Q&A with Tobi Farrar

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Freshman Tobi Farrar is a member of the Cavalier volleyball program’s first-ever nationally-ranked recruiting class (No. 15) and has made an impact in her first season with the team. Farrar started 14 matches for the squad before being sidelined due to an injury. She has knocked down 75 kills and collected 21 blocks as a right side and will look to add to those numbers when the team travels to North Carolina this weekend to face the Tar Heels on Friday (5 p.m.) and the Wolfpack on Sunday (1 p.m.)

Question: How has your transition to the college game been?
Farrar: The level you play at in college is a much higher one than any other. The transition for me wasn’t easy. There was a lot to learn. The coaches had many new systems and techniques to teach me. I was nervous to play at first, but after starting in the first few matches I felt more and more comfortable being in the game.

Question: You then suffered an injury that has put you on the sidelines for the last few matches, how hard has that been?
Farrar: It is very hard being injured and on the sideline. I want to be in the action and it’s hard to feel a part of the team on the sideline. All I can do is cheer on my team and encourage them to win. I have learned a few things from being hurt. I watch Coach Maes tell other girls something they did wrong or something they need to do better and I can listen and learn so when I’m back on the court, I won’t be behind and have to be told all these new things again.

Question: You’re currently a right side, but came to Virginia as a middle blocker. Had you ever played right side before?
Farrar: I knew coming in that there was a chance I would be moved to the right side. I had played right side in both high school and in club volleyball my senior year. I love playing right side because my favorite set to hit is a “C”. It is a behind set off one foot.
I’m glad I had played this position in the past because it better prepared me for college.

Question: When did you get started playing volleyball and why did you decide to play?
Farrar: I started playing volleyball in sixth grade. All of my friends had played for a YMCA team for a while and they told me I should join their team. It was so much fun and I caught on quickly. After that I was playing all the time in school and club.

Question: When did you first know you wanted to play volleyball in college?
Farrar: I first knew that I wanted to play volleyball in college after going to watch a college match and seeing it all on TV. I wanted to be one be one of those girls on TV that everyone was talking about. I started playing club and wanted to get better so I could play at the collegiate level.

Question: If you weren’t playing volleyball, would you be doing something else?
Farrar: If I was not playing volleyball, I would probably be playing another sport. Before volleyball, I had spent my years playing softball. I couldn’t see myself doing anything but sports, so if not volleyball it would be softball.