ALEX SMITH Staff Writer
Alex Smith: What is your best memory here at Piedmont College?
Amanda Trotter: My freshman year, I had a group of friends who made a point to do outdoor activities and go up to the numerous mountains around here. We would just make trips and sit up on the mountain and look at the view. That was really cool to see that part of Piedmont, just the north Georgia mountains. The more on campus answer would be intermurals. I love intermurals. They’re my favorite thing when the volleyball intermurals come around. I love to help people put teams together.
AS: Who’s the best roommate on away trips?
AT: Best roommates on away trip would probably be my two closest friends Durmire and Kiley because they are good cuddle buddies.
AS: What is something when you are traveling with the team and staying in a hotel that is important to you?
AT: A good breakfast, that is really important. If it is one of those really fake foam eggs, its not a good pregame meal.
AS: What was the most meaningful thing on senior night?
AT: Funny story about my senior night…I have a very chaotic family. They are never on time for anything. My coach tells me that I am going to the corner and they are going t oread off the thing and take pictures. Very brief. My grandmother, last year, was very sick this time last year. We didn’t think that she was going to make it through thanksgiving. For her to be able to be at my game was a huge deal. It was the first game she has been to this season. Her and my mom are coming down the elevator and my brother is in the bathroom. I am left to walk out with my dad and my older brother. So, they start doing the announcements and I am freaking out because my mom and grandma and younger brother aren’t there. We get out on the court, and it looks like I have two gay dads walking out with me. It was memorable for me because when my grandma got out there in the middle of them announcing me, everyone said that I lit up. It was great to have her there.
AS: What was your favorite rivalry and why?
AT: Definitely Covenant. I am from Chattanooga and Covenant is right up the road from me. There’s something about playing them in their home gym because I could get a lot of friends and family members to come watch. Then when they come here, there’s something about them that just lights Piedmont Volleyball up. We ended up beating them this year in five and it was probably one of the biggest victories that we had this year because Covenant won conference last year.
AS: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned through Piedmont Volleyball?
AT: Two things. One, patience. You have got to be patient playing with girls, having a woman as a head coach and just constantly being surrounded by the same people. You definitely have to be patient with other people’s skills and trust they are trying their hardest and they will get there when game time comes around. Patience with the season in general. Trust that in the beginning even if it looks rough, trusting that when you’re putting in that amount of work that you are going to get results. Leadership. Leadership is something that I have always had. I really noticed it this year as a senior. The freshman look up to you and they look up to you to meet people and meet friends. The other girls on the team look to you to keep calm on the court durning games. Not to stress out if we are down, and to just be a loud, obnoxious, funny, and good teammate. Just always there for everyone else. Being a leader is the best thing that I have gotten from Piedmont.
AS: What kind of advice would you give underclassmen?
AT: Don’t forget the goal. We are all working for the same goal. Sometimes you’re not going to have a good set. It’s ok to have a bad set, but going into the second one you have got to shake it off and forget about it. Volleyball is all about errors. It’s definitely about a next point mentality. So, I guess my advice would be don’t get down on yourself. Don’t play nervous. Don’t play timid. Just go out there and play hard.
