Northwestern University Athletics
Lindroth Sharpens Toolset at Big Ten Foreign Tour
7/13/2017 12:57:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Sophomore outside hitter Allie Lindroth can't stop talking about the Big Ten Foreign Tour.
"You can't take a trip like that for granted," she said, still beaming a couple weeks after touching back down in the United States. "There were so many valuable lessons in understanding the difference with the international girls, who are so humble and so mature."
The foreign jaunt, the second of its kind in the last three years for the Conference, is a 12-day European tour through the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy, and Austria, featuring a team of student-athletes from all 14 Big Ten schools. The squad competed against junior and senior national teams in addition to participating in community service initiatives and sightseeing.
For Lindroth, it was a chance to bring back to Evanston an improved mindset about volleyball.
"You go on these trips for a reason — to bring back knowledge and tools," she said. "It is like, you go there, you sharpen your toolset, and you bring it back. It is really a unique experience."
That opportunity to move past her comfort zone is what resonates so much for the Plainfield, Illinois, native. And she is equally excited that others in the volleyball program are able to do the same.
"You see it with Taylor [Tashima] and Symone [Abbott] playing on their collegiate national teams this summer," Lindroth said. "You see it with Erin [Virtue] coaching with USA Volleyball. There's no question they are all going to come back and share like no other. Not every program has those connections to bring back and build upon."
Lindroth, a 6-foot-2 standout prep volleyball player at Plainfield North, said that the team felt stressed right away, since they had only one practice, no longer than two hours, before heading out to Europe. The squad had the onerous task of learning the tendencies of two new setters, the nuances of a new system, and the impact of a new coach, Maryland's Steve Aird, for the trip.
When there, her fears were allayed. The team meshed well, and she was able to learn from a group that featured five All-Big Ten selections. "When you're with elite players, it raises your standards. And it makes you want to advance."
She was struck by the court presence of the international players, everything from their body language to their preparation to the way they reacted under pressure. Lindroth was impressed, as well, by the competitiveness and spirit they displayed.
Her favorite game was against the Italian Junior National Team, which she says drew the biggest crowd, full of fans with great passion for the sport. Italy was also her favorite place to sightsee — Milan, especially. It made her want to learn another language.
Now that she's back on the shores of Lake Michigan, she is anxious to share what she learned with her coaches and her teammates, awaiting the trickle-down effect of such elite competition.
Lindroth says the trip lit a fire under her and she can't wait for the season to start.
"It makes me excited for the future," she said. "I won't forget about this trip."
"You can't take a trip like that for granted," she said, still beaming a couple weeks after touching back down in the United States. "There were so many valuable lessons in understanding the difference with the international girls, who are so humble and so mature."
The foreign jaunt, the second of its kind in the last three years for the Conference, is a 12-day European tour through the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy, and Austria, featuring a team of student-athletes from all 14 Big Ten schools. The squad competed against junior and senior national teams in addition to participating in community service initiatives and sightseeing.
For Lindroth, it was a chance to bring back to Evanston an improved mindset about volleyball.
"You go on these trips for a reason — to bring back knowledge and tools," she said. "It is like, you go there, you sharpen your toolset, and you bring it back. It is really a unique experience."
That opportunity to move past her comfort zone is what resonates so much for the Plainfield, Illinois, native. And she is equally excited that others in the volleyball program are able to do the same.
"You see it with Taylor [Tashima] and Symone [Abbott] playing on their collegiate national teams this summer," Lindroth said. "You see it with Erin [Virtue] coaching with USA Volleyball. There's no question they are all going to come back and share like no other. Not every program has those connections to bring back and build upon."
Lindroth, a 6-foot-2 standout prep volleyball player at Plainfield North, said that the team felt stressed right away, since they had only one practice, no longer than two hours, before heading out to Europe. The squad had the onerous task of learning the tendencies of two new setters, the nuances of a new system, and the impact of a new coach, Maryland's Steve Aird, for the trip.
When there, her fears were allayed. The team meshed well, and she was able to learn from a group that featured five All-Big Ten selections. "When you're with elite players, it raises your standards. And it makes you want to advance."
She was struck by the court presence of the international players, everything from their body language to their preparation to the way they reacted under pressure. Lindroth was impressed, as well, by the competitiveness and spirit they displayed.
Her favorite game was against the Italian Junior National Team, which she says drew the biggest crowd, full of fans with great passion for the sport. Italy was also her favorite place to sightsee — Milan, especially. It made her want to learn another language.
Now that she's back on the shores of Lake Michigan, she is anxious to share what she learned with her coaches and her teammates, awaiting the trickle-down effect of such elite competition.
Lindroth says the trip lit a fire under her and she can't wait for the season to start.
"It makes me excited for the future," she said. "I won't forget about this trip."
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