Q&A: Turlock setter Julia Handy and her unstoppable Rage

On the court, Julia Handy is sure-handed and confident. The 15-year-old’s voice booms in the huddle, keeping the Rage Gabe 15-1 volleyball team’s emotions in check, its focus pointed.

On a Segway PT, though, Handy is clumsy, sometimes out of control, and a risk to those around her. Just ask her brother.

One day after leading the Rage to its first Junior National Open Division gold medal, Handy, the tournament’s MVP, found herself touring New Orleans’ French Quarter with her family on Segway PTs.

While Handy and the Rage used speed to their advantage, ripping through the tournament’s toughest bracket with a 10-2 record, speed was no friend of hers on a Segway.

Handy crashed her two-wheeled vehicle, ramming into the back of her brother, who wasn’t injured. It all made for a good laugh, and another moment in a memorable trip to the Big Easy.

“It was fun. I accidentally bumped over my brother, and his Segway ran over him,” she said. “Yeah, I’m not very good on a Segway.”

Handy is an undeniable talent on the court, though, and The Bee caught up with her to discuss the gold-medal moment before she departed for a camp at the University of Washington.

The Rage won its final three matches at the Junior National in three sets and staved off Southern California nemesis San Gabriel Elite Roshambo 18-25, 25-16, 20-18 in the final.

Q: When the match was finally won and your team dived on the floor in celebration, what was that moment like?

A: As you probably know, we fought off five match points. It was going back and forth, back and forth. When she hit ball in net, I was like, “It’s over, we won.” It was so exciting, like: “Wow, everything this season paid off. All the teams we beat, all the work we put in … we won.”

Q: What allowed this team, devoid of any height and a permanent practice facility, to win an Open Division gold?

A: Most of us have been together for two or three years now. Our core came together last year. Losing the (2014 Junior National Open Division) championship, we had that drive. We weren’t going to give up until we got back to the championship match. We all accepted our role. If we played just three rotations, we knew our role. We trusted each other and we played for each other. I wasn’t going to let a ball fall because I knew that the girl next to me wasn’t going to let a ball fall.

Q: Has it hit you yet – that Julia Handy from Turlock, California, is a Junior National champion?

A: It’s definitely surreal. I came home and haven’t stopped looking at the medal and plaque. I still can’t believe it. When we were getting our medals, it was a dream. ... We had that mindset. We had to keep winning. In the championship, we were going to leave it all on the court.

Q: If everyone knows their role, what was yours?

A: My role is to give my hitters the best ball possible. All season long, my coach has been telling me to be a leader, to step up in big situations in big games. As a setter, you have to lead your team and be their role model. If we lost a point, you have to be like: “We’re OK. We’ll get the next one.” I never gave up and kept fighting. I had to be the example.

Q: I have soft hands, reporter’s hands, really. Could I make a good setter?

A: There are things that make a great setter. I’m talkative on the court, always talking to my teammates: “Be ready, be ready. ... You’re going to get a kill right now. ... We’re going to get sideout.” I’m also very consistent (emotionally), never too high, never too low. In those big games, someone needs to step up. It’s about being a leader and not crumbling under pressure.

Q: You’ve been to the finals two years in a row and now own the moniker “national champion.” What does the Rage need to do to keep its spot on top?

A: We’re not the biggest team out there (the Rage’s tallest player is Enochs 6-footer Rachael Martin), so we’ll have to run our offense even faster. That’s the only way to beat big teams. Speed is a big thing. ... I think we found a good group and we’ve obviously done something right, so we need to stick together.

Q: What has the response been like since you’ve been home? Do you get a lot of “Hey, champ!” around town?

A: I’ve got a lot of text messages from friends. Some friends from Turlock and teammates from high school have been making me signs. Family has been like, “Good job.” It felt like everyone was watching, so we wanted to win it for everyone. We could feel all their support.

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Q&A: Turlock setter Julia Handy and her unstoppable Rage."