Dec. 3, 2008
It is amazing to think that Renele Forde has only been playing volleyball for four years. Standing at 6-foot-4, the freshman right-side hitter dabbled in numerous activities growing up in Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago, but only stumbled upon the game of volleyball at the age of 15, when she was asked to play on the Trinidad and Tobago Junior National Team.
"I only just started playing volleyball three years ago, when I was 15," Forde said. "I played a lot of sports before I started playing volleyball, like (field) hockey, swimming, gymnastics and dance. Then I found volleyball and I just finally settled on that."
Once she settled on devoting her energy into volleyball, Forde found that the game would offer her more than just a new hobby. It offered her the opportunity to travel the world and play against some of the globe's best athletes.
"Playing with the Trinidad and Tobago Junior National Team for the past three years was a really great experience," Forde said. "I have traveled all over the world to different countries, have seen many different places and have learned about a range of cultures, so it has been fun."
But Forde's journey to UCF was not on as smooth of a path as her transition to volleyball. The freshman was not even considering moving to central Florida, until fate intervened in the form of head coach Todd Dagenais.
"I had been playing on the international team for three years and I had a number of schools that were interested in me," Forde said. "UCF was actually one of the first schools to show interest in me, but that was when the old coaching staff was still here. I was not too interested right away, but around January I heard that UCF had hired Todd as the new head coach. He had a good profile, in terms of being the assistant head coach at USC and being involved with USA volleyball, and I was impressed. So he contacted me and told me that he was interested in having me come to UCF. I came on a visit and I really liked him. He is a very influential person.
"I liked the school as well, the campus is very beautiful. After looking at all of my other options I just felt like this was it. All of the other schools just seemed to fade away."
Shortly after her arrival at UCF, fall training camp got underway and Forde relied on her experience with the Trinidad and Tobago National Team to aid in her transition to the college game.
"Playing with the National Team has definitely helped me prepare for playing volleyball in college, in terms of international experience and playing top-level teams," Forde said. "We used to play in six or seven tournaments every year, so all of that training and all of that experience has only helped advance what I have to bring to the table here."
Another transition that Forde was faced with was moving from a setter with the National Team, to a right-side hitter for the Knights. But Forde proved that she is a fast learner, averaging more and more playing time as the season wore on.
"Moving from a setter to a hitter hasn't been that bad," Forde said. "Even though three years of playing volleyball isn't a very long time, I still have a vast knowledge of the sport and experience as well. It really has not been too hard, but I know there are some things that I still have to learn playing a new position.
"I am definitely happy that I am getting more time on the floor toward the end of the season. I would say it is due to my hard work because I was new to the position and I just had to change a few things. I guess I'm finally ready to step up and play a new role."
Forde's role as a member of the UCF volleyball team will only grow and expand as her career as a Knight moves forward, and if the past four years have been any indication, she is destined for big things.