VYPE: Your sister, Jacy, won state twice as a CCS volleyball player. Tomorrow, you’ll have the chance to win your third. Is that feeling surreal at all?
Landry Braziel: Yes, it is definitely surreal. I can’t believe that this is my last year to play at CCS. It is so exciting, and I hope we get one more state title.
VYPE: You mentioned she was one of the reasons you started playing when you were 12. Why do you think she had such an impact on you?
LB: Jacy is my best friend, and I just wanted to be like her, so I played volleyball because she did. I watched her state championships and I knew I wanted to win, too.
VYPE: Do you still see her as a mentor?
LB: She is definitely my mentor. I want to be like her in everything. She helps me so much with not just volleyball, but also life. I sometimes look up to her in the stands and ask her where to hit.
VYPE: What’s it going to take for your team to win state on Saturday?
LB: It is going to take determination and we just have to focus and push through and get the
last win of the season. Our serves and serve-receive will have to be good, and our energy
needs to be high.
VYPE: Talk about your commitment to UTEP. What went into that decision, and why was it ultimately the right place for you to be?
LB: I chose UTEP because I loved everything about it. I love the teammates, coaches and the environment. I went on a visit there and it felt like home.
VYPE: What’s something you’ve read recently that you would recommend to a friend?
LB: I enjoy suspenseful books, so I would recommend The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.
VYPE: Why is it important to leave a legacy for the younger players? And how do you accomplish that?
LB: It is important because you want the younger players to enjoy the game as much as I do. I am very competitive, and I want to show that you can be competitive but also have good sportsmanship. I am a team captain, and to me, that means I need to be a leader and encourage but also push my teammates. I want my teammates to hold me accountable and I hold them accountable as well.
VYPE: What’s a piece of advice a coach or teacher has given you that you won’t forget?
LB: A piece of advice I have gotten that stuck with me was my dad, when he was my basketball coach, and it was ‘practice makes permanent.’ This is so true because how you practice is how you will be in a game, so pushing yourself everyday is important.
VYPE: Which teammate, past or present, has had the greatest impact on you, and why?
LB: A teammate that has had the greatest impact on me is probably Anniston Owen. She has helped me so much in my life. We have played all years of club together and she supports me in everything. She is an amazing teammate and volleyball player. I started out volleyball with her, and she is the best person to be on and off the court with.
