In this episode, I talk with Toni Rodriguez about her 7 year indoor and beach volleyball career at LSU and the multiple injuries and surgeries she has come through in her 25-year life. From 2 ACL tears, 2 shoulder surgeries, and a nasty post-surgical infection after her second knee surgery, Toni learned how much she loved her sport, and even more importantly led her team in a way that made herself and her teammates better. If you have ever doubted you could become a leader or felt the pain of a setback in your goals or plan, come listen to Toni, she has a great story that will give you the hope, optimism, & energy to make your own story better.
Key Points, Top Takeaways, and Memorable Quotes
“Every time I was on that B side, I was trying to crush the A-side, I was trying to make them better.” 12:56
“I think you can be born a leader, or you can learn to be a leader.” 34:00
“I didn’t feel like they needed me to play, they needed me to lead.” 34:45
“What we plan for is not what is going to happen.” 47:20
“There are so many new things. How do I navigate and make this work altogether?” 56:17
“It’s not about winning drills at this point, it’s about mastering the technique.” 55:40
“One of my biggest pieces of advice to my younger self…don’t let anyone decide what you are going to do in life, do let someone determine what you can achieve.” 63:00
Guest Bio:
With seven seasons of college athletics under her belt as an indoor and beach volleyball player at LSU, Toni battled back from injuries to lead on the court and also made the most of her experience at LSU in the classroom graduating with a BS in Kinesiology, and two Masters degrees. She is a professional beach volleyball player and owner of Level Up Volleyball, which she started to help aspiring college volleyball players navigate the recruiting journey. I love her because she is real, hard-working, kind, and talented and sets a great example for younger players for what creates success.
Key Moments
1:45 - How We Met
3:10 - Volleyball Late Bloomer/ Multi-Sport Athlete
4:15 - I don’t know what I’m doing but I’ll try
4:52 - Decided you wanted to play in college/ dropping other things
6:05 - Battles with 2 ACL tears and one shoulder surgery
6:32- Late on recruiting side, wanted to play D1/SEC
7:22 - Scholarship Pulled from Tennessee - Where next?
9:00 - Waiting out the ACL Process
11:20 - Signed with LSU - Redshirt - tough to be patient
13:05 - Making the most of not traveling
14:08 - Shout out to her parents for helping her accomplish her dreams
15:37 - Helping Parents understand their athlete’s recruiting journey
17:30 - First taste of beach training as part of the LSU Indoor program
19:20 - Starting and playing well - and then…another set back ACL Tear 2
23:54 - Attack this and know I can come back stronger
24:24 - Developed an infection - 1 surgery, 2 cleanouts
31:42 - One more cleanout - attack the rehab
33:00 - Being the leader, not the all-star
36:00 - Senior season - Made it to the NCAA Tournament
38:08 - Curiosity is the key to longevity - Keep learning
40:50 - Covid adversity - pure sadness
42:22 - Rotator Cuff Shoulder Surgery - PTSD from post-surgical infection
44:40 - Learning to train and become proficient with the left hand
46:20 - I wanted to play with Kristen Nuss
48:28 - What we learn from human stories
50:30 - Done at LSU - transition to professional beach in CA
52:00 - Decision to Move to CA
53:00 - First time leaving home
53:38 - Learning to seize the moment and not holding back - Be open, make a connection
56:00 - We go back to our old habits, we go back to what’s easy.
56:38 - My foundation has been the support system of everything - grandparents, grandfather,
57:54 - Rosary tattoo in honor of Toni’s grandfather
58:50 - Other set of grandparents wanted to watch me too
1:01 - Everything happens for a reason, you can be mad about it or figure out how to learn and use it to your advantage
Links & Where to Find Toni
Level Up Volleyball - Indoor & Beach NCAA Recruiting Platform
IG - itsbigteaux