freshman of the week for two weeks in a row! Why do you think you've had so much success lately?
Answer - My team has really been challenging each other in practice every day. We come into every practice wanting to get better. My teammates have definitely made this possible, I couldn't have done it without them.

Question - What has been the biggest change from playing on your wildly successful Circle City 18's team to the UConn Big East program?
Answer - The time management is a killer. Being an athlete in college is so much more of a commitment than club was. I thought I was overwhelmed during the club season but now I never stop!

Question - What advice would you give to girls playing club ball today, to help them prepare for their Freshman year of College?
Answer - Do the summer workouts and come into the season/preseason expecting anything. You'll do things you never thought you would and train like you never have before. So have a tough skin.

Question - What is a typical schedule for your day?
Answer - I wake up for 8 am class, have classes until 150. Practice at 2:30, then lifting until 6. Eat on the way to study hall, study hall 7-9, get back finish more homework, take a shower and head to bed.

Question - You spend so much time training and studying for class, Is there a Social life the first semester of college? If so, what do you like to do?
Answer - Truthfully, no. I have been able to go to the movies once, otherwise I'm catching up on homework and the days off that we have are normally the days you want to just relax and catch up on sleep. Also there is a partying policy where we can not go out 24 hours before any volleyball… and we always have volleyball, haha.

Question - After spending your whole life with a twin brother (who is playing sports at another college), and your family, do you get homesick at all?
Answer -Not really, after being around him for 18 years, I really knew it was time for us to go our separate ways. I see my parents all the time and both my brothers have made it to one of my games. So really I'm not homesick yet, I just miss my cheetahz.

Question - What do you miss the most from home?
Answer - My friends of course. Having so many friends that play volleyball in college, everyone is so far away from eachother. The only girl I've seen is Cheese but that’s because we played them in Big East play.

Question - Did you hear that your High School Alma Mater, Carmel, went to State this year in volleyball? How cool was that?
Answer - Yeah, actually my old coach Bill sends me weekly emails to update me on the team. I'm so very proud of the girls because I know they worked so hard!

Question - What's the best part of going off to College?
Answer - I really needed to get away for college. I felt like I was in a rut, living in Carmel for 18 years. Also I have become so much more independent so much faster, and I've been forced to become more outgoing.

Question - Do you have any team pranksters or would that be you? What kind of funny things go on that we don't see on the court?
Answer - We really don't have any pranksters, we just have a bunch of crazy attitudes. We laugh all the time and that’s the only way I would make it through the season, is with my team.

Question - When you travel for road matches, what kind of meals do you get, and what type of hotels?
Answer - We stay at pretty nice hotels, but for road matches everyone gets excited because we don't have to eat dining hall food. For our last road trip we got like Olive Garden and Panera, so we are well fed.

Question - Do the freshman have to do any special duties kind of like an initiation?
Answer - We just have to carry the extra equipment, so we pay our dues.

Question - Did the Uconn team adopt your Circle City nickname of Becks? I think Paige Weber came up with that one?
Answer - Yes actually, they all call me Becks, haha.

Question - Do you ever play against former club team mates? If so, was there any fun trash talk?
Answer - I played against Cheese for Big East play, we really didn’t trash talk but it was really nice seeing a familiar face on the court. I know during spring though I will be playing Tots a ton.

Question - What is life in the dorms like?
Answer - It’s so nice, I've met so many people that way. You really never get lonely because people are always walking in and out of your room.

Question - Have you been able to keep up with any friends back home or former team mates that have gone off to college?
Answer - Yeah pretty easily actually. With facebook and aol its really easy to stay in touch. I've talked to pretty much everyone from the Cheetahz. But also its hard to find the time to sit down and really talk because of our demanding schedules.

Question - Any other parting comments?
Answer - When you are deciding on the college you want to go to, make sure it's what you want. I've heard of so many people transferring already. I love Uconn and would never leave here, but there will always be hard times so don't get discouraged. If you work hard, you will be rewarded!