Hello Sandy Cardinal fans!
What a busy week for your Sandy Cardinal! No better way to start it off than with a 3-2 win and some revenge against our rival Cal, and having 4-time Olympic medalist and Stanford alum Kerri Walsh Jennings honored at the beginning of our dual.
The fans who attended were fortunate enough to get autographs and take pictures with Kerri and her Olympic bronze medal from Rio, and she visited with our team before the match. It was a very windy day so she reminded us that the wind is our friend and when in doubt to just keep the ball in play. We often complain about how the wind affects our play, but Coach Andrew told us before the match that it is not Mother Nature against Stanford. The other team is also facing the difficult weather and we must stand up to the adversity.
Since I have been interviewing the freshmen on the team lately, I decided to switch it up and ask a few questions of our awesome coaches who push us every day in practice while making sure we are having fun during the process.
I've known Coach Andrew since I worked with him at USA Beach camps when I was in 9th grade, and I've followed Coach Karissa's career since she played here at Stanford, but there are many things I don't know about them.
What is your favorite volleyball moment?
AF: Watching Mexico qualify for the Olympics. They had to have a career best finish and beat the bronze medalist from London in order to qualify -- it was the heaviest moment I've witnessed in our sport.
KC: Trying my first skyball serve in a match on center court of the Manhattan Beach Open, against an Olympian, and happening to get the luckiest ace ever.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
AF: Speed reading with full comprehension.
KC: Staying in shape while only having to work out like once a month.
Most embarrassing moment?
AF: Any time I didn't fully go after an opportunity.
KC: Softball, 12 years old, first pitch of my short career was thrown over the 30 foot high backstop. It was epic.
If you could have any actor/actress play a movie on you, who would it be?
AF: Bill Murray
KC: Wesley Snipes
What's your Starbucks order?
AF: None. I'd rather have coffee at home with my wife.
KC: Used to be a Starbs gold member in my brief corporate days, but I've ditched it for mushroom coffee and Yerba mate.
Favorite hobby?
AF: Golf
KC: 4 person beach volleyball
Most important quality you look for in an athlete?
AF: Willingness to grind it out for their team when things aren't going their way.
KC: Gratitude and love for the game.
Favorite professional sports team?
AF: My wife and her beach volleyball partner.
KC: Whichever teams my friends are on that year.
What smartphone app do you use the most?
AF: Giffage
KC: Podcasts app
What's your bucket-list destination?
AF: A beach day with friends.
KC: Somewhere with red pandas.
Be sure to catch our match against Oregon today at 3 p.m. PT, but if you cannot make it do not worry! Cardinalpalooza will be taking place this Saturday so we, as well as many other Stanford teams, will be competing on campus. Enjoy Stanford athletics, food and free parking all day, including our matches against Boise State at 12 p.m. and Washington at 3 p.m. If you can't make that, our last home game will be this coming Tuesday against No. 1 USC!
Thanks for reading!
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