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/ VolleyballPhoto by: Brad Rempel
Gopher Spotlight: Tamara Dolonga
8/27/2019 9:16:00 AM | Volleyball
Tamara Dolonga is the newest member of the Gopher volleyball program. Joining the team in August right before the 2019 season, Dolonga hails from Varazdin, Croatia. Loving Gopher volleyball from afar, she also had a chance to meet Gopher alumna Daly Santana when she was playing in a tournament in Croatia. Now, a Gopher herself, she's had a very busy month. Getting acclimated to a new country, new school and new culture, Dolonga is excited to start her Gopher career. Read up on Tamara as she's set to begin her collegiate career.
Why did you choose Minnesota?
Tamara Dolonga: I chose the University of Minnesota because it's a great volleyball program and has a great academics so it was a great place to balance both. I just wanted to be part of a group that is very successful and will push me to become a better person every single day.
How did you get started in the sport of volleyball?
TD: I started to play volleyball when I was eight because my dad was my volleyball coach so I didn't have a choice to play any other sport. He made me do it, but I fell in love with it and I'm still doing it and I love it.
You've experienced a new country, new program and new school in just a couple weeks, how has the transition been for you?
TD: These last couple weeks was, I will say, has been kind of hard because I had to adjust to literally everything. New coaches, new teammates, new ball, new country, new food, new everything. It was hard, but my teammates and coaches really helped my introduce process and they still do. They support me and encourage me every single day so that's really helpful and I'm getting adjusted to everything else as best as I can so they're doing their best and I'm trying to do my best.
You said that Daly Santana has inspired you and you actually got a chance to meet her. Talk about that and why she was an inspiration?
TD: It was during the Grand Prix and it was played in Croatia in my hometown. I was 17 and she came to the tournament and it was four teams (Argentina, Puerto Rico, Croatia and Bulgaria). I especially tried to spend more time with Daly than with anyone else because I watched some videos of her playing here and I knew who she was and tried to spend as much time as I can with her. It was really amazing and she's one of the reasons I'm here for sure. She really inspired me to come here and to keep trying to come here and reach my dreams. She had taught me how to approach people and how to respect everyone and I think she's one of the kindest persons I have ever met.
So was it Daly that inspired you to come to Minnesota, or did you like Minnesota and then liked Daly because it was her alma mater?
TD: It first was Minnesota and then with Daly, but in my process of falling in love with the University of Minnesota, she was part of it. She was playing while I was watching so it was both. It wasn't like just her that made me love it, but she was part of it for sure.
How has working with the Minnesota coaches been so far?
TD: It's been really different. It was different because they're not my dad and I was coached by him for seven-eight years. In one part it was, for me, easier to listen to them and to be coachable because I don't have some personal emotions for them. I just get a feedback from them as advice to how to improve something. On the other hand, it's really hard because they ask me to do some things differently than I'm used to doing it. This process has been tough in the beginning because I'm used to doing things one way and they ask me to do the other. I really need to focus and think a lot to like make changes. They have patience and understand that I have been doing something my whole life and half of my life so they keep telling me 'Try to do it, try to do it. They also tell me that I need to be patient as well and understand that it's a process and do all that you can do today and that's it. They constantly remind me that if I do it once that doesn't mean that next time I don't have to think about it and try to do it. They really help.
What's some of the best advice you'd say you've gotten from your teammates?
TD: Always give my 100 percent and they will appreciate whatever that outcome is. Just if I give my 100 percent all the time and that's really helpful.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
TD: This year I really look forward get to know my teammates and coaches more. I'm also looking forward to playing in the Pav in front of all of the people. I'm looking forward to studying abroad in another country because the University here and the University in Croatia is totally different.
Favorite food: Seafood.
Favorite emoji: 😁
Favorite sport other than volleyball: To watch, probably handball. We have quite a good handball team in Croatia and the matches are really good and intense and the serve is great so I would say to watch handball.
Favorite vacation spot: Anything on the beach. Sun and beach--that's all I need."
Why did you choose Minnesota?
Tamara Dolonga: I chose the University of Minnesota because it's a great volleyball program and has a great academics so it was a great place to balance both. I just wanted to be part of a group that is very successful and will push me to become a better person every single day.
How did you get started in the sport of volleyball?
TD: I started to play volleyball when I was eight because my dad was my volleyball coach so I didn't have a choice to play any other sport. He made me do it, but I fell in love with it and I'm still doing it and I love it.
You've experienced a new country, new program and new school in just a couple weeks, how has the transition been for you?
TD: These last couple weeks was, I will say, has been kind of hard because I had to adjust to literally everything. New coaches, new teammates, new ball, new country, new food, new everything. It was hard, but my teammates and coaches really helped my introduce process and they still do. They support me and encourage me every single day so that's really helpful and I'm getting adjusted to everything else as best as I can so they're doing their best and I'm trying to do my best.
You said that Daly Santana has inspired you and you actually got a chance to meet her. Talk about that and why she was an inspiration? TD: It was during the Grand Prix and it was played in Croatia in my hometown. I was 17 and she came to the tournament and it was four teams (Argentina, Puerto Rico, Croatia and Bulgaria). I especially tried to spend more time with Daly than with anyone else because I watched some videos of her playing here and I knew who she was and tried to spend as much time as I can with her. It was really amazing and she's one of the reasons I'm here for sure. She really inspired me to come here and to keep trying to come here and reach my dreams. She had taught me how to approach people and how to respect everyone and I think she's one of the kindest persons I have ever met.
So was it Daly that inspired you to come to Minnesota, or did you like Minnesota and then liked Daly because it was her alma mater?
TD: It first was Minnesota and then with Daly, but in my process of falling in love with the University of Minnesota, she was part of it. She was playing while I was watching so it was both. It wasn't like just her that made me love it, but she was part of it for sure.
How has working with the Minnesota coaches been so far?
TD: It's been really different. It was different because they're not my dad and I was coached by him for seven-eight years. In one part it was, for me, easier to listen to them and to be coachable because I don't have some personal emotions for them. I just get a feedback from them as advice to how to improve something. On the other hand, it's really hard because they ask me to do some things differently than I'm used to doing it. This process has been tough in the beginning because I'm used to doing things one way and they ask me to do the other. I really need to focus and think a lot to like make changes. They have patience and understand that I have been doing something my whole life and half of my life so they keep telling me 'Try to do it, try to do it. They also tell me that I need to be patient as well and understand that it's a process and do all that you can do today and that's it. They constantly remind me that if I do it once that doesn't mean that next time I don't have to think about it and try to do it. They really help.
What's some of the best advice you'd say you've gotten from your teammates?
TD: Always give my 100 percent and they will appreciate whatever that outcome is. Just if I give my 100 percent all the time and that's really helpful.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
TD: This year I really look forward get to know my teammates and coaches more. I'm also looking forward to playing in the Pav in front of all of the people. I'm looking forward to studying abroad in another country because the University here and the University in Croatia is totally different.
Favorite food: Seafood.
Favorite emoji: 😁
Favorite sport other than volleyball: To watch, probably handball. We have quite a good handball team in Croatia and the matches are really good and intense and the serve is great so I would say to watch handball.
Favorite vacation spot: Anything on the beach. Sun and beach--that's all I need."
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