Trumansburg’s Ladd competes at Down Under Games

Volleyball has been a staple in Trumansburg for most of this century, as the Blue Raiders have found consistent success in Section IV. One of their current players recently showcased her talents abroad and put the town of just under 1,800 residents on the map.

Earlier this month, Sailor Ladd took part in the Down Under Games in Australia for a three-day tournament, competing against players from all across the country and the globe. Ladd found out about her selection last year, but she actually didn’t think it was real at first.

“Honestly, we all kind of thought it was like a scam,” Ladd said. “We just thought it was a joke, so we ignored it for a few weeks. And then they kept contacting us and they’re like, ‘You’re gonna have to give us an answer at some point.’ We had a Zoom meeting about it, so over a few weeks, it started to feel more real… I cannot believe I was even picked for this.”

The whole experience was all brand new to Ladd. Not only was this her first time venturing outside the United States, it was also her first time on a plane. But once she met up with her teammates in Los Angeles, those nerves seemed to have settled.

“I was just trying to make small talk with as many people as I could, because there were multiple teams, too,” Ladd said. “I didn’t really know exactly who was on my team yet, so I was just trying to ask, ‘Hey, I’m on America’s team. What position do you play? Where are you from?’ And then I tried to go eat places with my team. I’m just trying to get to know them a little better so we could hopefully click a little better on the court, too.”

Since Ladd was teaming up with players hailing from different parts of the country (including Alabama, Texas, Connecticut, and North Carolina), there were expectedly certain challenges that arose. But as the week progressed, the team’s play gradually improved.

“Normally when you play with people for a while—like my school team—I know what my hitters want, and I know how these people play,” Ladd said. “But I didn’t know these people, so it took some getting used to and definitely a lot of communication since I was setting most of the time. I had to talk to my hitters and passers a lot and try to work some things out. It’s kind of hard to work with all these people from different places who come from different coaching and whatever, so communication definitely helped.”

Ladd continued: “The first day was a little wonky, but we still played great. I was impressed. We still played amazing. Even in the first game we won by a bit. And through the three days, we played pretty well. Being from all over [the country], I was impressed.”

Building relationships and communication were two of the biggest takeaways for Ladd during her time in Australia. Both those aspects are crucial when it comes to being a setter, a position that largely goes under the radar.

“It’s always about having a good relationship with each of your teammates and communicating about where they need the set,” Ladd said. “I think attitude is also very important in all of volleyball. But being a setter, I think that if I’m down or getting a little upset, people are looking at me, and my hitters are like, ‘Oh, she’s mad. Is it me?’ So I think keeping it very positive and upbeat and like, ‘Oh, it’s okay. It’s just one point. Move on.’ I think that’s super important.”

Ladd is a rising senior on the Blue Raiders and was an IAC First Team All-Star last season. She will play a massive role in getting the team further into sectionals and possibly win it all. Ladd is already looking forward to her final campaign with Trumansburg.

“I know we’re all super excited because there’s six seniors this year,” Ladd said. “We’ve been together for many, many years and we’re all best friends. All of us are super close, so I am super excited for this year. We’ve been preparing already. Right from when school ended, we started doing stuff to get ready for volleyball.”

Ladd’s once-in-a-lifetime experience in Australia will live long in her memory, and it serves as a testament to how volleyball has truly evolved into a global sport.

“It’s very universal,” Ladd said. “You can always connect with people from wherever. It’s just cool to see all these people who have the same interests as me and think it’s just as important as I do. It’s just such a fun sport, and it’s so cool to see people from all over loving it, too.”