Amanda Ronan, Auburn Media Relations Intern
Over the winter break, Enija Bidzane of the Auburn volleyball team played for the Latvian National team. While the experience was unique, Bidzane thought it was refreshing to have played the different style of volleyball.
"At the first game this year, it was a home game, I was very nervous," Bidzane said. "For the second game I tried to stay down to earth and not be nervous and it worked. I played very well and what I learned from this experience was that worrying doesn't do any good to anyone."
With this new 'why worry?' mentality, Bidzane grew as a player. She believes that this experience helped make her a better volleyball player overall.
Now with her experience of playing in the United States and in another country, it is described by Bidzane as an unforgettable experience that will only help her volleyball career advance.
"This experience made me see volleyball from different perspectives because volleyball rules are a little bit different here in the United States than in Europe," Bidzane said. "This experience strengthened my volleyball IQ even better and gave me a more unique perspective on the sport in comparison to volleyball players that have only played in the United States or only in Europe or any other continents."
Aside from playing, Bidzane enjoyed representing her country the most while also being able to reconnect with her old friends and teammates. She described the bond that she has with them as indescribable.
"The bond that I have made with my teammates back home is something that is hard to explain because we just get each other very well," Bidzane said. "[I'm most grateful for] the opportunity to meet all the girls, and play some European volleyball. But meeting and getting to know the teammates better that I didn't know well, was the absolute highlight."
Ultimately, Bidzane's biggest accomplishment does not begin with herself, but with her team. She feels that the team grew together, and their success should be measured and judged based off of how much they each grew.
"We haven't had big accomplishments measured by things won, like medals or cups," Bidzane said. "However, we grow as a team each year, and we are a more difficult opponent for every European team. The accomplishments can be measured for us in the way that we are a fairly young team, which means we have room to grow even more."