TicketsJuly 26, 2011
By Shawn Sell
GoBEARCATS.com
It took some convincing, but in the end Becca Refenes knows she made the right decision. After some initial doubt, the UC volleyball junior-to-be took head coach Reed Sunahara's advise about taking a trip to Europe to play for a USA Team and looks back on the recent adventure with nothing not positive memories.
Early this year, Sunahara's longtime friend Tim Kelly, Owner and Founder of Bring It Promotions, a company that organizes foreign trips for American players and teams, approached the UC coach in need of an additional middle blocker for the European Global Challenge. Sunahara immediately turned to Refenes, a budding start middle blocker preparing for her junior season as a Bearcat. Despite the awesome opportunity, Refenes had her reservations.
"Tim Kelly decided (on the team) back in February and had a lot of commitments, but he was lacking a middle (blocker)," Refenes recalls. "So he asked Reed for one and he really encouraged me to go. I didn't really want to go, but he really pushed me and I am glad he did. I really liked it."
The hesitation Sunahara encountered from Refenes took him back a handful of years when he got a similar reaction from another budding star. In the summer of 2005, Jessie Nevitt was coming off a redshirt freshman season at UC when presented the opportunity to take a similar trip to Argentina. After finally saying yes, the rest is history as Nevitt became a four-time first team all-conference selection. Now, Sunahara is hoping for a similar outcome with Refenes.
"It was the same thing with Jessie, she was the same way," Sunahara recounts. "She didn't want to go, but after she went, she had a great experience and the rest is history. With Becca, when I presented the situation to her, she said let me think about it. But like with Jessie, she came back and says `hey thanks, it was great.' And I am going, `yeah you think, I told you it was going to be good!' Once you go and have that opportunity and then think back about what if I hadn't gone, then I would have missed out. For her, I think it was good. I think she played pretty well and hopefully she got better and can bring that experience to better herself and her team."
With her decision made, Refenes joined the BIP/USA Development Team, comprised of college players from across the nation with a range of levels of playing experience for the trip to Europe in mid-July. Leading the team were head coach Beth Launiere (Utah) and assistants Jason Tanaka (TCU) and Kyle Robinson (Long Island).
The USA Team got off to a strong start, winning its first four matches in pool play in preparation for the Briunji Championship Tournament. Things got off to a disappointing start for Refenes' team as they fell to the same junior team from Romania they had toppled in the second match of pool play in the tournament opener. The team bounced back, however, winning its last two matches, including a 25-22, 25-9 victory over Falconara Juniors from Italy to claim fifth place. Individually, Refenes hit .500 or better four times and turned in a four kill, three block performance in the fifth place clinching victory.
While the USA contingent did spend most of its time focused on volleyball, they also were able to explore Eastern Europe, visiting Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Italy. While the volleyball experience was great, Refenes also enjoyed the sightseeing.
"We spent a whole day in Venice. When we were in Serbia, we spent a lot of time at Belgrade and saw a really cool castle," she says. "In Pula, there was this gorgeous beach with clear, super blue water so we got to hang out there. So yes, we did a lot of things, not just volleyball."
Looking back on the experience, both Sunahara and Refenes agree that the time spent overseas will be invaluable for the latter as she prepares for the upcoming college season. With her numbers improving in each of her first two seasons, Refenes will be a key piece to the puzzle for a UC team that went 30-6 in 2010. Sunahara for one is banking on more improvement from his 6'2" blocker.
"I think by watching teams from other countries play, (you see) it's a different style," he says. "So anytime you can watch and learn and play against them, it should benefit you for sure. For her, she is a student of the game and wants to be good. She is going to do everything in her power to make sure that she does the right things."
"It was a different style for sure. Just being able to do different things at different times and change what I am doing; making sure I am making the right shots and stepping up at the end of sets," Refenes says of what she learned. "I did that a few times (in Europe) and I think that will be important if I am in that situation during (our) season, I will know what to expect and what to do. I got more playing experience and am trying to be a smarter player. The more you play, the better you will be."