Very Interesting Blogger Interview #1: Tonya from Budget and the Beach

One of my favorite parts of blogging is getting to know other bloggers. Whether it’s through conversations on Twitter, Skype, or meeting them in person at FinCon, learning about them as the “people behind the blogs” makes reading their sites that much more personal and enjoyable.

I’m also amazed at just how interesting other bloggers are. And I want you guys to learn about them, too. Which is why I’ve started a new series–The Very Interesting Bloggers Interviews (I’m awesome at names, aren’t I?). Every other week or so, I’ll bring you a brief, 5 question interview with a different blogger who has a really different, exciting or interesting hobby.

Up first is one of my good friends, Tonya, from Budget and the Beach and It Started with Lip Gloss. I had the pleasure of hanging out with her at FinCon13. She’s really awesome, a great person to talk to and a fellow Friday Night Lights addict. She also plays beach volleyball, so I thought I’d ask her about that:

Me: So I’ve been told that one of your passions–besides Friday Night Lights–is beach volleyball. Can you tell us about that?  

Tonya: Well it’s no FNL but it’s a close second. 🙂 Beach volleyball is one of the most fun sports I’ve ever played, and it’s a really social sport too. I’ve met so many amazing friends through beach volleyball, and have a hard time imagining a time where I’ll ever stop playing, unless I move from Southern California. It’s one of the things that keeps me here, despite the high cost of living.

I think that should go on a brochure. 

Me: When did you start playing? Have you ever played professionally?

Tonya: I started playing five years ago after my boyfriend broke up with me, and I needed something to fill the “empty space.” I first signed up for an indoor class, but quickly found out about beach volleyball classes, and have never looked back. I like that there are only two of you on the court (of course you can play with more) so it gives you a lot of responsibility. And moving in the sand is a great form of conditioning.

I’ve never played professionally. Even if I had played indoor in high school and college, I’m just too short (5’4).

I’m 5’3″ so I get it. I avoided tall people sports at all costs. 

Me: Do you do it for fun, to earn money, or both? If you do earn money doing it, at what point did you decide to make the switch from hobby to income earning opportunity?

Tonya: I do it for fun now. I used to play in tournaments where you could earn prizes (I’ve only won two volleyballs in my “career” as a player), but I gave that up a couple years ago because it just wasn’t for me.

I used to help coach some recreational classes to help out a friend, which is how I got started earning money as a coach. Now I teach private lessons, which is a great source of extra income.

I’m sure it’s also fun. I was texting her a few days ago while she was teaching and the extent of the lesson at the point was to tell her student to run. I want someone to pay me to tell them to run. 

Me: Tell us about your favorite beach volleyball memory (and it cannot include that scene in Top Gun).

Tonya: Ha ha! That’s a great scene but the fact that they show Tom Cruise jumping above the net is truly hilarious given his height. Agreed.

My favorite memory is from a beach volleyball tournament. The California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) classifies their women’s tournaments into A, AA, AAA, and Open Division (Open being the hardest) categories. If you have an AAA rating, you can’t play down, but if you have no rating or an A rating, you can always play up.

I had an A rating and I was going to play in a AA tournament with my friend Mocha. Up until that day, I had never won a single game in a AA tournament. I didn’t tell Mocha until we were in the car on the way there. My goal was to win one game. When I got there I found out I was in the same pool as two women who had beat me in every single tournament. It was frustrating. Not only did we win one game, but we won every game (4 games) in our pool, beating my nemesis in a glorious finish. I even have a picture where you can see the joy on my face, and the look of defeat on their faces. We ended up losing in the playoffs, but it’s still my favorite moment in beach volleyball.

Beating a nemesis is a glorious finish is ALWAYS a great memory. 

Me: What advice would you give someone who’s thinking about picking up volleyball as either a hobby or a paying job?

Tonya: Well it’s hard to make money, even as a professional volleyball player. It’s not like the NBA, and only top names like Kerri Walsh and Misty May make decent money playing. But if you’re thinking about playing recreationally, my best advice would be to sign up for a class. Not only will you develop skills, but you will meet people that you can set up games outside of class with.  

If you’re serious about getting good, do interval training. It’s the best way to condition your body for that type of sport.

Great advice, Tonya! Thanks so much for playing along!