- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,194,807
- Reaction score
- 59
Now embarking on her first season playing for the Association of Volleyball Professionals League, Madelyne Anderson brings a taste of Florida to the LA Launch.
Anderson is a Florida native, growing up in Palm Beach Gardens. There, she was surrounded by the state’s volleyball – and beach volleyball – scene.
“Definitely living in Florida is what kickstarted it, because it’s a very common sport,” she said.
However, her mom’s history with volleyball also initially got her into the sport. Her mother, Dr. Marianne May, played indoor volleyball at Northwestern before pursuing a career in beach, but she initially did not want her children to follow in her footsteps. She wanted them to play tennis, Anderson said, because tennis makes money.
An announcement over the intercom of the middle school Anderson and her sister, Cassie, attended changed that.
The middle school team was seeking a coach, and Cassie decided to ask their mom to fill the role. The “yes” from her mom would spark years of volleyball to come as the two sisters decided to join their mom’s team.
The girls had talent and continued to seek development in the sport. They were homeschooled, giving them more time to focus on volleyball.
“I got to play so much volleyball because I wasn’t going to a public high school from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Anderson said. “I feel like I got a lot of travel experience, I got a lot of world experience and I also got a lot of time to play volleyball and focus on that, and I think ultimately that gave me the skill and experience to take it to another level.”
With all that experience continuing into high school, Anderson quickly emerged as a top prospect. She was named the Sun Sentinel’s Palm Beach County large-schools player of the year in 2017.
She then had a decision to make regarding her future. Would she play indoor volleyball or beach volleyball at the collegiate level?
She, of course, weighed her offers, as some included the opportunity to play both, but her decision came down to her love of beach.
“Beach volleyball just felt more open and fun and free, and kind of up to me what I wanted to do with it,” she said. “I enjoyed being outside, being on the beach. Growing up in Florida, the beaches are beautiful, so it was definitely more fun.”
Anderson was a setter and an outside hitter in indoor, so the full transition to beach for her was seamless. She was used to playing offense and defense, and a bonus for her was getting to touch the ball more with only one other person on the court.
The decision led her to commit to Florida State University’s beach volleyball team at the age of 14, where her sister and her current beach partner, Alaina Chacon, also landed.
Aside from the draw of getting to play beach volleyball, Anderson said there was a comforting family aspect that came along with FSU. Her sister would be there, Chacon and her sister, Morgan, were there, not to mention a husband-and-wife coaching duo and a pair of cousins and twins also on the squad, making the whole experience “just like a huge family,” Anderson said.
After graduating high school and taking a gap year to travel and play extensive volleyball in California, she came to Tallahassee ready to start her collegiate career.
With the Seminoles, she shined. Despite initially battling with burnout, and if the professional path was for her, Anderson became a four-time All-American in her five years with the program, while also competing in pro tournaments funded by FSU.
“Maddie is one of the best learners that I know, and she’s extremely coachable, so she’s always asking questions, she’s always thinking analytically,” Chacon said. “She has a long-term mind when it comes to learning, and I think that has helped us just learn so fast together, and she’s just somebody that works extremely hard, so she matches that coachability with hard work, and it just is a perfect recipe for success.”
Across her time in the pros, she’s found immense success, winning gold four times in FIVB competition and adding two silvers and a bronze to her list of accolades.
The bronze medal, which the duo won in March, was Anderson and Chacon’s first together on the world tour. It was their second-ever tournament together, and Anderson said it was a memorable moment for the pair and an incredible start to their season.
Now, Chacon and Anderson compete together, both internationally – as they work to qualify for the Olympics – and in the AVP League.
After failing to qualify for the AVP League last year, the two are excited to be on the tour. Anderson said that qualifying wasn’t really a main focus for them as they pursued their Olympic aspirations. However, now that they make up the LA Launch, it is for sure a focal point for them.
“Every single team that’s in the league is super high level,” Anderson said. “That’s one of the really cool things about the AVP … every game is going to be a good game, every team is really, really talented, and we’re just trying to make the most of that and see how high we can take it.”
While facing some of the premier beach volleyball players in the nation, the duo has split their last four matches.
While with the league, the partners continue to bond over their love of family that initially brought them so close together in college. Instead of competing in tournaments all around the world without their families by their side, they now get to compete in the US, where the people close to them are able to come out and support.
“Maddie is extremely close to her family; they come to a lot of tournaments, they’re always in her corner, and same for me,” Chacon said. “Just as much as practicing and all the other stuff that goes into our sport, we have people to fall back on, we have people to help support us and that are cheering for us in the stands, and having those, all those things are really important for Maddie and I.”
On the court, aside from their familial bond, it is their similar mindset that allows them to thrive as partners.
“We trust ourselves, we believe in each other, we believe in our team, we believe in the work that we put in, and that’s all you can do,” Chacon said. “The trust and belief we have in each other is what carries us through those tough moments and games.”
The rest of the AVP season will take the pair to cities across the US. However, no matter how many exotic and exciting places her career has taken her, Anderson continues to come back to Florida.
She said she wants to live in the state for the rest of her life. And not just because of the pull of family, but because of how it’s helped her get to where she is today.
“One of the main reasons why I’m successful right now is because I have a really good balance outside of my sport, and I think that comes with living in Florida,” she said. “I’ve got family here, I’ve got all my friends … so definitely filling my cup has been a huge reason why I’m in Florida.”
Continue reading...
Anderson is a Florida native, growing up in Palm Beach Gardens. There, she was surrounded by the state’s volleyball – and beach volleyball – scene.
“Definitely living in Florida is what kickstarted it, because it’s a very common sport,” she said.
However, her mom’s history with volleyball also initially got her into the sport. Her mother, Dr. Marianne May, played indoor volleyball at Northwestern before pursuing a career in beach, but she initially did not want her children to follow in her footsteps. She wanted them to play tennis, Anderson said, because tennis makes money.
An announcement over the intercom of the middle school Anderson and her sister, Cassie, attended changed that.
The middle school team was seeking a coach, and Cassie decided to ask their mom to fill the role. The “yes” from her mom would spark years of volleyball to come as the two sisters decided to join their mom’s team.
The girls had talent and continued to seek development in the sport. They were homeschooled, giving them more time to focus on volleyball.
“I got to play so much volleyball because I wasn’t going to a public high school from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Anderson said. “I feel like I got a lot of travel experience, I got a lot of world experience and I also got a lot of time to play volleyball and focus on that, and I think ultimately that gave me the skill and experience to take it to another level.”
With all that experience continuing into high school, Anderson quickly emerged as a top prospect. She was named the Sun Sentinel’s Palm Beach County large-schools player of the year in 2017.
She then had a decision to make regarding her future. Would she play indoor volleyball or beach volleyball at the collegiate level?
She, of course, weighed her offers, as some included the opportunity to play both, but her decision came down to her love of beach.
“Beach volleyball just felt more open and fun and free, and kind of up to me what I wanted to do with it,” she said. “I enjoyed being outside, being on the beach. Growing up in Florida, the beaches are beautiful, so it was definitely more fun.”
Anderson was a setter and an outside hitter in indoor, so the full transition to beach for her was seamless. She was used to playing offense and defense, and a bonus for her was getting to touch the ball more with only one other person on the court.
The decision led her to commit to Florida State University’s beach volleyball team at the age of 14, where her sister and her current beach partner, Alaina Chacon, also landed.
Aside from the draw of getting to play beach volleyball, Anderson said there was a comforting family aspect that came along with FSU. Her sister would be there, Chacon and her sister, Morgan, were there, not to mention a husband-and-wife coaching duo and a pair of cousins and twins also on the squad, making the whole experience “just like a huge family,” Anderson said.
After graduating high school and taking a gap year to travel and play extensive volleyball in California, she came to Tallahassee ready to start her collegiate career.
With the Seminoles, she shined. Despite initially battling with burnout, and if the professional path was for her, Anderson became a four-time All-American in her five years with the program, while also competing in pro tournaments funded by FSU.
“Maddie is one of the best learners that I know, and she’s extremely coachable, so she’s always asking questions, she’s always thinking analytically,” Chacon said. “She has a long-term mind when it comes to learning, and I think that has helped us just learn so fast together, and she’s just somebody that works extremely hard, so she matches that coachability with hard work, and it just is a perfect recipe for success.”
Across her time in the pros, she’s found immense success, winning gold four times in FIVB competition and adding two silvers and a bronze to her list of accolades.
The bronze medal, which the duo won in March, was Anderson and Chacon’s first together on the world tour. It was their second-ever tournament together, and Anderson said it was a memorable moment for the pair and an incredible start to their season.
Now, Chacon and Anderson compete together, both internationally – as they work to qualify for the Olympics – and in the AVP League.
After failing to qualify for the AVP League last year, the two are excited to be on the tour. Anderson said that qualifying wasn’t really a main focus for them as they pursued their Olympic aspirations. However, now that they make up the LA Launch, it is for sure a focal point for them.
“Every single team that’s in the league is super high level,” Anderson said. “That’s one of the really cool things about the AVP … every game is going to be a good game, every team is really, really talented, and we’re just trying to make the most of that and see how high we can take it.”
While facing some of the premier beach volleyball players in the nation, the duo has split their last four matches.
While with the league, the partners continue to bond over their love of family that initially brought them so close together in college. Instead of competing in tournaments all around the world without their families by their side, they now get to compete in the US, where the people close to them are able to come out and support.
“Maddie is extremely close to her family; they come to a lot of tournaments, they’re always in her corner, and same for me,” Chacon said. “Just as much as practicing and all the other stuff that goes into our sport, we have people to fall back on, we have people to help support us and that are cheering for us in the stands, and having those, all those things are really important for Maddie and I.”
On the court, aside from their familial bond, it is their similar mindset that allows them to thrive as partners.
“We trust ourselves, we believe in each other, we believe in our team, we believe in the work that we put in, and that’s all you can do,” Chacon said. “The trust and belief we have in each other is what carries us through those tough moments and games.”
The rest of the AVP season will take the pair to cities across the US. However, no matter how many exotic and exciting places her career has taken her, Anderson continues to come back to Florida.
She said she wants to live in the state for the rest of her life. And not just because of the pull of family, but because of how it’s helped her get to where she is today.
“One of the main reasons why I’m successful right now is because I have a really good balance outside of my sport, and I think that comes with living in Florida,” she said. “I’ve got family here, I’ve got all my friends … so definitely filling my cup has been a huge reason why I’m in Florida.”
Continue reading...
