NOTEBOOK The conversation Interview by Jen Armson-Dyer Christa Harmotto
The former Penn State standout and fi rst-time Olympian talks about what it takes to excel on and off the court as a player and teammate
A
t age 26, some may think that Christa Harmotto isn’t relatable. After all, she is an Olympian, a two-time gold medalist at the FIVB World Grand Prix, a two-time NCAA Cham- pion and a four-time AVCA All-American. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. A native of Hopewell Township, Pa., and a graduate of Penn State, Harmotto majored in elementary education and is somewhat of a big kid herself. As a starting middle blocker for the U.S. team, Harmotto has overcome many challenges, both on and off the court, but her positive attitude and outlook are contagious and a key ingredient to her success.
VolleyballUSA: Did you play other sports growing up, and do you think that’ today’
s young athletes?
CH: I played soccer and basketball and did gymnastics. Soccer helped with my ‘string bean’ makeup to develop some coordination. Gymnastics was short stint – I became a bit tall for the uneven bars. Basketball was my main sport. I began playing in second grade and had dreams of playing for Pat Summitt one day. After my sophomore year of high school, I left it behind to focus on volleyball. I believe it is very important to have the opportunity to play multiple sports, to try them out. I have always felt that they piggy-back each other and skills and strengths can be enhanced playing multiple sports. In addition, it’s less likely you will get burned out!
What made you fall in love with volleyball? I love that it is the ultimate team sport. It truly takes all six players on the fl oor to produce a point, and communication is extremely im- portant. I love the athleticism that is displayed through explosiveness of the athletes and in the speed of the game.
What is the hardest part of playing volleyball professionally?
Playing overseas involves several chal- lenges. First and foremost, we spend six to eight months out of the year outside of the U.S. and away from our families. However, in return, the relationship and lifestyles we build overseas, as well as the unique experiences, make living afar a special opportunity.
What keeps you going and who or what do you look to on a bad day?
I look to my faith. As an athlete, we can fi nd our identity wrapped up in our performance and who we are in our sport. That is a scary place to be and I have certainly found myself there. Anxiety, fear and worry can all be results if the identity check is in the wrong place. It came down to controlling what I can control. I could control coming in with my best effort and
s important for
saying and doing everything I could to help the team get better. The results and decisions of oth- ers weren’t in my control. Volleyball is not who I am, it is what I do.
What do you fear most on the court? Letting my teammates down by not taking care of my responsibilities.
What were the steps you took as a high school and college player that helped you continue to improve and elevate your game?
I improved my strength and explosiveness, I watched video of myself and also international players at the top of their game and really focused on nutrition.
Every player has a turning point, a point where you decide to quit or push through. What was your turning point and what made you push through?
Honestly, there were several times over the past four years leading up to the Olympics when I was home in Pitts- burgh for a break and contem- plated not getting back on that plane to California. There were times when I didn’t want to step through the doors of the Anaheim Sports Centers because of the fear of failure. Each time I did both of those things was another step towards victory over that fear. The turning point came in the fall of 2011. A month prior to the World Cup, I had a breakthrough with my serve, a skill I had struggled with since joining the team in 2009. I was messing around during a water break with a jump fl oat. The rhythm I had and the way it felt was like I had been doing it my whole career. I continued to improve weekly over the next fi ve months and the comfort I felt with serving fi nally refl ected my entire game. I was playing my best volleyball. By the time April rolled around, I found myself looking forward to getting on that plane and walking through those doors. That freedom I felt allowed me to play and compete with so much joy and play the game I love with a real smile on my face.
Describe the feeling when you found out
you were going to play in the Olympics. Utterly fi lled with joy. I walked in and sat down in front of my four coaches and was told I was going to London. I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the meeting, and I’m not sure if I stopped smiling all day! My
12 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
parents were the fi rst people I told. They were ecstatic and my entire family celebrated that night while they booked their fl ights to London.
How do you stay motivated when it’s four years between Olympics?
You have to remember that every day is one day closer to August 2016 and another day to get better than the rest of the world.
PHOTO: FIVB
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