GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Get to know outside hitter Erika Pritchard in the fourth edition of our “Offseason Conversation” series with the Grand Rapids Rise. Pritchard talks about re-joining the Rise for a second season, recovering from injuries, the mindset of an attacker and much more.
Welcome back for a second season with the Rise! This is your first chance to play consecutive seasons with the same team since your college days at Maryland. How does that feel?
I’m so excited. It’s so nice to go back to somewhere that has already been established after having the first season. Everything was so new last season, but now it’s easier to go back to something that has already laid a good foundation. I’m really looking forward to building and keep improving on what we already have accomplished.
How was your summer? What have you been up to?
I have had a great offseason. I have been able to do a lot of very different things in my time back home [in Maryland]. It’s been a balance of being active while also having some much-needed down time. Right after the season, I went on a family vacation to Costa Rica. I also had a lot of quality time and trips throughout the summertime with friends. I worked at a few middle and high school volleyball camps, did a lot of volleyball clinics with my former club, and taught some private lessons. I was able to reconnect with my old high school and talk with the girls on the team. It’s just been a good balance between training and doing things I enjoy. It’s been really fulfilling.
You missed the first half of last season recovering from an ACL injury. Given the circumstances, with you joining a brand new league at the time, what was the most challenging part of going through the recovery process last season?
It was really difficult to be honest. But I have such a great support system around me, from my teammates to the medical staff to [Rise head coach] Cathy George. Everyone was so supportive and patient with me coming back. That’s one thing that I really appreciated. But it was hard playing in the big arenas at first. My first match that I came back, I hadn’t really played in a match in about a year, and now I was being thrown into a match in front of thousands of fans. It’s always a mental game coming back from an injury. But once you get into it and the more you do it, the easier it becomes. It’s amazing that I got to play in the championship match at the end. It was awesome to see the progress that I made and support that was around me. I really, really appreciated it.
What was so different or difficult about playing in the ‘big arenas’?
I think the pressure that I put on myself to perform. Going from not playing at all to being in a high-stakes environment against other high-level players, that difference made me put a lot of pressure on myself. It was a mental thing on my part. But it was also awesome to see the turnout for all the matches last season.
Fast-forward to the end of the season and you arguably had your best match against Atlanta in the five-set playoff semifinals victory, with 16 points and nine digs. What changed or maybe clicked for you during those six weeks between getting your first start and the postseason?
I got more comfortable with playing, my role on the team and what I needed to do, and that helped me a lot. It was getting that exposure and game reps. That’s when I felt like I got my groove back. And that was just a fun match to play in — one of my favorites. I felt free and had so much fun with my teammates, and I think that’s when I play my best volleyball.
As an outside hitter, how do you decide when to take risks with your shots versus playing it safe?
It’s all about the situation. If the ball you get is a ‘the skies open up’ and it’s such a good set, you take a rip at it and don’t feel bad about risking it. But, if it’s in a bad situation and way off the net, you need to be smart about your swing. You need to manage it. Be smart, but also take smart risks.
At what point during a play are you making that decision?
You need to know what the situation is and what is happening before you get the ball, and where the ball is and what is given to me. If the ball is way off the net or an emergency play, I just need to keep it in play. Compared to us needing to win this point, so let’s just go for it. It’s like red light, green light, yellow light.
In what ways did playing in France and Switzerland to start your professional career influence your growth as a player and your perspective on the sport?
Playing in Europe changed so much about the way I play and who I am. I have grown so much since being out of college. Europe is different culturally, but also the way they play and their systems. Learning from other girls who have played the professional game for years helped me a lot. Getting that experience broadened my perspective as a player and as a person.
As someone who enjoys trying new foods and coffee spots, which PVF road city impressed you the most last season?
Ooh, I would say San Diego. I really liked San Diego, not only because of the weather but there was this cool coffee shop that we went to that I think was near the hotel. It was a nice spot to sit in, an open-air coffee shop. I just like the feel over there. It’s really cool. But I also feel like there is always a good coffee shop in every city we visit.
Lastly, in your opinion, what’s the most satisfying way to win a match point?
I would say a block. Yes, everyone loves a good kill or even an ace. But there is something about a block because it shuts everything down. It’s just so dramatic to end the match on a block.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Rise