Photo Courtesy of AUM Athletics
AUM volleyball player Myllena Torquetti says follow your heart
By: Alexis Stafford
MONTGOMERY, Ala.— AUM junior Myllena Torquetti, a volleyball player from Brazil, gave
some insight as to what her daily routine looks like as a student-athlete.
Her training begins with a workout in the Wellness Center from 8-9 a.m., and after classes she ends with practice in the gym from 4:30-7 p.m. Torquetti says these tough practices usually consist of “a lot of reps of swinging, blocking, passing [and other] volleyball movements.” Torquetti’s stats prove the
practices are valuable as her season highs consist of nine total blocks and 16 points against Lee
University last Friday.
Torquetti, originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, explains that “[at AUM] punishment goes for
all the team, and in Brazil, it’s just for you. It’s good because they count on me, and I need to
hold myself to a high standard to make progress [and] to be a teammate.” Building up a
connection with the rest of the players helps the team as a whole feel united, which is key to
having a successful season.
Since volleyball is not an individual sport, it is important to have a sense of respect for the other
players. When asked about the team dynamics, Torquetti said, “It’s something that we don’t
force; it’s natural, so I love the dynamic, the connection of the team because of that. I think we
are like close friends even though we don’t have to spend 24 hours together to be friends.” At the
end of the day, the team spends a lot of time with each other during practices and matches, some
of which require traveling out of state. Playing a team sport can help you find other people who
have the same love for the same sport as you. Other people rely on you, so it is almost
impossible for someone playing a team sport, she said to be selfless and not care about how their
actions will affect the rest of their peers.
It can already be challenging as a student to keep up with your classwork with many
commitments outside of academics, but for student-athletes, there is an extra layer of
self-discipline needed in order to be accomplished in your major as well as your sport. Having
such a packed schedule with training, classes, matches and homework, it can be very easy to get
overwhelmed and experience burnout. Torquetti said they have a study hall every week, and
based on GPA, they log in hours in the library. “Coach always keeps us on track of those things
and it helps a lot,” she added.
Coming from someone who never really knew much about the AUM athletics program, I have an
abundant amount of newfound admiration for student-athletes and their dedication to both their
sport and their classwork. Being in college comes with tribulations that can be difficult to
manage sometimes, but with hard work, it is possible to overcome it. Torquetti gave some final
words of advice on reaching your goals: “Follow your heart, try your best and give a new chance
to things in life.”