University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers in the Pros: Paige Tapp
2/4/2019 10:25:00 AM | Volleyball
After graduating as an Academic All-American for Minnesota in 2016, Paige Tapp is now in her third year of professional volleyball. Along with her USA Volleyball training in the spring/summer months, Tapp is back with Allianz Stuttgart (Germany) for the second-straight season. She is joined by other great collegiate volleyball players, including her former U of M teammate and friend, Sarah (Wilhite) Parsons this season. Read more of what Tapp has been up to in this recent question/answer session.
You're back playing in Germany this season, what led to the decision of playing with the same team?
I'm back in Stuttgart, Germany. Playing professionally doesn't offer the most job security, since contract typically only last a year, but I had a good option to return to Stuttgart, and figured it would be my best choice considering what the market looked like. The city is large with a population well over 600,000, our team has beautiful facilities, and we were signing phenomenal athletes to compete at a really high level in the 2018/19 season. It's a comfortable place to live, and a competitive league to play in. With all the challenges that come with playing overseas, I knew that this situation would ease them and be a great place for me.
How's your team doing this year?
We are having a great season so far. We qualified for Champions League (a league comprised of the best teams in Europe), and are standing 2nd in our pool right now after playing each team once. We are undefeated in the regular season, and are over halfway through it having played every team at least once. We have won all of our matches for the German Cup (a very important tournament in Germany) and will play in the Finals at the end of February. This is a group of super hard-working girls and it has been really fun to see us get better week-by-week, our best is yet to come.
You're playing with one of your best friends, Sarah (Wilhite) Parsons. What's it like to have someone with familiarity on your international team?
It is incredible to have Sarah here. She and her husband, Jameson, make me feel closer to home. Being able to bring what we learned from our past successful teams to this one is very special. In any season, there are good days and bad days, and having her here to help through the bad days makes it easier. We are there for each other.
What's the best part about living in Germany?
They follow the rules! At first I thought it was unbelievable how serious Germans take even the simplest rule, but I have learned to love and appreciate it. They are dependable and the country operates so smoothly.
Have you had a chance to return to Minnesota since your international season has started? Or if not, have you had anyone visit you in Germany?
I did have a few days during Christmas to visit my boyfriend in Chicago. It was a great trip back to America, and my parents met me back in Stuttgart for the New Year. Hannah is just an hour flight away, but since we only have one off day a week and ours don't typically coordinate, she has come to me once and I can go to her in March. Travel is really difficult due to our schedule. We play twice a week for five consecutive months.
Now being a professional athlete for a few years, what advice can you give to some younger players just starting out?
Learn how to play the whole game. At every level, it is so important to learn how to pass, serve, set, hit, defend, and block. It is so easy to find a position you like and specialize in it early, but a common theme I've seen about the best players in the world, they are good at every skill and have no excuses when it comes to being an all-around volleyball player. You never know what the team you're on will need, and being flexible and well-rounded will help you every single step of the way.
You're back playing in Germany this season, what led to the decision of playing with the same team?
I'm back in Stuttgart, Germany. Playing professionally doesn't offer the most job security, since contract typically only last a year, but I had a good option to return to Stuttgart, and figured it would be my best choice considering what the market looked like. The city is large with a population well over 600,000, our team has beautiful facilities, and we were signing phenomenal athletes to compete at a really high level in the 2018/19 season. It's a comfortable place to live, and a competitive league to play in. With all the challenges that come with playing overseas, I knew that this situation would ease them and be a great place for me.
How's your team doing this year?
We are having a great season so far. We qualified for Champions League (a league comprised of the best teams in Europe), and are standing 2nd in our pool right now after playing each team once. We are undefeated in the regular season, and are over halfway through it having played every team at least once. We have won all of our matches for the German Cup (a very important tournament in Germany) and will play in the Finals at the end of February. This is a group of super hard-working girls and it has been really fun to see us get better week-by-week, our best is yet to come.
You're playing with one of your best friends, Sarah (Wilhite) Parsons. What's it like to have someone with familiarity on your international team?
It is incredible to have Sarah here. She and her husband, Jameson, make me feel closer to home. Being able to bring what we learned from our past successful teams to this one is very special. In any season, there are good days and bad days, and having her here to help through the bad days makes it easier. We are there for each other.
What's the best part about living in Germany?
They follow the rules! At first I thought it was unbelievable how serious Germans take even the simplest rule, but I have learned to love and appreciate it. They are dependable and the country operates so smoothly.
Have you had a chance to return to Minnesota since your international season has started? Or if not, have you had anyone visit you in Germany?
I did have a few days during Christmas to visit my boyfriend in Chicago. It was a great trip back to America, and my parents met me back in Stuttgart for the New Year. Hannah is just an hour flight away, but since we only have one off day a week and ours don't typically coordinate, she has come to me once and I can go to her in March. Travel is really difficult due to our schedule. We play twice a week for five consecutive months.
Now being a professional athlete for a few years, what advice can you give to some younger players just starting out?
Learn how to play the whole game. At every level, it is so important to learn how to pass, serve, set, hit, defend, and block. It is so easy to find a position you like and specialize in it early, but a common theme I've seen about the best players in the world, they are good at every skill and have no excuses when it comes to being an all-around volleyball player. You never know what the team you're on will need, and being flexible and well-rounded will help you every single step of the way.
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