When I was on the U.S. men's indoor team, I was on the road 200 days of the year and sometimes in the worst conditions. We didn't have the food or luxuries we wanted. We didn't have a laundry service. So every night after the match, I soaped up my uniform in the shower. I learned to rely on outside things as little as possible, whether it was music or massage. I just got out of the habit of relying on outside things.
The exercises helped get the flexibility back in my ankle and also increased my overall flexibility. As I was getting into my 30s, I wanted to do everything I could to improve my longevity.
I couldn't be messing around and acting like an 11-year-old if we expected to compete well. I wanted to compete well, because it was great to see the looks in the eyes of menlike, "Wow, I am having a hard time beating this kid."
In high school, some of the guys were really into music. When I first joined the team as a sophomore, I was blown away when we came out for our first home matchI'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it. The seniors would bring their whole stereo system. We started by yelling and stuff inside this little room just off the gym; then the coaches said, "Ready. Go!" We threw open the door and came running out. Even when I hear the songs now I get all jacked up.
I still get excited just attending a final four, because the process is so long, so arduous, so challenging, that when it finally arrives, the adrenaline can't help but take over. I love the sense of accomplishment and camaraderie that the indoor game can engender.
It's the best. And the job site isn't too bad, either.
I don't have to get myself pumped up or calm myself down. As we get into the later rounds of a tournament and there is more at stake, I have even more adrenaline. If we make the finals, it's just an extra opportunity to win a tournament at my age. That doesn't come along that often.
It was really an exciting time trying to find my way from being a boy to becoming a manbeing toe to toe and eye to eye with grown men, even though I was only 11 or 12.
I thank my dad for my mental longevity and for the fact we played against better competition.
I had a bunch of different colored hats I wore. When I started wearing a pink one, we won five or six tournaments in a row, so I stuck with it. It started as superstition and now it's traditionmy hideous trademark that I always wear.
When I warm up now thoughespecially on center courtthere is usually music playing, so I don't really mess with music.
The first thing I do when I get therelike all of the players on touris apply sunscreen. One of the few hazards of the job is the wear-and-tear our skin takes from the sun.
One of the best ways to [improve my longevity] that is to minimize injury or avoid it by being more flexibleespecially when we are meeting at the net. There is a hitter and blocker, which means a lot foot contact, where you can twist your ankle easily.
A lot of guys are out there with their iPods. I'm not one of them. I just never really got into it.
How much we have to hydrate out here in this kind of heat and humidity. I think the most I have ever taken down in one day of fluids is five gallons - a gallon per match. If we didn't replace our fluids, we would probably keel over and die.
