10 Questions With ... Matt Nava -- Men's Volleyball

We kick off our Men's Volleyball features with our first installment of "10 Questions With ..." Today we feature Orange Coast College libero Matt Nava, who talks about the responsibilities of the position as well as preparing for the rigors of training with the Pirates for the upcoming season.

1. So as of this interview, you guys are finally back in the same area again with conditioning. How excited are you to be back with your teammates again?

"I am super excited and stoked to get to train with the guys again last season came to an abrupt stop and we really didn't have any closure to the season. You can already tell with the running that some guys are lagging behind and some guys are flying."

2. Tell us about how you first got involved with volleyball? And how did you end up at OCC?

"I started playing volleyball my freshman year in high school. I actually lost a bet with my buddy on a sports game – I had the Lakers to win and they lost – so I tried to play volleyball. It was the best losing bet I ever had. I graduated in 2018 and went to Cal Baptist and I was done with volleyball. But, one of my friends, who graduated in 2019, told me about OCC and I ended up there and tried out and got a spot on the club."

3. For those not overly familiar with the sport, tell us about the role of libero. It seems like such an under-appreciated position out there. What are your most important responsibilities on the floor?

"The libero position isn't flashy – he's not the guy who's stuffing the ball and not one of the guys slamming the ball. We are always in the back row and we need to be ready for anything. It's our job to help set up the best opportunity for our team to score points. If you're a quiet libero and you're passive and not communicating, you're not doing the best you can for your team. If you're not being a leader in the back row, there is no trust."

4. How would you describe playing for Travis? How would you describe his coaching style and what have you learned the most from him?

"The best way to describe playing for Travis … unpredictable, but in the best way. I really like playing for Travis. When I played in high school, my team wasn't very competitive. He's helped me with my passing and how to use my head more than my athletic ability. He's more serious about you as a person, more than as an athlete."

5. Before we were allowed to return, what were some of the things you were doing to keep in shape and to continue to improve while we've been away from school for these past several months?

"I've been a big volleyball fan ever since I started playing, so if I'm not playing volleyball, I'm watching it on TV – professional or college. I have a little gym in my garage that I've been working out in and I've been running 1-2 times a week so I could handle the daunting task of getting ready for what we had in store for us when we got to condition together again."

6. If I gave you a 24-hour pass from COVID and you could do anything that you used to do, what would it be?? What do you miss the most from this isolation??

"I would definitely hang with my friends and play spike ball with them, but now it's high risk . It's so hard to get stuff organized in a safe manner."

7. All kids like to eat … what are your favorite meals??
   1. Favorite food in general – "I love all kinds of fried rice … especially house fried rice, which has shrimp, chicken and steak in it."
   2. Favorite pregame meal – "Usually a PB&J to fuel the tank. That's my go-to lunch. Or, I'll go and get a Firehouse Sub with the team."
   3. Favorite meal afterwards – "Sometimes its with my old roommate, but it would be either Cheesecake Factory or a steakhouse … whatever everyone was feeling."
8. When you're not playing volleyball, what do you enjoy doing?? Any hobbies or interests???

"I am a massive sports head. I'd watch sports every day, whether it's basketball, football or baseball. My favorite soccer team is Real Madrid and my favorite football team is the Denver Broncos."

9. With us being cooped up, there has been a lot of TV-show binge-watching over the past few months. What have been some of your favorites over that time??

"The show 'Outer Banks' was a really good show! I've also gotten into 'Stranger Things' and I've been watching a lot of 'The Office' too."

10. What would you like to do AFTER Coast?? Are you majoring in anything at the moment?? Any long-term career goals???

"After college and volleyball are through, I want to be a guidance counselor. I'm working on my sociology major and I want to do something to help other people. I've been told I'm a good listener, so that might be the career for me."