Estella Weeks
My Stories
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Biography
Estella Weeks is a junior at the University of Utah studying communications with an emphasis in journalism. Through the journalism program, she has constructed a team and environment where she is exploring broad regions of media. Her internships with KSL NewsRadio, The Daily Utah Chronicle and Friends For Sight have broadened her understanding of potential career paths. While there is not a specific career aligned with her education, Weeks could see herself in social media marketing, nonprofit development, public/community relations or other writing-related fields. In her time away from school, internships and work, she enjoys hot yoga, rating movies and spending time with family and friends.
Reporter's Notebook
What is LOVB Pro?
LOVBPro is a newly founded professional indoor women’s volleyball league that was founded in October 2021. LOVB started as a string of youth volleyball clubs across the United States with the goal of creating a club-to-professional pipeline for volleyball players. LOVBPro has six teams in the United States: Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Omaha and most recently Salt Lake City. The creation of LOVBPro includes 11 founding athletes, two of which are joining us today and playing in the Salt Lake City league.
Setting My Expectations
The chances of setting up interviews with Olympic gold medal athletes and founders of a brand-new professional league, felt slim to none. I sent out numerous emails and after a few weeks of waiting, I didn't hear back from anyone. I was prepared to cold call the LOVB SLC practice facilities to ask for contact that would get me closer to an interview when I suddenly received an email asking what the timeline for my story was.
I walked into Club V Sports, the team's practice facility, in North Salt Lake on a particularly snowy Tuesday in March. The sound of tennis shoes squeaking and coaches shouting filled the air. I sat on the cold metal bleachers and watched the team rally.
One by one, they left the gym and made their way to the weight room where they danced around the machines. I sat on a bench, avoiding the weighted medicine balls being thrown, and interviewed Jordyn Poulter. Then I met Haleigh Washington back out on the bleachers for her interview.
Even after all the research leading up to my interview, there was an entire side to this sport I knew nothing about. If you want to play the sport professionally you must go to Europe where they may pay you fairly, but you have to endure physical and mental hardships. Washington sat there and told me about the circumstances in Italy and how these experiences have shaped the way they have created LOVB Pro. The passion these women have for changing the ecosystem of women’s volleyball in the United States was palpable, and I think they are making great strides in doing so.
Am I a LOVB Pro Super Fan Now?
With a leadership team made up of over 50% women, the league has been made by women for women. It's also clear that they are roping in on their target audience. At the last match of the inaugural season, the crowd was filled with younger women and girls. There was a friendship bracelet station and poster coloring table right outside each gym door. The energy was inviting, and friendly. The teams also weren't rivals, they were just incredible professional athletes wanting to put out their best game.
I was inside a small vintage shop and a stack of newspapers was sitting by the register. The front cover story read “LOVB brings professional volleyball to Salt Lake-Bump, Set, Spike.” I grabbed the newspaper and read the story.
I can't wait for LOVB Pro’s future. By writing this story and all the interviewing and research that came with it, I have been introduced to a whole other world. I look forward to the expansion of the league and closely watching Poulter and Washingtons journey.