Volleyball: Three player cut ties with Chadron

By Padraic Duffy, Journal staff | Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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RAPID CITY — Three former National American University volleyball players who enrolled this fall at Chadron State College to continue their education and volleyball careers have left the Nebraska school, according to Eagles head volleyball coach Amy Spruiell.

Daniela Oliveira, Thamy Viana and Thais Batistella met with Spruiell before practice early Thursday and informed her that they weren’t interested in continuing with volleyball or school at Chadron, Neb. All three players are originally from Campinas, Brazil. The began their college careers at National American University before the volleyball program was disbanded after the 2007 season.

“It just wasn’t a good fit, obviously,” Spruiell said. “A lot of things went into their decision. I believe a lot of it was volleyball, a different philosophy and style of play. We tried for the first 3-1/2 weeks that they were here to get everybody together and be a good fit, but it just ended up not being a good place for them.”

Viana didn’t dispute that things in Chadron just didn’t pan out.

“The problem was the rules and some things that I was supposed to do and I couldn’t do it,” Viana said. “The coach had her own way to teach the girls how to play, her own rules and I didn’t like it.”

Spruiell said that differing philosophies on the volleyball court combined with some academic issues in the players’ decision-making process.

“On top of that there was the academic side of things,” Spruiell said. “Everything was very different for them here, they said the classes were tougher, they’re geared more toward traditional students right out of high school where at NAU they dealt with more non-traditional students. Everyone on both sides tried to make it work, but it didn’t.”

Viana said the Chadron team spent too much time practicing for her to keep up in the classroom.

“Right when I got there I noticed that my time was going to be too tight,” Viana said. “The program over there they practice way more than I’m used to and I just didn’t like the program or the rules.”

Viana is already back in Rapid City and enrolled at NAU where she is continuing her pursuit of an accounting degree. She says that while she’ll miss playing volleyball it’s time to move on.

“I do love playing volleyball, so I’ll miss it a little bit,” Viana said. “But I need to focus on my future and my studies. Volleyball’s just something to have fun with but it’s not my future.”