Welcome back, everyone. I hope you are staying warm in this cold weather. Even LA is cold right now, by our standards. It is currently raining and gloomy, but thankfully I do not have to go anywhere.
I have news to report before the rumor mill starts turning. Late December, Brooke had surgery to repair her shoulder. It was worse than her doctor thought and a longer recovery period than initially anticipated. She told me that she would be out for a good amount of time. Although she will be out and recovering, I have every confidence in her that she will recover to better than 100% and be stronger and more eager than ever.
Injuries sometimes can be a blessing in disguise. It was for me when I injured my knee 12 years ago. Being forced on the sidelines to painfully watch builds up a hunger in you. It helped me to play smarter rather than harder. Plus, all the painful rehab that is necessary makes you feel tough. Practices no longer felt hard. I had been through serious pain and practice was certainly nothing compared to that pain. I appreciated my health more. People handle situations differently, and it is all in how you perceive what is going on around you. You cannot change what has happened, so it makes more sense to accept it and move forward. I know Brooke will make the most of it. Her best years are still in front of her.
This leads me to announcing my new partner for 2008. I am really excited to partner up and play this season with Holly McPeak. Holly needs no introductions. You all know what a great player she is. I am so excited to learn from her. If you have not noticed, she elevates her partner's game to a level they have not previously reached. I am looking forward to working hard, learning heaps, and having fun kicking butt. It is no secret that Holly is nearing the end of her career. I want to ensure that she has a great season consisting of fun and results. It has always been my dream to play with Holly and now I am. It is going to be a great year.
As soon as the 2008 schedule is released, I will be posting it on my website. I will continue to give you updates from our training. Hopefully this rain passes quickly so we can get back in the dry sand.
Next week I am off to Ixtapa for the South of the Border Volleyball Vacation. I am really looking forward to it and will tell you about it when I return.
All my best... Stay warm,
Angie
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Happy New Year - 2008
I hope you all had a very happy holiday season. I just returned from a long road trip. My husband and I were scheduled to visit our families in Indiana and Miami over the holidays. About 10 days before our scheduled departure, I got a phone call with an invitation to play in Mr. Peter Nygard's Bahamas weekend get-a-way tournament at Nygard Cay. I had never been to the Bahamas before, so I jumped at the opportunity. Before we knew it, Jeremy and I were on our way to the Bahamas to jump start our Christmas vacation.
Mr. Nygard is an avid beach volleyball fan. He started playing the sport 3 years ago and, like so many others, has fallen in love with it. He decided to invite several of his friends that play recreational volleyball as well as 5 men and 3 women Pros to travel down to his private island and play volleyball for 4 days. (Yes, I did say "his private island!")
It was absolutely amazing. The "house" or resort is enormous. It reminded me of an ancient Mayan, Robinson Caruso house. In case that doesn't make any sense to you, I will be posting pictures from my trip in my galleries very soon so that you can check it out for yourself.
While we were there, the Travel Channel was also there filming. They will air an episode sometime soon featuring Nygard Cay and you can bet you will see us playing volleyball and hanging around.
I will let the photos speak for themselves. We had a wonderful time, but were anxious to continue on our travels to see our families and spend Christmas in the cold again.
We left the warmth of the Bahamas for Indiana where we were welcomed by 8 inches of snow on the ground. Our time there was very fun and relaxing. We watched movies, played games, ate my mom's home cooked meals, and spent time with my family. It was really nice for me to be back home with no particular agenda, except to torture my parents with my workouts everyday. They were very admirable in their efforts! In fact, I think they are continuing to do the workouts even now! Good for them!
After 10 great days in Indiana, we packed up and continued with our travels to Miami, our last stop. We were relieved to get off the plane and feel the warmth of the South Florida air. We spent 6 days with Jeremy's family, celebrating our second Christmas of the year and New Years. We had a terrific time there enjoying the warm weather. We ate meals outside, swam in the warm ocean, laid on the beach, met up with friends, ate some great meals, and were introduced to Joe's Stone Crabs. We spent a quiet New Years Eve with some family and friends and watched the fireworks from a rooftop deck.
Every stop of our holiday travels was really nice. We are finally back at home in California after the 3 weeks of travel. I started my workouts again and will be hitting the beach for the first time this week. We are home for 3 weeks and then we travel again. This time to Ixtapa, Mexico for the South of the Border Volleyball Vacation. If you are interested in finding out more about this trip, check out www.sobvolleyballvacations.com. I hope to see you there!
All my best for 2008!
Peace, Health, and Happiness!
Angie
Mr. Nygard is an avid beach volleyball fan. He started playing the sport 3 years ago and, like so many others, has fallen in love with it. He decided to invite several of his friends that play recreational volleyball as well as 5 men and 3 women Pros to travel down to his private island and play volleyball for 4 days. (Yes, I did say "his private island!")
It was absolutely amazing. The "house" or resort is enormous. It reminded me of an ancient Mayan, Robinson Caruso house. In case that doesn't make any sense to you, I will be posting pictures from my trip in my galleries very soon so that you can check it out for yourself.
While we were there, the Travel Channel was also there filming. They will air an episode sometime soon featuring Nygard Cay and you can bet you will see us playing volleyball and hanging around.
I will let the photos speak for themselves. We had a wonderful time, but were anxious to continue on our travels to see our families and spend Christmas in the cold again.
We left the warmth of the Bahamas for Indiana where we were welcomed by 8 inches of snow on the ground. Our time there was very fun and relaxing. We watched movies, played games, ate my mom's home cooked meals, and spent time with my family. It was really nice for me to be back home with no particular agenda, except to torture my parents with my workouts everyday. They were very admirable in their efforts! In fact, I think they are continuing to do the workouts even now! Good for them!
After 10 great days in Indiana, we packed up and continued with our travels to Miami, our last stop. We were relieved to get off the plane and feel the warmth of the South Florida air. We spent 6 days with Jeremy's family, celebrating our second Christmas of the year and New Years. We had a terrific time there enjoying the warm weather. We ate meals outside, swam in the warm ocean, laid on the beach, met up with friends, ate some great meals, and were introduced to Joe's Stone Crabs. We spent a quiet New Years Eve with some family and friends and watched the fireworks from a rooftop deck.
Every stop of our holiday travels was really nice. We are finally back at home in California after the 3 weeks of travel. I started my workouts again and will be hitting the beach for the first time this week. We are home for 3 weeks and then we travel again. This time to Ixtapa, Mexico for the South of the Border Volleyball Vacation. If you are interested in finding out more about this trip, check out www.sobvolleyballvacations.com. I hope to see you there!
All my best for 2008!
Peace, Health, and Happiness!
Angie
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Itaparica, Brazil
I just returned from an amazingly wonderful, short trip to Itaparica, Brazil. It is a very small island off Salvadore. I was there with Holly McPeak to play in an exhibition match against the Brazilian team of Ana Paula and Leila.
From the moment we landed, we were treated wonderfully. We were brought to the island by helicopter and greeted at the Club Med where we stayed with coconuts with straws in them. It was heavenly. We were to play an exhibition match the next day, so we had about 24 hours to acclimate. We practiced for a bit to get our legs moving and blood pumping.
Then we played 4 on 4 and 6 on 6 with some of the other patrons of the Club Med. It was great fun. We taught the models that were there for a fashion show how to play. They were great sports and we had a good time with them.
The exhibition match was great. Neither side of the court was all that sharp, so it was a very close match. Each game was decided by just 2 points. We won the first game, lost the second, and then came back to win the third game. The crowd was really into it. Several people told us afterward that they were not sure if beach volleyball was like tennis where you have to be quiet. So after each point, there would be cheering and then you would hear the crowd go "shhhhhhh!!!" just as someone was about to serve.
After we won, we had the rest of the time to enjoy ourselves and mingle with the guests. They were so nice and treated us so well. We were spoiled. We got complimentary hair conditioning treatments, excellent authentic Brazilian food, several coconuts, and lots of great people to converse with. I even took my chances on the trapeze swing! It was great fun, but boy was I nervous.
All in all, it was the perfect little volleyball excursion in early December. Now that I am home, I start my workouts in the gym with Brooke. She is 3 weeks ahead of me, so I have some catching up to do. Thank goodness I love hard work!
FYI - I posted a few pictures from my recent trip to Hong Kong on my website. There are a few in the main Gallery and even more in the Members Only Gallery. Check them out.
Happy Holidays to you all!
Angie
From the moment we landed, we were treated wonderfully. We were brought to the island by helicopter and greeted at the Club Med where we stayed with coconuts with straws in them. It was heavenly. We were to play an exhibition match the next day, so we had about 24 hours to acclimate. We practiced for a bit to get our legs moving and blood pumping.
Then we played 4 on 4 and 6 on 6 with some of the other patrons of the Club Med. It was great fun. We taught the models that were there for a fashion show how to play. They were great sports and we had a good time with them.
The exhibition match was great. Neither side of the court was all that sharp, so it was a very close match. Each game was decided by just 2 points. We won the first game, lost the second, and then came back to win the third game. The crowd was really into it. Several people told us afterward that they were not sure if beach volleyball was like tennis where you have to be quiet. So after each point, there would be cheering and then you would hear the crowd go "shhhhhhh!!!" just as someone was about to serve.
After we won, we had the rest of the time to enjoy ourselves and mingle with the guests. They were so nice and treated us so well. We were spoiled. We got complimentary hair conditioning treatments, excellent authentic Brazilian food, several coconuts, and lots of great people to converse with. I even took my chances on the trapeze swing! It was great fun, but boy was I nervous.
All in all, it was the perfect little volleyball excursion in early December. Now that I am home, I start my workouts in the gym with Brooke. She is 3 weeks ahead of me, so I have some catching up to do. Thank goodness I love hard work!
FYI - I posted a few pictures from my recent trip to Hong Kong on my website. There are a few in the main Gallery and even more in the Members Only Gallery. Check them out.
Happy Holidays to you all!
Angie
Friday, November 9, 2007
No More Volleyball, but Lots of Fun
By pure luck of the draw, we had to play the other American team in the qualifier. It was very unfortunate because the level of play is not quite equivalent to the AVP. I strongly feel that both teams would have made a strong run of it if we did not have to face each other. As it turned out, we lost in a tight match, 18-21, 23-25.
So instead of sulking around, we decided to make the most of this trip and see all of Hong Kong. We still have 2 days left, but we have already seen many of the famous places. We went to the giant Buddha, which is 39 meters high sitting on the top of a mountain. It is a stunning sight. Then we shopped at the famous "Ladies' Market" in Mong Kok finding all sorts of great things. We also took the tram to the top of the Victoria Peak and took in the beautiful night scenery of Hong Kong. It is breath taking.
We have not yet decided what we will do today, but it is bound to be fun and exciting. I am really enjoying Hong Kong and all it has to offer.
It is so exciting to see another part of the world and experience their culture. This is definitely a place I would like to come back to.
That's all for now.
Angie
So instead of sulking around, we decided to make the most of this trip and see all of Hong Kong. We still have 2 days left, but we have already seen many of the famous places. We went to the giant Buddha, which is 39 meters high sitting on the top of a mountain. It is a stunning sight. Then we shopped at the famous "Ladies' Market" in Mong Kok finding all sorts of great things. We also took the tram to the top of the Victoria Peak and took in the beautiful night scenery of Hong Kong. It is breath taking.
We have not yet decided what we will do today, but it is bound to be fun and exciting. I am really enjoying Hong Kong and all it has to offer.
It is so exciting to see another part of the world and experience their culture. This is definitely a place I would like to come back to.
That's all for now.
Angie
Monday, November 5, 2007
Hong Kong
I arrived last night in Hong Kong after a 14 hour direct flight from LAX. The flight was uneventful, but very long. I stayed awake the entire time so that I would not have troubles sleeping when I arrived. Hong Kong is 16 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. We left LAX at noon on Sunday and arrived into Hong Kong at 7:30PM on Monday.
I was exhausted upon arrival, but forged through until we got to our hotel at 9:15PM. I went to bed right away and had no problem sleeping the night through. We woke up early and had breakfast, then went to the site and practiced for an hour.
The accommodations here are great. The people are very friendly, our hotel is very nice, the food is excellent with a large range of choices, and the site is a 2 minute walk away. We are not playing on a beach, but in a park with 2 courts set up. The sand is great, the stadium is nice, and all is good.
After we practiced, Chrissy and I decided to check out the famous Hong Kong shopping. We went to a high rise department store and walked around a bit. Next we plan to find the open air markets and shop for the "touristy" stuff.
We have meetings tonight and then the qualifier is tomorrow. I am looking forward to playing! It feels like its been so long since the season ended. We just have to remember to be patient because we are not in "in season" shape. In fact, I am in "out of season" shape. Oh well. More than anything, we want to have a good time and do the best we can.
I am excited to be here in Hong Kong and feel so thankful that I am blessed with my abilities to play beach volleyball and have these amazing opportunities to see different parts of the world. Life is good.
All my best,
Angie
I was exhausted upon arrival, but forged through until we got to our hotel at 9:15PM. I went to bed right away and had no problem sleeping the night through. We woke up early and had breakfast, then went to the site and practiced for an hour.
The accommodations here are great. The people are very friendly, our hotel is very nice, the food is excellent with a large range of choices, and the site is a 2 minute walk away. We are not playing on a beach, but in a park with 2 courts set up. The sand is great, the stadium is nice, and all is good.
After we practiced, Chrissy and I decided to check out the famous Hong Kong shopping. We went to a high rise department store and walked around a bit. Next we plan to find the open air markets and shop for the "touristy" stuff.
We have meetings tonight and then the qualifier is tomorrow. I am looking forward to playing! It feels like its been so long since the season ended. We just have to remember to be patient because we are not in "in season" shape. In fact, I am in "out of season" shape. Oh well. More than anything, we want to have a good time and do the best we can.
I am excited to be here in Hong Kong and feel so thankful that I am blessed with my abilities to play beach volleyball and have these amazing opportunities to see different parts of the world. Life is good.
All my best,
Angie
Friday, October 19, 2007
AVP Awards Banquet
Last night was the AVP Awards Banquet. It was a great night for the players as we celebrated the end of another season and recognized those athletes that stood out in their categories.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were recognized as the Team of the Year, (NO SURPRISES THERE!) Misty swept the house for the second straight year in the categories of Best Offense, Best Defense, and MVP. Jenny Kropp won the Rookie of the Year Award and April Ross won the Most Improved Award.
I don't think there were any surprises, however, I really wish that the MVP Award could have gone to both Misty and Kerri. Players are allowed to vote for one person, so voting for the both of them was not an option for anyone.
Obviously, Misty deserves every award she gets, but I was really pulling for Brooke to get the Best Defense Award. Because I play with her, I get to see all of her amazing defensive plays up close and personal. I cannot tell you how many times this year I was just dumbfounded at the amazing plays that she would make over and over. The scary thing is that she had a bad knee all year. She just had it fixed and I am so excited to see how much better she can get when she is all healthy! It could be scary.
Another tournament popped up on my radar. I decided to make plans to go to Hong Kong for the FIVB Satellite Event. Brooke and I had planned on going together, but with her knee surgery, she decided it probably was not in her best interest to push it after just 7 weeks recovery. I think that was the right decision. I see no need rushing back in the off season, risking a re injury. I decided to still go and will be playing with Chrissy Zartman. I think Chrissy is a great player and I know we will have a lot of fun. We will not be training much for the event, as it is supposed to be our off season and rest time. However I have been playing once or twice a week, just for fun, helping out Rachel and Tyra as they get ready for the last FIVB event in Thailand. The weather has been so fantastic that I just cannot pass up the opportunity!
Speaking of weather, a heat wave is heading our way for next week! It is the middle of October and the temperatures are predicted to be 85 at the beach and 102 inland! I cannot believe it. I will have to schedule a lot of outdoor activities at the beach next week!
That is all for now. Have a great weekend!
Angie
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were recognized as the Team of the Year, (NO SURPRISES THERE!) Misty swept the house for the second straight year in the categories of Best Offense, Best Defense, and MVP. Jenny Kropp won the Rookie of the Year Award and April Ross won the Most Improved Award.
I don't think there were any surprises, however, I really wish that the MVP Award could have gone to both Misty and Kerri. Players are allowed to vote for one person, so voting for the both of them was not an option for anyone.
Obviously, Misty deserves every award she gets, but I was really pulling for Brooke to get the Best Defense Award. Because I play with her, I get to see all of her amazing defensive plays up close and personal. I cannot tell you how many times this year I was just dumbfounded at the amazing plays that she would make over and over. The scary thing is that she had a bad knee all year. She just had it fixed and I am so excited to see how much better she can get when she is all healthy! It could be scary.
Another tournament popped up on my radar. I decided to make plans to go to Hong Kong for the FIVB Satellite Event. Brooke and I had planned on going together, but with her knee surgery, she decided it probably was not in her best interest to push it after just 7 weeks recovery. I think that was the right decision. I see no need rushing back in the off season, risking a re injury. I decided to still go and will be playing with Chrissy Zartman. I think Chrissy is a great player and I know we will have a lot of fun. We will not be training much for the event, as it is supposed to be our off season and rest time. However I have been playing once or twice a week, just for fun, helping out Rachel and Tyra as they get ready for the last FIVB event in Thailand. The weather has been so fantastic that I just cannot pass up the opportunity!
Speaking of weather, a heat wave is heading our way for next week! It is the middle of October and the temperatures are predicted to be 85 at the beach and 102 inland! I cannot believe it. I will have to schedule a lot of outdoor activities at the beach next week!
That is all for now. Have a great weekend!
Angie
Monday, October 8, 2007
I'm BACK!
The last few weeks have been great. I was able to spend some time with family and friends in Indiana, catch up on some rest and relaxation, as well as start tackling some chores around the house.
Going back to the Midwest was nice. We watched the Cubs beat the Pirates 13-8 at Wrigley Field, watched Michigan State beat up on our Irish at Notre Dame (BOO- that was not so nice!), and had lots of fun at my parents' lake house riding jet skis and tubing. The weather was fantastic! I got to eat my mom's cooking and had no dietary restrictions (which means YES, I ATE THE TURTLE BROWNIES!) Now I am back home and getting used to life in the off-season.
October is so beautiful here in LA. The skies are blue, the days are warm, and the nights are crisp. It is my favorite time of year here. I try to wake up around 7 every morning to start my day. I like to go to the beach for a run and swim in the ocean. Then I come home and start working.
For now, most of my work is all catch up. I have accumulated several piles around my house that are in need of organization. I intend to tackle each one and get organized. Besides that, I am on a committee with USA Volleyball where we are working to put a new Board of Directors in place. Lastly, I am trying to put together some new things for angieakers.com. There are lots of things to keep me busy this off season. I do not think I will get bored.
As for my workouts, I am taking time away from volleyball. I have not played since San Francisco. I do not plan to start playing again until the middle of November. My workouts are pretty relaxed right now. I am doing cardio, lots of stretching, some light lifting, and that is about it!
I will not be writing as much in the next few weeks, simply because there will not be much to write about. If something momentous happens, I will be sure to let you know. A few people have emailed me asking about the AVP Winter Tour. As soon as I know anything, I will be sure to write a post and let you know.
Thank you for continuing to read! I wish you all the best and hope you are enjoying life!
Angie
PS - Check out my sister's commercial debut! http://www.nike.com/g1/eu/index.jhtml?lang=1,1 She is the fast female runner!
Going back to the Midwest was nice. We watched the Cubs beat the Pirates 13-8 at Wrigley Field, watched Michigan State beat up on our Irish at Notre Dame (BOO- that was not so nice!), and had lots of fun at my parents' lake house riding jet skis and tubing. The weather was fantastic! I got to eat my mom's cooking and had no dietary restrictions (which means YES, I ATE THE TURTLE BROWNIES!) Now I am back home and getting used to life in the off-season.
October is so beautiful here in LA. The skies are blue, the days are warm, and the nights are crisp. It is my favorite time of year here. I try to wake up around 7 every morning to start my day. I like to go to the beach for a run and swim in the ocean. Then I come home and start working.
For now, most of my work is all catch up. I have accumulated several piles around my house that are in need of organization. I intend to tackle each one and get organized. Besides that, I am on a committee with USA Volleyball where we are working to put a new Board of Directors in place. Lastly, I am trying to put together some new things for angieakers.com. There are lots of things to keep me busy this off season. I do not think I will get bored.
As for my workouts, I am taking time away from volleyball. I have not played since San Francisco. I do not plan to start playing again until the middle of November. My workouts are pretty relaxed right now. I am doing cardio, lots of stretching, some light lifting, and that is about it!
I will not be writing as much in the next few weeks, simply because there will not be much to write about. If something momentous happens, I will be sure to let you know. A few people have emailed me asking about the AVP Winter Tour. As soon as I know anything, I will be sure to write a post and let you know.
Thank you for continuing to read! I wish you all the best and hope you are enjoying life!
Angie
PS - Check out my sister's commercial debut! http://www.nike.com/g1/eu/index.jhtml?lang=1,1 She is the fast female runner!
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