Caitlin Ledoux: Just doux you

It’s a wonder how Caitlin Ledoux did it, given that she operates with the same 24 hours a day, the same seven days a week, as the rest of us.

There she was, working full-time at Lululemon. There she was, coaching two or three club teams and a high school team.

There she was, playing full-time professional beach volleyball, making three quarterfinals and her first career Sunday in Hermosa Beach, capping the year as the AVP’s Most Improved player.

“I worked a lot,” she said on SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter. “Literally seven days a week coaching for four hours a day. That’s what I mean. I was overworked, I was exhausted, my body was struggling to keep up with what I was doing mentally, physically, everything. I just needed to hit that reset button.”

On the court, 2017 had been her most successful year. Off it, it had been both mentally and physically debilitating, something that didn’t go unnoticed by her partner for the final three tournaments, Maria Clara Salgado.

“She knew I was struggling here with my nutrition and my workouts and my working, I had been working a ton. It was too much. She said ‘Come down to Brazil, let’s see what works for you, because what you’ve been doing isn’t really working. Let’s put the reset button on and see if it works.’”

And so, for three months of the “off-season,” Ledoux went to Brazil, getting reps six days a week from four different coaches. She switched her weight routine, swapping out Olympic lifting for more functional movements. She overhauled her nutrition.

“It was the first time I’ve ever felt like a professional athlete,” said Ledoux, who has been playing professionally since she first qualified on the AVP in 2012. “That was career changing. It was amazing.”

Indeed, it seems it has been career-changing. This year, Ledoux has arguably the best case to again take home the AVP’s Most Improved Player, making the quarterfinals in New York with Salgado before getting the call of a lifetime, from perhaps the most dominant female player in the game today: April Ross.

"It was pretty funny because in New York she texted me and said 'Hey I need a practice partner for these days, can you practice with me?' And I had never played or practiced with her so I was stoked to practice with her for two days," Ledoux said. "And I was in the car with my mom and she texted me and I said 'Mom! Guess what just happened?' And she said 'April asked you to play.' And I said 'Yes!' It was awesome."

With Ross playing behind her block, Ledoux made her first final, which may be the match of the year on the AVP thus far, a 21-19, 19-21, 16-18 loss to Emily Day and Betsi Flint. Two weeks later she did it again with Geena Urango, making her third career Sunday and second straight losing once more to Day and Flint in the finals, 17-21, 21-16, 7-15.

Another three weeks after that, in Hermosa, Ledoux was back on a Sunday, falling in three to Ross and Alix Klineman, 14-21, 21-18, 9-15.

“A lot of it is just personal growth about myself and having the right support system around myself the last year and a half,” Ledoux said of her blink-and-you-missed-it rise. “Having that support system and the coaches and helping you figure out what you need to do, I’d say that honestly is the biggest thing.”

What you need to do. It’s a simple concept for Ledoux. Identify what your goal is. Figure out the next step.

Just do.

Olympics, she knew, has been her goal since she was a little girl. How would one get into the Olympics?

Travel. A lot. With no promises of a return anytime soon. So there her and Irene Pollock went, jet-setting across the world, beginning in Russia of 2014. Over the next three years, they went to 16 FIVBs in 10 different countries, qualifying in some, whiffing on others, taking every risk they could, because there were goals to reach and one ladder to get there.

Just go.

“It was hard, but the same time it wasn’t,” Ledoux said. “Irene and I had the same goal and that’s to make the Olympics and we knew that was what we needed to do. We needed to just drown ourselves in all the experience of traveling and losing and having to play these single elimination matches to get that experience. I look back on that year and it was a very draining year but I also learned a lot.

“When you look at the end game: what’s your goal? I had to do it. It’s a no-brainer.”

And sure, it may have been rough for a while. There may have been a learning curve on how to travel internationally, particularly when doing so in, say South Africa.

The investment is beginning to see returns, dividends in the form of a bronze medal (in China with Sarah Sponcil), a silver (in Australia with Jace Pardon) and a gold (in Thailand with Emily Stockman).

“I think there’s probably a more responsible way to do it than the way I did it,” Ledoux said of climbing the ranks of the FIVB. “But I’ve really enjoyed my life the last five years of just doing it and saying yes to a bunch of experiences. One of the cool things about this career is I look back on the last five years and all of the crazy memories I have of going to all of these places and a lot of times I had fun because we lost out super early and we didn’t know how to book flights yet so we’d book our flight home a week or week and a half in these places and we lost on the first day and now we have a week in South Africa and it’s ‘What do we do?’

“I look back on these last five years and I wouldn’t change anything. If you’re looking to just start, I would say set your goal and jump in.”

Jaksot(500)

April Ross is living out her own personal legend

April Ross is living out her own personal legend

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, is a rare throwback episode, a replay from the fifth podcast we ever did: With April Ross.  The reason we're re-airing this one, and not recording a new one, is because it's just so damn good, and to hear what April Ross had to say in November of 2017, and then compare it to what happened four years later, is nothing short of incredible. Every word she said back then in Tri Bourne's kitchen came true. To the word. Honestly, it's one of the best episodes we've ever recorded, and it aged far finer than the wine we shared that night.  If you missed this episode before, please listen to it now. We discuss: - April's crossroads at the end of 2017: To continue pursuing the international game, or to simplify, play AVPs, and begin her exit.  - Her mindset, and her commitment to small, daily improvements, and how she finds -- or tries to -- balance in life.  - The critical importance of introspection throughout her career - Why she chose Alix Klineman, and why she thought, four years ago, Klineman was her only option to win a gold medal in Tokyo *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball SHOOTS!

11 Elo 20211h 48min

Lewie Lett: The most passionate (and positive) voice in beach volleyball

Lewie Lett: The most passionate (and positive) voice in beach volleyball

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features a voice you will all likely recognize, and that's the voice of Lewie Lett, who does the color commentary for virtually every major FIVB tournament and has also been a prominent voice throughout the Tokyo Olympic Games, commentating on everything from beach volleyball to indoor volleyball to -- yes -- ping pong and skateboarding. On this episode, we cover: - Lewie's wild ride at the Tokyo Olympics, and how he can possibly keep up with a schedule that often includes four matches in a single day - How a guy from England turned into one of the most passionate men in the sport of beach volleyball - His ability to always, always, always keep things positive - His thoughts and takeaways on the upset-filled Tokyo Olympic beach volleyball - And, as always, much, much more. ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball SHOOTS!

4 Elo 202149min

Olympic Beach Volleyball Mailbag: Could we see multiple American medals in Tokyo?

Olympic Beach Volleyball Mailbag: Could we see multiple American medals in Tokyo?

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with (OLYMPIAN!!) Tri Bourne and (not Olympian) Travis Mewhirter is a unique one. Again, we are turning to fan questions, as Mewhirter and our popular new cohost, Savvy Simo, a phenomenal player in her own right, discuss the Tokyo Olympics. We go over virtually everything in Tokyo: - Tri Bourne's strange ride thus far, from a family vacation in Las Vegas to winning now TWO Olympic matches and ensuring a berth into the single-elimination phases. - Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil's all-college battle vs. Latvia's Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka - Is everything pointing towards a gold medal match of April Ross and Alix Klineman vs. Canada's Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan? - What will the rest of Phil Dalhausser's last dance look like? That, and much, much more from the Tokyo Olympic beach volleyball action. ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball SHOOTS!

28 Heinä 202151min

Beach Volleyball Madness: Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview; Bally's Buys the AVP

Beach Volleyball Madness: Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview; Bally's Buys the AVP

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter is our monthly fan-question episode, though we didn't actually take any specific fan questions, as all of them centered on two topics only: Who is going to win the Olympics? What is Bally's purchase of AVP going to do for the sport of beach volleyball? Now, before we begin: Savvy Simo and Mewhirter recorded this episode late Tuesday night. We were aware that Taylor Crabb had tested positive for COVID, and that Tri Bourne was on a flight bound for Tokyo. However, at the time, the information wasn't public, and, per Bourne's request, SANDCAST was not going to be the one to break that news. So we didn't chat about it, and we're still hoping Crabb can get a negative test in time to compete. That said, what we do discuss on this episode includes: - Bally's purchase of the AVP, and the potential upside a casino with deep pockets can bring to the sport of beach volleyball - Why April Ross and Alix Klineman are the favorites to win gold in Tokyo - Why Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Samba, and not Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, are the favorites to win gold in Tokyo - Much more on the Olympic Games - The exciting AVP Next Gold event in Atlantic City - And, as always, much, much more. ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball This episode is also brought to you by Chasing Gold, a new non-profit founded by Matt Callahan and SANDCAST host Travis Mewhirter, aimed at funding aspiring Olympians to relieve the financial burden of traveling around the world. Read more and donate today at www.chasinggold.org! SHOOTS!

21 Heinä 202141min

Derek Olson, and Morocco's 'Disney story' into the Tokyo Olympic Games

Derek Olson, and Morocco's 'Disney story' into the Tokyo Olympic Games

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features Derek Olson, a longtime player on the AVP and FIVB tours. He was an assistant coach at the University of California, Berkeley for two years before being promoted to interim head coach for the previous two. This off-season, he had the strangest of calls: Would he like to coach the Moroccan National Team as they prepared for the Continental Cup, which could secure them a bid for the 2021 Olympic Games?  Yes. Yes he did. On this podcast, we chat about: - How Olson wound up getting the call from Morocco to coach the National Team - How, in just five weeks, he was able to take over a program and lead it to its first Olympic bid in history - The African Continental Cup, and the wild ride that the tournament was - His future prospects at Cal, and internationally And, as always, much, much more.  ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball   This episode is also brought to you by Chasing Gold, a new non-profit aimed at funding aspiring Olympians to relieve the financial burden of traveling around the world. Read more and donate today at www.chasinggold.org!   SHOOTS!

14 Heinä 202155min

Sean Rosenthal is the same now as he's ever been: Beach Volleyball's greatest ambassador

Sean Rosenthal is the same now as he's ever been: Beach Volleyball's greatest ambassador

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, is a phenomenal one, a wide-ranging conversation with Sean Rosenthal, a two-time Olympian and one of the best to ever play the game. While Rosenthal will not be featured in the Tokyo Olympic Games, his influence on the game is the same as it's ever been.  On this episode, we chat about: - What it's been like for Rosenthal to not go for the Olympic Games this quad, the first time since 2008 he has been out of the running - His deep relationship with Jake Gibb - His mindset throughout the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, and why he never could wish ill-will on his fellow countrymen vying for his spot - Why he's been able to remain so popular with the fans after all these years - His thoughts on the AVP's three-event season And much, much more.  ENJOY!! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball   This episode is also brought to you by Chasing Gold, a new non-profit aimed at funding aspiring Olympians to relieve the financial burden of traveling around the world. Read more and donate today at www.chasinggold.org!   SHOOTS!

7 Heinä 20211h 20min

Jason Lochhead: The globetrotting route to becoming a two-time Olympic coach

Jason Lochhead: The globetrotting route to becoming a two-time Olympic coach

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, is an ABSOLUTE BLAST! We have Jason Lochhead, the coach of Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena, in the house. It is a packed episode, filled with tremendous stories and, as a bonus, a New Zealand accent.  We chat about: - What it was like for Lochhead to grow up as a beach volleyball player in New Zealand, a country not exactly known for beach volleyball - His career as a player, nearly qualifying in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games - How he almost became a professional golfer before being recruited to coach the Vanuatu National Team - Coaching Canadians Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk to the 2016 Olympics - The call from Nick Lucena that changed his life: Coaching Phil Dalhausser and Lucena to the 2021 Olympic Games That, and, as always, so much more! ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball   This episode is also brought to you by Chasing Gold, a new non-profit aimed at funding aspiring Olympians to relieve the financial burden of traveling around the world. Read more and donate today at www.chasinggold.org!   SHOOTS!

30 Kesä 202155min

Taylor Crabb, and the arrival of beach volleyball's next generation

Taylor Crabb, and the arrival of beach volleyball's next generation

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter is a special one, for it is the first episode featuring a player competing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Taylor Crabb has long been the presumed face of this next generation of American beach volleyball players. Now that generation is here, as he and Jake Gibb qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, alongside lovable veterans Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena. On this episode, we discuss: - What it is like for Taylor Crabb being an Olympian, something he's long dreamed of - The moment in Ostrava when he and Jake Gibb and coach Rich Lambourne knew they had qualified for Tokyo - The strangeness of this 2021 season, with so much uncertainty post-COVID - Why players should prioritize competing on the AVP just as much as they do the FIVB - The blessings of being raised in Hawai'i, growing up at the Outrigger Canoe Club And much, much more. Such a fun episode. ENJOY! *** This episode, as always, is brought to you by Wilson Volleyball, makers of the absolute best balls in the game, hands down. You can get a 20-percent discount using our code, SANDCAST-20! https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball   This episode is also brought to you by Chasing Gold, a new non-profit aimed at funding aspiring Olympians to relieve the financial burden of traveling around the world. Read more and donate today at www.chasinggold.org!   SHOOTS!

23 Kesä 202156min

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