Meet Celeste Plak, volleyball player at the Dutch National Team
We are so proud to introduce you to Celeste Plak! This amazing girl is one of the players of the Dutch Female Volleyball team and she is gonna tell all about being a professional Fit Girl.
1. Why do you like writing for #FITGIRLCODE
I want to give other Fit Girls a peek into my life; how beautiful it can be, but also how tough it can be sometimes.
2. How did your volleyball adventure start?
When I was six years old I started playing volleyball at the local club in my town Tuitjenhorn. Sometimes I participated during selection days, but I never got selected. That changed when I got invited to the Dutch Junior Youth team on my 13th birthday. At first, I didn’t wanna go, but after many discussions I agreed to go. Soon I realized that this wasn’t for me so I quit. After a few months rest, my coach came to visit me and asked me if I wanted to come back. I said yes and since then I really enjoyed myself and never felt unhappy about my decision again.
3. How do you combine your sport career with a ‘normal’ social life?
When I was 14 I started living at sport centre Papendal, I lost contact with a lot of ‘friends’. The ones that stuck with me aren't that many, but I’m okay with that. At least this way I can spend the time I have with my family.
4. What would you like to achieve in your sport career?
Very cliché, but I'd like to go to the Olympics. And beside that, I just hope people enjoy watching my game and maybe even get inspired.
Photography by: Ronald Hoogendoorn
5. Did you have to sacrifice other important things to play volleyball at this level?
I left my parents home at 14, moving from one part to the country to the other (West Friesland to Arnhem). That was a huge step. I left my mum, dad and little brother behind and that was pretty hard. At the time I didn’t realize it all that much, because I was busy all the time. But recently I looked back at this period of my life and thought: “Damn, I really, really missed them!”. It’s pretty intense to leave everything behind when you’ve just started your puberty. Fortunately I had a great life at Papendal and made lots of new friends. It’s made me who I am now and I am sure it was the right choice for me.
6. Who is your sport hero?
Beyoncé, she is a great dancer and singer at the same time. I think that’s considered top class sport as well.
7. Do you have other passions besides playing volleyball?
Chilling on my couch, is a great passion of mine! ☺
8. What are the first three things on your bucket list?
Camp out in nature for a week and find my own food
Salsa lessons with the whole team (that would be so funny)
Go to the States and be part of the daily life.
9. Do you consider yourself to be a good loser? And what impact does losing a game has on your self-confidence?
It depends in what way I lose and from whom. If it is a good opponent during a good game I can make peace with it. But if it's a lame match, with dafts at the other side of the net, I can get pretty pissed off and blunt. Losing a game used to have effect on my self-confidence, but not anymore. I just do my thing now.
Are there any things you would like to ask Celeste? Leave your questions in the comments below!
