by Amanda Joseph
LSU Sports Information
Setting goals and not stopping till you get there
As the Volleyball season progresses, this LSU team seems to move closer and closer to achieving greatness. The Tigers are ranked No. 11 in the nation and are coming off a season sweep over South Carolina which keeps them in first place in the Southeastern Conference Western Division.
The team is full of leadership and strong-willed women who have set very lofty goals for this team. Much of the leadership comes from the four seniors who work very hard to set an example for others to follow.
One special senior has played since she was a true freshman and has contributed to this team in more ways than one.
Daniela Romero leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the NCAA with 13.54 assists per game, along the way becoming just the second player in LSU history to record 4,000 career assists. She is also just two digs away from breaking into the top 10 in career digs in school history.
“It is a great honor to be recognized by the SEC and NCAA,” said Romero. “Many times we are so focused on what we have to do in order for the team to be successful that we have no idea about the honors or recognitions we get.”
The volleyball team seems to forget about all the rankings surrounding the sport. They work very hard towards achieving their goals and do not let anything get in the way.
“Rankings don’t mean anything to us. It is more or less a pat on the back,” said Romero. “In order to win we have to go into every match with a clear picture of our goals. Worrying about rankings and such only interferes with our focus.”
The first goal of winning the West is in their grasp as the Tigers hold a two-game lead over Alabama with six left to play. The team now wants to focus on winning the entire SEC Championship, where they stand a game behind Florida, and ultimately getting to the NCAA Tournament. A total of 64 teams get into the single-elimination as they play towards the National Championship on December 16.
“My sophomore year we just missed getting to the tournament. We were ranked No. 66. And my junior year the team was eliminated in the first round,” she said.
But Romero is very optimistic about this year. “I think we will win in the first round this year and make it further into the tournament,” Romero said.
The rough road that has lead to greatness
Romero is not only a leader on the team but she is also a perfect example of perseverance. As a freshman, she was diagnosed with a genetic disease that was life changing.
“I have what is called Interior Compartment Syndrome. It is a genetic disease that causes swelling and cuts off the circulation in my muscles,” she said.
This disease has been with Romero all of her life, but it did not show symptoms until she made the transition from high school to college volleyball.
“The workload that comes with college volleyball is just so much more strenuous as compared to high school. It was after this change in workouts that I realized something was wrong,” she said.
“It was very difficult my freshmen year. This is when the symptoms first started to appear and I really had no idea what it was. I was a starter, and having to sit out on practices really hurt. I knew I had a role to fulfill and I felt like it was my duty not to let the team down.
When the symptoms first starting showing, Romero had pain in her calves and lower legs that increasingly worsened until becoming difficult to ignore.
“At first it felt like shin splints and progressively got worse. When the pain got so bad that my leg was numb, I finally told my trainer,” Romero said.
Romero waited to tell the trainer her leg was bothering her because she was so focused on becoming a great athlete. She really didn’t want to face the possibility that there could be something seriously wrong.
“When I did tell my trainer, I started going to see many different doctors to try and figure out what exactly was wrong. They all had different assumptions and hypotheses, but eventually the doctors figured it out,” she said.
While this disease has no cure, the doctors can do several things to help the lessen the symptoms.
Romero said, “I take anti-inflammatory medicine so that the muscles in my leg will not flare up, and as hard as it is, I try not to push myself to the point of pain.”
Romero has also had two surgeries to relieve some of the pressure associated with the muscle swelling.
“I had my first surgery my freshmen year during the spring semester,” she said. “After that, everything seemed to be going great. I was running and in great shape. All of a sudden the injury flared up again and I immediately had the second surgery the summer before my sophomore year.”
As if things were not already difficult for Romero, a staff infection set in after the second surgery that caused her to sit out for another month.
“I felt so out of shape, and it was difficult to catch up to the level that the other girls on the team had reached,” she said.
Romero eventually hit the court full speed and has been playing with a new sense of pride and appreciation since the recovery.
Romero said, “I was brought up to love volleyball. I was also taught to never give up as well. Both the love for this sport and a positive attitude has pushed me to become the best volleyball player I can be.”
“I am so happy to be out there on that court and playing with the teammates that I love. I thrive on every chance I get to play…I love it every time I step on the court,” said Romero.
Through this difficult journey Romero has become a perfect example of perseverance and hard work that will carry her to nothing less than success.