The FIU beach volleyball team is now only six weeks away from the start of the 2016 regular season. Each week leading up to the season opener on March 4 at Fort Lauderdale Beach, a different beach player will be featured in this weekly series. This week, Sand Panthers welcomes freshman, Dominique Dodd.
 
Dodd is the stereotypical beach bum. Most players take beach volleyball as a lifestyle more so than just a sport. Dodd takes it further than most.
 
Dominique, who most simply call Dom, began her collegiate career on the hardwood this past season. The freshman represented the Panthers as one of the setters for the indoor team. She played in 27-of-28 matches for the squad, gaining more playing time as the season progressed. On the year, Dodd racked up nearly 300 assists and over 100 digs. She was also one of the leaders in service aces with 18. Dom posted a career-high 41 assists against Middle Tennessee, in a game which she didn't even start. That mark was only one shy of the team high for the entire 2015 season, set by freshman Katie Friesen in the season opener. At the Conference USA Championship Tournament, Dodd posted her first double-double in a tough match against the hosting UTSA.
 
Now that the indoor season is a thing of the past, Dominique is finally in her element. She is happy about her time with the indoor squad so far. She sees the value in her flexibility as a volleyball player.
 
"A lot of coaches say that indoor and sand volleyball don't translate," she explained. "But no matter what, the reps you are getting are going to help you out there. And I think that indoor helped me by mentally training myself."
 
Dominique began playing volleyball about the time she could walk. Growing up in a volleyball family, it isn't much of a surprise, though she admits it was always her choice.

"I have photos in my room of me in a diaper, kicking a volleyball around," she reminisced. "I don't think growing up in my house, I could have done anything other than play volleyball. Not that I was ever pushed to it either. It was always my choice. I was always just drawn to it."
 
Dominique is the daughter of Olympic silver-medalist Mike Dodd. The decorated beach volleyball player has won 75 titles including five Manhattan Beach Open titles. He has represented the U.S. National team and was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame. When asked about the impact her father has had on her life, she began to tear up:
 
"He is my number-one role model. I look to him, not for just volleyball, but for everything. He is my favorite person on the planet. He's honestly my best friend. There aren't words to how happy I am that he is my dad."
 
Mike began coaching Dominique at the age of 15. Prior to that, her mother, Patty who also played on tour, taught her the game of volleyball.
 
"I am really lucky," Dodd admitted. "They are incredible parents. They support me through everything. Even if I had chosen not to play volleyball, I know they would've supported me."
 
The California native is now fighting for a spot in the top-10, but embraces other roles. Dominique knows that the odds of her playing this season are against her. She does, however, intend to grow throughout the year and gain experience for the future. She is grateful for her opportunity and looks to help cheer her teammates on. Dodd is naturally talented on the sand. It's clear to see. Time will prove to be her best friend. Reps with such great teammates will make her a player to be reckoned with before long.
 
Dominique is currently studying sociology, but intends to work in real-estate. Her goal is to play professionally upon graduation. She is also secretly kind of a nerd. We're not talking school nerd here. This is more like into superheroes and Harry Potter and Star Trek kind of a nerd. It's a side of her you wouldn't typically expect until you really got to know her well.
 
Finishing up her first year at FIU, Dom reflects on her time back in California. Originally from Manhattan Beach, Dom calls Hermosa home.
 
"I love it and I miss it every day," she said. "I love it here, but it is nothing compared to my home. I have been lucky enough to see a lot of places around the world, not just because of volleyball, but with my family. And still nothing, to me, will be able to replace it."
 
Each week on Sand Panthers, featured players are asked one random question, posed by the previous Panther to appear on the weekly series. Likewise, they pose a question, which is to be answered by the next player featured on Sand Panthers (without knowing who it is). Last week, freshman Katie Friesen asked: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
 
Here was Dominique's answer: "I have like 19 places on my list. My first answer, at any time of year, I want to go to India. That's really high up on my list. Other than that, I want to travel to the Olympics to play in it. That would be my number-one place in the world to go and play, wherever it is, whenever it is."
 
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