TOKAY GIRLS WIN IN PRESEASON
All Nicole Segovia wants for Christmas is a trip to Australia next summer.
Well, that’s one of the presents that the Tokay High volleyball player would like. Down Under Sports, an organization that has conducted many overseas games in seven sports since 1989, has invited the 5-foot-9 junior middle hitter/middle blocker to represent California on the 2017 California Pacific Conference volleyball team. The squad, consisting of California high school volleyball players who will be seniors next school year, will compete against various volleyball squads from around the globe. This includes playing for a chance to compete for a team championship title, according to Down Under Sports’ press release sent to Segovia.
“They pick several girls from each state,” Segovia said.
Segovia, who led Tokay in blocked shots with 33 out of 44 attempts, is scheduled to leave Queensland, Australia on July 11, 2017, and would return toward the end of the month. The California squad would have practices in Australia, then are scheduled to play, at least, three matches. Part of the trip would include the sites and sounds of the country. The squad would also have a chance to visit Waikiki, Hawaii.
According to Segovia, Tokay High Athletic Director and football coach Michael Holst handed her a letter from Down Under Sports. Holst told Segovia to open it front of him, as it was the invitational letter.
“It really didn’t hit me,” Segovia said upon opening the letter in front of Holst. “I didn’t think I was worthy of this kind of stuff.”
But after talking with her mother, Monica Ordaz, Nicole decided to accept the invitation to play volleyball down under next summer.
“After doing research and talking to my club coach ... this is once-in-a-lifetime,” Segovia said.
Another perk to the out-of-
country trip, Segovia states, is exposure to college volleyball teams in the United States.
“I was told this is a good opportunity, and would open doors for college,” Segovia said. “This is a huge dream of mine come true for college. I’m super excited about it.”
The Tigers volleyball player and her mother attended an online meeting for volleyball players from around the United States who have been invited to play on their respective teams. Part of that meeting was to discuss the cost of the trip, which is $5,000. At this time, Segovia and mother have put down a $300 deposit. The remaining balance has to be paid by June 22.
Segovia is off to a good start in raising the money toward her trip; approximately $1,100. Segovia and her mother were sent information as to how to raise the money toward the trip. That includes flyers that have Segovia’s picture on it that she can hand out to family, friends, classmates, plus friends of them and Lodi area businesses.
Playing volleyball since eighth grade, Segovia is also raising money through her two part-time jobs; baby-sitting and working as a cashier at In-N-Out Burger in Lodi. Another way she’s raising money is her grandmother, Beatric Ordaz is making tamales, which a copy of the flyer is handed out at time of purchase.
On its Website, downundersports.com, Down Under Sports, “has had the opportunity to share the land Down Under with tens of thousands of individuals from across the United States.”
The first-ever Down Under Bowl, for football, conducted in 1989, when four states produced a handful of teams, to 2015 when athletes from almost all 50 states to compete in the Down Under Bowl, plus Hoops Classic and International Games.
To donate toward Segovia’s trip to Australia, she can be contacted by e-mail at nickle.segovia@gmail.com Put in the subject — Nicole’s volleyball trip. She has also started a GoFundMe account; type in her name into the search engine. Segovia can also be reached on social media Websites at Facebook and Twitter.