15 years into international career, Jordan Larson on what the bumpy road has taught her: 'I hope you take a chance to really lean in' - Exclusive
Jordan Larson takes a deep breath before she continues, catching herself mid-interview: "I'm going to get emotional," she says, battling back tears. "It's crazy. I don't know why."
She's been asked in an Olympics.com exclusive to record a message to her younger self, the up-and-coming Jordan before she was a three-time Olympic medallist, including gold-medal winner at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 - a bonafide legend in indoor women's volleyball.
"When I look back on my first Olympic experience, I still remember the first time I walked into the gym and the weight that I felt," she said in a one-on-one sitdown last month. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe it.' But then [I told myself], 'Act like you've been here before.' Because you have, you do it every day... it's not different, it's just called the Olympic Games.
"And realising in that moment that while you can embrace the moment; it's not allowing the moment dictate how you go about different things."
After a career's worth of moments, Larson - who considered stepping away after that crowning gold in Tokyo - has only continued to create more, growing her legendary status and looking for more hardware at the coming Olympic Games Paris 2024.
She grabs a tissue in the interview, continuing her message to the Nebraska girl she once was: "Things have turned out okay and, you really dove into the process," she said. "I hope you take a chance to really lean in when times are hard and you've made it, and... just keep grinding. You got this."
Jordan Larson: Olympic gold is 'a culmination of years of hard work'
The emotion comes, in part, from the longevity of the 37-year-old Larson's career, having joined the U.S. national team in 2009 after a standout collegiate effort at the University of Nebraska.
The gold in Tokyo in 2021 came after silver in London 2012 and bronze at Rio 2016, marking a remarkable decade of dominance - including a world title in 2014 and FIVB Nations League golds in each of 2018, 2019 and 2021 - for the USA women.
"Us winning gold in Tokyo, that was culmination of years of hard work," Larson explained, noting it was a first for the U.S. women's team.
"In reality, [a gold medal] is just a snapshot in time. What you remember is the journey that it took to get there. And I think that's a good thing: That if we have so much weight in the pure outcome of what that is, if we kind of detach ourselves from what the results based on what we're trying to put in every day... So falling in love with the process, getting better every single day. You're hoping... knowing that you're putting in the right amount of work to hopefully walk away with what you 'want.'"
It's a work ethos that Larson has tried to embody among her U.S. teammates as they compete among the best programs in the world.
"Over time, we've learned from our failures or shortcomings, what we can do to help us be better," she continued. "And I think culturally we've set a great foundation of what it's like to be a good teammate, how to show up every single day... culture matters. If you can't understand how to work with each other, it doesn't actually feel good. We're trying to cultivate that."
That culture, Larson said, envelopes a system of group and individual improvement, something Olympic teammate Jordyn Poulter echoed in a separate interview with Olympics.com last month.
Added Larson: "I'm constantly evolving," she said. "The new generation is coming in and it's just a different landscape. If I wanted to stick around, I had to figure out how to navigate that space. So, I'm really grateful for how much I've grown; I am a much different player than I was on the national team my first year.
"And I don't take for granted the opportunities that I've had. I know that it's hopefully going to serve me well in whatever I choose to do next."
Why is women's volleyball booming in Nebraska?
Larson grew up in the tiny town of Hooper, Nebraska, with a population of less than 1,000 people. But as most American volleyball fans know, the state of Nebraska supports women's volleyball like nowhere else.
Last year, the university set a global record for attendance at a women's sporting event, with 92,003 fans watching the Huskers beat in-state rival Omaha in a truly momentous moment for female athletics.
Larson was courtside in her role with the team, where she works as an assistant coaach.
"It's simply a unique environment, a unique place," she said of her home state. "Nebraska is really just so special; they just love good volleyball, honestly."
Larson said the team averages 9,000 fans per home game, a sellout, and said the game from last September against Omaha is still being talked about: "It made ripples," she said. "We have always been 'a football school,' but now we're 'a volleyball school,' too. It's the elevation of women's sport."
It's elevated Larson around the world, travelling with the U.S. team internationally, as well as playing club volleyball in Russia, Türkiye, the People's Republic of China and most recently Italy.
"Make sure you have a cup of coffee in Italy like, experience an aperitivo before dinner," she advised. "Or try and have some really nice ramen in Japan with some Wagyu beef, which is fantastic."
Next stop? Baguettes in Paris. And, Larson and her squad hopes, another Olympic medal, too.
TOKYO, JAPAN: Players of Team United States react as they receive their Gold Medals during the Victory Ceremony following the Women's Gold Medal Volleyball match between Brazil and United States on day sixteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena on August 08, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)