TAMPA, Fla. — To Launch a Sport for the first time you need a leader with passion. Someone who is not afraid to do something that’s never been done before and knows how they want to do it.
Last June, USF hired Pri Piantadosi-Lima as the first Women’s beach volleyball coach.
"I’ve always said USF would probably be the only school that I would try to apply if they ever started beach volleyball and Voila", Said Coach Pri after a recent practice.
Coach Pri is no stranger to start ups. The Brazilian native played for her country at the Olympic and Pro beach levels, before coming to St.Pete where she helped launch the Eckerd College Beach program and started one of the most successful elite club programs in the country.
What started on paper came to life this fall when Coach Pri and her 11 recruits from all over the world hit the sand in Tampa to begin getting ready.
"We’re playing to get better next year, just having this practice year, we don’t have any pressure,the only pressure we have is to apply the things we do at practice in the game".
It’s been a year of firsts for these Bulls so far, from walking into their new locker-room for the first time, to the brand new team video room where they get to study and prepare for games.
It's a once in a lifetime experience for these 12 girls who come from all over the world to launch the new sport and the adventure begins in February with eight weekends of games lined up for the Bulls.