This past weekend's tournament did not go according to our plans. It was a rough weekend and I am happy it is behind us. Our entire week was out of sorts and I was sick so we were not able to get in our usual practice.
On Tuesday, we flew to Louisville to promote the AVP Louisville Open. What a great volleyball community! It was Derby week, so there were all sorts of events going on around town. We went to Baxter Jack's where a sand volleyball tournament was being held. We played two exhibition games and talked to the media promoting our event Memorial Day weekend at Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville. It was a very quick trip. We arrived at 4PM on Tuesday evening and flew back to LA first thing Wednesday morning. It was really fun, but it was hard to fly all that way for such a short period of time. I have no idea how Misty, Kerri, and our other top players in Olympic contention manage doing stuff like that all season long. I definitely have a new found respect for their ability to manage it all.
We were seeded 7th in the tournament. We had a first round bye, then we played Mason/Kropp again in the second round. We blew it. We were really off and did not take care of our side of the net. By the time we got our kinks worked out, we were chasing from behind. It was not an ideal situation to be in. We lost and had to battle our way back in the contenders' bracket.
We then faced the 9th seeds, Ivy/Lowe. They were upset first round of play. It is not good when the 7th and 9th seeds are playing off and the loser takes a 17th place. I did not feel great in this match, but Holly was on fire! She was serving really tough and digging everything! She carried us to a victory. The win put us in 13th place.
Next we played Smith/Knopf to get to 9th place. The wind started picking up and becoming a real factor. We did not play well, but we won.
Our next match was against the Lindquists. It was 6PM by this time and the wind was howling. Huntington Beach is their home and they always do well at this tournament. This year would be no exception. They played like it was their home turf and controlled the match from the very start. We could not find a way to put the ball away against them and we lost. It was extremely frustrating. We finished 9th place.
That is all behind us. We are optimistic and moving forward from here. We certainly learned a lot and will be better because of it.
Saturday after the tournament, I did a celebrity bartending stint at the Sharky's in Huntington Beach. It was an absolute blast! I had no prior bartending experience, but loved the fast-paced, friendly atmosphere. What a great time! My friends from Cuervo and Real Water were all there to ensure that I had lots of people to serve! I had so much fun!
Now we are preparing for the Charleston Open. I leave on Tuesday and will have a day to adjust before we play on Thursday. My fingers are crossed that the weather is nicer to us this year than last year. It was fine while we played, but a huge storm flooded the courts the day before the tournament. I am sure it will all work out.
I am really excited to announce that Real Water is now the official water of the AVP Tour! How exciting! Once you try it, you will be hooked! It should be available nationwide soon! Keep an eye out for it!
Thanks for reading!
Angie
Monday, May 5, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Dallas - Tornados and Roller Coasters
This latest trip to Dallas was very interesting on many levels. First, we arrived on Thursday afternoon with thunderstorms in the forecast. Holly and I went to the tournament site to practice around 5PM. The qualifier was over and many of the main draw teams were getting ready to practice. The sand was so incredibly hard packed that we decided not to do much. We did a little passing and setting, but that was about it.
Later that evening, just as a tornado was about to hit, we went with about 10 other players in a stretch Hummer limo to a nearby club volleyball facility. Before we knew it, we were caught in a downpour and it started to hail. We stopped underneath an overpass on the freeway for a few minutes until it let up a bit. Being a Midwest girl, I was excited to see an intense storm with lots of lightning and loud thunder booms. Once the storm moved passed us, we made our way to the facility.
We met with hundreds of volleyball girls that were patiently waiting for us to arrive. We visited with them and signed autographs then ventured out in the storm again back to our hotel.
We woke up Friday morning to a beautiful day, however, the sand was too hard to play on. In order to protect the players from injury, the AVP cancelled play on Friday and ordered in new sand. The crew guys who work to put our sites together pulled 2 all nighters in a row. They worked non-stop until the site was playable. Our hard working crew members saved the Dallas Open!
Since we would not compete on Friday, I went to Six Flags over Texas with coach Mike Rangel, Misty, and some other friends and rode a few roller coasters. I stayed about 2 hours and then went back to my hotel.
Saturday Play: Because a full day of play was cancelled, the tournament had to be cut short. The decision was made to make the first round single elimination. That would cut out about 16 matches between the men and women which would save at least 3 hours.
Play started at 7AM. We were scheduled at 10AM, but our court was running behind because every match went to 3 games. We started our 10AM match at 12 noon. We played Katie and Tracy Lindquist. We were out of rhythm to start this match and had a difficult time pulling it together. We lost the first set and were down 20-17 in the second. We won the side out for 18, then I went back to serve and we fought our way back. I had a block, they had a hitting error, Holly got a dig and put it away, then another block and we won the second! It was really exciting. That was a huge boost for us going into the third set. We controlled the third and won the match! I was really happy with our composure under that sort of pressure.
Our next match was against EY and Nicole Branagh. This team is playing exceptionally well right now. Unfortunately for us, we could not stop them. They won the match in two sets.
The loss dropped us into the contenders bracket. We faced Nancy Mason and Jenny Kropp. We played really well in this match, finally pulling everything together. We had a great rhythm going with our side out and we were scoring points with our defense. It was a really fun match for us. We won in two sets which put us into 7th place and finished for the day.
Sunday morning, we faced Carrie Dodd and Tati Minello. We picked up right where we left off on Saturday evening. We battled back and forth in the first set until the end when we made a push and pulled away. We kept that momentum in the second set and pulled away early. We won the match in two games and secured a 5th place finish.
We felt great and were ready to go. We faced Jen Boss and April Ross to make it to the semi-finals. We jumped to an early lead, but did not keep it. We lost the first set, but stayed right with them all the way through the second set until the very end. It was very frustrating not to take that second set and push a third. The loss knocked us out of the tournament. We finished in 5th place.
I missed the semi-final matches, but watched the finals. It was the most exciting final I have ever seen. It was filled with hard hitting, incredible digs, and just one spectacular play after another. EY and Nicole looked like they were going to win this one, but Misty and Kerri's confidence in making big plays when it matters most is what won them the match. It was really fun to watch, but my goal is to be playing out there, not watching.
After the final, we went straight to the airport to fly home. We are back in California and training again in the deep sands of Manhattan Beach. We are getting ready for Huntington Beach where we hope to improve on our last two 5th place finishes.
Remember to drink your Real Water and support Team Cuervo!
All my best,
Angie
Later that evening, just as a tornado was about to hit, we went with about 10 other players in a stretch Hummer limo to a nearby club volleyball facility. Before we knew it, we were caught in a downpour and it started to hail. We stopped underneath an overpass on the freeway for a few minutes until it let up a bit. Being a Midwest girl, I was excited to see an intense storm with lots of lightning and loud thunder booms. Once the storm moved passed us, we made our way to the facility.
We met with hundreds of volleyball girls that were patiently waiting for us to arrive. We visited with them and signed autographs then ventured out in the storm again back to our hotel.
We woke up Friday morning to a beautiful day, however, the sand was too hard to play on. In order to protect the players from injury, the AVP cancelled play on Friday and ordered in new sand. The crew guys who work to put our sites together pulled 2 all nighters in a row. They worked non-stop until the site was playable. Our hard working crew members saved the Dallas Open!
Since we would not compete on Friday, I went to Six Flags over Texas with coach Mike Rangel, Misty, and some other friends and rode a few roller coasters. I stayed about 2 hours and then went back to my hotel.
Saturday Play: Because a full day of play was cancelled, the tournament had to be cut short. The decision was made to make the first round single elimination. That would cut out about 16 matches between the men and women which would save at least 3 hours.
Play started at 7AM. We were scheduled at 10AM, but our court was running behind because every match went to 3 games. We started our 10AM match at 12 noon. We played Katie and Tracy Lindquist. We were out of rhythm to start this match and had a difficult time pulling it together. We lost the first set and were down 20-17 in the second. We won the side out for 18, then I went back to serve and we fought our way back. I had a block, they had a hitting error, Holly got a dig and put it away, then another block and we won the second! It was really exciting. That was a huge boost for us going into the third set. We controlled the third and won the match! I was really happy with our composure under that sort of pressure.
Our next match was against EY and Nicole Branagh. This team is playing exceptionally well right now. Unfortunately for us, we could not stop them. They won the match in two sets.
The loss dropped us into the contenders bracket. We faced Nancy Mason and Jenny Kropp. We played really well in this match, finally pulling everything together. We had a great rhythm going with our side out and we were scoring points with our defense. It was a really fun match for us. We won in two sets which put us into 7th place and finished for the day.
Sunday morning, we faced Carrie Dodd and Tati Minello. We picked up right where we left off on Saturday evening. We battled back and forth in the first set until the end when we made a push and pulled away. We kept that momentum in the second set and pulled away early. We won the match in two games and secured a 5th place finish.
We felt great and were ready to go. We faced Jen Boss and April Ross to make it to the semi-finals. We jumped to an early lead, but did not keep it. We lost the first set, but stayed right with them all the way through the second set until the very end. It was very frustrating not to take that second set and push a third. The loss knocked us out of the tournament. We finished in 5th place.
I missed the semi-final matches, but watched the finals. It was the most exciting final I have ever seen. It was filled with hard hitting, incredible digs, and just one spectacular play after another. EY and Nicole looked like they were going to win this one, but Misty and Kerri's confidence in making big plays when it matters most is what won them the match. It was really fun to watch, but my goal is to be playing out there, not watching.
After the final, we went straight to the airport to fly home. We are back in California and training again in the deep sands of Manhattan Beach. We are getting ready for Huntington Beach where we hope to improve on our last two 5th place finishes.
Remember to drink your Real Water and support Team Cuervo!
All my best,
Angie
Monday, April 14, 2008
AVP Season Opener in South Beach - Miami, Florida
After months of preseason training and conditioning, we finally kicked off the season in South Beach this past weekend. The tournament overall was fantastic. We were on the beach this year which makes for a much better atmosphere at a beach volleyball tournament in Florida!
Holly and I arrived in Florida on Tuesday evening in order to acclimate to the weather. California had been on the colder side and we wanted to be prepared for the heat and humidity. It also gave us the opportunity to make appearances for our sponsors.
I have 2 major new sponsors this year, which I am really fired up about. I am now a member of Team Cuervo. You can identify Team Cuervo by our Black and Gold suits, bordies, and cover-ups. Cuervo is fantastic enough to sponsor several of us players and help support us as we do our best to train hard and focus on winning tournaments! Also, I will be the face of Affinity's REAL WATER. You might not be familiar with REAL WATER just yet. This is an exciting, new company that is bringing the best, most pure, healthiest water to you. It is my secret for ultra hydration in any weather condition and I recommend it to everyone! Find out why it is so special and more at http://www.drinkrealwater.com/.
Now for the tournament recap: It was a 24 team draw. We entered the tournament as the #6 seed. The top 8 teams have a first round bye then play in the next round. Our first match of the tournament was against Jen Pavley and Jen Fopma. I definitely had the first tournament of the year jitters, but once we got going I felt pretty good. It was really comforting for me to look over at my partner and know that there is over 18 years of experience there. And not just "experience," but top level experience.
This was a great learning match for us. We were faced with some different situations that we had not seen previously. It was great to see those different scenarios and work out a game plan to overcome those situations. We won the first set 21-16, but the second set was much closer. We were down 2 or 3 times for set point, but fought back and won the match in 2 sets 21-16, 29-27. It was a good test to our patience and determination. The win put us in 9th place and done for the day. We could rest up and get ready for the next day.
We were scheduled to play at noon on Saturday, but with close matches going into over-time, we did not actually start until around 1PM. We faced Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner. They played really great against us and won the match 21-19, 21-17. They were making really great hustle plays and things were definitely going their way. After the loss, we dropped into the contenders bracket and had to battle back.
We faced Nancy Mason and Jenny Kropp to get to 7th. Things really came together for us in this match. We served really tough, set each other great, dug a lot of balls, and even blocked a few. It was a really fun match for us. We won 21-13, 21-18. The win put us in 7th place.
Our next match was against Heather Lowe and Ashley Ivy. We started really strong in the first set and won 21-15. We gave up a few points in the second set and could not make up the ground, so we lost 19-21. We regathered ourselves and took a quick lead in the 3rd set and kept rolling from there. We won 15-10 which put us in 5th place and finished for the day.
Sunday morning, we faced the 4th seeded team of Jen Boss and April Ross. We came alive too late in this match. We lost 13-21, 19-21.
Overall, it was a good start for us. I definitely had my expectations set higher, but 5th is a good starting point. Both of our losses came against teams ranked above us that have been together for awhile and have a lot of team experience. This was our very first tournament together. The exciting thing is that we can see the potential and we are both anxious to get to work making improvements.
We just got home from Florida and have a gym workout coming up. We are off to Dallas on Thursday for another tournament. We have 2 days to work and then we play.
That is all for now! Thanks for reading and be sure to check out and support my sponsors! (Cuervo ONLY if you are of age, of course! And please do so responsibly! But EVERYONE can enjoy REAL WATER!)
All my best,
Angie
Holly and I arrived in Florida on Tuesday evening in order to acclimate to the weather. California had been on the colder side and we wanted to be prepared for the heat and humidity. It also gave us the opportunity to make appearances for our sponsors.
I have 2 major new sponsors this year, which I am really fired up about. I am now a member of Team Cuervo. You can identify Team Cuervo by our Black and Gold suits, bordies, and cover-ups. Cuervo is fantastic enough to sponsor several of us players and help support us as we do our best to train hard and focus on winning tournaments! Also, I will be the face of Affinity's REAL WATER. You might not be familiar with REAL WATER just yet. This is an exciting, new company that is bringing the best, most pure, healthiest water to you. It is my secret for ultra hydration in any weather condition and I recommend it to everyone! Find out why it is so special and more at http://www.drinkrealwater.com/.
Now for the tournament recap: It was a 24 team draw. We entered the tournament as the #6 seed. The top 8 teams have a first round bye then play in the next round. Our first match of the tournament was against Jen Pavley and Jen Fopma. I definitely had the first tournament of the year jitters, but once we got going I felt pretty good. It was really comforting for me to look over at my partner and know that there is over 18 years of experience there. And not just "experience," but top level experience.
This was a great learning match for us. We were faced with some different situations that we had not seen previously. It was great to see those different scenarios and work out a game plan to overcome those situations. We won the first set 21-16, but the second set was much closer. We were down 2 or 3 times for set point, but fought back and won the match in 2 sets 21-16, 29-27. It was a good test to our patience and determination. The win put us in 9th place and done for the day. We could rest up and get ready for the next day.
We were scheduled to play at noon on Saturday, but with close matches going into over-time, we did not actually start until around 1PM. We faced Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner. They played really great against us and won the match 21-19, 21-17. They were making really great hustle plays and things were definitely going their way. After the loss, we dropped into the contenders bracket and had to battle back.
We faced Nancy Mason and Jenny Kropp to get to 7th. Things really came together for us in this match. We served really tough, set each other great, dug a lot of balls, and even blocked a few. It was a really fun match for us. We won 21-13, 21-18. The win put us in 7th place.
Our next match was against Heather Lowe and Ashley Ivy. We started really strong in the first set and won 21-15. We gave up a few points in the second set and could not make up the ground, so we lost 19-21. We regathered ourselves and took a quick lead in the 3rd set and kept rolling from there. We won 15-10 which put us in 5th place and finished for the day.
Sunday morning, we faced the 4th seeded team of Jen Boss and April Ross. We came alive too late in this match. We lost 13-21, 19-21.
Overall, it was a good start for us. I definitely had my expectations set higher, but 5th is a good starting point. Both of our losses came against teams ranked above us that have been together for awhile and have a lot of team experience. This was our very first tournament together. The exciting thing is that we can see the potential and we are both anxious to get to work making improvements.
We just got home from Florida and have a gym workout coming up. We are off to Dallas on Thursday for another tournament. We have 2 days to work and then we play.
That is all for now! Thanks for reading and be sure to check out and support my sponsors! (Cuervo ONLY if you are of age, of course! And please do so responsibly! But EVERYONE can enjoy REAL WATER!)
All my best,
Angie
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
2008 AVP Schedule Announced!
Here it is! We have waited a long time for this and now we have it! It is going to be an exciting year. I hope you can make it to a few events. Holly and I are training hard and making big improvements in preparation for the kickoff in Miami. I am so excited to start competing. Holly made an official announcement yesterday that this season will indeed be her last. Of course, nothing is set in stone. She is in phenomenal shape and is healthy and working hard.
So we have waited long enough... here it is!
April 11-13 - Miami, Fla.
April 18-20 - Dallas, Texas
May 2-4 - Huntington Beach, Calif.
May 8-10 - Charleston, S.C.
May 24-26 - Louisville, Ky.
May 30-Jun. 1 - Atlanta, Ga.
June 6-8 - Hermosa Beach, Calif.
June 20-22 - Belmar, N.J.
July 4-6 - Boulder, Colo.
TBA - Chicago, Ill.
July 18-20 - Brooklyn, N.Y.
July 25-27 - Long Beach, Calif.
Aug. 1-3 - San Diego, Calif.
Aug. 29-31 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Sept. 6-7 - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 12-14 - San Francisco, Calif.
Sept. 19-21 - Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Sept. 26-28 - Glendale, Ariz.
I hope to see you at the beach!
Angie
So we have waited long enough... here it is!
April 11-13 - Miami, Fla.
April 18-20 - Dallas, Texas
May 2-4 - Huntington Beach, Calif.
May 8-10 - Charleston, S.C.
May 24-26 - Louisville, Ky.
May 30-Jun. 1 - Atlanta, Ga.
June 6-8 - Hermosa Beach, Calif.
June 20-22 - Belmar, N.J.
July 4-6 - Boulder, Colo.
TBA - Chicago, Ill.
July 18-20 - Brooklyn, N.Y.
July 25-27 - Long Beach, Calif.
Aug. 1-3 - San Diego, Calif.
Aug. 29-31 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Sept. 6-7 - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 12-14 - San Francisco, Calif.
Sept. 19-21 - Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Sept. 26-28 - Glendale, Ariz.
I hope to see you at the beach!
Angie
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Hot Winter Nights
This past weekend was a whirlwind of fun, freezing cold temperatures, and beach volleyball! Who would have guessed?!
We started out in Omaha, Nebraska in front of a great crowd of about 3500. They were very enthusiastic and really happy to be inside the Quest Center where we brought the beach to the snow laden area.
The format for the HWN is King of the Beach with 3 quick games to 15 points, rally score. There is a 1 minute break in between games and that is the time you switch partners and make a quick game plan. After the men and women go through this part of the competition, there is a Final where the first place finisher and second place finisher face off. The first place finisher gets to choose their partner from the third and fourth place finishers. Then the Final is one game to 15, rally score. The night goes really fast. It is a 3 hour show filled with all the same summer fun you find at the beach, only it is in a big arena and there is lots of snow on the ground outside.
Jenny Kropp won the Omaha event which was fitting, since she is from Nebraska. That night, I did not win a single game! I was really disappointed, but still had fun.
After the event, we took a bus to Rosemont, Illinois. It was an 8 hour bus ride of which I slept most of the way. Some of the other players watched movies and played poker. The bus was really nice. We called it the Rockstar bus. There are two lounging areas with flat screen TVs and 9 bunks which were very comfortable to sleep in.
We arrived into Rosemont at 8:30AM on Friday. I did media throughout the day to promote the event and my newest sponsor, Jose Cuervo! Cuervo has a great presence at our events. I am really excited to be on Team Cuervo this year.
After all the media, we played at 7:30PM. Unfortunately, the attendance for this event was only 935. It was a disappointment. The fans had fun, but the word did not get around to the avid volleyball players and fans in the Chicago area. Those that were there seemed to have a great time.
Jenny won her second night in a row. I did much better this time though. I finished second place.
After we finished playing, I was able to spend time with the Chicago Ixtapa crew. It was great to see them there and have some people cheering for me.
We did not leave for Bloomington, Illinois until 1PM on Saturday. I slept in until 11:30 and then grabbed breakfast before jumping on the bus. It took 2 and a half hours to get there. We watched Anchorman on the way.
Once there, we checked out the site and then dropped the boys off at a gym while all of us girls went to a nice dinner.
Before playing in our match, I was asked to do the Color Commentary for the 3rd game of the men's play. It was my first ever experience doing television. I am not sure how it came out, but I definitely had fun doing it. I thought I would be really nervous, but I was not at all. It is going to air on Comcast Cable in the Chicago area in about a month.
After finishing up with the TV, I had to run down to the court and warmup to play. I actually came out of the pool play as the first seed and had my choice of partners for the final. Holly came in second, so we had to play against each other. I chose Jenny Kropp since she was on a roll, winning two nights in a row. We got off to a slow start and could not catch up. So I finished 2nd place again!
It was a great time. The crowd was really excited and happy to be there. It was really great to see all the young aspiring collegiate and beach volleyball athletes there. Several clubs brought their whole teams.
After we finished up, we hopped back on the bus and traveled back to Rosemont. We left around midnight, which got back around 2:30AM. We all had decided to fly back home on the earliest flight of the day requiring us to leave for the airport at 6:30AM. Upon arrival at the airport, we learned that the first flight out was cancelled. Up that early for nothing! We were not happy, but remained optomistic that we would get on the next flight, which we did. We got home a few hours earlier than scheduled, so we were very happy.
Now I am completely exhausted and need to catch up on some sleep. Now that my travels are over until the season starts, Holly and I can start getting down to business with our training. I am excited to start putting in a lot of hard work. It is going to be a fantastic year!
The schedule is still not out yet, but should be soon! Keep checking in!
All my best,
Angie
We started out in Omaha, Nebraska in front of a great crowd of about 3500. They were very enthusiastic and really happy to be inside the Quest Center where we brought the beach to the snow laden area.
The format for the HWN is King of the Beach with 3 quick games to 15 points, rally score. There is a 1 minute break in between games and that is the time you switch partners and make a quick game plan. After the men and women go through this part of the competition, there is a Final where the first place finisher and second place finisher face off. The first place finisher gets to choose their partner from the third and fourth place finishers. Then the Final is one game to 15, rally score. The night goes really fast. It is a 3 hour show filled with all the same summer fun you find at the beach, only it is in a big arena and there is lots of snow on the ground outside.
Jenny Kropp won the Omaha event which was fitting, since she is from Nebraska. That night, I did not win a single game! I was really disappointed, but still had fun.
After the event, we took a bus to Rosemont, Illinois. It was an 8 hour bus ride of which I slept most of the way. Some of the other players watched movies and played poker. The bus was really nice. We called it the Rockstar bus. There are two lounging areas with flat screen TVs and 9 bunks which were very comfortable to sleep in.
We arrived into Rosemont at 8:30AM on Friday. I did media throughout the day to promote the event and my newest sponsor, Jose Cuervo! Cuervo has a great presence at our events. I am really excited to be on Team Cuervo this year.
After all the media, we played at 7:30PM. Unfortunately, the attendance for this event was only 935. It was a disappointment. The fans had fun, but the word did not get around to the avid volleyball players and fans in the Chicago area. Those that were there seemed to have a great time.
Jenny won her second night in a row. I did much better this time though. I finished second place.
After we finished playing, I was able to spend time with the Chicago Ixtapa crew. It was great to see them there and have some people cheering for me.
We did not leave for Bloomington, Illinois until 1PM on Saturday. I slept in until 11:30 and then grabbed breakfast before jumping on the bus. It took 2 and a half hours to get there. We watched Anchorman on the way.
Once there, we checked out the site and then dropped the boys off at a gym while all of us girls went to a nice dinner.
Before playing in our match, I was asked to do the Color Commentary for the 3rd game of the men's play. It was my first ever experience doing television. I am not sure how it came out, but I definitely had fun doing it. I thought I would be really nervous, but I was not at all. It is going to air on Comcast Cable in the Chicago area in about a month.
After finishing up with the TV, I had to run down to the court and warmup to play. I actually came out of the pool play as the first seed and had my choice of partners for the final. Holly came in second, so we had to play against each other. I chose Jenny Kropp since she was on a roll, winning two nights in a row. We got off to a slow start and could not catch up. So I finished 2nd place again!
It was a great time. The crowd was really excited and happy to be there. It was really great to see all the young aspiring collegiate and beach volleyball athletes there. Several clubs brought their whole teams.
After we finished up, we hopped back on the bus and traveled back to Rosemont. We left around midnight, which got back around 2:30AM. We all had decided to fly back home on the earliest flight of the day requiring us to leave for the airport at 6:30AM. Upon arrival at the airport, we learned that the first flight out was cancelled. Up that early for nothing! We were not happy, but remained optomistic that we would get on the next flight, which we did. We got home a few hours earlier than scheduled, so we were very happy.
Now I am completely exhausted and need to catch up on some sleep. Now that my travels are over until the season starts, Holly and I can start getting down to business with our training. I am excited to start putting in a lot of hard work. It is going to be a fantastic year!
The schedule is still not out yet, but should be soon! Keep checking in!
All my best,
Angie
Monday, February 4, 2008
Ixtapa, Mexico - South of the Border
It was another great week in paradise. I just returned from my 3rd trip down to Ixtapa, Mexico for the South of the Border Volleyball Vacation. Jeremy and I look forward to this trip all winter. It is a chance to meet up with old friends, make new friends, play volleyball, get a tan, and have some fun. I will be posting pictures on my website soon.
I am leaving this Wednesday for the Hot Winter Nights Tour. I will be playing in Omaha, Nebraska at the Qwest Center on Thursday night along with Holly McPeak, Jenny Kropp, and Angela Lewis. The men's competition will consist of Sean Rosenthal, Jake Gibb, Casey Jennings, and Matt Fuerbringer. We then travel to Rosemont, Illinois to play at the AllState Arena on Friday night. The last stop is in Bloomington, Illinois at the US Cellular Arena on Saturday night.
I am really looking forward to playing in the Hot Winter Nights. All the players that have participated so far have raved about how well this mini-tour is going. I am sure it will be great fun. I will tell you all about it when I return.
Holly and I started practicing a few weeks ago, but with all the traveling, we have yet to get into our routine. After this trip to the midwest, we will be home for awhile and then really start working. We are so anxious to get things going. We do not have a 2008 schedule yet, but hopefully we will get it soon. I will be sure to post it on my site when it is released.
I hope you all are getting excited for the 2008 season! I sure am! It is going to be a great year. The Olympic race will be heating up and the competition will be tougher than ever. Get ready!
I hope to see you at a beach somewhere along the way!
Angie
I am leaving this Wednesday for the Hot Winter Nights Tour. I will be playing in Omaha, Nebraska at the Qwest Center on Thursday night along with Holly McPeak, Jenny Kropp, and Angela Lewis. The men's competition will consist of Sean Rosenthal, Jake Gibb, Casey Jennings, and Matt Fuerbringer. We then travel to Rosemont, Illinois to play at the AllState Arena on Friday night. The last stop is in Bloomington, Illinois at the US Cellular Arena on Saturday night.
I am really looking forward to playing in the Hot Winter Nights. All the players that have participated so far have raved about how well this mini-tour is going. I am sure it will be great fun. I will tell you all about it when I return.
Holly and I started practicing a few weeks ago, but with all the traveling, we have yet to get into our routine. After this trip to the midwest, we will be home for awhile and then really start working. We are so anxious to get things going. We do not have a 2008 schedule yet, but hopefully we will get it soon. I will be sure to post it on my site when it is released.
I hope you all are getting excited for the 2008 season! I sure am! It is going to be a great year. The Olympic race will be heating up and the competition will be tougher than ever. Get ready!
I hope to see you at a beach somewhere along the way!
Angie
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
January Changes
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
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
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