What was it actually like to be inside Wrigley Field for one of the most talked-about volleyball events of the year?
In this bonus episode, Susan takes you behind the scenes of her experience at the Wrigley Field volleyball matches in Chicago. From attending Mizzou’s practice and getting media access to watching the matches from field level, Susan shares what she saw firsthand and what the experience was really like inside the stadium.
She talks about the unique challenges of playing volleyball outdoors, the elevated court, the atmosphere inside Wrigley, and what was happening from a fan’s perspective when court conditions eventually stopped play. Susan also shares what stood out to her about the athletes and their willingness to adapt, help find solutions, and make the most of an incredibly unusual situation.
But this episode is about more than what went wrong. Susan reflects on what it meant to see more than 40,000 volleyball fans show up for an event like this and how far the sport has come from the days when she had to record Olympic volleyball on VHS in the middle of the night just to watch it.
Was everything perfect? No. But Susan believes there’s a lot the volleyball world can learn from Wrigley and even more to be excited about when it comes to where the sport is headed.
Chapters
00:00 – Why Susan went to Wrigley Field
01:45 – Susan’s lifelong connection to volleyball
05:00 – From recording volleyball on VHS to filling stadiums
07:15 – Behind-the-scenes access at Wrigley
09:10 – Seeing the outdoor court and practice firsthand
11:00 – The challenges of playing volleyball outdoors
12:00 – Why Susan was so impressed by the athletes
15:00 – What happened with the court conditions
17:00 – What the experience felt like inside the stadium
18:00 – How the athletes responded
20:00 – Was the Wrigley Field event still a success?
24:00 – Susan’s favorite part of the entire experience
27:00 – What Wrigley says about the future of volleyball
Connect with Susan:
Check out the website: www.nxtvb.com
Follow on Instagram + TikTok: @hey.susank
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