Once the chat with Rogers and Drake was booked I found myself surprised I hadn't interviewed these two before. Reviewing their stats and talking with others about them I realized that they have both sailed under the radar a bit during the years - especially Drake. Both have been so instrumental to recent NSU successes and so I was pleased to be able to get this 15 minute talk filmed before NSU took the floor for serve-and-pass last Tuesday night.
Here's the list of questions used for the chat. You can watch the video at our YouTube channel here.
Both: This is your senior year. Has it hit you yet? Are you happy? Sad? Both? Has the thought of senior night in Natchitoches crossed your mind?
Rogers: You're from Blanco, TX (I mispronounced it). Describe how you got from central Texas to Northwestern State. Blanco is a small community. Were you looking for a small town feel when you were choosing to go to college?
Drake: Describe the process of transitioning from Tulsa, OK to Natchitoches. By the way, can you guess which of the two of you is farther from home?
Rogers: In both your Freshman and Sophomore years, you were 6th on the club in total attacks. But last year, you had 500 more attacks than anyone else on the team. What changed about your game in order to garner than much of a workload?
Drake: I think you are actually a little underrated among MB's in the Southland. This may be because our leaderboards only publish block leaders over 1.00 blocks per set and you finished last year at 0.97. Still, you blocked as many balls as our Makenzee Hanna (116) and she was 2nd Team All-SLC. Do you keep up with stats like that? What have you improved most on during your time as a player for NSU?
Both: You are counted on for senior leadership. What styles do you tend to employ? Quiet leader? Vocal? With your respective younger players at your position, how do you lead?
Rogers: Has the club discussed any similarities between the 2018 squad and the 2014 team that won the SLC Tourney when it was played in Natchitoches?
Drake: You were able to play with a group from Athletes in Action in Brazil. How did that opportunity come about and describe how that experience added to your skill set.
Drake: You got to play in front of family at a recent tournament in Tulsa. Was that scheduled specifically for you and were there friends and family there that don't ordinarily get to see you play?
Both: Who on the Demon squad is:
- the team comedian?
- the bookworm?
- the most spaced out and aloof?
- the best dancer?
- does the best imitation of Coach Kiracofe?
-----END INTERVIEW-----
The loose plan as of now is to make the next two videos in the series focused on new Incarnate Word head coach Samantha Dabbs (SFA goes to UIW on October 11) and then I am really hoping to interview senior MB Kaitlyn Grice of New Orleans when they come to Nacogdoches on October 18.