Stacy's Blog

Beijing Bound

dan@headquarters.com (StacySykora) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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I would like to start this blog by thanking my friends and teammates who dedicated their summer and lives to USA Volleyball and fell short of the 12 player roster heading to Beijing. Without all the bodies in the gym, non of us nor USA Volleyball would be what or where we are today.

Making this team, and going to my third Olympics, could be the greatest thing that has happened to me in my 31 years. It was a long, hard and bumpy road for all of us. My happiness and joy was accompanied by sadness and hurt for my closest friends/teammates who will not be going.

I cried for the first time Olympians that will experience the Games for the first time. I cried for the girls going back to college that were so close but will now use their talents to win a National Championship. I cried for Jen Joines who was in Colorado Springs for 2 weeks training, waiting, wondering and the only one who made the team that was not in Japan with us.

Last but not least, I cried for the girls training in Colorado Springs who sweat, bled, hurt, train and commit their lives to USA Volleyball and will not be able to experience the Olympics with us. Though all these athletes will not be there with us physically, I can reassure yall that they will be with us in spirit.

2008 USA Women's Olympic Indoor Volleyball Team

#	Name	Pos	Ht	Hometown	College
1	Ogonna Nnamani	OH	6-1	Bloomington, Ill.	Stanford
2	Danielle Scott-Arruda	MB	6-2	Baton Rouge, La.	Long Beach State
3	Tayyiba Haneef-Park	OPP/OH	6-7	Laguna Hills, Calif.	Long Beach State
4	Lindsey Berg	S	5-8	Honolulu, Hawai'i	Minnesota
5	Stacy Sykora	L	5-10	Burleson, Texas	Texas A&M
6	Nicole Davis	L	5-4	Stockton, Calif.	Southern California
7	Heather Bown	MB	6-3	Yorba Linda, Calif.	Hawai'i
9	Jennifer Joines	MB	6-3	Milpitas, Calif.	Pacific
10	Kim Glass	OH	6-3	Lancaster, Pa.	Arizona
11	Robyn Ah Mow-Santos	S	5-9	Honolulu, Hawai'i	Hawai'i
12	Kim Willoughby	OH	6-0	Napoleanville, La.	Hawai'i
15	Logan Tom	OH	6-1	Salt Lake City, Utah	Stanford

Head Coach: Lang Ping
Assistant Coaches: Yong Li, Sue Woodstra, Tom Hogan

Technical Coordinator/Team Manager: Diane French

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Back to the National Team

dan@headquarters.com (StacySykora) — Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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Photo courtesy of NORCECA

“For the group that has been training since January, we are looking to continue evaluating them in the Pan American Cup, plus the three matches at home against Brazil in June,” Lang Ping said. “We will look at different players and combinations. We want them to use their skills learned here in training during game situations and see the results”

Hello Everyone. It has been a while since I have written about what is going on in my crazy, fun-filled life but I took some time to fill you in.

After finishing my Italian season, I came directly to Colorado to start training with the National Team. I was the first to arrive of the Overseas players, but I felt as though taking almost fours years off was enough break .

Practice has been going well and as of last week the entire team is back in the gym training and doing everything to prepare for the Olympics.

The team has still yet to be named, but I feel as though I speak for everyone when I say that everyone in the gym rght now, big or small, is playing a vital role in the preparation of the final team.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Americans to fall witness to High-Level International Volleyball on American soil. It will almost be giving America a “sneak peek” of a possible Olympic medal-round match. Brazil is currently ranked #1 in the World and USA #4.

12 Fortunate USA Volleyball athletes got the opporunity to take a breather from training in Colorado and compete in the Pan American Cup in Mexico. This tournament is to qualify Team USA for the 2009 World Grand Prix which will be one of the largest and most important tournaments of that year. We are currently playing in pool play and we have only lost to Dominican Republic in a 5 game nail biter. We will most likely face them again in the playoff round. For photos click here.

Here is a picture of me with my USA teammate, Juliann Faucette (and Kristin Richards, my roommate, and Cynthia Barboza). One of the biggest college rivalries is Texas A&M and the University of Texas. Here we are together, an Aggie and a Longhorn representing the United States together, on the same team.

We play our last pool-play game today, have a day off, and then start the play-off round. Our goal is to qualify for the 2009 World Grand Prix so we have to finish in the top 4. For up to date information please go to the USA Volleyball Official Website.

The entire USA team will be back together June 8th to continue the journey for an Olympic medal. Though the final 12 athletes will be chosen soon, every athlete in the gym has given something to the final team that the team will take with them all the way to Beijing. Some of my teammates here with me at the Pan Am Cup who have been training and competing for Team USA will be going home or back to their Universities after the tournament is terminated. This is always a hard time for me personally because I always grow close to each individual and feel as though I am saying goodbye to one of my own sisters. USA Volleyball will soon be 12, but any and everyone who has stepped foot on the court for USA is apart of that 12.

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Italian Chapter Coming to a Close...USA Chapter About to open

dan@headquarters.com (StacySykora) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Links: USA Volleyball & Dallas AVP Myspace

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