McLeod and clear

Steve Virgen

There was a time when Chanda McLeod was in the back row, far from

the spotlight that had beamed on her in high school. Chanda felt out

of place. At the University of Arkansas, she could not see the chance

to become the player she thought she could be. So, she transferred.

Now, at UC Irvine, Chanda McLeod appears to be out of place again.

But this time it’s for a different reason, and this time it’s her

choice. McLeod, a senior who has been instrumental in the rebuilding

of the Anteaters’ volleyball program, has been moved from her normal

right outside hitting spot to the left. On the surface, it doesn’t

seem like a reason to feel out of place. But, McLeod is left-handed,

which makes it a rarity to play on the left side. It’s also her third

different position in as many years that she has played while at UCI.

In essence, McLeod has taken a back seat to let her teammates,

such as Kelly Wing and Dana Kurzbard, become the go-to players, so to

speak. And, for them to gain experience.

“It’s been a difficult transition,” said McLeod, a Big West

All-Conference first-team honoree last year. “It’s really hard to be

left-handed and play on the left side. I’m trying to push myself and

gain the confidence that I need to get through it, but it hasn’t been

easy. You don’t see too many lefties on the left side, it’s really

hard to hit over there.”

The Anteaters are young. Real young. McLeod is one of only two

seniors on the squad. Moving to the left side almost seemed like a

priority. Yet this is her senior year. This should be the year when

she goes out with her best performance. She should be the team leader

in kills again. But instead she’s being the team leader. Period.

“I have to do what’s best for the team,” McLeod said. “I knew this

was going to happen eventually. We have people who can come in and

play on the right side, some big, tall girls. I’m kind of like the

utility player and I’m athletic enough to where they can stick me

somewhere and I can be good. It’s not right for me to complain about

it. I’m having a great year. I really have no reason to complain.”

Thus far, McLeod is proving her athleticism with her contributions

this season. She’s second on the team in kills with 163, and she’s

the team’s leader in digs with 168. Further, the Anteaters are 7-6,

1-3 in the Big West, and on their way to a much better season than

last year, when Irvine went 4-23.

The experiences of becoming a leader have been very difficult for

McLeod. Last year’s losing season actually made her a stronger

person, she said.

“I never lost before in my life before I came here,” said McLeod,

who starred at Marina High. “I won two CIF championships and a state

championship in high school; two Davis (Festival) championships. I

came here, and the first year we went 9-20 and then 4-23. It really

opened my eyes and it made me realize that there is more to life than

athletics. I learned that there is more to life than playing the

game. It was a struggle. I think I became a better person and a

better player because of it.”

After her winning ways at Marina, McLeod went through a whirlwind

in her process to find the college she wanted to play for. It turned

out to be a recruiting nightmare. She wanted to go to Texas A&M;, but

she read in the newspaper that a different recruit was offered a

scholarship, and for her to find out through the media led McLeod in

a different direction.

She ended up choosing Arkansas. She enjoyed the lifestyle there:

slow pace, neighborly people and proud tradition. But, volleyball was

not so kind to McLeod.

“I started in my first year, but I played in the back row, and

that was really tough for me,” McLeod said. “I started in the front

all my life, whether it be club or high school. I felt like I proved

myself but I was never going to get the chance because I was being

told I was too short and that I couldn’t jump high enough. That

fueled my fire to prove everybody wrong.”

McLeod set out to transfer to a different college and Irvine was

the perfect fit for one reason: Coach Charlie Brande. He was McLeod’s

club coach for three years and the two had formed an excellent

rapport because they are both so competitive.

“I have tremendous respect for her ability to compete and her

understanding to be successful,” Brande said of McLeod. “There’s a

mutual respect there. She’s a tough cookie. I respect that. That’s a

quality that can make a difference.

“If I can point to one person beside Laura Alford, who has done a

ton with our recruiting, one person who has allowed our rebuilding to

happen is Chanda,” Brande continued. “She was the best player from

the outset. She’s done everything for our team. She had to set when

we needed her to. And, now she’s moving over to the left side. She

was a Big West All-Conference first-team player last year. Chanda has

sacrificed that dominance so that our year is better and in the

future we’ll be better.”

Likewise, Brande has made a big difference in McLeod’s life.

“Charlie has made me the type of player that I am today,” McLeod

said. “He’s brought the best out of me, athletically, and he’s taught

me a lot about life. I’ve learned a lot from his struggles. He’s

really like a father figure to me. Granted, we have our ups and

downs, but we’re so close we’re able to work through it. He’s really

done a lot for me.”

Brande has also been one of several inspirations for McLeod. She

wants to become a teacher and possibly coach after she earns a

college degree in sociology this spring.