What happens when a small-town multi-sport kid blows out both ACLs before college—and still ends up a D1 middle?
Episode Summary
Adam sits down with NIU middle blocker Rylea Alvin, a 6'2" “Big Dog” in the weight room who didn’t even like volleyball at first and then tore both ACLs in high school. She walks through growing up a swimmer and hooper in tiny Randolph, Wisconsin, missing a state title run from the bench, and then choosing to live in the weight room instead of feeling sorry for herself.
From there, the two get into what actually carries over for female volleyball players: strength numbers that matter, what “court strong” looks like, and why being built is an advantage, not a problem. They also tackle creatine myths, off-season vs. constant club play, and how measurable progress under the bar feeds confidence when practices and matches aren’t great.
You’ll Learn:
- How two ACL tears in high school pushed Rylea into the weight room and reshaped how she thinks about sport.
- Why years of consistent lifting did more for her vertical, swing, and confidence than just adding more volleyball.
- The gap between looking strong in the rack and actually being stronger, faster, and more explosive on the court.
- Why female athletes need to stop worrying about being “too bulky” and start chasing durability and power.
- How simple creatine use (5g a day, lots of water) fits into long-term strength and joint health for women.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Intro & who is Rylea
02:30 Small-town Wisconsin, swimming and basketball roots
07:10 Finding volleyball and making Milwaukee Sting’s top team
13:40 First ACL tear, missing a state title, and getting cleared
20:30 Second ACL tear, rough surgery, and living in the weight room
28:50 Falling in love with lifting and earning the “Big Dog” nickname
36:20 Girls in the weight room, body image, and wanting to be built
43:30 Strength benchmarks, vertical, and court performance
50:10 Creatine myths, dosing, and getting teammates on board
55:30 Mindset, using setbacks as fuel, and looking ahead at NIU
Memorable Quotes
“You never really know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you’ve got.”
“I’ve probably spent more time in the weight room than I have on the court—and that’s why I play the way I do now.”
“Girls say, ‘I don’t want big arms or big quads.’ I’m like, I want it all. I want to be strong and I want people to know I’m an athlete.”
“Sometimes you can’t do it today. Maybe not tomorrow. But if you keep working your face off for months and years, that’s where it shows up.”
“When stuff doesn’t go my way, it fuels my fire. Tell me I can’t, and I’m going to work ten times harder so I can turn around and say, ‘See, I just did that.’”
Resources Mentioned
NIU Volleyball – Northern Illinois University Huskies Women’s Volleyball
Oak Performance / Oak Strength – Training home base for the show and many of the athletes discussed
Sparta Science – Earlier force plate system Adam used for jump and force profiling
Hawkin Dynamics – Current force plate setup used for testing jumps and outputs
Connect with the Guest
Rylea Alvin – NIU Volleyball
Profile: https://niuhuskies.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/rylea-alvin/18296
Instagram: @ryleaalvin
Team Instagram: @niuvolley
About the Podcast
Oak Performance Radio, hosted by Adam Lane, is about what it really takes to perform at a high level. Training, preparation, and decision-making get broken down through real athletes, real coaches, and real experiences—on the field, in the weight room, and in everyday life.
Listen & Subscribe
Subscribe to Oak Performance Radio and send this episode to a player or coach who still thinks talent can cover for weak training, bad recovery, and sloppy habits.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakperformancelab
Instagram: @oakperformance
