UCFAthletics.com
With the first official day of practice just around the corner, members of the women's basketball team are taking a break from their busy schedules to provide a glimpse into their lives. In this tipoff edition Q&A, sophomore guard Leo Montalvo discusses what initially drew her into playing basketball, what movie genre she can't get enough of, and her decision to play for her hometown school.
Rumor has it you are a Lord of the Rings and Star Wars fan. What do you like about those movies?
"I've grown up watching Star Wars because my family is really big into Star Wars. I really love Sci-Fi. I also like war movies, and Lord of the Rings is a war movie. Both of them are just the typical good vs. evil stories."
Have you ever dressed up to go see one of the films in movie theaters?
"I haven't dressed up - I'm not that big of a fanatic. But for Halloween when I was 10 years old I was Frodo. I'm guilty of that."
You go by Leo but your full name is Leonella. Are you named after anyone?
"My great-grandmother on my dad's side had passed away a week before I was born. Her name was Leonor. They wanted to name me Leonor but my mom hated it so she changed the ending. So that's how my name came to be."
You're originally from Orlando. What is it about the town and UCF that made you want to stay here to play basketball and work on your degree?
"I'm extremely family oriented. I have a 5-year-old brother, a 4-year-old sister and a brother who is a year younger than I. I didn't want to leave them at all. I love the fact that they can come to all my games. I've been coming to UCF camps as a 6- and 7-year-old so I saw the campus grow. I pictured myself wanting to go to a school that I would go to even if I didn't play basketball. So much of your time is devoted to basketball, but you also need time devoted to school. If I wouldn't have played basketball, I would have chosen UCF anyway. I love basketball and I saw this school grow so this was my only choice."
What is your dream job? "I'm majoring in health sciences. I want to be an occupational therapist. I want to help with kids who have special needs."
How did you get your start in basketball? "I started when I was 6. My dad played basketball professionally when he was young in Puerto Rico. When I was younger I was into running, which is weird because now when you say, 'Run a sprint,' I don't want to do that. I remember watching a basketball game with my dad one day and I said, `Dad I want to play that sport.' He asked me why and I said, 'Well they run a lot and I love to run.' My dad was excited because he played, so he would constantly take me out to play. I would always ask him to work out with me."
The first of 18 home games is on Friday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. How do you feel about playing so many games at UCF arena this year?
"I'm excited. I enjoyed traveling last year because it was a new experience, but more home games means we get to rest more. We won't have to worry about sleeping on the plane. And more of my family can come see the games."
