Masakayan calls it a career
by Liz Masakayan

When I was asked to write an article for this web site, I was told that it could be about anything. It was hard to pick one topic to focus on regarding volleyball and/or volleyball and me, but after going through all the possibilities, I kept coming back to how fortunate I have been to be an athlete my whole life. I'm not just talking about what it's like to be an athlete, training and competing. More importantly, I'm referring to all the opportunities I have had to learn more about others, myself and, basically, about life.

As in any profession, we can all share how we got to where we are now, our accomplishments, and how our present life is going. Life's lessons come from our past and shape how we think and make decisions today. I think every person has a story to tell about what they got out of life up until this point. I've been fortunate enough to have had many encounters that brought me challenges and, better yet, people that have taught and helped me through those times. My experiences are what I embrace because it keeps things in perspective and helps me to continue to appreciate my life. Although I can think of many, I have only listed a few of my most grateful and memorable experiences that I will always hold onto.

1) While growing up, playing sports before college really shaped me as a person and an athlete. I thank my mom and siblings for allowing me to feel comfortable and confident as a jock.

I played my first organized team sport, Little League Baseball, when I was 10. It was the first year they allowed girls to play thanks to Title IX. We only had a few girls on each team, with me being the pitcher. I soon became the only girl on the team when I moved up to the Majors, then to Senior League, and then making the All-Stars. I remember having the pitcher being taken out because he was crying after I hit a home run off of him and being kicked out of the dugout before every game so the umpire can check to make sure the boys wore jocks and cups. Sure I heard a lot of comments, but I learned at an early age that if you just worked hard, had fun, and treated people nicely, that everything would fall into place, like winning.

I quit when I was 14, not only because the boys were getting bigger and stronger at that age, but also I was really into soccer and felt more comfortable at that time being part of an all girls team. I played soccer for seven years and ran track for four. I found myself meeting all kinds of kids from different cities and dealing with many unusual circumstances because sport's teams for girls back then were not that common. I really am appreciative for growing up in that generation as a girl playing sports.

2) A memorable challenge in which I observed and learned a lot was dealing with the politics of our sport. Any volleyball fan remembers the whole WPVA/AVP split that happened for the women in 1993. I would have to say that that was one of my more proud moments in my career. I knew that by going over to the AVP as one of the eight women being offered a contract, would leave hundreds of women without a professional arena to participate in. I believed it would be better if we stuck together and took the chance to sink or swim as a group on the WPVA than to leave them all behind.

While both tours survived, remarkably, that was not the AVP's intention at the time. I do believe that the men and women should be under the same umbrella like today, but those were not the right circumstances to have that accomplished. A lot of people's true colors came out during many of those meetings, the biggest one being fear. Although I did not agree with the athlete's decisions to join the AVP, I do appreciate the fact that we were all in a very new environment dealing with difficult issues that were not familiar to us. Even though it all turned out fine for everyone in the end, what really mattered to me is that I feel good about the choice I made in a tough situation. More importantly, I was happy to see that the WPVA survived through those times and allowed the AVP women to return a couple years later.

3) I believe that any doubles sport is the most challenging combination in athletics. With more than 2 people on one team, personalities can get lost, and with singles you only have to deal with yourself.

Basically, doubles anything usually leads to thinking "if it's not my fault, then it must be yours." On top of that, beach volleyball is the only sport that requires a player to play off of a contact from their partner before the ball goes over the net, so you better be able to deal with their pass or their set.

Partner chemistry and dynamics are much more important than just talent. Working along side someone this closely -- training, traveling, eating, sleeping, competing, and mostly, dealing with losing a lot more than winning - puts so much strain on a partnership. Each athlete finds themselves in so many predicaments with their partners, and working through them to problem solve makes you aware of each person's capacity of certain qualities and characteristics. Competition exposes everyone's true sides, so you quickly get to know what each other is all about under pressure.

I have always appreciated the difficulty a partnership involves and have learned so much on and off the court from every single one of my partners. I have to say thank you to all of them, and a special thanks to the one I learned the most from and continue to learn from -- Karolyn Kirby.

4) You would think that after playing all those sports growing up, plus high school and college volleyball, and five years on the USA National Team, that someone would teach you about your most precious asset -- your body. Not until I played beach did I have to figure that out on my own, which I did, of course, the hard way.

The greatest thing that I have learned from my journey as an athlete is that health is the most important aspect of life. Without good physical, emotional and mental health, your life, as well as others around you, are affected. Understanding your body as a whole and how it functions all together can prevent injuries, as well as make you a better, complete athlete.

For someone who has gone through seven knee surgeries, it has been a challenge to know why I got injured and kept getting injured. In 1995 when doctors and physical therapists said I would not only be able to play without pain, but also would not be able to compete at the level that I had become accustomed (meaning as a top player), I was determined to make sure I had no other options.

Sharon Moyano helped me get back on track after six knee surgeries and kept me playing seven years after that. Her work as a Feldenkrais practitioner is the main reason why I could continue to play as well as get back to the top of my game pain free. (And pain free includes no anti-inflammatory drugs, not even Advil). Taking classes and seeing her one-on-one regularly for the past seven years has kept me active. She is the first person to educate me on why my knees kept getting injured and how to prevent that through the flexibility of my spine and pelvis. The awareness through movement and functional integration that I have learned is invaluable and I continue to use this practice for everyday health. I am determined to stay active and have good posture and structural flexibility as I age by working with Sharon and using this method.

More than anything, she is an inspirational athlete herself, as she went through nine surgeries in one year putting her body back together after being hit by a semi on her bike. She became a Feldenkrais practitioner twenty years ago after she was told she would never be able to compete again, yet after getting into this work, she had her fastest times ever in her triathlon career. I want to thank her for her support, wisdom, and friendship during the end of my career. I am only sorry that I didn't meet her sooner. She has help open a whole new level of confidence and awareness in me regarding my physical health. Contrary to what most people may think, I am proud to say that I did not retire because of my "bad" knees.

5) Finally, I would like to thank all the fans that have supported the sport of volleyball and beach volleyball. Without all of you and your enthusiasm, the athletes would not feel as special and important as we do.

My most memorable moments competing are the ones that had the biggest and loudest crowds. It is a gift for me to know that I am entertaining you in some capacity, even when you are rooting for the other team. I do embrace the fact that you are there to see elite athletes in a sporting competition, regardless if you would like to see me lose.

However, for those of you that came to watch and wanted me to win -- thank you. Thank you for your cheering, encouragement, your weirdness and goofiness. Most of all, thank you for sharing your stories about what I have done in my career to inspire you or your daughter. That has made all of what I have done priceless.

(Article first printed on machinevolleyball.com.)