Paralympian Nicky Nieves Says People Have The Wrong Idea About Sitting Volleyball
When people hear that Nicky Nieves plays sitting volleyball, they assume it means playing volleyball on a scooter or in a wheelchair.
"No, we're actually on the floor," Nicky told WH. "We're sitting on our butts and we're moving with our hands."
Nicky, 34, helped Team USA win its first gold in sitting volleyball in 2016. This year, she was chosen as one of the United States’ flagbearers for the Paralympics opening ceremony.
“Being the flagbearer for Team USA means that all of my hard work was not in vain,” Nieves told ABC. “I get to represent the country that made me who I am, with the best-of-the-best U.S. athletes by my side.”
Cameras captured Nicky's reaction to the news, and it's everything:
Nicky will be in Paris as a third time Paralympian. She was born without a left hand, according to her profile on TeamUSA.com, but doctors don't know exactly why. She began playing volleyball in sixth grade and fell in love with it, and even became the conference player of the year as a senior in high school.
After winning gold with Team USA in sitting volleyball in Rio, she wasn't able to compete in the Tokyo after testing positive for Covid-19. She says this experience taught her that she can't control everything.
"Of course we all want to win a gold medal, but it's the little moments right now that are going to get us to the gold," Nicky says. "And then when we're in the matches, it's point by point–regardless of who's on the other side of the net."
Sitting volleyball works like traditional volleyball, except athletes use their butts the same way standing volleyball players use their feet. For example, Nicky says her butt has to stay behind the service line when she is serving. And anytime the players come in contact with the ball, their butt should be on the floor.
"Your hips are doing things that they haven't done before," Nicky says. And, because the court is smaller–6x11 meters to traditional volleyball's 9x18–players have to react quickly, otherwise they might get smacked in the face.
Nicky says people assume sitting volleyball is easier—but it's not. When people try the sport, she says "they are hurting in places they've never hurt before."
Nicky is able to block out a lot of the hate, and stay present. She is earning her degree in clinical mental health in December, and preaches the the importance of athletes prioritizing self-care.
Journaling is one of Nicky's personal favorite practices for taking care of herself.
"If we've had a tough game or something, sometimes I can't get out what I'm trying to say because I'm just so frustrated, so I journal it," she says. She did this a lot during the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and it has become a keepsake.
Nicky has a simple ritual to get hyped before match: She downs a double espresso while listening to trap gospel. The coffee gives her an energy boost, and music allows her to be intentional about her faith.
Her next goal after Paris? She's manifesting playing sitting volleyball with Drake.
You Might Also Like
