Bird Kuhn, Aggies open 2022 season with three matches this weekend

Aggie volleyball faces Hawaii, San Diego and Pittsburgh this weekend at Reed Arena in the annual Texas A&M Invitational. On Thursday morning, head coach Bird Kuhn joined TexAgs Radio to set the stage for the weekend and preview her 2022 squad.

Key notes from Bird Kuhn interview

• I have felt rather judged coming in here over the last year because I haven't seen Avengers movies, but I am mind blown and floored that David Nuño hasn't seen ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ yet. The old one was made back in the 80s, so I understand the “quality” comments from your kids. The sequel was a better movie with better "graphics," as they would say. I saw it four times in the theaters, and I bought it the first day it came out at home.
   
• You're going to love this volleyball team this year. They have almost the same energy as Maverick. We have five freshmen and five transfers. We had shoes to fill, but it's cool to see them meshing. They got here in the summer. It's cool to see them come together, and being in the gym and training has been cool.
   
• There were challenges in COVID in a lot of ways. Our athletes had mental challenges. We grew from it and learned a lot from it. We have a new appreciation for the freedom and structure that we are alloed to have again. We can get back into a more normal flow.
   
• This freshman class is funny. We've known them forever. They committed before COVID-19. They've been part of the program before they even set foot on campus. To have them here finally is cool. To see their personalities and setting the tone for all the transfers has helped. It's a good dynamic.
   
• I am a better coach for going through last year. We all learn things. Our staff is finding ways to be better. Everyone that works with the program and how we're functioning is different. It's cool to see that growth.
   
• Our transfers add a great mix. They bring experience in volleyball and from the programs they're coming from. It's a healthy dynamic for learning and sharing. Coming to Texas A&M is new, so the freshman can help them get used to something new. It's a life thing, and it's cool to watch them interact.
   
• I think the turnover in our program will slow down once this COVID-19 stuff slows down. We'll manage it better, but it was new at the time. We want competition. We have depth, and we have competition now. Once you get something good going and you build that, the kids buy in. Over the next couple of years, I don't think that turnover will be that prevalent.
   
• The Texas A&M Invitational begins on Friday at 11 a.m. We scheduled it backwards so our opponents could get back and ready for their next week. I know it's early and weird for the fans. San Diego is a top-25 team, Hawaii was receiving votes, and Pittsburgh is ranked No. 6. It'll be great to know where we stand.
   
• We go to TCU next weekend, and then we're home again for two matches that we scheduled late before we go to Western Kentucky.
   
• This preseason, we set it up to challenge ourselves and get us ready for SEC play. You want different styles of volleyball. We're going to be tested early, and you want to be tested.
   
• We have 10 new players, and over the summer, we're not allowed to work for them. Props to our returners for setting the tone and getting everyone locked into the standards. Our transfers and our freshmen are locked in and bought in. It's a player-led ship.