ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former Southern California volleyball player Lauren Killian presented President Bush with a volleyball Feb. 24 at the White House during an event with NCAA fall championship teams. The Women of Troy, who have been busy since winning the national championship, play Hawaii tonight in an exhibition match.
THE USC women's volleyball team doesn't know the meaning of the word offseason.
The USC volleyball team continues
its national championship tourBy Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comWinning the national championship last December in New Orleans only extended the season for the Women of Troy, who have been through a whirlwind of activity the last three months. The funnel isn't slowing down too much as USC caps an activity-laden semester with an exhibition match against Hawaii today at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"We haven't been able to settle down and focus. It's been one thing or another," USC coach Mick Haley said. "It's frustrating from a coaching standpoint. The focus really has to be school. You have the distraction problem. You have more opportunities to do a lot of different things.
Who: USC vs. Hawaii in an exhibition match Women's volleyball
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV/radio: None
"You just get worn out from the requests and everything. The focus really has to be school. When I give them their weekends, we get our best grades, and we do the best."
Haley estimates that his players will have given up two-thirds of their weekends this semester for championship-related activities.
The Women of Troy will run a clinic this spring and help out on "Olympic Day" at local high schools. Several players have already given talks to the next generation. But for now, USC is on spring break this week to soak up the sun.
"This is the light at the end of the tunnel," said All-American outside hitter April Ross. "All of us are excited to come here and play. We get a day off on Wednesday so we want to go to the beach and enjoy the sun. It'll be the first time I get to go to the beach in six months."
Coming to Hawaii is just one of the perks of winning. Ross said the highlight of the offseason was definitely the trip to the White House last month. The Trojans, along with other fall championship sports teams, were invited to meet President Bush and take a tour of the White House on Feb. 24.
"It was pretty amazing. He made us feel so special," Ross said. "We're going to war and he takes time out, a large portion of his day, to come over and say 'hi' and make sure we feel welcome. It was really cool. I felt really important. A couple of us want to do stuff with the government so it was really cool to be there.
"You could get a feel for the city that everything was buzzing. Me and Kelli (Lantz) went to the Pentagon. Walking around the city and going to the White House was really cool. I didn't think it was going to be like that. I thought it was going to be a side thing to meet the president.
"Sometimes I don't agree with what the president does, but it was really cool. We should do this again next year so we can meet the president again."
Though his players were meeting President Bush for the first time, it wasn't Haley's first brush with Bush.
The former Texas coach was delighted that Bush remembered him from his days as governor of Texas. Haley was also pleased that Bush went out of his way to make his players feel welcome.
Haley said USC's trip to the White House was also special because of its educational value.
"Seeing all the memorials and going to all the museums and getting to spend a couple of days in Washington D.C. was very interesting and also very enlightening on how different it is on the East Coast since 9/11 and how it isn't different on the West Coast," said the 2000 Olympics coach. "I think people out here don't live with the same reminders and realizations of what can happen and what has happened.
"I thought it was one of the absolutely best experiences that I've had as a result of athletics. I hope they continue to invite teams and I hope teams continue to go because it's well worth their time."
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