Q&A with Phil Fuchs

Badger Region Volleyball had the special opportunity to catch up with Phil Fuchs, a sophomore outside hitter at No. 3-ranked Brigham Young University (BYU). 

For the former Wisconsinite, volleyball more than just some sport he plays. It's his passion. And it's inspiring to hear him talk about the game he loves.

BR: What got you started playing volleyball?

FUCHS: I didn’t touch a volleyball till I was around 13 or 14. I was actually at a church building one time while my dad was playing volleyball. He hit a ball so hard that it bounced and hit me in the face. I was around nine at that time and vowed I would never play. I was all about basketball when I was younger. Then, when I was around 13, my mom became a church volleyball coach and we (my sisters and I) all got exposed to volleyball. I realized I really liked the sport.

BR: What was the first team that you played on?

FUCHS: I played on my first real club team when I was about 15.  I lived in Utah when I was a kid, and played for Twin Peaks, my first club team, when I was 16. When we moved to Wisconsin, I started playing club for North Shore.

BR: When did it click that you could play volleyball at the next level?

FUCHS: When I played in Utah and went to that first club team, my coach was working with a pretty rag-tag group of guys. He always told us we could go places with volleyball and that we could do take this and really go with it. I took that to heart. Once I started playing, I always thought I could go and do it. I knew my dad had played a little bit at BYU before I was born too, so it was in my head. It really clicked I could play in college after my first camp at BYU between my sophomore and junior years of high school. At that camp, I was moved to the  top court and realized it was the court where they put the guy they were looking at. It just connected. I realized that I was one of those guys and could be one of their players.

BR: Once you realized you could play in college, what made you pick BYU?

FUCHS: During November of my senior year, I got a phone call from BYU that completely surprised me. I always knew I wanted to go there. I had been to their camps but just hadn’t really had a chance to send in any video at that point.  During that phone call, they offered me a small scholarship. They were under sanction at that point, so it had to be small. I called back and said yes on the spot. I am super lucky and still consider that one of the huge blessings of my life.

BR: Volleyball seems to run in your family. How has that influenced your career?

FUCHS: The driving force for me in volleyball is the fact that my parents played. When my mom and my dad immigrated to America from Brazil, they went to BYU. Because my dad was a foreign student, he received academic scholarship money. He had to maintain very high grades to keep the scholarship, and was also working fulltime. He walked onto the volleyball team anyway. Back in Brazil, they would say that if you leave for two years, you can’t play professionally. But he was able to play at BYU. While he was still at BYU, my mom got pregnant with me. The bills went up and he had to work more than he was. He couldn’t risk his grades dropping and losing his academic scholarship, so he had to let go of volleyball. I have never thought of it as my fault, but I always see my playing at BYU as finishing what my dad started. Because of that, I work twice as hard.

BR: Your two sisters both play volleyball as well. Are you pretty involved in their careers?

FUCHS: We are a tight-knit group. Mel, player her senior high school season this year here in Utah, and I was able to be at all of the games. They are living about 15 minutes away. Her team actually won state this year and it was a magical season for her that I got to be a part of.  I had to miss Becca’s high school season because I was away on my two-year mission and wasn’t able to see her play much. I did go to a lot of her college games. Mel will be playing in Michigan next year. That will be a little bit harder to make but I will do what I can. I’ve actually been very involved in both of their careers.

BR: Your whole family plays outside hitter. Talk about why it’s such a fun position to play.

FUCHS: Outside hitter is my favorite position because you get to be involved in everything. If you are not an outside, you are giving up some responsibility. I love it as a position. You get to be a complete, all-around player who does everything. I just love the idea of getting to be that guy. My least favorite position to play is libero. I would debate whether or not I would even play if I had to play libero!

BR: You’ve done some amazing things so far in your career. What is the best piece of volleyball-related advice you’ve ever heard?

FUCHS: It was actually at a USA HP tryout. The coach told us the story of Phil Eatherton. He started out as a clumsy guy that just worked hard and ended up playing in the Olympics and becoming an elite middle blocker. That story and that sentiment stuck with me. I think I have always seen myself as an underdog and pushed myself harder because of that.  

BR: You’re not much of an underdog anymore! Now that you have reached such an elite level, what is next?

FUCHS: I want to play professional volleyball. That has been a goal for several years now. I am not at all afraid to say that, even though I know I am still a bit of an underdog. As the years pass and I keep improving, I will do it. Ideally, I would love to play in Brazil. Most of our immediate extended family is here in America. When we my parents came to America, most of my aunts and uncles came with. But playing in Brazil would be special. I am Brazilian. That is my culture and my heritage. I am already a citizen, but I want to play there and be a member of their society and have that connection to my heritage. I mean, growing up those Brazilian national team guys were my idols.

BR: Your bio says you speak four languages. What are they and what do you like to do when you aren’t playing volleyball?

FUCHS: I would have to say reading. I like sci-fi books and fantasy books. I could read all day. I don’t read much though unless I am on a break or something, otherwise I would never read for my classes. For the languages, I speak English Portuguese, Samoan and Tongan. I am also currently learning Spanish.

BR: What advice would you give to kids who love volleyball and are trying to figure out what they can do with it.

FUCHS: Volleyball is one of my passions in life. I can’t imagine life without volleyball. If you have the dream, drive and desire, then work for it. Go get it. No matter how long it takes. No matter how hard you have to work for it. And it will be hard. You will get tired, get sore and get injured. Bit if you are doing what you love, there is no substitute for that. Even with the lack of scholarship money. If ­­­­you want to be volleyball player on the boys’ side, it just means you need to do better in the classroom and get academic money.

BR: Is there anything else you want to add that you have learned and discovered through your career?

FUCHS: Going off of that last question, if anyone has ever felt like an underdog, don’t ever let that get the best of you. Never get discouraged and keep going. If you love it, it is worth it. I still feel like an underdog, and I’ve been playing college volleyball for a couple years. You just have to know that there will always be someone better than you, but that can’t stop you. Always keep chasing your dream. You will never, ever regret chasing your dream.