Latest / Spiders Sound Off / Episode 16: Locked In from Deep: Rachel Ullstrom Sounds Off

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Episode 16: Locked In from Deep: Rachel Ullstrom Sounds Off · Spiders Sound Off

0:05
Welcome, everybody to Spider Sound Off Episode 16.
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Tom and Porter here, and we're excited to have our first Spider
0:13
player who is active on the roster, Rachel Ostrom, join us.
0:17
Rachel, welcome to Spider. Sound Off.
0:19
Thank you guys, I'm happy you chose to do this with me.
0:23
Well, I know you just started fall break and the season's a
0:27
few weeks away, but before we get into this season, would love
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to go back to your high school days.
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I saw you went to Marianapolis Prep in Connecticut.
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I'm a southwest Connecticut guy. I know that's kind of Northeast
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Connecticut, but what what led you there?
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Honestly, so my brother, actually, he's three years older
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than me grade wise, so he went to Marianapolis and kind of
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paved the way for me to go there.
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I really had no not desire, but I didn't really think to play
0:55
basketball. I kind of just did what my
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brother did. So if he was outside playing
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basketball, I was outside playing basketball.
1:01
If he was going to a practice, like I would be in the stands
1:04
watching him play. So he kind of, I guess, led me
1:07
to marry Annapolis and then led me to play basketball.
1:10
And yeah, grew the love for basketball a young age with him.
1:14
Did you play other sports when you're in high school or was it
1:16
all basketball? I did.
1:18
I actually ran cross country. Wow, it was nice.
1:21
Yeah, I don't know why I did that Get.
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In shape but. Running those 10 miles, it's
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not. Not for the week, that's for
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sure. I was looking at Marianapolis
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and I saw Tyler Burton went there, so I guess, and he was
1:34
probably your brother's age. Yeah, they were in the same
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grade. Yeah.
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They graduated in 2019, I think. Yeah.
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And then now I kind of followed in his footsteps too.
1:46
I guess you could say that. When you were being recruited
1:50
out of high school, what was that like?
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Kind of was it, I'm sure it was a big deal for you and exciting
1:55
at the time. Were you recruited as a
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sophomore, junior. When did that all start?
2:00
So sophomore year, once they start, you could like they could
2:04
reach out to you. I got a lot of calls, but I was
2:07
honestly more kind of like focused on the present.
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I didn't want to like look too far ahead.
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I know I always wanted like academics to be a priority along
2:17
with like basketball. I wanted kind of that balance,
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but I didn't really like push anything, kind of just let it
2:23
fall like fall into play and see what happened.
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And Richard was actually like one of my last offers.
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And then I, I think I was offered in July after going to
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the elite camp and then I think I committed in August.
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August 1st is a very quick turn around.
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Awesome. What was it like?
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Did you come to visit Richmond before committing?
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So this is a crazy story. So it's actually involves Tyler
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too. So my brother is close to Tyler.
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And I guess the guy seemed but asked to work the women's elite
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camp. So Jared and Tyler were talking
3:01
like, oh, like Rachel should come to the elite camp.
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Like then you can come and we can have a little reunion and
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like kind of hit two birds with one stone.
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And I was like, oh, Jared, that's my brother saying.
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I was like, I don't know if I want to do that.
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Like it's a far drive, like, and I think at that point it might
3:16
have been like Thursday and the last day to sign up was on
3:18
Friday. And I was like, OK, Jared, like,
3:20
let's just like, you know, like, let's just do it.
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Like it can't be that bad. And if it's bad, we have a great
3:25
story to tell on a good memory. So I remember walking in the
3:28
kitchen. I'm like, Mom, like I want to do
3:30
this elite camp. She's like, oh, yeah, perfect.
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Like when, like when, where, whatever.
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And I'm like, it's on Saturday and it's in Richmond.
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And he, she was like, what? Like Rachel, are you guys crazy?
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So my brother and I, we drove there that on Friday night, I
3:45
think, or Friday like midday. I remember like leaving my
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driveway. My dad just got home and he sees
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like all of our like bags like suitcases in the back.
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And he's like, where are you guys going?
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Like, oh, we're going rich. And he's like, no way.
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I'm like, alright, bye. Like see you later.
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But no, we got there, Tyler. We saved it with Tyler.
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And then the next day we had the camp had no intention of like
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getting an offer from that or just getting any publicity or
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anything out of that, just kind of going because Jared wanted to
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go. And I was like, mind as well.
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Just can't, can't hurt me. And then, yeah, I sent some like
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an e-mail or like a text to coach release and then think a
4:25
few days later she had texted me and then called me and I'm like,
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Oh my gosh, like, Oh my God, Jared.
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Like it worked. It worked.
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And then, yeah, Coach Russell went to one of my games in, I
4:36
want to say Texas, and then got on a Zoom call.
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My parents never saw campus, but they showed us on like the Zoom.
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And then I committed like right after the call.
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My dad's like, Are you sure you want to do this?
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Like, Are you sure? I'm like, I know, I know it's
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going to be good. Like I have a good feeling.
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And it worked out really well for me, so I'm happy I chose
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that. Now was your brother a
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three-point shooter too? I mean did you learn that shot
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from him or no? No, I honestly don't know where
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I learned my shot from. I think it's more so just like
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consistency and being in the gym a lot.
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But he does pride himself on teaching me the euro step.
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So every time I take the euro, do the euro step, he's like, oh,
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like I taught you that in the backyard.
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And no, but yeah, he definitely is the one that pushed me to
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keep continuing with basketball. That's great.
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Did he play basketball in college?
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He did not actually, but he played in in high school in with
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Tyler on the same team. He could have gone D3, but he
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didn't really. He thought it would time to be
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to to hang it up a little bit and focus on academics more.
5:44
Cool. So what was the transition like
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coming to Richmond? So kind of the big adjustments
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you had to make. So my high school was like 30
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minutes from my actual house where I lived.
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So I would drive in every day. So it wasn't like too far away.
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You'd see your parents, obviously.
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But now it's like I'm 10 hours away from home.
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I mean like an hour plane ride, but still like it's far.
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And I didn't really think that would be like a huge thing for
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me. I was like, oh, I'll go
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wherever. Like the school in Cali offered
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me. Like sure, like I'll go.
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Like I'll go on a visit. No, I won't like say I'm not
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going to go because of the distance, but then I'm realizing
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I was like, Dang, like I think I'm missing out on some things
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like not being home. So I feel like that was a huge
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adjustment for me, at least academic wise.
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I feel like Mary Annapolis being a prep school and I actually the
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funny, our funny joke in the family was like, because I
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reclassified my sophomore year. So they're like, oh, like she
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loves it so much she stayed for five years instead of 4.
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But so, yeah, that definitely that academics there were of a
6:44
high caliber and then Richmond obviously is up there too.
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So I like it was a good transition, still very
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challenging, but kind of what I wanted for academic wise.
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How was it team wise, like you know, being a freshman on the
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team, was it easy to fit in? But once you kind of learn the
7:01
system, I feel like it's, it gets easier.
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But when I got here my freshman year, we had great seniors at
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that time and they kind of took me under their wing and was
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like, all right, like you're not going to get it the first two or
7:16
three weeks of practice. Like it.
7:17
We barely still have it down. Now it's kind of more like read
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and react type of deal. So just knowing they had my back
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and they were supporting me through that was kind of build
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my confidence. But no, it's definitely a little
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challenging at first. So Rachel, I described you on an
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earlier podcast as the greatest 3 point shooter, men or women
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I've ever seen wear University of Richmond uniform.
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And I've been watching Richmond basketball since 1989.
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How do you, how do you develop the repetition?
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You develop the form that you know, just creates that.
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I mean, you said you didn't even start playing basketball until,
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you know, a little bit later. So how do you how did you do
7:58
that? Honestly, I wish I could tell
8:03
you an answer. I I guess I pride myself on
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being consistent and being in the gym.
8:10
It's actually funny when when I first started playing
8:12
basketball, maybe like in 4th grade, they're teaching you like
8:15
how to hold the ball and like you're righty.
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So your left hand is your guide hand and you push and you flick
8:20
the wrist. So I like went in the garage.
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I got a ball and he told my I will never forget this.
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My coach told me this is so embarrassing to go, like, look
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in a mirror and like, just watch your hand, like, flick your
8:33
wrist and watch the ball flick off your wrist, like off your
8:36
fingertips. And I locked myself in the
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bathroom. This is so embarrassing.
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And I would just, like, watch the ball, like, flick off my
8:44
wrist. And like, I would do it like,
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every day for like, an hour. My mom's like, what are you
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doing in there? Like, what are you getting?
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And she can, like, hear me like, jumping.
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I was like, Oh my gosh. But so I was just kind of
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focused on my forum kind of when I was little.
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And then yeah, just being consistent.
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Being in the gym in high school, I would try to, even if I had
9:03
like cross country practice, I would try to come in after and
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go on the gun and shoot at least, like maybe like 400 shots
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up at least. And just working on my forum and
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yeah, not doing too much. So once you do too much, it's
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not not good, but can you start pushing the ball?
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But. Now sometimes.
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Repetition. I've seen a really good 3 point
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shooters who have trouble on the free throw line, but you're a
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great free throw shooter too. So is that does that feel
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different to you or it's just a shots a shot and it doesn't feel
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different like is did? Is the prep different?
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Like how'd you get so good at the free throw at the same time?
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Honestly, I feel like once you're once anyone shots out and
9:43
you have a good form, I feel like you can make any shortest
9:45
shot on the floor. Like if you're further out,
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obviously you have to put more legs into it.
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If you're closer, like my foul shots, I don't really use my
9:52
legs as much or yeah, as much as I would if I was shooting a
9:55
three, obviously. But I feel like once your form
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is down, like, you know, like keep your ball, the ball on the
10:01
right side, flick your wrist, left hands, the guide hand.
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I think that's just huge. Once you get that down, that's
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like the foundation for your other shots.
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I'm going to take you back to last year for a second.
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It's the game against Oakland. I believe it was in Florida,
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right? It was in Florida, yes.
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On a neutral court. And I want to take you to the
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second quarter of that game, and I just want to read you just a
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read out of the second quarter of that game. 833 Mark Rachel
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Ostrom made 3756 Mark Rachel made 3652 Mark Rachel made 3551
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Rachel made 3438 Rachel made 3334 Rachel made three. 219
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Rachel made 37 for seven from the three-point line in the
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second quarter alone. So the second quarter score was
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Rachel Ostrom 21, Oakland 6. Richmond scored 30 in the
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quarter total. But it might be the single
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greatest quarter a player's ever had in Richmond basketball.
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When you're locked in the zone like that and you just can't
11:03
miss. I mean, does a basket look huge
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to you? I mean, walk us through how you
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feel when like that when you're in a when you're in the when
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you're in repetition like that. Oh it.
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Feels great, I'm not going to lie.
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It feels, really. Good.
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But no, once like the first 2-3 fall and you're like, all right,
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like just keep shooting. I'm obviously I'm not going to
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like Jack up a shot. I know like if I'm really
11:24
feeling I'm not going to make like, but you know, if my feet
11:27
are set and I don't see anyone in front of me, I'm going to
11:30
shoot it. And obviously, you know, after a
11:32
few misses, it's a heat check. So it's time to look for other
11:36
ways to help the floor and help my team.
11:39
But no, it feels really good, especially when like even put in
11:42
the work and after practice or before practice, like getting
11:45
your form down. It's huge to see like that being
11:49
rewarded, I guess. But obviously like my teammates
11:52
are getting me open, like they're cutting.
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And I'm just saying, I think that game I just sat in the
11:56
corner. I'm going to be honest, and I
11:57
was. Just like, it's like, it's like
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Oakland forgot to do the scout. That's actually so funny.
12:03
All the interviews that I've had, they're like, so like, did
12:05
Oakland like ever put you on the scout?
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And I'm like, I don't know. I.
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I really don't. Think they did.
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Now I'm, I'm, I'm curious at moments like that, are you the
12:15
type of player who's like, when you're going back on defense,
12:18
telling your teammates like get me the ball or just kind of
12:21
naturally they know that you're hot and they're looking for you
12:25
just 'cause they know you're, you're ready.
12:28
I think they're looking for me. I mean, I'm not like, I don't
12:31
really ever like demand the ball if it just flows right and I
12:36
look and there's someone in front of me or like I can get a
12:39
shot off quick or not quick, but my feet set and I know I'm going
12:43
to make it, I'm going to shoot it.
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And I think my team mates have trusted me and they know that I
12:46
put the work in, so they're happy to give me the ball and
12:49
shoot it if I'm open. For the casual Richmond fan who
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listens to the podcast but might not follow the women's program
12:56
as closely as we do, I just want to also point out you said a
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University of Richmond record of 11 threes in that game, which
13:03
think of all the the decades Richmond's played basketball,
13:06
you've got the most threes in a game, which is really, really
13:09
cool. So.
13:10
Yeah. So maybe just go talking a
13:15
little bit more about last year, you know, going to the
13:17
tournament, going to California, having that big win over Georgia
13:22
Tech, maybe take us back to kind of what that game felt like, how
13:26
prepared you felt going in. And, you know, obviously that
13:30
was kind of a a blowout in the long run, but maybe take us back
13:34
to to that trip in that game. That trip was amazing.
13:39
The memories that we've been like made from that was
13:42
incredible. I think we grew as a team, like
13:45
traveling to Cali. It was great too because we
13:49
missed some of our finals, which I was like super happy about
13:52
that. I had to make them or sorry,
13:53
midterms, but I had to make them up.
13:54
But no, it was a good experience.
13:57
I think we definitely locked in. We're like, all right, like now
14:01
is our chance to prove everyone, prove to everyone that like
14:04
Richmond, we are good. Like we're going to show, show
14:06
them how good we are. And we really locked into the
14:08
scout and the different plays we're going to run and like what
14:12
coverages we are doing and how we're going to score.
14:15
And we really locked into that. We had multiple film sessions a
14:17
day. We're kind of like our whole
14:19
staff is very locked in our yeah, it was amazing.
14:22
And then that kind of obviously led to us beating them pretty,
14:26
pretty good. And then the next game was UCLA.
14:32
Yeah, at the half we were tied, which is definitely a good
14:34
feeling. Feeling all right, we can hang
14:36
with them. We got this.
14:37
And then they kind of just took it from us.
14:40
But it was a great experience. Just to play there was great.
14:45
Even we it was super, super loud there.
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But we had a lot of fans that showed support, which is super
14:51
amazing, especially because it's literally across the country.
14:55
But yeah, that's great experience.
14:56
Love to do it again. We plan on doing that again this
14:59
this coming season. You had some, you had some key
15:02
senior leaders on that team. We've already talked to two of
15:04
them obviously this year, you, Maggie, Sam, Dewey, Jada, you're
15:09
the seniors on this team. What are you guys doing to to
15:13
kind of build the chemistry with your new team mates on and off
15:16
the court? Yeah, I think obviously
15:19
chemistry is huge is how it's how you figure out, you know,
15:23
how to play together and how to be successful on the floor.
15:27
But we try to we do like different like movie nights,
15:30
like in the summer we were doing movie nights or we would go over
15:32
to someone's apartment or either UFA just hang out, go out to
15:36
dinner together just fine. Or can we go to D Hall together
15:39
to just finding ways to, you know, see everyone's
15:42
personalities and how they are out off the court because that's
15:45
huge. And then I think that kind of
15:46
translates to on the court. And on the court, we just try to
15:51
push each other like we're going to hold each other accountable.
15:53
We're going to, you know, push you and make you be the best you
15:58
can be. I think that'll only benefit
16:02
them and I hope they do the same thing for the players that are
16:05
coming in and we're gone. Yeah.
16:06
You mentioned that earlier that when you were a freshman, there
16:09
were some seniors who kind of took them, took you under their
16:12
wing. Or does it feel weird that
16:15
you're now that senior taking taking freshman under your wing?
16:20
Yeah, it's crazy. I remember coming here my
16:23
freshman year in the summer, they're like, oh, like the
16:25
seniors, they're like, yeah, like this is going to go by
16:26
quick. Like, you know, like 4 years
16:28
goes by really quick. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
16:30
like whatever. They say that all the time and
16:32
I'm like, whoa, like I'm already senior.
16:34
But no, it is a good feeling to be able to be in a position to
16:39
kind of lead the younger, younger teammates we have.
16:44
And it's good that they can, like, trust us.
16:45
And I want them to know that they can trust us.
16:47
They can come to us. If they don't know a play, Like
16:49
I want them to come to us and be like, oh, I don't know this
16:51
player. Can I get shots after practice?
16:53
And I want them to feel like I'm one of them and like I will do
16:58
whatever I can to make sure that they're successful and that our
17:00
team is successful this coming season.
17:03
Rachel, you were the sixth woman of the year in your sophomore
17:07
year. You're you were all A10 first
17:10
team last year, your all 810 pre season this year.
17:17
How has your confidence grown from that, from the from the
17:21
lady who showed up freshman year having, you know, sound like
17:24
we're we're kind of late finding basketball, joining Richmond and
17:29
to now you're, you're one of the best, you know, one of the best
17:33
players in the country. How does that?
17:34
How does it? How does your confidence change
17:36
as that happens? I'm going to be honest, I feel
17:39
like I'm a very humble person. Growing up, my mom always said,
17:44
like, there's going to be someone better than you, like
17:46
head down and keep moving, like work hard.
17:48
And I think I kind of bought into that.
17:51
Yeah. I mean, I have some, I have
17:53
goals. Like, you know, I want to have
17:55
our team go back to March Madness and make a run again.
17:57
But individually, I just want to kind of keep stacking days and
18:01
working hard and making sure like each day I'm getting better
18:04
and hopefully that builds up to something, something, something
18:08
bigger. But yeah, I know I'm definitely
18:11
all about consistency and keeping myself accountable.
18:14
I want my teammates to keep me accountable.
18:16
I want to just, you know, push our team and push myself and
18:20
whatever happens, happens. But hopefully we're definitely
18:23
going to get back to where we were last year for sure.
18:25
And. How did the summer help you
18:27
prepare not, I don't mean just the kind of EU of R summer, but
18:31
you both had I guess with your teammates got to do the three on
18:34
three tournament and then went to the the nationals with kind
18:38
of new teammates. Yeah.
18:40
Kind of how how did that help you?
18:41
Kind of what was that experience like?
18:44
Yeah. So going with our team, we went
18:47
to Arizona. That was a great experience.
18:50
We kind of got, at least for me, I got a feel of like what FIFA33
18:55
is all about. Like we didn't really think
18:58
about like the strategic side of things.
19:00
We kind of sort of like, all right, let's just go have fun,
19:02
like, you know, kind of just play hard and it would have
19:05
whatever happens, happens. But so we ended up playing a
19:09
team that actually played like in 3V3, like for the Team USA
19:14
and they were like very strategic, like they knew when
19:17
to foul like because it's only a 12 second shot clock.
19:20
So it's super, super quick pace. They knew like to Kick It Out to
19:23
the corner and then hit the top and then someone would dive in
19:26
and just post us up and kind of bury us.
19:29
But we held our own. That was definitely a good
19:32
experience to learned like how to play Phoebe.
19:34
And I think that actually helped me and benefited me.
19:36
And then and then I went to Chile, which is kind of crazy
19:41
how I was invited. So I think it we had to like
19:46
camp. It was like our last week of
19:48
camp and one of my campers, she, her mom didn't come pick her up.
19:52
And I was like, oh, like you can use my phone to call your mom.
19:54
Like no worries. She was kind of upset.
19:56
I was like, yeah, I just use my phone.
19:57
Like you can chill with me. No worries.
19:59
She called her mom or mom came to pick her up and I took my
20:01
phone off do not disturb because it's always on do not disturb.
20:04
It's one thing about me. You want to contact me, you got
20:06
to call me twice. So anyway, she this number I
20:10
thought was her mom called me back.
20:12
So I was like, oh, like I'm going to answer.
20:13
I'm like, oh, yeah, no worries. Like hope your daughter had fun
20:16
whenever. And I answer it and it's the I'm
20:19
in the locker room and it's super loud.
20:20
We're all happy. Like, you know, it's the last
20:22
week of camp, ready to go, just go home and everything.
20:27
And I answer and it's like, hi, this is so and so from Team USA.
20:30
And I'm like, wait, what? Like it's like super loud.
20:32
I had this on speaker because I'm like, what is happening?
20:35
And I run out to the training room.
20:36
I'm with Sarah, our athletic trainer.
20:38
And I'm like, Sarah, like, listen to this.
20:39
Am I being like scammed right now?
20:41
Like, And they're like, yeah, like gave me like, really no
20:46
details. I was like, oh, yeah, you have
20:47
to decide by Friday. And it was like, I think it was
20:50
Thursday that it was Thursday. I just decided the next day.
20:52
And I was like, Oh my gosh, like, all right, So I call
20:54
resale. He's like, you're going, you're
20:55
going immediately, like you're not saying no to team.
20:58
You say like, this is like an experience of a lifetime.
21:00
You're going. And I was like, OK, like,
21:02
whatever. So I called him back.
21:03
I'm like, yeah, my coaches said I can go like, let's do this.
21:07
And then I literally maybe three days later went to Miami and we
21:13
practiced there for a few days. Just a lot of install stuff of
21:17
like some offensive stuff and different defensive coverages.
21:21
And then we flew straight to Chile.
21:22
It was like a pretty much a 24 hour day of travelling.
21:25
It was crazy. Got there, it was super, it was
21:30
cold. It was so cold.
21:32
I remember I read the e-mail and it was like, bring your coat.
21:36
And I'm like, it's July, like what do I need a coat for?
21:38
Like is this like a typo or something?
21:42
And I get off the off the plane and I was like, Oh my gosh, I
21:45
look at the weather app, it was like 32.
21:47
And it's like feels like -5 and I'm like, Oh my gosh, like it's
21:51
going to be so cold. But no, it was, it was a really
21:54
good experience just being there.
21:57
We played Cayman Islands, Canada, Chile and Argentina.
22:03
And actually some of our A10, I guess rivals were also on those
22:08
teams to Ojeda and Smith were we're playing against me.
22:12
So it's great to just see them in a different, on a different
22:15
team in a different way, I guess.
22:17
But yeah, no, it's great to play with people that I honestly
22:22
wouldn't have ever thought I'd ever be in the same room with.
22:25
And just kind of kind of built my confidence to the fact that
22:27
like, oh, wow. Like they would be picked me to
22:28
be on this team. Like, wow.
22:31
But no, great experience and just happy that I was invited to
22:34
go. Yeah.
22:35
It's a little bit of how they get your number right.
22:38
I know I'm like, I'm like, how did they get my number?
22:41
Like you know too much. Yeah.
22:43
So hey, there's I guess three weeks from tomorrow is the first
22:47
regular season game. Like what when you look over
22:52
those three weeks, like what does your team need to do to be
22:55
ready? Like I what?
22:56
What else is needed? Or is it just, you know, like
22:59
you said, stacking days? What?
23:01
What do you see in the next three weeks?
23:03
Yeah, wow, it's actually so exciting.
23:06
I think we just need to stack more days.
23:09
I think we need to understand like get the first game is
23:14
approaching and you know, kind of have that urgency and stack
23:17
days and just hold each other accountable.
23:20
And if you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing or
23:22
your your shots not going in or don't know a play, like make
23:25
sure you brush up on the plays. You get extra shots if you need
23:28
to. Just trying to be the best team
23:30
that you can be to help our team win and walk in and yeah, we
23:35
should be good. How do you answer the question?
23:38
It'll be a successful year if oh.
23:41
Boy, this is like something Russell would tell me to OK,
23:46
it's going to be a successful season if we all hold each other
23:50
accountable, which we are in practice.
23:52
But I think we need to continue that and have that translate
23:55
into the games and we all buy into the vision of where we want
23:59
to go. And not just say you want to be
24:02
there, but like through your actions, show that you actually
24:06
want to when they tend and you want to be in March Madness and
24:09
make a run. And I think where we're getting
24:11
to that point. And I think once people, once we
24:14
start winning games and getting more games that are about, we'll
24:17
just that that growth for like that hunger for getting there
24:23
and will only grow, I think. Your, your pre season #1 in the
24:29
A10 Richmond is how does that change, you know, the, the
24:35
preparation for the season? Do you guys feel like you're
24:37
going to get everybody's best shot or is it just you stay
24:39
consistent within your within your plan?
24:42
Well, I mean, everyone's going to have a target on their backs
24:44
now. They want to get out the top,
24:47
the top dog. But no, I think we can't look
24:50
too far into that. Any numbers.
24:53
It's all pre season stuff like, yeah, it's an honor to to have
24:56
those numbers and to have that recognition from other people.
24:59
But at the same time, like we know what we have to do.
25:01
We know we can't rely on kind of like what our team did last year
25:06
because we have a different team this year, obviously.
25:08
So I think just, you know, keeping the same work ethic that
25:11
we had from last year and kind of sacking days and holding each
25:14
other accountable and translating that into this year
25:16
will be kind of what helps us and be the recipe to our
25:18
success, I think. I mentioned that it's three
25:22
weeks in a day to your first game.
25:23
Well, it's not many days after that where you go to Texas.
25:27
I know I, I, I'm, I'm guessing when you saw that schedule, you
25:30
all kind of saw, you know, circle that date.
25:32
I mean, you played them at home last year, but I'm guessing
25:37
you're excited about that. Like how do you, how do you beat
25:40
Texas? Do you have you figured that out
25:41
yet? No, I just think, I just think
25:46
it'll be a great test for us mentally.
25:49
It's going to be a very close game.
25:50
You know, we kind of have talked about it as a team with Coach
25:53
Resell, but it's going to be a game of possessions and we have
25:57
to make sure that like all of our details are perfect.
26:00
Like we have to be in gaps and we have to stay in the corners.
26:03
I feel like Coach Resell right now talking, you know, being
26:06
gaps, stay in the corners and just do the little things.
26:09
And once those little things will add up and hopefully we'll
26:12
end up on top and yeah. Sounded like Coach Resell.
26:17
Let me ask you this question. How has the coaching staff,
26:21
Resell and Redis and and everybody else helped you
26:24
develop and influenced you in your progression over the last
26:27
three years? Yeah, honestly, it's huge.
26:32
I think they're they're super supportive.
26:35
They only want the best for us. And some days are hard.
26:39
They hold you extra accountable. They make you push 45 LB plates
26:42
on the side of the court for your mistakes.
26:45
But now they do it because they care.
26:47
And I think that's huge. Yeah.
26:51
I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but Richmond because of the
26:53
support staff. And like today we had a we had
26:56
we are on fall break and I texted Brandon, our our strength
26:59
coach, and I was like, Hey, like, I want to get a lift.
27:02
And possibly he's like, yeah, perfect.
27:03
Like let's go today at 8:30. And then after he was rebounding
27:07
for me and our athletic trainer Sour was rebounding for me.
27:10
And I'm like, that would never, I thought that would never
27:12
happen anywhere else. Like them literally running back
27:15
and forth, like getting my rebounds.
27:17
It was so funny. But just to see like how even
27:20
they're invested and they're supported, supportive in US and
27:23
they want us to succeed and, you know, be our best is like
27:26
something that I feel like you don't see very often.
27:30
So now you've had, you've had this is your fourth year at
27:32
Richmond, you, you kind of committed quickly, You know, you
27:37
visited the campus as part of a, of a camp and, and, and
27:40
committed with, you know, talk us about like the university
27:43
itself. I mean, what's it, how's it
27:45
doing to prepare Rachel Ostrom for life?
27:47
I mean, how how's Richmond helped you, you know, become who
27:50
you are today? Yeah, academics are obviously
27:54
with something that I wanted going into this and I feel like
28:00
getting a degree from the University of Richmond is huge
28:02
and just kind of having that on your on your resume is a big,
28:06
big divider and a big kind of push for you to be successful in
28:10
life. And I think just a little things
28:13
to like, you know, trying to balance like a hard academic
28:17
schedule with, you know, traveling and different
28:20
practices, practices going late and just kind of finding ways to
28:23
be adaptable and knowing how to plan your days out so you can
28:28
get your homework done And like do go to practice and go to film
28:31
and get some extra shots up. And then your days once you
28:33
start putting all into calendar, your days is kind of shrink up.
28:36
But just finding ways to stay organized and with that whole
28:41
thing is huge as well too. Well, we're super excited about
28:45
the season that's coming up. Maybe as a way to wrap this up,
28:48
you know, we've been promoting kind of the product and the
28:52
value 'cause, you know, tickets are, are, are pretty inexpensive
28:56
to come see the Richmond women's teams at, at home.
29:01
Like what do you make the case? So you've got some casual fan
29:05
they, let's say they, they go to their men's season ticket
29:07
holders or they go to men's games every now and then.
29:10
Like, make your pitch like what? What, What sort of product are
29:14
fans going to see when they come to the Robins Center to watch
29:17
your team play? Yeah, I feel like you're going
29:21
to get a team who puts a lot of effort in and it's fun to watch.
29:26
We're not we're looking we're always looking for the extra one
29:28
more. We're never like egotistical and
29:31
looking for our own shot and our own stat line or whatever.
29:35
We're very team oriented and we want to win.
29:37
And a lot of our fans now and they kind of transferred over
29:42
into watching girls games. They're like it was the best
29:44
thing we've ever done. Like you guys are amazing.
29:46
And then like after the games, we we'll go out and talk to our
29:51
fans and kind of build that like bond with our fans.
29:53
And it's great. Like seeing them like I'll be at
29:55
like Publix or some store on campus and they're like, oh,
29:58
Rachel, like, how are you? And I'm like, oh, I'm great.
30:00
Like, you know, just like connection there is huge too,
30:02
like off the court. But yeah, just come to a game,
30:05
at least just try it once. And if you don't like it, then
30:08
you can say you don't like it, but I don't think you will.
30:09
I think you'll come back for more.
30:11
Yeah, I can attest that that was my experience.
30:13
I came to one game and I was blown away by just the overall
30:16
quality of the product. It was unbelievable.
30:18
And I was, I was sort of like, man, I can't believe I'm
30:21
watching A-Team. That's good.
30:22
Like just, you were dismantling opponents last year.
30:25
And it was so much fun to to to see.
30:27
And as a fan, I'll say I was just just really grateful that
30:31
you and, and, and Maggie and, and the rest of the, the, the
30:35
ladies who helped build this special run that we're on right
30:38
now all decided to come to Richmond and stay at Richmond
30:41
and, and build something special.
30:43
You're, you're a spider for life.
30:44
And you know, this is your, this is your last year playing for
30:48
Richmond, but you know, you'll be in the Robin Center,
30:50
hopefully for many years after that, watching the, the product
30:53
of what you built. And I'd just like to say thank
30:57
you for everything you're doing and can't wait to see you in the
31:00
season this year. Yeah, yeah, you, you make us
31:02
proud, Rachel. Certainly last year was a great
31:04
year, but I think this year can be even better.
31:07
So we're excited to come and and hopefully bring some more fans
31:12
to watch the product of to some of what Porter said it, it seems
31:15
like when you guys are at your best, like the ball barely
31:18
touches the court and the five of you are passing the ball,
31:21
it's fast-paced and then some someone's making a shot or
31:24
faking a shot and someone's cutting and they're passing it
31:27
to the cutter. It's it's great basketball.
31:29
So for the fans listening that haven't been there yet, you
31:33
know, definitely come out this season and, and unfortunately
31:36
this will air after the scrimmage.
31:38
So they'll be a, we know there's a just announced today that
31:41
they'll be a public scrimmage on the 18th.
31:44
This will air a little bit after that, but it's obviously that's
31:47
an exciting time to see the team for free.
31:50
And then, you know, what is it $60.00 for a season ticket,
31:53
$50.00 for a season ticket. Reasonable.
31:55
It's a it's a great deal so. I can I can promise the casual
31:59
fan, you will not regret making that investment.
32:01
If you like basketball, you will see great basketball with this
32:04
lady's team. It's it's special to watch.
32:06
And you know, I hope you're see your senior season is everything
32:09
you want it to be. You, you deserve it.
32:11
You and you and the rest of the the ladies have just, you know,
32:14
built a product that makes us fans really proud to be Richmond
32:18
fans. So thank you for all you do.
32:20
I appreciate it. Thanks for having me on this
32:22
podcast. Hey Porter, that was great the
32:26
first time we got to talk to a current player and and what a
32:29
great player Rachel is. Yeah, great player, great
32:31
person. Super excited to see her on the
32:33
court this year. Well, coming up, we know there's
32:36
a men's scrimmage on the 25th, so hopefully we'll talk some
32:39
about that and we'll hopefully get some other stories as well
32:42
leading up to the first games in November.
32:45
But until then, this is Tom. And this is Porter.
32:47
We are sounding off.