Brazilian exchange student Mariana Filipi has adjusted quickly to life at Lehman High and is one of the team’s top volleyball players this season. (Photo by Judy Cooper)

by MARK CAUL

For Lehman High senior outside hitter Mariana Filipi, shifting to a different style of volleyball is something she has picked up relatively quickly.

Adjusting to a new country, learning a new language and adapting to American culture may take a bit longer.

Filipi is a transfer student from the city of Sao Paulo in southern Brazil. Coincidently, her arrival has helped her Lady Lobos surge to a very respectable volleyball record against some pretty stout competition.

After only 10 games, Mariana and her teammates have already exceeded the win total from last season’s rebuilding campaign. First-year head coach Gloria Sandoval believes that Filipi has certainly played a major role in Lehman’s success in the early stages of the season.

“Mariana is an outstanding young lady to coach and she’s such a hard worker,” Sandoval said. “She has been our leader by example this year. She has definitely been our most consistent hitter.”

Lehman High School has proven to be a welcoming ground for exchange students from Germany, Mexico and Spain over the past few years. Many of those students were active in high school athletics in the past and a lot of them have managed to form a lasting bond within the Lobo athletic community.

After she and her parents received positive feedback as to how other students from across the world flourished at Lehman, she was ready to don the blue-and-silver.

“I heard a lot of good things about the school and how nice everybody was,” Filipi said. “I have had so much fun with my teammates and I’m looking forward to helping our team win.”

Another exciting revelation for the 17-year-old senior came upon her arrival in the states when she discovered the adult members of her host family were huge volleyball fans.

In fact, Greg Risner, who had previously coached a pair of Junior Olympic teams back in the late ’80s before embarking on a short head coaching stint at Texas Wesleyan University during the 2000-2001 season, was instrumental in making sure Mariana landed at Lehman.

“My family hosted a few exchange students in the past and it proved to be a very fulfilling experience for my family,” Risner said. “When we saw that Mariana was interested in coming to the states and that she was a volleyball player, and it made the selection process much easier for us.”

Risner, a licensed chiropractor in the Kyle area, also has three elementary-aged children, and will be coaching Mariana on the Austin Juniors, a select team that will begin play upon the conclusion of Lehman’s season in November.

Filipi arrived in the states only a couple of days before Lehman began two-a-days but was an instant hit among her teammates.

“She is an awesome player and I’m glad she’s on our team,” said senior setter Vikki Smith, who has already formed a close bond with Mariana. “She knew that one of the most important people on the floor is the setter. And once we started to click off the court, we started to click on the court.”

Mariana speaks almost fluent English with only the slightest hint of an accent.

“My whole family lived in the states when I was a little younger so I picked up a lot of the language,” Mariana said. “But my teammates have made it very easy for me to communicate with them.”

There are a few differences Filipi has noticed between the two cultures.

“People in Brazil are really warm, so we hug everybody, we kiss on the cheek and everything,” Mariana said. “There are very friendly people here as well. You have your cool people and your not so cool people.”

Food is another change to which Filipi has quickly adapted. She said the food in the United States is a bit different from that in Brazil, but says she has become a fan of local Mexican cuisine.

“I love to eat and the Mexican food is very good here,” Mariana said. “I also like the strawberry milkshakes at Whataburger.”

Although food and culture may differ, Mariana says that she still enjoys using Skype just like at home. By using instant messaging and social networking sites, she is able to communicate with her family and friends in Brazil.

Her twin sister Natalia, who is older by three minutes, is also part of the same exchange program and is currently enrolled at a high school in Ohio.

The Internet isn’t only used for socializing, though. Filipi says that she also uses it to search for information about colleges in hopes of securing a scholarship to play collegiate volleyball. She has already taken an informal visit to nearby Texas State University where she met several players and was introduced to longtime Bobcat volleyball head coach Karen Chisum.

“I have heard a lot of good things about her and it would be a dream of mine to play volleyball in college,” said Filipi, who was on the honor roll in Brazil. “There are a lot of kids in Brazil who have a desire to get an American education. They don’t just want to come here to play volleyball. I mean, it’s a pretty good deal to get an American education.”

Although she has excelled in the states on and off the court, there is one small adjustment that has proven to be a small challenge for Mariana.

“In Brazil, you can be 15 minutes late to anywhere and it’s no big deal,” Mariana said with a laugh. “But here, you have to be on time or you’ll get in trouble.”

But on the court, her timing has been impeccable.

Even though she’s only been a Lobo for less than a month, there is one game she already has marked down on her calendar. A home matchup with rival Hays on September 24.

“We have never beaten them in volleyball, so I think it will be nice to get a chance to help my team accomplish that,” said Mariana. “Most of my team has already told me how important that game is. I’m looking forward to a good season. It’s been a blast so far.”