Naked: The Next Major American Sports League with Haleigh Washington

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – "Naked: The Next Major American Sports League with Haley Washington"

Release Date: January 18, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "The Breakfast Club," hosted by iHeartPodcasts, Carrie Champion delves into the intersection of sports, politics, and culture by exploring the emergence of a new major American sports league—specifically focusing on professional volleyball. The episode features an in-depth conversation with Haley Washington, a two-time Olympic medalist and a pioneering athlete in the newly established League 1 Volleyball, also known as Love Volleyball.

Personal Reflections and Community Concerns

Carrie begins the episode by sharing a heartfelt personal update at [02:09]. She discusses the emotional turmoil caused by the devastating wildfires in Southern California, highlighting the loss experienced by friends and family. Carrie emphasizes the importance of community support and the role of the podcast as a safe space for listeners dealing with similar crises.

"The story now feels more about are your family and your friends safe? And for me, I can't say that they are in my neighborhood. They have created this neighborhood watch, a new neighborhood watch, because we are in the warning zone." ([02:09])

Carrie also celebrates a significant achievement for her team, being nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Podcasts in the sports category. She passionately urges her listeners to vote for her podcast, emphasizing the rarity and importance of a Black woman being recognized in the sports podcasting space.

"I think that the culture sees you. They understand how hard we are trying to be representatives, at least on this podcast, of the culture and speak to issues that matter, give a voice to the voiceless." ([02:09])

Introducing Haley Washington and the New Volleyball League

Transitioning to the main content, Carrie introduces Haley Washington at [32:24], setting the stage for a conversation about the inaugural season of League 1 Volleyball. Carrie shares her excitement about attending the first serve in Atlanta and highlights Haley's charisma and expertise as key factors in garnering attention for the new league.

"Haley Washington has so many intangibles, one of which is she is extremely funny. She made me laugh and I kiki'd and I LOL'ed and I invite you to do the same with us." ([32:24])

Haley Washington’s Journey and Perspectives

Haley Washington recounts her athletic journey, starting volleyball at age 12 after aspiring to play football. She explains how her late start did not hinder her passion, leading her to excel at Penn State on a full scholarship.

"I just fell in love with it instantly. Serving the ball over the net made sense to me, and the footwork made sense to me. It was so easy for me to get the concept of the game..." ([20:21])

Haley discusses the rigors of the Penn State program under legendary coach Russ Rose, emphasizing the mental and physical fortitude required to succeed.

"It was a grueling four years. Penn State volleyball was the hardest thing I've ever been a part of in my career, hands down." ([23:15])

She highlights the pivotal advice from Russ Rose: "Do your job, idiot."—a mantra that underscores humility and dedication without seeking personal accolades.

"Do your job, idiot." ([32:57])

Establishing League 1 Volleyball: Love Volleyball

Haley elaborates on the creation of League 1 Volleyball, positioning it as a grassroots movement aimed at integrating youth sports with professional play. She contrasts it with other leagues like AU Volleyball and All-Star showcase events, which she felt lacked the structure and community orientation that Love Volleyball embodies.

"We want to get youth athletes involved. Youth sports involved. I was like, that I'm interested in. Because I think that there's an untapped market in youth sports here Stateside." ([47:22])

Haley envisions Love Volleyball carving its unique path, distinct from the WNBA, by fostering intimate and engaging environments that resonate with fans and cultivate a dedicated following.

"I think women's volleyball is going to have its own kind of path. And I think the start of the intimate atmosphere is going to be kind of our." ([49:23])

Challenges and Opportunities in Professional Volleyball

The discussion touches on the financial and logistical challenges athletes face when playing overseas, contrasting it with the emerging opportunities provided by domestic leagues like Love Volleyball. Haley shares her experiences navigating different leagues, emphasizing the importance of commitment and resilience.

"Money is always the issue." ([47:07])

She underscores the potential for Love Volleyball to offer competitive salaries and stable careers for athletes, mentioning her own earnings as an example of the financial viability of the league.

"I made 230,000, which is pretty high paying for a middle blocker... Still six figures." ([40:52])

Vision for the Future of Women's Volleyball

Haley expresses her aspirations for the future, dreaming of volleyball games that draw as much excitement as NCAA championships and advocating for the cultivation of passionate, knowledgeable fans. She believes that with the right support and engagement, Love Volleyball can achieve significant growth and recognition.

"In my wildest dreams, every game is like the NCAA championship. If you can get fans that excited for one game out of the year, I don't see why you can't get them hyped for every game." ([52:27])

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode concludes, Carrie and Haley reflect on the successful launch of League 1 Volleyball's first game, expressing optimism for the league's future. Carrie emphasizes the importance of support from the community and listeners in ensuring the league's success and growth.

"Here's to everyone watching women's sports. I'll talk to y'all next week." ([61:06])

Notable Quotes

1. "Do your job, idiot." – Haley Washington ([32:57])
2. "Money is always the issue." – Haley Washington ([47:07])
3. "I think that the culture sees you. They understand how hard we are trying to be representatives..." – Carrie Champion ([02:09])
4. "Every game is like the NCAA championship." – Haley Washington ([52:27])

Conclusion

This episode of "The Breakfast Club" provides an insightful look into the challenges and aspirations surrounding the establishment of a new major American sports league. Through Carrie Champion's engaging hosting and Haley Washington's candid experiences, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics at play in women's professional volleyball. The conversation not only highlights the personal journeys of athletes but also underscores the broader cultural significance of supporting and elevating women's sports.

Transcript

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[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trejo]

You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnum Tales from the Shadow. Join me, Danny Trehovay and step into the flames of Fright. An anthology podcast of modern day horror stories inspired by the most terrifying legends and lore of Latin America. Listen to Nocturnum on the Ihear radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Carrie Champion]

Hey everybody. Welcome to Naked Sports. I'm your host, Carrie Champion and as I record this message, it has been. It's been a. It's been an interesting 48 hours for me. We appreciate you. I always say this, we appreciate you for listening to the podcast and really supporting us. This week, your girl and her team of amazing producers were able to be nominated for an Image Award, an NAACP Image Award for outstanding podcasts. Art, sports, culture. We are up against Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinko. Do not, I repeat, vote for them. Vote for us. You have to go and vote on naacpimageawards.net I'm posting it all on my feedback. Please go vote for me. We're also up against another podcast called Two Mamas. Two funny Mamas. That's Sherri shepherd and Kim Whitley. I believe I'm probably saying that last name wrong, but please forgive me. Then there is who else is in the category? Another fellow brand on the Black Effect Network, R and B money. That's with Tank, but it doesn't matter. I want you to go and vote for me. That's what I'm saying. In general, I'm just being real selfish because this is the first time, and if I'm being honest with you, I've seen in a long time a woman in this space, in this sports space be nominated for a podcast and an Image Award. I think my girl Jamel was nominated, but she wasn't living in a sports space. She won twice. She won two Image Awards for her podcast Unbothered. But that wasn't necessarily a sports space. And so we need to support, because it really means a lot to me, one of these few times where as a woman in this world, we're being recognized a black woman. More specifically, in this world of sports, you're being recognized for your work ethic, not necessarily for, you know, what you look like, how you do, you know, all of that other stuff is great. But truly, it was an honor just to be put in this category with all these greats. It means that the culture sees you. They understand how hard we are trying to be representatives, at least on this podcast, of the culture and speak to issues that matter, give a voice to the voiceless. And I think that it was really important for us this season to rebrand naked, which is why it's naked sports. But I think the reason why I truly wanted to rebrand it because there were so many stories in the world of sports that weren't being told from a different lens, and that would be from a woman's lens, a black woman, more specifically, my lens. And I'm just grateful that the NAACP Image Awards took the time to acknowledge what we are doing here. It's one of those things where you say, I'm just I'm just honored to be nominated, and I'm truly just honored to be nominated, but that doesn't mean I don't want you to go vote for me. Go vote for me, little engine that could. Everybody else got two and three nominations, so that mean you don't need to vote for Shannon Sharp here. He got three or four nominations. He gonna win those other three or four. He don't need to win this one, y'all. But I am very grateful. So I got that news. Very funny. On Monday. Monday morning, I had this text really early from Charlamagne. I said, congrats. And we normally text each other back and forth about silly things. And I didn't know what he was talking about, but he was the first to tell me. And I was really, truly just honored and blown away, really. It really was a good day. But later on that day, so as the world changes so quickly, later on that day, and I think we are all aware now that California is dealing with some crazy wildfires. Southern California. And I live in Southern California, and I have a home in Southern California in the hills. And I wasn't so much worried about my space because I didn't live in Pacific Palisades. But as I was watching from New York City, I was thinking, geez, this looks extremely dangerous. And I have had my fair share of wildfires. I've been there for most because I'm born and raised, and I've seen what the Santa Ana winds do, and I see how they keep these fires in play, and I've seen the devastation. But this is different. These winds were, and are currently even as we film this podcast, are historically damaging in the sense that they were 90, 95 miles an hour. And you combine that with fire, there's just no way it was a windstorm of fire. And I'm sure you all have seen those images. But then it got particularly scary when it started to, for me, get into neighborhoods with people that I know, really close friends that I know. And it's sad because I. No, my. One of my best friends lost her house this morning. She sent me a text, and she was like, my house is gone. Last night, I was on the phone. I was on the phone with my other best friend, and she was like, my cousin lost both of her homes. She evacuated with her family. And they didn't think that they were in danger. They just. They were a part of the evacuation warning. And then their entire house burned down. Their car, their belongings, they really didn't take much. And then she had a rental Property that burned down as well. And so here we are. And so the story now feels very, and I'm trying not to get emotional, the story now is more about are your family and your friends safe? And for me, I can't say that they are in my neighborhood. They have created this neighborhood watch, a new neighborhood watch, because we are in the warning zone. And I don't think I would be, I would be devastated, yes, if my house burned down. But I think the more devastating issue that I'm starting to deal with and even trying to comprehend is that when these people lose their homes, their, they're losing their American dream, they are losing something that they've built, you know, from the ground up. And I do hear the critics say, but these people have money. I don't want to hear about Hollywood people with money. I don't want to hear about a house on the beach burning down. It has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with the place that you call home. You have a home, I have a home. There is a sense of stability there. There is a place where you relax, you do all of these things because it means everything to you in your home. And when you don't have a home burnt to the ground, ashes gone in an instant, you are displaced. Everything about your life feels off and displaced. And we're watching it in real time, you know, and to, to add to all of this personally, my 94 year old grandmother is in the hospital and she is in one of these evacuation warning zones. That particular hospital is in one of these warning zones. So I'm thinking about the things that are going on in my mind and I haven't even lost my home. I'm thinking, I hope they don't have to evacuate my grandmother. I hope that she can still get her surgery. I hope that, I hope that that doesn't disturb her body. She's so delicate. I'm thinking of all the different things that are happening and then I'm feeling an incredible amount of sadness for the people who lost their homes in the neighborhoods that I used to visit and travel in and call my day to day that are no longer there. Restaurants, grocery stores, vendors that I would see all gone. And so it's scary. So the last few days, while I started in this jovial day of being excited about our nomination here for Naked Sports, you know, the last few days have been hard to focus, hard to really keep the main thing, the main thing. But we still have to work. I still have to work. I still had to do my Podcast. I still have to do the things that pay the bills for the house that I live in. But at the same time, you know, I'm consumed with the coverage. I'm on the phone with family members every five minutes. We're texting all the time. We are. We don't see what's next. The feeling of uncertainty in these types of situations, it's horrific. And no one wants to wake up to a text that says, I lost my home. No one does. And I think that there are a lot of lessons to be learned. If you're healthy, if you have your family and your friends and they are safe, that's great. Belongings can be replaced. But it is still incredibly difficult to process what's happening in Southern California right now. A world that feels very familiar, or at least it did feel familiar, feels very, very isolated and scary. Apocalyptic is the word that people have been using. These people leaving their cars in the middle of the road, leaving because they couldn't get out by car. They had to get out by foot. And then you just see the cars just sitting in the middle of the road being bulldozed and. Or burned down. The entire stretch of Pacific coast highway just burnt. I mean, it really is devastating. And there are organizations that are helping and there are people that are helping. And I know that you can go online and you can look and see. I know Airbnb is offering homes for people. I know 2, 1, 1. If you're in California, that number is in Los Angeles. More specifically is the number to help you. And I know right now, firefighters are trying to contain some of these fires. Right now they're about five or six, and they're trying to be contained. And my hope is that we start to see some progress. I don't know who's to blame. We can blame anybody when it's all said and done. But right now, people are trying to figure out what's next. So as I sit here and do this podcast, still grateful that it allows me to have a space of expression, and I hope that you enjoy our podcast today. But I had to take some time out to talk about something that's truly devastating. And I'm not gonna lie, I don't know if I'll still have my home by the time we air this, but I hope so. I think so. We are in a warning zone, but it looks like it's okay. So I'm going to stay positive. I'm going to adapt the same attitude that I've seen people on television adapt who have lost everything. If it is. That is what it was supposed to meant, supposed to be. If it doesn't happen, great. I'm grateful. I am sending grace, mercy and love to everyone who is dealing with this right now in real time. Be safe. I'm sending so much love to my city and I thank everyone who has called, has reached out, who has checked on me, who has checked on family and friends. So with that being said, prayers up. Thank you all for listening to the podcast. Welcome to Naked Sports, the podcast where we live at the intersection of sports, politics and culture. Our purpose, reveal the common threads that bind them all. So what's happening in women's basketball right now is what we've been trying to get to for almost 30 years. From the stadiums where athletes break barriers and set records.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Caitlin Clark broke the all time single game assist record. This is crazy for rookies to be.

[Carrie Champion]

Doing to the polls where history is written. And now we have Kamala Harris. It feels more like women are sort of taking what they've always deserved as opposed to waiting on somebody to give them what they deserve. Our discussions will uncover the vital connections between between these realms and the community we create. In each episode, we'll sit down with athletes, political analysts and culture critics. Because at the core of it all, how we see one issue shines a light on all others. Welcome to Naked Sports. I'm your host, Carrie Champion. Hey, family. So thank you all for letting me share what I was feeling about the California wildfires. This is a safe space. I appreciate you and I know a lot of you have family and friends there who may have been affected as you listen to this podcast. And my quick update as I am recording this yet again, home is intact. Things seem to be well, and we're just praying for those who lost their homes. But most importantly, everyone who is housing challenged at this moment, we want to make sure that they find some sort of resources. So please be a part of the community in which the world that we live in, whatever you hear about fires, if it can help someone, if it can perhaps maybe give someone some hope, share that information in whatever way you can do your small part. Nothing little is considered little in times like these. Okay, now let's get to this week's podcast. I had the opportunity to travel to Atlanta for the first serve of the new professional Volleyball League, Indoor Professional Volleyball League, League one Volleyball or love as it's called. And I'm really excited because I said, hey, yes, I want to come down, I want to find a player to interview and I want to talk about this new league, women's sports, is really at a beautiful intersection in which everyone is interested and wants to invest. So they set me down with one of the league's stars. Her name is Haley Washington. And I'm smiling already because Haley was extremely intelligent, funny and smart. And I was like, this is it. This is how you get people to pay attention to a new league. You. You bring someone along who is. How would I describe her? She has her own personality. She's very unapologetic. I asked her who she felt as if she was similar to in terms of another sport, personality, playing style, and she said, Dennis Rodman. But listen, Dennis Rodman was arguably one of the best players. Even if he didn't score points, he was in the game, he was making plays. He was always very invaluable. It's the intangibles that set him apart. And Haley Washington has so many intangibles, one of which is she is extremely funny. She made me laugh and I kiki'd and I LOL'ed and I invite you to do the same with us. Please enjoy this edition of Naked Sports. Haley, what is the biggest myth in volleyball?

[Haley Washington]

I'm so glad you asked. The biggest myth is that you hold your hands like you're praying. If there's one thing we can teach Americans about volleyball, it's hands are held like this. Pancake. Pancake.

[Carrie Champion]

Sausage. Sausage. Wrists kiss.

[Haley Washington]

That's how we want to hold our hands.

[Carrie Champion]

Please, I will break your fingers. Stop doing that. It makes you so angry.

[Haley Washington]

I just. Because I see people that are like, I played volleyball in high school and then they hit me with that and I want to drop kick them in the teeth. I'm just like, just tell me you don't play volleyball. It's okay.

[Carrie Champion]

Pancake. Pancake.

[Haley Washington]

Sausage. Sausage.

[Carrie Champion]

Sausage. Sausage. Riskiest. See, It's a game of love.

[Haley Washington]

So beautiful. It's a game of love.

[Carrie Champion]

It's a game.

[Haley Washington]

Your thumbs are hugging, your wrists are kissing. It's beautiful.

[Carrie Champion]

See, I got it.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

Guess I'm ready to play tonight. Do me a favor. I know, right? Introduce yourself for us.

[Haley Washington]

Hi, I'm Hayley Washington, two time Olympic medalist, founding athlete for Love. BB it's actually just love.

[Carrie Champion]

They're going to hate that.

[Haley Washington]

I said love. BB Founding athlete for love. Penn State alumni and just lover of the game.

[Carrie Champion]

So today's an important day. And by that I mean this is the inaugural season of Love volleyball. And I really appreciate you taking the time just to be here to explain what this all is. But I Think we need a backstory because this is the first of its kind. It is an original. It is a professional volleyball league. And as we know, in women's sports, very few professional leagues get the attention that they deserve. But I think something is different in terms of how this will look. Talk to me about your journey to being a professional volleyball player. When did you start playing?

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, I started playing volleyball kind of at a later age for a lot of volleyball athletes. I started when I was 12, in middle school. A lot of volleyball players will get their start at 6, 7, 8 years old. And I was just a kid that was running around in the mountains. And so originally I started playing volleyball when I was 12. So it was just something I wanted to do after school, because middle school you could start doing extracurricular activities. And truth be told, I really wanted to play football. I was a tomboy growing up. I really wanted to be a football player. I was going to be a great wide receiver. And my dad looked at all 6 foot 3 of me, 70 pounds wet, and was like, you'll die. You get hit by playing football. You can't do that. So my football career was dashed within seconds, and I ended up going to play volleyball. And I just fell in love with it instantly.

[Carrie Champion]

Why did you fall in love with it instantly?

[Haley Washington]

I wish I had, like, a moment that stood out. That was why I fell in love with it. But it really just. It just made sense to me. Like, serving the ball over the net made sense to me, and the footwork made sense to me. And it was so easy for me to get the concept of the game and why you would get competitive and the energy and the fire like it. Just from day one, I was in love with it.

[Carrie Champion]

I'm curious because most people normally look at someone or see some. They can see someone who does what they do or does something that they want to do and they follow in that trajectory. There was not one player in your high school, in your middle school, on television that you saw and said, I like what she's doing.

[Haley Washington]

Well, I had a neighbor who Whitney Dubois, and she played volleyball.

[Carrie Champion]

Shout out to Whitney.

[Haley Washington]

Shout out to Whitney. Shout out Whitney. But I would always want to go and play at their house when I was like a little annoying ankle biter. And they'd be like, no, Whitney has a volleyball game. And I never had the concept of volleyball because I'd only ever seen a volleyball court outside of our old rec center. And it was just an old sand pit with a saggy net because it was always winter. When I was over there. And so I was like, volleyball is people running around in the sand and they can't touch the ball with their hands so they play with their head. Like that was my concept of volleyball. So, yeah, I never really had a person that I followed. I never really watched the game. And it wasn't until I was at that tryout that I was like, oh, this is what volleyball is. It's pass hit, it's doing this footwork, it's transitioning, it's constant movement. And really after that, my dad started to take me to volleyball games. We would watch the high schoolers play and I started to play club and got introduced to kind of the more competitive side. But it was just, it really was love at first sight.

[Carrie Champion]

Wow. Literally love at first sight. That's special. I think that what's so interesting about where we are in this world today specifically is about women's sports and we're amplifying it in so many different ways. I have met so many different athletes who have said they wish that they could play at home, they wish that they can play in front of their family. Outside of. When you graduate from college, that's it. Or at the Olympics, for instance, that's your opportunity to really play for home, if you will. Your journey started obviously early on, but when you got to Penn State, what was that experience like? You knew that you were special. You knew you had something set apart, obviously. Recruited. Full scholarship?

[Haley Washington]

Yes, ma'am.

[Carrie Champion]

Congratulations. No, no debt.

[Haley Washington]

No debt. No college debt.

[Carrie Champion]

You don't have no college debt. You don't have to pay for a book.

[Haley Washington]

Well, that was my, when I was, when I was growing up, actually, I decided that if I was going to go to college, it was on a four, a full ride scholarship or not at all. And So I was 12 years old and having a little anxiety attack about my future, you know, like most 12.

[Carrie Champion]

Year olds do, of course.

[Haley Washington]

And I made a list of everything I loved of like volleyball, basketball, track, choir, theater. I played the trombone. So all these things that I could potentially want to work towards getting a full ride scholarship for. And I ended up falling on volleyball and worked my butt off to get a full ride to go to Penn State. And the rest kind of is history.

[Carrie Champion]

The rest is history. Tell us about the history. Because you did make history while you were there.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, once or twice. Yeah. I mean, Penn State was first of all. You said like I had gone to Penn State on a four night scholarship, I was special. Let's establish I was not special because Penn State kicks you in the teeth.

[Carrie Champion]

Why do you say that?

[Haley Washington]

It's, it's a program that's not supposed to be about me. It's a program that's built around. We, like Russ was really big on. We win as a team. You are who you need to be and you can play great volleyball and you can be great, but it's not about you. And you go, go from being this kind of big fish in a medium sized pond, like a good volleyball player in Colorado, to Penn State University that has this tradition of excellence, this legacy of winning. I mean, they're one of the few programs that has won four national championships back to back to back. They had just won in 2013. They had so many alumni that were Olympians and like their program was just historic and iconic. And so you get there and you're humbled very quickly. And I didn't even go there thinking that I could be great. I was just like, you know, I'm just, I'm glad I made it. I got a full ride scholarship, school is paid for and I'm just here to work hard and do the best that I can. But it was grueling. It was a grueling four years. Penn State volleyball was the hardest thing I've ever been a part of in my career, hands down. And not because it was like a negative hard. It was just that Russ Rose believed in forging you in the fire. And that was what we did. We were forged in the fire at Penn State. And it really, I think, made me a mentally strong player and a mentally strong athlete.

[Carrie Champion]

Also helped you find your voice.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, more or less.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah. Because you have it. So when you get there and you realize that you are a smaller fish in a very big pond, how do you adjust? What does that feel like in that particular program?

[Haley Washington]

I mean, I think obviously you have to recognize the things that are outside of your control. I think for a freshman, I'm still an idiot. Let's establish I'm still an idiot freshman. Coming to campus. I look at myself and try to see wisdom, but I really just see an idiot freshman. But you recognize the things that you can and can't control. And I was like, look, whether I get onto that starting spot or not, I can't control that. And I actually suffered a pretty devastating injury during preseason that caught cost me the first part of the season. And I just remember being like, well, there's nothing I can do. All I can do is get in, get my rehab workout, try to be strong and work my butt off and I remember when I could finally play again. I was playing on the B side, and I was like, I don't care that I'm on the B side. I'm gonna play my hardest, and I'm gonna whoop A side's butt.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay, so for those of us who don't know volleyball. Yes. And when I say us, I mean me. What's the B side?

[Haley Washington]

Okay, so you have A side and B side. So you have your starting six that are on the court that are going to play in the game, and then you have your B side, which are the people that are coming in to be game changers. They tend to be on the bench, and they'll sub in to serve or they'll sub in if an athlete's injured. But they're typically your bench players. So you have your A side is your starting side and your B side is your backup bench players.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay, so you're on the B.

[Haley Washington]

So I was on the B side because I had been injured and I needed to earn my starting spot, which I was absolutely necessary. But I was like, okay, if I'm going to be over here, they're going to have to fight tooth and nail to shut me down, because I'm going to whoop their butt, because if they can beat me, then they can probably beat the other athletes that are going to face a competition. And I remember we had B side whooped butt because we had also two men's practice players, and it was me, and I was yelling and chirping and talking smack and what?

[Carrie Champion]

Shocking.

[Haley Washington]

I came out, but I was. Yeah, I was just chirping away, having a good old time, and we actually ended up winning the drill. We won most of the drills that day. And Russ, at the end of practice, always talked to the team, and he was like, you could have all the energy you want, but just remember that you're still on B side.

[Carrie Champion]

Thank you.

[Haley Washington]

Thank you for the slice on Humble Pie. Thank you. Thank you so much. But the following day, I was on A side.

[Carrie Champion]

Really? Yeah. Okay, hold on. Right? You don't.

[Haley Washington]

Just. Don't talk.

[Carrie Champion]

Don't talk over that. So you. You're on the B side. It's one practice.

[Haley Washington]

It was one practice. Yeah. And then I'm sure if you ask other girls, they're gonna be like, it was like a week and a half of practice. Like. But in my mind, in my memory, it was the following day.

[Carrie Champion]

Damn.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

What'd that say to you?

[Haley Washington]

So that I. That energy goes a long way. Because I don't think I'm like this stellar attacker. Like, I have one of the highest hitting percentages in Penn State history. And, like, I have, like, a good hitting. Like, I was a great middle at the Tokyo Olympics and all this stuff, but, like, that doesn't matter. I think my personality is kind of what makes me a decent ish player because I'm loud and I'm obnoxious and I'm in your face and I'm screaming and I'm cussing and I'm smacking butts.

[Carrie Champion]

And I'm talking about you're with the fans.

[Haley Washington]

Love.

[Carrie Champion]

It's what. You're what the game needs. You are it. If you. If you were to describe yourself for folks, for folks who aren't familiar with volleyball, who would be your equivalent? Someone would say, you remind me of such and such in the NBA or the WNBA or in soccer. Who would. Who would your personality remind?

[Haley Washington]

People. Okay, personality. Not going off to Las Vegas for three days. But personality. I'm gonna say Dennis Rodman. That I want to be Rodman so bad. And I know maybe a little con, like, don't worry, don't apologize about it.

[Carrie Champion]

Just say what it is on the court.

[Haley Washington]

Dennis Rodman, his. His flared hair, his obnoxious style. Like, his just kind of being loud and in your face, but also like, just a good support player. Like, Rodman would have games where he didn't score any points at all, but he was everywhere.

[Carrie Champion]

He was everywhere.

[Haley Washington]

That was my motto for this past. Just do your job. Like, you don't got to be the star. You don't got to score 20 points. You're gonna blah, blah, blah, do your job. And I did it with high energy. And so I think Dennis Rodman, if I can say that's a bold statement.

[Carrie Champion]

But I'm gonna say when we come back, Haley shares more about her playing style and what made her realize she was built for this sport. Back in a moment.

[Angela Yee]

The new year is here and you want to stay locked in on whatever you're into. Amazon prime is a cheat code. See, a lot of people think Amazon prime is just about getting those packages delivered faster than you can say, I forgot to order that. But really, prime is not just one thing. It's all things. A place to stream movies and shows with prime video, Amazon music, and that free one day, same day delivery is everything you need to make the season stress free. Picture this, you're watching Thursday Night Football and Prime video and the friends are coming through. You need the last minute snacks and drinks. Prime's got you you want to kick back and chill after the game. Prime Video's got the movies and shows to keep your night rolling. And if you want to wind down, Amazon Music's got the playlist to keep the vibe just right. So whether you're hosting, chilling, or just trying to make it through the hustle of the week, I know I'm doing all things above. Just know Prime's got your back. It helps you explore, discover, and get more of what you love all in one place. So visit Amazon.comprime to get more of whatever you're into. Whatever you're into. It's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime now.

[G]

What's up? It's Angela Yee. And listen up. We've got a movie that's about to light up your weekend. It's called One of Them Days. From the brilliant mind of producer Issa Rae and starring the dynamic duo Keke Palmer and Sza. Yes, you heard me right. Sza. On the big screen. It's a hilarious buddy comedy that'll have you laughing, cheering and maybe even tearing up a little. One of Them Days is serving up all the vibes. Grab your girls and get ready to laugh. Now playing only in theaters. Rated R. Get your tickets now.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast. The Daily Show Podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trejo]

Welcome. I'm Danny Thrill. Won't you join me at the fire and dare enter Tale from the Shadows Presented by by Iheart and Sonoro. An anthology of modern day horror stories inspired by the legends of Latin America. From ghastly encounters with shapeshifters to bone chilling brushes with supernatural creatures. Take a trip and experience the horrors that have haunted Latin America since the beginning of time. Listen to Nocturno Tales from the Shadows as part of Michael Tura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Carrie Champion]

Hey everybody. Welcome back to Naked Sports. So Haley is in the middle of sharing a story and she talks about how she found out that she was really a special player without Bragging I used the word special one day during practice when she was in college. One day of practice, a side. The next day you walk in, you're on a side. And what do you say to yourself?

[Haley Washington]

I say to myself, okay, don't blow it, idiot. You know, positive self talk. I'm a mentor. I'm a role model. Sorry, I just touched my mic. Sorry.

[Carrie Champion]

I have no. I pushed this mic around 20 times. Deal with it. No, I'm kidding.

[Haley Washington]

But no, still that aspect of humility of like, okay, yes, I earned it. But let's not like, just assume that that's it.

[Carrie Champion]

Like, you still got to do your job.

[Haley Washington]

Do your job, idiot.

[Carrie Champion]

And I wouldn't dare call you that, but yeah, okay, so then you get in there, you do your job, and.

[Haley Washington]

I work my butt off. I get, I think defensive player of the year, some of the bald big ten, I don't know, something like that.

[Carrie Champion]

And I love the humble brag. I don't know, I just.

[Haley Washington]

I'm not humble brag.

[Carrie Champion]

I don't know. I just.

[Haley Washington]

I'm a big ten. I'm just kidding. Joking. Cut that. Cut that out.

[Carrie Champion]

In stays in. Don't take it out, producer. Okay, so you, you. You literally show up and you show out and you do your job. How's that season end?

[Haley Washington]

We got a national championship, actually. Okay. But truth be told, that was not a humble brag. Again, I just was saying a fact. We won a national championship that season. We had two starting freshmen, me and Ali Frante. And it sounds like this great accomplishment, but I played like trash. The NCAA tournament. Russ was even very kind enough to tell me that at the end of the tournament, he was like, hey, you played like garbage all NCAA tournament. I said, thanks, Russ, appreciate you. And I. But the thing is, I didn't need to play great. It was again, because it's not about me, it's about we. So I did my job well enough.

[Carrie Champion]

That's right.

[Haley Washington]

That the women around me could take care of business and they could get the W. And that's what we did. I just did my job.

[Carrie Champion]

The sidebar, not even a sidebar, but actually what I am noticing as I listen to you talk and I've said this about women in sports, obviously it builds your self esteem and your confidence. That's something that there's much more positivity about women who play sports than there is about women who don't. And it's not a knock. It's just what it is. But there is this thing about women in general when we get into this world and we. We live in the world. It's hard for us to find our voice. It's hard for us to speak up and raise our hands. You don't have that problem. But what I love is that you have the humility mixed with that. And that is a special. That's a yes. And. And it's an invaluable trait that you don't get to see so much of. And it takes. It separates you from everyone else. It really does. And I think that helps. As Russ has pointed out. You know, I love your energy, but you do your job. But I'm going to do my job well and I'm going to be everywhere. And I'm not trying to be the best, but I'm going to be everywhere and do my job.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

Now, when you have that same mentality. And I know in 2017 you also went to the semifinals, right? You guys. Semifinals.

[Haley Washington]

Oh, reverse swept by Nebraska in 2017. I don't want to talk about it. But Penn State just did that to them this year.

[Carrie Champion]

So it's fine.

[Haley Washington]

I guess we can talk about it.

[Carrie Champion]

It's fine. We can talk about it. The whole time that you're playing in college, do you think that there is a life after in terms of playing professional volleyball?

[Haley Washington]

I love this question. I remember my sophomore year being in the locker room and being asked, hey, will you go pro? And that was the first time it had ever been presented to me this idea of going pro. And I remember jokingly being like, pro. My knees can barely handle college. There's no way I can handle pro. If I could go back and slap sophomore year, me, Shut up. Look how far we can go. I would, but I never really thought that I could play pro, let alone do usa. I remember my senior year being asked, will you try out for the USA Gym? And telling them, I just don't really think I'm a good enough blocker. I'm not offensive enough in front of the setter. So I just. I don't really think it's going to be for me. And that was just kind of. My mentality was like, I'm going to get through college. And I remember my senior year well because I really wanted to stay in academics. Why I wanted to get. Why not go for pro? Yeah. 1. It was so far away. And like, everybody that came back kind of told me these horror stories of being overseas, being isolated from your family. You're far away for a long period of time. We're not really making big money. So I Was like, this doesn't sound fun, but I remember talking to Russ again. Russ Rose, this guy influenced my whole life. I remember talking to Russ about going overseas because I had this idea that, okay, I'll go play pro for two years, save up enough money to pay for a little bit of my master's degree, and then I'll come back and get my master's in philosophy. And then I was going to be a critical race philosopher and then a librarian and work in the Library of Congress. That was the dream.

[Carrie Champion]

Sounds exciting.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah. Volleyball is better. No tea, no shit. I still want to work in the Library of Congress, but volleyball has been way more exciting. Yeah, but Russ actually pulled me aside and he's like, if you're gonna do this overseas thing, do it right. He's like, build yourself up. Build a career. Build a name for yourself. Don't just shut it out after two years. It's like, commit to it.

[Carrie Champion]

And I was like, this Russ guy.

[Haley Washington]

I'm telling you, man, he's a legend.

[Carrie Champion]

He's a life coach.

[Haley Washington]

Don't let him fall back into the pages of history, you guys. He is a gangster. Built the program. He coached Penn State for 43 years. Built volleyball at that school. They want Russ Rose, man.

[Carrie Champion]

All right.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

So he says, do it right, do it right. You get those orders, Then you think, why not? I do want to say this. You were going to give up on a dream because it was far away. It wasn't a dream for you, though. It wasn't a dream. I wonder, is it a dream for others?

[Haley Washington]

I. You definitely.

[Carrie Champion]

And they think they don't want to do it because they don't want to go overseas.

[Haley Washington]

I. That's a fear of mine, is that, or worse, people do follow their dream and they go overseas. And I'm telling you, it's not a glamorous life. We're very spoiled in college sports here with our nice. Some of us have charter flights, and if we don't have charter flights, we at least fly, like, domestic. And it's comfortable and we have these big fancy locker rooms. And now there's underwater treadmills at programs and dining halls with lots of fancy food, and we have ice baths and hot tubs. And we're so spoiled in college sports. And then you go overseas and you're on a Greyhound bus for six hours to go to your next game. You get to a hotel where you're sharing it, where you're sharing a room and they're two twin sized beds and the locker room that you have is leaking. And you have to make sure that you have all your stuff and your equipment because nobody else is handling grease like it's a culture shock. And so you follow the stream to go overseas into play probably, and you're really fighting and fending for yourself. And it's not always like that. There are some definite good teams that have great resources. So no Tino Shade to any of the international leagues. I was blessed that Italy I had some really great opportunities and some great resources.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah. There's a side note. She's been playing overseas in Italy. Not a bad game.

[Haley Washington]

Not a bad game.

[Carrie Champion]

Not a bad game. You like pasta?

[Haley Washington]

I do not like pasta. Too carby. It's too carb heavy. I gain weight like crazy. I can't enjoy pasta. I can have the occasion.

[Carrie Champion]

Is the pasta there bad?

[Haley Washington]

And like, I feel like I. No, it's so great. It's so good.

[Carrie Champion]

And I feel like you can't get.

[Haley Washington]

Problem is you just. You can't eat it all the time. I like wine though.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay.

[Haley Washington]

Italians. Gun.

[Carrie Champion]

Let me tell you what I did learn overseas is the wine. So. So there are presumably, and this is why we are here today to talk about this professional league that is stateside. But there are presumably, and I don't want to make up numbers, but there are many women, maybe hundreds, maybe thousands of women who. Who gave up the opportunity or perhaps thought about going overseas to play, but they just didn't want to do it because of what it required on them mentally and physically and personally.

[Haley Washington]

No holidays? No. Like no holidays with family. Thanksgiving, New Year, what's the season? So if you're a national team athlete, the season can be anywhere from October till May. But if you're not a national team athlete, if you're just coming out of college or if you're not doing national team, they usually ask you around like August. So you'll be out there August, September, October, November, December, January. It's like 10 months.

[Carrie Champion]

Wow.

[Haley Washington]

It's a long season. And if you're in a higher tiered team, you have usually Champions League and then you have Cup Italia and Super Copa and regular season. So you're playing two, three games a week. You're traveling constantly. Your off day is really your travel day. So you're also seeing everybody. You never get a chance to be by yourself. It's.

[Carrie Champion]

How much money do you make? It's decent.

[Haley Washington]

It's. Am I going to talk numbers?

[Carrie Champion]

I hate that they don't talk.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, my last season I made 230,000, which is pretty high paying for a middle blocker. But I mean there are girls that are making, I mean there are some pro girls that are making millions and like in endorsement sponsorships. But I think on average you're trying to make a six figure contract. So League 1 was a downgrade from 230,000, but still six figures. I think I'm making somewhere from like 120 to 150. God, I have to look at my contract. I should know how much I make. But yeah, still six figures. And they offer decent money to most of the athletes, as far as I know. Maybe not always six figures, especially for girls that are coming out of college or for girls that are, have less experience overseas or in the pro world. But the money's decent, pays the bills.

[Carrie Champion]

So it's 10 months overseas somewhere in the twos, anywhere upwards to perhaps seven figures in the millions.

[Haley Washington]

That's for the, oh, 1%.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay.

[Haley Washington]

Of athletes. That's for like on average. Yeah, on average. I would say on average. If you're going, if you're an American going overseas, on average you're looking at 120. I think like the Olympic American athletes that go overseas, we're in the six figures. But if you're just an average college girl, I mean your starting salary is going to be at 21.

[Carrie Champion]

So Russ gives you this advice and he says do it and do it right. How'd that work out for you?

[Haley Washington]

I think I went into overseas with a good mentality of like, just say yes. Like whatever opportunities, present yourself to them, say yes and work hard. And so it worked out well because I played on this really low level A two team my first season only for a month and a half, two months because I came in for a half season. We didn't make playoffs, so I just kind of came in, but made enough of a statement that I got on an A1 team, the last place team in A1, which if you don't know volleyball, most professional leagues overseas have like an A1 team and an A2 or an A1 league and an A2 league.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay.

[Haley Washington]

It's like our, any like our NBA and the G league.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay. Perfect equivalent.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah. And so I was on the last police team in A1, but then I managed to work my way up to the fourth place team in A one. And then I was in the top one or two teams for the rest of my career.

[Carrie Champion]

So you did it right?

[Haley Washington]

Did it right.

[Carrie Champion]

As Russ suggested.

[Haley Washington]

As Russ suggested. He's a very wise man.

[Carrie Champion]

Wise man.

[Haley Washington]

Wise man.

[Carrie Champion]

When we return what does the future of professional volleyball look like here in America? Back in a moment.

[Angela Yee]

The new year is here and you want to stay locked in on whatever you're into. Amazon prime is a cheat code. See, a lot of people think Amazon prime is just about getting those packages delivered faster than you can say, I forgot to order that. But really, prime is not just one thing. It's all things. A place to stream movies and shows. With Prime Video, Amazon Music, and that free one day, same day delivery is everything you need to make the season stress free. Picture this, you're watching Thursday Night Football and Prime Video and the friends are coming through. You need the last minute snacks and drinks. Prime's got you. You want to kick back and chill after the game. Prime Video's got the movies and shows to keep your night rolling. And if you want to wind down, Amazon Music's got the playlist to keep the vibe just right. So whether you're hosting, chilling, or just trying to make it through the hustle of the week, I know I'm doing all things above. Just know Prime's got your back. It helps you explore discovery and get more of what you love all in one place. So visit Amazon.comprime to get more of whatever you're into. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime now.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Peace of the planet. Charlamagne Tha God here. And I'm here to tell you about a great film that is coming out. It's called One of Them Days. That's right. It's a movie that's about to light up your weekend. From the brilliant mind of the icon living producer Issa Rae and starring the dynamic duo Keke Palmer and Sza. Yes, you heard me right. Sza is gonna be on the big screen. She's built for film. It's a hilarious buddy comedy that'll have you laughing, cheering and maybe even tearing up a little. One of Them Days is serving up all the vibes. Grab your girls and get ready to laugh now. Playing only in theaters. Rate it off. Get your tickets now.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. The Daily show podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to The Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trejo]

Welcome. I'm Danny Thrill. Won't you join me at the fire and dare enter Nocturnum. Tales from the Shadows presented by I Heart and Sonoro. An anthology of modern day horror stories inspired by the legends of Latin America. From ghastly encounters with shape shifters to bone chilling brushes with supernatural creatures.

[Carrie Champion]

I know you.

[Danny Trejo]

Take a trip and experience the horrors that have haunted Latin America since the beginning of time. Listen to Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows as part of Michael Tura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Carrie Champion]

Welcome back to Naked Sports. So just for context, I want to remind you I am in Atlanta while doing this interview and we are just hours away from the beginning of making history in professional volleyball. Take a listen. I want you to talk to me about when you heard about this opportunity. There's been other professional volleyball leagues. There's been obviously Peach Volleyball that people have tried to do and some of them have failed because there have been issues with finance. Money is always the issue.

[Haley Washington]

Money is always the issue.

[Carrie Champion]

Money is always the issue. And I don't want to make this a negative, but when, when you were approached by Love, what were you thinking? Is this real? Can I do this? And I know this has been in the works for some years now, but what were your initial thoughts?

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, I think my initial thoughts were excitement because I had been approached by a couple other leagues about how they wanted to kind of run American volleyball. So I'd been approached by au, which is another volleyball league that we have here in the States. And it's super fun. It looks like the girls that go and play in it have a really great time. And again, it's a way to bring volleyball to America. So I love that AU is a thing. And I had been approached by them and I didn't love kind of their format though. Like I just wanted it to be a regular volleyball league and they rotate teams every week. And I was like, I'm not as excited about that. And then I had been approached about another potential league that was All All Stars and it was only for a couple weekends and it was just like all star showings and showcases. And I was like, I don't love that either. And so when league one kind of came up to me when Love approached me, they're like, hey, we have this idea for a league and it's just a regular old volleyball league, but it's a grassroots movement. It's oriented in the community. We want to get youth athletes involved. Youth sports involved. I was like, that I'm interested in. Because I think that there's an untapped market in youth sports here Stateside. I think that, like, youth sports are so big in America, and we do a really good job of developing our younger athletes. And so to tap into that market while also funneling that excitement into a pro league and to provide just a regular old pro league is so exciting. And so I was. I was on board from the jump. As soon as they presented the idea, I was like, yes, I'm in.

[Carrie Champion]

Wow.

[Haley Washington]

And I think it was just. It was kind of that mentality of yes. And. And then, like, what do I have to lose? Like, if it fails, whatever. At least I try.

[Carrie Champion]

You have the opportunity to still go play overseas. That's still an option for sure. This is a win.

[Haley Washington]

Win, absolutely. Like, there was no. Like, Italy wasn't just going to disappear off the face of the earth because I did League one and there are so many leagues in the world. There's France, there's Germany, there's Korea, there's Japan, there's Turkey. Like, so it was never gone. So I was like, why not take the time to invest in this?

[Carrie Champion]

You look at the WNBA and you see what it is, you know, its inception. Right. And where it is now. Do you see that being the same vision for.

[Haley Washington]

For love? I think, yes. I think I. Okay, where to begin? One, I don't love the comparison of, are you going to be like the wnba? Are you going to be like the nwsl? Because we're all different things. And I think, like, they're all gonna have. I think what makes volleyball fun is the intimate environments. I think what makes the WNBA fun is their big atmospheres.

[Carrie Champion]

And so they didn't always have big atmosphere.

[Haley Washington]

I know. And so, like, those are things that are, like, growing into. So I think women's volleyball is going to have its own kind of path. And I think the start of the intimate atmosphere is going to be kind of our.

[Carrie Champion]

What will set you apart?

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, we'll set us apart. Is that intimate atmosphere can feel like a lot of fun. Whereas sometimes in the wnba, that intimate atmosphere can feel a little bit almost energy sucking, at least in their inception. I don't want to overstep. I don't want to say anything rude, but I think that intimate atmosphere can really be great for.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah. What we like about going to a love volleyball game. So. So as we record this podcast, Love's first serve will be on ESPN plus. It's huge.

[Haley Washington]

Right.

[Carrie Champion]

I think that's a huge start. I. I'm curious as to what you think will make this first game different. You said you want your own path. You don't want to be compared, and that's very fair. I think that the comparisons are also fair as well.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, definitely. I'm sorry if that came across as rude. No, no, I wasn't.

[Carrie Champion]

No, no, don't. But I think they're fair because people. What I. What I think when I say that is it started off with fanfare. People are excited. It might have some growing pains as all it's due.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah. Always.

[Carrie Champion]

But then. Then there comes this moment where people understand it's its value.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

And start to appreciate it. That's the trick. That's why I think.

[Haley Washington]

Yes, I absolutely agree.

[Carrie Champion]

And I'm sorry. No, no, go. No, no, go, go.

[Haley Washington]

I think the WNBA has kicked butt in kind of paving the way for women's sports also. And so I think, like, there's going to be that growing pain time where there's less engagement, where maybe not as many people are watching, for sure. But the WNBA and just women's sports in 2024 have really kind of put us on the map, have helped with getting more exposure. Like, the WNBA really came up from nothing. There really weren't meant. There wasn't much excitement for women's sports when it was in, like, when it had its inaugural season and when it was first starting up and they really had to kind of like build from somewhat nothing. And so I think that they have done a great job kind of paving the way and getting people excited about women's sports. And so I think that's maybe what might make it easier for us to get people's attention and get people well.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah. Because I. I can't remember a time where you got a professional women's league and they're like, let's just put it on ESPN in any capacity. Yeah. And, you know, year to year, even the growth. The NCAA championships, for my understanding.

[Haley Washington]

Yes.

[Carrie Champion]

41% from year to year. And that's huge. To actually tune in and see people are paying attention. It's in the zeitgeist, if you will. I hate to use that word. It is.

[Haley Washington]

Oh.

[Carrie Champion]

But it's just out there. But I. I'm interested in what you think the ceiling is. Or is there no ceiling?

[Haley Washington]

What I think the ceiling is.

[Carrie Champion]

What is the world that you could imagine in your wildest dreams and the world that you think will actually be.

[Haley Washington]

In my wildest dreams. I imagine any. Every game is like the NCAA championship. I know that that's. That's a big dream. But, I mean, if you can get fans that excited for one game out of the year, I don't see why you can't get them hyped for every game. Kind of like that. And I mean, I just went, like, I went to a hockey game. Abs played Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City. And I was like, this is so cool. And it's so possible for women's, like, I think it's possible for women's volleyball to be in those big arenas, be in those spaces for people to be excited. We have to teach people how to be volleyball fans. We have to tell them it's okay to be loud, it's okay to make noises that you're not going to scare us away. It's okay. Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

That's so interesting that you say that.

[Haley Washington]

Well, it's just because volleyball is like tennis, so they assume it's like tennis or Flynn surf. Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

So interesting that you say that. You have to teach people how to be fans. You have to teach people how to understand the sport. You have to teach them. And that is the onus, honestly, is on the people who know the sport and the people who play it.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, definitely. I'm just bringing you in and be like, hey, come on. And I don't know what we got to do. If it's. I don't know, whatever it is, you're going to get you guys excited about this game.

[Carrie Champion]

I do want to ask you a question about being an Olympian, and that's the ultimate goal. And I'll find a way to put this back. And I want to weave in the ultimate. I think for many athletes, no matter who you are, even if you play professionally, the goal is ultimately to represent your country. You had the opportunity to do that in a major way. You want a gold and you want a silver middle blocker. Talk to me about those. Those experiences for you. What does it feel like to actually take a sport? Because I. I believe during the Olympics, that's when volleyball gets more attention, definitely at the highest levels, and it's. It's global, so people can pay attention and they understand the sport in a different way. What does that feel like for you? For a sport that gets so little attention states.

[Haley Washington]

I mean, the Olympics, you always get hype over sports that you don't usually get to see because there's just less coverage of it. Like track and field is one of the Most watched events. But outside of the Olympics, like, unless you're following an athlete on Instagram, you're not really seeing what they're doing during a quad. And so I think every kind of sport, even gymnastics, Gymnastics, track and field, rugby, Although rugby now is picking up. It's huge. Yeah. But I just. To be at that stage, to be at the Olympics and, like, know that kind of the world is watching, especially with the background of playing overseas, because internationally, volleyball is a big sport. Turkish fans, Brazilian fans, Italian fans, they're big. It's big over there. And so you kind of feel all eyes on you in that moment, which is a. On the one hand, scary and intimidating, but on the other hand, still just. Volleyball court's the same size, nets the same height. So all you have to do is what my motto is, do your job.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah.

[Haley Washington]

Do your. Out there. I'm telling you, it's.

[Carrie Champion]

That's the name of this podcast.

[Haley Washington]

Do your job.

[Carrie Champion]

Haley says do your job.

[Haley Washington]

It's so easy to just not be bad at life. Just do your job.

[Carrie Champion]

Just do your job. Stop trying to be a star.

[Haley Washington]

Just do your job.

[Carrie Champion]

But, yeah, okay, so I. I'm gonna say this. And this is just. This is just my projection. I do believe that this sport will do well. I agree, but it needs. It needs its characters. It needs. It's. It needs people to correct. And I was like, you are a luminary. And. And I think that if people can understand who you are, where you come from, and that personality is absolutely a one. So I think that if you have more stars, people can follow and be invested. I'm fully invested. Yeah. I want to. I really am. Like, I'm in love with her. I mean, in a completely platonic way, but I'm like, I really want to know. I really want to. I'm like, I really want to know. What else is happening? Your favorite food?

[Haley Washington]

My favorite food is rice. I know it sounds super boring, but you can do so much with rice.

[Carrie Champion]

You won't eat pasta, but you just like rice. Yes.

[Haley Washington]

I love rice.

[Carrie Champion]

Jollof rice.

[Haley Washington]

Jollof rice. Cilantro lime rice.

[Carrie Champion]

You just make rice? No.

[Haley Washington]

Parmesan risotto. Are you kidding me?

[Carrie Champion]

Do you put meat in there? Just rice. So if you were on an island, all you need is rice?

[Haley Washington]

You do so much with rice. You just find rice and spirit spices. Rice is great. I love rice.

[Carrie Champion]

Favorite song right now.

[Haley Washington]

Dodger Blue by Kendrick Lamar.

[Carrie Champion]

Favorite artist right now.

[Haley Washington]

So good artists right now. The beaches. They're Canadian bands.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay. You threw Me off with that one.

[Haley Washington]

I'm sorry.

[Carrie Champion]

I appreciate that. All right, Favorite dance right now. What's your celebration dance?

[Haley Washington]

Oh, see, I'm not like. I just. I can't do that on this. I, like, side aside. You know how? No, I don't know. Oh, get up and do it. No, you can't do it. You're like, I'm not doing it for tequila in me. Or you pay me for it.

[Carrie Champion]

It's just not something paper drink.

[Haley Washington]

Ooh, water. Stay hydrated. Actually, Pablo Mousse Lacroix is Mike. I love Lacroix, dude. But if we're speaking in the.

[Carrie Champion]

More like adult beverage.

[Haley Washington]

Adult beverage. I love tequila. I did a tequila tasting when I went to Disney World with my boyfriend, and that was fire Anejo Tequila bomb.

[Carrie Champion]

That's it. That's all we're doing. A big fan of tequila.

[Haley Washington]

Big fan.

[Carrie Champion]

Anejo is your thing. Okay.

[Haley Washington]

I like it. Or a good mezcal. Oh, oh, wait. I take it back. I'm gonna be that pretentious a hole. Just like a mezcal. That's me. I love a smoky mezcal.

[Carrie Champion]

Any. Any mix. You just Mezcal.

[Haley Washington]

Like a mezcal. I'm just. I don't love mixed drinks. I don't like the sugar. So like a Mezcal sunrise. That's easy. It's like orange juice. Okay. All sugar, just Mexico.

[Carrie Champion]

This is Mexican rice. Okay. That's real gangster. Favorite athlete.

[Haley Washington]

Oh, there's so many good ones to choose from. Sha'Carri Richardson. Simone Biles. Katie Ledecky. I'm gonna go Kenny Ledecky right now. Why? Because she's a mermaid, and I've always wanted to meet a mermaid. Or alone a man. Dang. Yeah. Okay, I'm gonna do a Katie Ledecky, and I'm sticking with the mermaid thing. But since you're on thin ice, Katie, do something cool.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah, she soon.

[Haley Washington]

She wrote a book. She's just, like, so smart. She loves lacroix like I love Lacroix. We're meant to be better.

[Carrie Champion]

You're meant to be. Is she, like, popping this record? Lacroix.

[Haley Washington]

She's a raspberry.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay. Crush at the moment.

[Haley Washington]

Adam Driver.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah. I was like, adam Driver's your crusher.

[Haley Washington]

Driver is so daddy. Can I say that?

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah.

[Haley Washington]

Yes.

[Carrie Champion]

Call your daddy. Why?

[Haley Washington]

Because he's. He's got that, like, burly, muscly, but also, like, dorky kind of look.

[Carrie Champion]

Oh.

[Haley Washington]

Or Leandra Earl. She's one of the artists in the Beaches.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay. She's awesome. Okay.

[Haley Washington]

All right.

[Carrie Champion]

There you go. And then when we get ready to get our mind right before a game, what are we listening to? What's your. What's your goal song?

[Haley Washington]

Either Sweet Transvestite from the Rocky Horror Picture show or Plagues from the Prince of Egypt. Both musicals.

[Carrie Champion]

Those musicals get you hyped to play.

[Haley Washington]

They get me. Have you heard Plagues?

[Carrie Champion]

No, I have not. Girl, I need to get to it.

[Haley Washington]

You gotta get on.

[Carrie Champion]

Okay, we'll play it in the podcast.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, it's Garmin. Okay, that's not for this kind of podcast.

[Carrie Champion]

But. But that's what. That's. That gets you, right?

[Haley Washington]

Yeah.

[Carrie Champion]

Every time you go out.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, I played that the entire Olympics before every game.

[Carrie Champion]

What? Yeah, in your mind. Locked in zone.

[Haley Washington]

Yeah, because it's like this slow build and there's this one part in the Plague song, at least, where it like really just hits and you're just like, oh, we're going. I can't sing, so I'm not singing for you.

[Carrie Champion]

I was hoping. I'm like, I'm quiet. I'm like, what you doing?

[Haley Washington]

Maybe we'll get her to sing.

[Carrie Champion]

Yeah, get out that misk.

[Haley Washington]

No, girl just might.

[Carrie Champion]

We're having some myths. Alfred, again, your favorite saying.

[Haley Washington]

My favorite saying. One thing I'm certain in is that I know nothing. Pancake. Pancake. Sausage. Sausage.

[Carrie Champion]

Risk. It's love.

[Haley Washington]

It's love, man.

[Carrie Champion]

Haley, I love you. Thank you for being here.

[Haley Washington]

This was so fun.

[Carrie Champion]

It was great. It was great. Goodness. I surely enjoyed that. Young lady. We had a good time. So huge. Thank you, though. Let me get these out of the way. To Stephanie Martin of League 1 volleyball and everyone who made this possible. The first game was a huge success. Follow along on their site, League 1 volleyball, as they play through their inaugural season. Remember, here's to everyone watching women's sports. I'll talk to y'all next week. Naked Sports, written and executive produced by me, Carrie Champion Produced by Jacques Thomas Sound design and mastered by Duane Crawford Associate Producer, Olubusayo Shabi Naked Sports is a part of the Black Effect podcast network and iHeartMedia.

[Angela Yee]

The new year is here and I'm trying to keep things simple this year. One thing to help me keep things simple is Amazon Prime. It's a cheat code to stay in locked in on whatever you need. It's not just fast delivery. Prime's a whole experience. From Prime Video and Amazon Music to Prime Free one day delivery. It's got everything to keep my year stress free. Watching Thursday Night Football. Prime's got you with the same day snack delivery. Want to chill after the game? Find a movie on Prime Video and kick back with some Amazon music. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime now.

[Carrie Champion]

Elf Beauty is a huge success story, but did you know they believe their success is in part due to the diversity of their board and the data backs them up. The not so White Paper, created in collaboration with North Carolina A&T, connects the dots between diverse corporate boards and positive results, which can include a higher return on equity, better price to earnings ratios, and even fewer discrimination lawsuits. Read it [e-mail] not so white paper.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the Host Chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition PodC Join Late Night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trejo]

You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows. Join me, Danny Dreholzer and step into the Flames of Fright, an anthology podcast of modern day horror stories inspired by the most terrifying legends and lore of Latin America. Listen to nocturnal on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.