Interview with Sherri Williams

Interview with Sherri Williams

"Q&A" with Sherri Williams


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Suhl, 17.02.2007: After 107 exciting minutes the team and the crowd were celebrating the 3:1 victory over Rote Raben Vilsbiburg. She left the game early, but Sherri Williams, a former player with the Florida Gators (NCAA) was able to tell us some more interesting things about the game. The following interview made a little bit more work than usually, but we are convinced, that it was worth it. A german version is also available...

Dynamics:
Hello and thank you for sharing a bit of your time with us. Can you tell us a few words about the game. I mean, the first two set’s were awfully close…
Sherri:Our playing now, usually was a kind of close. You don’t know how the teams show up sometimes. We got into our rythm a little bit more. In the 3rd set obviously, we lead them 25:8 and we got more into it. But I think we had to find more comfort with our serving also to put more pressure on them. So I think that was the biggest difference between sets 1 and 2 compared to like 3 and 4.

Foto: Bux
Dynamics:
Serving was the only reason why the momentum changed ? We had the impression that the defense improved as the game went on.
Sherri:
Yes, the defence did pick it up some more. Because, at first, their middle number 1 (Norisha Campell) had a very good day against us and our block. And after that, the defence helped, like I said, and the serving. When you serve well, their sets aren’t so good and they can’t hit the ball. The defense helps out and it all comes together. Good point.

Dynamics:
It was – to stress it a little bit – an important game…
Sherri:
Yes, it very much was…

Dynamics:
Do you have a “game plan” for such games, or do you just say “OK, let’s go out and have some fun ?”
Sherri:
It’s just more like playing for fun. We were – in america we would say underdogs. So, we had something to lose, but not as much as they did. They were in a good place, but we moved ahead of them. It was a very game. But you don’t have a game plan for it, you just watch some videos and try to have some fun with it. It’s all you really can do.

Dynamics:
You left the game very early, but today we saw some more blocking and attacks through the middle – which is not played so often. Do you know, why ?
Sherri:
Why we don’t play with the middle so often ? It could be our passing, which is usually what happens. And if you don’t feel comfortable with the centers, she will go with the easier sides, which would be going with the outside-hitters. But we had more blocking today also, and they were starting making mistakes. I think we had a good rhythm at first, but in the 3rd set even more…

Dynamics:
Now to the forthcoming post-season… Looking at Münster - now you have “done your homework” so to speak, but did you expect, that it would get so close again ?
Sherri:
I kind of think so. I think last year, a few teams, like Schwerin, kind of “ran away”, but now Dresden is right up there - with Christiane Fürst, who had a good game at the world championships, with a few good matches. So I thought, it would be pretty close, it’s not a really surprise for me. The teams are pretty much even. There are a few, you know like the first six, and then a drop-off. But you see Köpenick, they are at 7 or 8 but they’re a pretty good team and can run with the best of us.

Dynamics:
Now let’s come to you, personally. We had the impression, that your service improved during the season. Did you have to work hard on it ?
Sherri:
Yes, I had to work hard on it. Back in school in America, I don’t had to serve, the libero can serve for the middle or another player, so I had not to serve for a while. (re: according to NCAA rules) I’m getting into it, having not served for 4 years before that – compared to last year.

Dynamics:
We figured out, that you and most of the other american players in the league wear this unique equipment – long kneestockings. What are they good for ?
Sherri:
It’s a style we wear back in America. We all usually wear long socks. And if youre sliding on the ground, it doesn’t get so much (friction). But it makes not such a big difference.

Dynamics:
It’s now your second year here in Germany, and we heard, that you sometimes tend to get homesick…
Sherri:
We never can go home (during the season) and it’s a long time. Ten months out of twelve. I mean, the only longer season anybody plays in sports is tennis.

Dynamics:
You’re sharing a flat with Manja (Simmank). Does it help you to improve your german ?
Sherri:
Yes, very much though. I say something in english, and I’ll ask her how to say it in german. So we speak back and forth as much as we can, and if it get’s too
confusing, we slow down or do some kind of “Denglish” - you say here right ? You know it’s like a mix usually, and it helps out. Last year I lived with Iryna and she speaks russian, so I understood some russian pretty well. (smiles)

Dynamics:
OK, we’re done I think…at least my list is finished.
Sherri:
So thank you. It was fun.

Dynamics:
Thank you very much, and good luck for the next game.
Sherri:
We’ll need it for Dresden.

The interview was conducted by Ingolf Rust(SC).