VOLLEYBALL | Ozurovich ready to lead Bulldogs

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The Yale volleyball team voted libero Kelly Ozurovich ’11 captain for the 2010 season. Ozurovich, who ranked 13th in all of Division I in digs per set last season with 5.38, sat down with the News to talk about the team and her new leadership role.

Q Why do you think you were voted captain?

A I think that my teammates were able to recognize how much this program means to me and that I’m willing to put a lot of effort into making next season as successful as possible.

Q How does it feel to be captain?

A It is an honor to be the captain of the volleyball team. We have such a strong program here and I can’t wait to start our spring season (which actually began this morning at 8 with a difficult leg circuit). We have a small group of girls, which I think will help us grow together, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. I think this spring is going to be a lot of fun and I’m thrilled that I have the opportunity to lead it.

QWhat are the responsibilities of being captain?

A Our senior class was filled with dominant players and leaders. This is going to be hard to replace and rebuild but I think that is a big responsibility I have this spring and next fall. I think that with this void, all of our players will have the opportunity to step up and take on a bigger role on and off the court. I think I can speak for the team and say that we are all ready to start building our team together.

Q How will your new leadership role affect things on the court during games?

A I hope that my teammates will be able to depend on me on the court to play at a steady, high level. I have a little bit of a temper so I might have to keep that in check a little bit more next year as captain, so I will work on that this spring.

Q How do you think the volleyball team will recover from losing the winningest seniors in Yale volleyball history?

A We have a lot of young talent who will be able to help lead our team on and off the court. Our seniors will be missed, but I think that some of our younger players are excited at the opportunity to help us on the court and show the rest of the Ivy League that we are still a team to compete with.

Q What do you think the team’s chances are next year of reaching last year’s record of 21–4, the best record in team history?

A I think that we have a good chance of repeating this record. It will take a lot of hard work and dedication this spring until next fall, but I think that we’re ready to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve our goals.

Q What are your overall goals and expectations for next year?

A Next year, I want to win the Ivy League. I don’t expect to win, but I think that’s a good thing. It’s a goal, not an expectation, and in knowing this, I understand that it will take a lot of hard work and determination to achieve. I expect that we will work very hard this spring and summer to prepare for fall in order to achieve our goal of winning the Ivies.

Q What will your role be from now until next season?

A In the spring, we have lifts, individual practices, and two tournaments so my role will be to help prepare us for these and encourage the team to keep pushing themselves. I think it will be an intense spring, but I hope to keep everyone, including myself, motivated with a goal in sight.

Q How excited are you for next season?

A I’m very excited for next season. With the loss of our seniors, there will be a variety of places for our younger players to step up and make a big difference. I think we’re all excited for that. It’s sad to think that this time next year I will be done playing, so I’m definitely excited to finish off my volleyball career with a winning season. I can’t wait to start this new year.