Banner Elk, NC--Join us as we get to know 6'1 senior leader,
Daviana Metti, who comes to LMC from her home in Cordoba,
Argentina.
1. What made you decide to come to
Lees-McRae?
I was playing at a community college in Iowa. The team was good,
but the coaching staff wasn't very pleasant to me. We didn't have a
very good relationship which made me not enjoy so much my favorite
sport. When I was looking for a school I didn't care where I was
going, I just wanted to go to a place where the coaches cared about
each player as a person, not just seeing them as a temporary spot
on the court. After the first call I had with my head coach, Jamie
Petrik, I knew for sure I wanted to come to LMC because I could
feel his interest in my personality as well as my volleyball
skills. We talk more about what I did in my free time than about
volleyball.
2. How long have you been playing
volleyball?
I have played volleyball for 8 years.
3. What are your personal goals for this
season?
This is my last season at LMC which makes me want to give the
best of myself on the court. But there's more than volleyball in
this season. I'm very excited for the size of the team; there are
going to be many new faces whom I want to get to know. Another goal
is to improve in my volleyball skills and find a team in Europe to
play for after I graduate next May.
4. What's your favorite volleyball memory here at
Lees-McRae so far?
One of my favorite memories at LMC is the trip we did to
Florida. We had so much fun beating those teams, and then we went
to the hotel to play at the pool. We went out for dinner with some
of the parents. It was nice to talk to them. It was like a
vacation trip, everything we did was fun.
Another good memory is when we did the tournament with the guys. It
was fun and productive. My team was Nicole, who I knew very well,
and Waz, who I didn't know at all. We played the first game without
understanding each other. We were very frustated and weren't
enjoying it. Nicole did a very good job bringing us closer and
working on the team, and it worked. From that point on we won the
rest of the games and the tournament!
5. Who has been the most influential person on your
athletic career?
My coaches. They have believed in both Nicole Burns and me. She
would warm up with me before every single game going as hard as she
could. It was very frustrating for her not to play that much, but
she wouldn't give up any second. I knew that I was playing in a
spot where she could be and that made me appreciate and enjoy
playing even more.
6. If you weren't playing volleyball what other sport
would you play?
I always wanted to play tennis and swim.
7. What is your major and what do you plan to do with
your degree?
My major is Business Administration with a concentration in
Small Business Development. I don't have a clear idea of what I
want to do with my degree as soon as I graduate. I would like to
keep studying in a concentration depending on the job I find. I
like traveling and administrating a lot. One of my ideas is to take
groups of people on trips, like mission trips.
8. If you could travel back in time to any point in
history, where would you go?
I would go back to highschool when life was happiness and
success. I had the best grades of the entire school; I was good at
sports, being part of many teams. I especially loved living at
home and having all the members of my family with me.
9. What is your favorite book?
I don't really read for fun that much; although my mom gave me a
book before I came to the US about going foward with your dreams
that made me decide to leave Argentina.
10. What is your favorite food?
All kind of healthy food, especially vegetables, steak and
pasta. I like every thing with cheese, and I also love honey. (I
have a spoonful every day.)
11. If you could visit any place in the world, where
would it be?
Europe is my dream. I would love to go there, especially to
Italy, not just to visit but to live for a while. I'd like to learn
the culture and language.
12. What is one word that describes you and
why?
Caring. I always have a strong need to help others. When I do
it I feel very, very good. I remember when I was in Argentina and
wasn't a Christian yet, I would often pray at night asking God to
give me the opportunity to help others. I know He gave me some
skills and gifts. I feel selfish by keeping them to myself. I love
to teach and to give.
Daviana's Story
When I was 13 years old a girl in my town got a volleyball. It
was the only ball we had in the neighborhood so we would get
together (around 20 or us) and play in a circle. When I was 15 my
father told me one night to pack up my volleyball stuff because the
next day we were leaving to go to the city to play somewhere. He
didn't say anything else. I didn't know anything about club
volleyball at that time. I got accepted onto a very good team. I
would travel 7 hours a day, two times a week just to practice one
day and play another. The rest of my free time I was teaching
English to earn the money to pay for the bus tickets. School? I did
my homework on the bus. It was hard, but I loved the sport. It was
worth it. When I was 17 I had to leave home to play. My club
offered me a place to stay. After a year I heard about an
opportunity to come to the US to play and study. It was hard to get
it, just one girl from my state was able to do it. But I didn't
have a good life in Argentina, so I didn't have anything to lose.
After a year and a half of working toward my goal, I got it! One
Friday I got the news that I was not only accepted into Iowa
Western Community College and but had received a plane ticket for
the next Tuesday! It was very "memorable" to tell my mom, family
and friends I was leaving. Is it hard? Every day is harder. Every
day I miss them more; but this opportunity I got to come to the US
is going to benefit not just my future, but my entire family.
Everything I do is for them, they are the source of my motivation
day by day to keep going, keep pushing, and not let myself down.
With God's will, I'll get to the point that I can see them more
often and open doors for them too. My future dream is to play
professional volleyball in Europe.
