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Former 49er, Snyder, Takes Big Risk on Pro Tour
by Michael Senft, Arizona Republic
May 9, 2007
Competing at the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open represents a
homecoming for Jennifer Snyder. The 30-year-old volleyball player got
her start playing for Independence High School in Glendale.
After graduating in 1994, she received a scholarship to Arizona State
but after two years transferred to Long Beach State, and played
alongside such players as Misty May-Traenor Snyder ended up in Europe
playing professionally. She returned home in 2000 before heading off
to join the AVP Tour.
The Republic recently spoke with Snyder from her home in Costa Mesa,
Calif., about her return to the Valley on the pro volleyball tour.
Question: After years of playing indoor volleyball, what made you
decide to try beach volleyball?
Answer: I'd played college indoor ball, then professionally in Europe
for a little while. After I returned home, I took a little hiatus,
just working and doing my own thing around Arizona for a little while.
The AVP was bankrupt at that point -- so I didn't even know it was
going on.
Then, one afternoon, I turned on the TV and there were Misty
(May-Traenor) and Kerri (Walsh), playing on a Sunday afternoon. That
got me thinking about it again.
I let another year go by, figuring I'd been out of the sport for a
little while and may have let myself go by not playing for three
years. But I'm too competitive and I needed to know if I could. I
didn't want to be that person looking back saying, "I could've done
that" when I was 40.
I was familiar with California, though, so I sold everything I owned
and moved out there five weeks later.
Q: How long have you been on the tour?
A: This is my partner's (Janelle Ruen) second year. Last year, we were
rookies. We actually worked our way up from playing the qualifying
round. We started out as the 47th qualifier seed and were 16th seed by
the end of the tour. About halfway through the tour we didn't need to
qualify anymore.
We were in kind of a dream situation. It usually takes longer, so we
were lucky. Now we're fighting to move up in the ranks and keep our
spot without going back to the qualifiers.
Q: Have you ever faced Traenor and Walsh?
A: Yeah. Actually, the first time we qualified last year, we took them
to three matches. We were the lowest seed and were the only team ever
to take them to three in the first round. It was great.
I've actually known them for a long time. I played with Misty at Long
Beach State and I've known Kerri since she was 15.
Q: You mentioned moving to California to pursue this. Are there not
many opportunities to play professionally in Arizona?
A: Not for beach. That's why I moved out here. Everything I own, all
my family, is in Arizona. But if I wanted to do this right, I had to
move to California.
Q: Is it the weather?
A: No. The level of play. You can't get the training you need in
Arizona. There aren't any coaches on that level in Arizona. They are
all in California. ... The best players are in California, and if you
want to be the best, you need to play against the best. If you want to
play professionally, you have to move to California.
Q: What do you miss about Arizona?
A: I'm going to try and make it to Connolly's Bar and Grill (5160 W.
Northern Ave., Glendale). That's one of my favorite places. I also
want to mention Leaven Eubank. He was my club coach and high school
coach. He's just been a great friend since I was a kid. He helped me
out when I decided to move ... he got me a set of AVP balls to train
with, sent me out with stuff to get my feet on the ground. He's just
been a tremendous.
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