tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23190221770345577842024-03-05T05:27:34.880-08:00Stanford FBC: Team BlogPlayers and coaches write about their experiences during the seasonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-35719121031440265252017-04-13T19:46:00.000-07:002017-04-13T19:46:32.965-07:00Amy's goodbye<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG3WOQn-QbPpcO-Bj7NeQb41TY6_hjnPLpF4KqVax7pbj_SWUE4iRTL0WJLcFIPCaSSThGX9tET5Zpc-YwE4QzwHjRdFJO_YJJDXv2bRcJF5a91AxsQmPmIr1yxYvs0wfwp_1lJNoemk/s1600/team-amy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG3WOQn-QbPpcO-Bj7NeQb41TY6_hjnPLpF4KqVax7pbj_SWUE4iRTL0WJLcFIPCaSSThGX9tET5Zpc-YwE4QzwHjRdFJO_YJJDXv2bRcJF5a91AxsQmPmIr1yxYvs0wfwp_1lJNoemk/s200/team-amy.jpg" width="155" height="200" /></a></div>To quote the great philosopher Winnie the Pooh “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”<br />
</p><p>With that I am announcing my retirement from coaching. It has been an incredible journey and I am so lucky to have spent the last 32 years at Stanford.<br />
<p>The highlight of coaching for me has always been in the gym. I loved working with players and watching them grow and develop over four years. I loved putting the puzzle together every year with our outstanding staff. I had so many great times with Tara, Kate and Tempie and I will miss our mostly productive staff meetings.<br />
<p>There have been incredible highs over the 32 years. I have coached outstanding players and people and they have made me a better person. I am so proud of the women who have come through our program. I am so proud of the many accomplishments of our program – Pac-12 Championships, Final Fours and National Championships.<br />
<p>To our Fast Break Club members and passionate fansI thank you. There are so many of you I now call friends. Your love and support has meant so much to our team and to me. To the ATFC, you are the best! You are so generous with your support and love of Stanford Women’s Basketball. You have all been on this journey with me – we have shared the pure joy of winning a big game and the pain of losing. <br />
<p>Thank you for being a friend!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-76102386641805268242017-03-14T16:36:00.000-07:002017-03-14T16:36:28.809-07:00Memories of home<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemG0EBUwUOwMc0XT2BpxxgM7NlwyeNAKwBI2XZ5k6piESTh6YXJjUsxnJe9Imw99QtXvHSC5vruuxz3NhFvuUkk3j2dFcZTO8oA_DFD4pCazM_AjBnA0O24WEctzJlFNWSSPHikmuHk0/s1600/Nadia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemG0EBUwUOwMc0XT2BpxxgM7NlwyeNAKwBI2XZ5k6piESTh6YXJjUsxnJe9Imw99QtXvHSC5vruuxz3NhFvuUkk3j2dFcZTO8oA_DFD4pCazM_AjBnA0O24WEctzJlFNWSSPHikmuHk0/s200/Nadia.jpg" width="159" height="200" /></a></div>“Where are you from?” A common question, usually answered simply with the name of a city or state.<br />
</p><p>When I am asked that question the inquirer is met with a short pause and an uncertain “Wellll, I don’t really know...I guess I’m from the United States.” Cue the bewildered expression and nervous laugh from me as I go on to explain why my point of origin isn’t as simple as it should be. <br />
<p>My journey began in Newark, New Jersey. Most of my family still lives there but we moved when I was three. After September 11th, 2001, my father decided to join the military. Since then my family and I have lived in Arizona, Florida (twice), California, Japan and Virginia. I haven’t stayed in one state longer than four years but each place (at least the ones I can remember) parallels a significant period of growth for me.<br />
<p>I spent most of elementary school in Japan. It was amazing to experience living in a different country during those early formative years. We lived on a base but would go into the country to festivals, parades, monuments, restaurants, etc. One of my favorite memories was performing in an annual parade with the baton club at my school (very interesting choice, I know). I was so happy to be there with my silver baton, with it’s pink and red caps. <br />
<p>What I remember most about the entirety of my time in Japan was the food…OF COURSE. I have never been a picky eater so being surrounded by so many new and exotic foods was great. I was the first in my family to try sushi. I ate seaweed and dried squid. As you can see, and my parents would probably confirm, my favorite way to experience culture is through a culinary lens.<br />
<p>Living in California was absolutely amazing. There was always so much to do. I started playing basketball with my friends for our community rec team in fourth grade. My dad and I started our 6 am workouts there. Those morning workouts were the foundation for my career. <br />
<p>I played club basketball for the Cal Sparks and the Cal Storm during my seventh grade year. I was on those teams at the same time as Bird and Bri. It’s amazing that the girls I looked up to in my early basketball years are now my teammates and some of my closest friends. <br />
<p>Moving to Navarre, Florida was very hard to do. I remember leaving for our cross country road trip from San Pedro to Navarre. It was about three in the morning. We packed the car up and rolled away from our hotel. As we kept driving I watched my favorite places fade behind me. When we arrived it was some strange place. Everything was flat and sandy. There was only one two-lane highway that connected the entire area. The closest mall was thirty five minutes away without traffic. It was hot, humid and rained every day at 2pm. <br />
<p>Even harder than moving to the area, was leaving it. I have so many people there that support me and have become a part of my global family. The administration, my teachers, coaches, classmates and friends that I made at Choctaw and Navarre HS will be with me forever. I miss the beautiful beaches, the sweet tea that always had the right amount of sugar. I miss Whataburger and the gorgeous sunrises over the Gulf. <br />
<p>My life has been an arcade pin-ball game but has resulted in so many experiences essential to my character. Now I know there is a difference between a hometown and where my home is. <br />
<p>My home is at the old house on Campbell Street in New Jersey. My home is at Misawa Air Force Base, riding my bike up and down the street with my friends. My home is in San Pedro overlooking the Pacific Ocean, feeling the cool winds blow against my face. My home is at Choctawhatchee High School, walking the white and green halls of the Big Green Indians. My home is in Virginia surrounded by my family and so much history. My home is at Maples Pavilion. <br />
<p>My home is not a tangible place but where my memories lie. <br />
<p><i>— Nadia Fingall</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-54175116985829152682017-03-01T20:16:00.001-08:002017-03-01T20:16:47.790-08:00To #24<br />
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyK0aWCKYHdEbZhDK6bJFd8C2ZW95rjNffnT6bfuTpscanl0cUYZkKOMz4z5gaOYVyJy1cvnJDGJOgfuvZaJyykKbTZPiSOzl9oTWZUrfI6iZkE4BWo_pAUp4PbFcJNc0zAW15AfW6W0g/s1600/teambird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyK0aWCKYHdEbZhDK6bJFd8C2ZW95rjNffnT6bfuTpscanl0cUYZkKOMz4z5gaOYVyJy1cvnJDGJOgfuvZaJyykKbTZPiSOzl9oTWZUrfI6iZkE4BWo_pAUp4PbFcJNc0zAW15AfW6W0g/s200/teambird.jpg" width="157" height="200" /></a></div>This number represents pride, emotion, and passion. <br />
</p><p>When you first put on that jersey remember what’s on the front: “Stanford.” Take pride in the fact that you attend the best college in the world. A college that not only has the best academics and athletics but also one that has a student culture that can’t be matched. Stanford represents excellence on and off the court. Every time I got caught up in my own personal struggles I remembered how blessed I was to attend such a great university with even greater people. With this being said you can’t forget the past. Always remember the legacy that came before you. Stanford women’s basketball is built off of the history of greats that paved the way for your future. Players like Jennifer Azzi, Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike, Jeanette Pohlen, and Jane Appel were all a part of this amazing, successful Stanford program and you will be a part of as well. Take pride in that. <br />
<p>When I was a junior I began to realize that I was never going to be Stanford’s top scorer or rebounder, however there was something that I knew I could be the best at and that was being the most emotional and hyped player Stanford has ever had. Every time I got an And1 or blocked a shot fans knew they were going to get a special treat. Whether it was me yelling at the top of my lungs “And1!” or just jumping up and down in pure excitement from a blocked shot people were going to see a lot of emotion. When you play know that #24 represents heart. I hope you knowing this gives you some type of spark when you play so that everyone can see again that #24 is full of energy and emotion. <br />
<p>Lastly, when you wear #24 always remember your love for the game. Not every practice or game will be the best and there will be days when basketball just seems tough but if you remember your love for the game, you will get through it. Allow this passion for the game to give you motivation to work hard every day. When you love the game, you want to do everything you can do to play at your best. So let that love drive you to always strive for the best whether it’s in the games or practice. When people see you wear that jersey, they should see your love for the game when you play. Don’t let anyone take that love away from you, because it will lead you to so many great things. When you wake up each day never forget you have the opportunity to play the game that you love, because one day you won’t. Basketball isn’t forever so when you get the chance to play it, play it with passion. <br />
<p>I look forward to seeing the great things you will do. I know you will do our number justice. Good luck and always have fun!<br />
<p><i>‐ Erica McCall<br>#24<br />
</i><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-50385766718531993822017-02-27T09:21:00.000-08:002017-02-27T09:21:36.062-08:00DiJonai thanks the seniors<p>Dear Seniors,<br />
</p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XCqWTuSscbUpegkB8z2nkbBehIZemeWxIdrrkS0mmbOQk6pe81N4Qs23Rr3zwi4jIFzk-bVoG9CCouowHNLKzabPdIJvq42Xb1J7X4CkbMr_rfPc2JmGg-FPCY67nwUVxbo3-9aIAhg/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XCqWTuSscbUpegkB8z2nkbBehIZemeWxIdrrkS0mmbOQk6pe81N4Qs23Rr3zwi4jIFzk-bVoG9CCouowHNLKzabPdIJvq42Xb1J7X4CkbMr_rfPc2JmGg-FPCY67nwUVxbo3-9aIAhg/s200/team.jpg" width="159" height="200" /></a></div>I would like to take the time to acknowledge the significant impact that each of you have had on me during our short time together.<br />
</p><p>Karlie, the world knows you as a clutch shooter. They know they can get ready to get out of their seats as soon as the ball leaves your hands. But me, I know you as the person who has always been willing to come early or stay late to ensure that I as well as my other freshmen understood the plays as well as any of the drills we would be doing. You have been a great encourager and someone who has taught me about discipline. Shooting over 50% from 3, yet always being the first one in the gym trying to get better. I want to say thank you for being the leader you are on and off the court. I love you, Karl. #FMS<br />
<p>Erica, the world knows you as a prolific scorer, and one who is always there in clutch time to make the big plays. But me, I know you as the person who I can look to whenever I need to be cheered up. I have truly never seen you upset. Whether you have 25 points or 2 points (which is rare) you have the same blissful spirit that is contagious to all who come in contact with you. Thank you for encouraging me and telling me over and over that “it's okay” when I mess up, with a smile on your face. I will miss our sing-offs, and getting hype over our mutual love for “Cali music” and “jerkin music”. I will miss your hilarious storytelling that is impossible to do without using your hands. I will miss your selfie taking and dance skills that I desire to imitate! I love you, Bird. #BAB<br />
<p>Briana, the world knows you as a high energy lockdown defender. But me, I know you as my mentor and the person who is there for everyone through anything. You're so selfless and determined. Your positive attitude and ability to take constructive criticism is something that I truly admire and desire to emulate. I will miss our late night Netflix sessions, that mostly ended up being our social hour. I will miss the unique dynamic of our relationship that will never be matched by anyone else. I will miss you saying “money” every time I shoot the ball (even though half the time it is an air-ball). I will miss pestering you all day long, rolling my eyes at you for every little thing, and delaying my responses whenever you address me. Bri, there are so many characteristics about you that make you someone who I will never forget and someone who will always hold a special place in my heart that cannot replaced. Thank you for being a great role model, someone that I truly look up to (figuratively), and the person I can go to for anything. Thank you for putting up with me, and all of my sassiness. Can’t wait to bother you some more when you come back to visit me, frequently. I love you, Briana. #Nevermind<br />
<p>Sincerely,<br />
<p>DiJonai Carrington (NaiNai)<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-70489848485583986302017-02-23T09:04:00.000-08:002017-02-23T09:04:14.701-08:00The Top 10 Things That I liked about 1000 Wins!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfd3WvHtgwoTyf-UJnt06-yDs9F-ewgpAS0gwb8nCMiv8-XkfA_HImcKPHLEejcyEYJcptDinPZL01d0V63-3oug4inhFQyFNvO6CV4grmZHibYmy7PG9frLpUFFIRX3bmQI0Uw7Er1s/s1600/watching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfd3WvHtgwoTyf-UJnt06-yDs9F-ewgpAS0gwb8nCMiv8-XkfA_HImcKPHLEejcyEYJcptDinPZL01d0V63-3oug4inhFQyFNvO6CV4grmZHibYmy7PG9frLpUFFIRX3bmQI0Uw7Er1s/s400/watching.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><p>I am going to do this Johnny Carson style! (Some of us are old enough to remember his Top 10 List!) Drum roll!!!<br />
<p>#10 - Outstanding attention from the press about Women’s Basketball! It was so much fun to have so many of our writers and TV sports announcers document the occasion. Thank you Pac 12 Networks and ESPN for covering the game and postgame ceremony! I am happy to do my part in promoting this terrific game of ours! <br />
<p>#9 - Confetti in Maples! I am so glad that Bri, Karlie and Bird dumped a bucket of confetti on me instead of Gatorade! Thank you to everyone that planned and worked hard to make the postgame celebration so special!<br />
<p>#8 – Getting the win on the first try! I explained to our team that the game was not “just another game” and that in fact it was special with extra pressure. However, I hoped and believed our team would play in much bigger games with more on the line later in the season. We were all thankful that our team really stepped up and played well to get the 1000 Win the first opportunity! <br />
<p>#7 - Distracted me from politics! Enough said!<br />
<p>#6 – Kodye Pugh’s (Freshman on the men’s team) sketches of me to commemorate my 1000 wins signed by the men’s team and framed. Wow I am so touched by this gift. <br />
<p>#5 – Nike’s gift of a large black box with clear plexiglass cover engraved with each 100 milestone win. Inside the box on shelves were 4 Nike Air Force One shoes that highlighted special wins! Incredibly creative and beautiful!<br />
<p>#4 - All of the congratulatory texts, emails, letters and phone calls from all over the country! THANK YOU!!! I am copying and saving each one to put in my scrap book! <br />
<p>#3 – The surprise video tribute. I was overwhelmed by the wonderful things that people said. It was so special to hear from former players, (Jennifer Azzi, Trisha Stevens, Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, Candice Wiggins, Jayne Appel, Jeanette Pohlen, Melanie Murphy, Regan Freuen and so many others) Athletic Directors ( Bernard Muir, Andy Geiger and Phyllis Bailey ) Announcers (Bill Walton and Charles Barkley), and Coaches ( David Shaw, Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, Jim Foster Jim Harbaugh, Dick Gould and the BEST from my sister Coach Heidi VanDerveer !!!) <br />
<p>#2 -Sharing this special night with our staff and team. I am so proud of this group. We have outstanding leadership and team camaraderie. This is such a fun and exciting season. The picture of our team will be framed and cherished for the rest of my life.<br />
<p>#1 – Having my 89 year old mother Rita cheering and coaching from courtside seats. I love you Mom! A special thank you to Cindy Pohlen for driving up for the game. Sharing this honor with ALL of our Stanford fans! THANK YOU!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-25925700768061104582017-02-20T22:06:00.000-08:002017-02-20T22:06:10.146-08:00Perfect Cardinal careers<br />
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFBo5TCo-2nzC2WWeTObyOOn_uneee9N_MbWskeATyTZwa_PRS5WZ9x1DNAnrMhq0zwuzx1Jl08iILcBldWjfMgwp35W8UV-45vwf34Bp3-vrd6arxMRc3AbnFdR_lKPmEYLxsN-T-J4/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFBo5TCo-2nzC2WWeTObyOOn_uneee9N_MbWskeATyTZwa_PRS5WZ9x1DNAnrMhq0zwuzx1Jl08iILcBldWjfMgwp35W8UV-45vwf34Bp3-vrd6arxMRc3AbnFdR_lKPmEYLxsN-T-J4/s200/team.jpg" width="159" height="200" /></a></div>For my blog I’ve been thinking about what my teammates like outside of basketball, so I’ve come up with a list for what I think each person would be perfect at career wise if they weren’t playing basketball. <br />
</p><p>First is Alanna, she would definitely be a zookeeper or someone who works well with animals. She is always watching animal videos and when we were at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. she literally told me, “I wish I was a zookeeper that sounds like the perfect job.”<br />
<p>Bird would be a dancer/singer. She does so well in the spotlight and has such great dance moves and over the years her singing has really improved!<br />
<p>Kaylee—If you couldn’t tell by Kaylee’s earlier blog post she would be a wedding planner. I actually have already promised her that she can plan my future wedding (if I have one) for me!<br />
<p>Karlie LOVES dogs so if she could become a dog breeder and just raise puppies and train them I think she would love that (along with being a basketball coach on the side of course).<br />
<p>Bri plays video games all the time so if she could get a job creating or testing video games she would be perfect. I tried to play NBA2k with her once and she just schooled me. <br />
<p>Alexa is so amazing at photography. If she could travel the world and earn a living taking photos and helping people out I think she would be living her dream (and I think she probably will do this!). <br />
<p>Marta would be a super good food critique. She really has an eye for nicer things and isn’t afraid to tell people when they are not good at something. She would have some pretty high standards for the restaurants around town but would be a very trustworthy reviewer. <br />
<p>Shannon could be an opera singer. We all tell her she should sing the National Anthem before games because she is so good at singing, she belts it out in the locker room!<br />
<p>Mikaela should be a Disney animator. She loves everything Disney and can pretty much sing along to every Disney song + she’s an amazing drawer so this is the perfect fit for her. <br />
<p>Anna would be a great fashion designer. She is always wearing the most well thought out and put together outfits. I know her line of clothes would be a huge hit, especially among athletes. <br />
<p>Dijonai would be an amazing makeup artist. I think she has practically done everyone’s makeup on the team at least once this year already. <br />
<p>Nadia could be a comedian. She makes jokes 24/7 and keeps everyone in the locker room laughing not matter what. <br />
<p><i>— Brittany</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-21671472425062709622017-02-07T18:07:00.001-08:002017-02-07T18:07:55.604-08:00Melbourne <br />
The city where everybody wears black, drives on the left side of the road and is home to the best coffee. I had lived in Melbourne for 18 years before I moved to Stanford and being away from it has made me truly appreciate it! I truly believe the saying “distance makes the heart grow fonder” is in full effect when in regards to me and Melbourne. Things I used to complain about, I now remember with fondness. For example, the unpredictable weather had me wondering how it went from pouring rain to blistering hot all within a few hours, and now I look back and appreciate the variability and how it kept me on my toes. Or how I would look out across the street and observe a sea of people wearing all black and wonder where all the color was, and now I see the unique fashion and style of the city. I would complain about too many cafes to choose from and now I miss the coffee! One of my favorite cafes, Top Paddock, had the best coffee and the most amazing pancakes that looked so good I didn’t want to eat them.<br />
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W9b-Zo4H4amLlotx9JPVHE3aXPn69ZVYoqhHoEx_LFGKUUGYV5r88VBCLTEmdhiwidfQhurTHMctdJjsEwvqxYHgz9ebIuU2BPeByuSkZDDx58StmNBhyfK8qllG2Vim5cWP_PUtR4M/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-02-07+at+5.46.27+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W9b-Zo4H4amLlotx9JPVHE3aXPn69ZVYoqhHoEx_LFGKUUGYV5r88VBCLTEmdhiwidfQhurTHMctdJjsEwvqxYHgz9ebIuU2BPeByuSkZDDx58StmNBhyfK8qllG2Vim5cWP_PUtR4M/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-02-07+at+5.46.27+PM.png" width="445" /></a></div></p><p>See! It’s literally a work of art. <br />
<p>I am so happy I have the opportunity to be here at Stanford and being here has made me appreciate my home city so much. I am discovering new things about Stanford almost every day but always in the back of my mind is my home and the city I will always hold close to my heart.<br />
<p><i>— Alanna </i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-21526632249558340632017-01-16T15:12:00.002-08:002017-01-16T15:17:24.101-08:00Karlie reflects on her time at Stanford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5INP1hoYvFMCcUn6pW4LJHxRVRXk9oVyAAkzjTulQTjcyqHgoNFwJh1UT_pHYSYbsSbJmtWxuwHN6QFoQCrWqO_a0i5PYadWiIZB6iZcmRCi2hzRa1aDcKYeIsMiT5ISdMjX97DKyEA/s1600/team1-16-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5INP1hoYvFMCcUn6pW4LJHxRVRXk9oVyAAkzjTulQTjcyqHgoNFwJh1UT_pHYSYbsSbJmtWxuwHN6QFoQCrWqO_a0i5PYadWiIZB6iZcmRCi2hzRa1aDcKYeIsMiT5ISdMjX97DKyEA/s200/team1-16-17.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hi Cardinal Fans! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It is crazy to be writing my last blog as a Senior. Everything that I am doing this year is my final time around. I have grown so much not only as a basketball player but as a person as well. When I think about the time I have had at Stanford, I know I chose the perfect place for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">For this blog post, I wanted to reflect back on my first three years here at Stanford and name some of the major highlights.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
Freshman year (2013-2014):<br />
<ol style="margin-left: 10px; padding-left: 20px;">
<li>Traveling to Italy my first summer for three games. These were my first games with the entire team, and it was very special to be able to play with Chiney and my sister Bonnie. We were there for 10 days and visited Rome, Florence, Venice, and Siena. It was such a memorable experience and my first time traveling out of the country.<br /></li>
<li>Making it to the Final Four in Nashville. Going to the Final Four as a freshman was a crazy experience. I did not completely understand how hard it is to make it that far in the NCAA tournament at the time. I was so glad to be able to play with Chiney her senior year. She was a great role model and leader to play with.</li>
</ol>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Sophomore year (2014-2015):</span></div>
<ol style="margin-left: 10px; padding-left: 20px;">
<li>Beating UCONN our second game of the season at home in overtime. This was such a fun game and I remember the feeling that we had when Bon passed to Amber to make that three to send us into overtime. I get goosebumps whenever I think about that game. I would love to play them again, hopefully soon at some point in my final season (to play against my little sister Katie Lou would be so fun!).<br /></li>
<li>Not a clear highlight, but when I broke my pinky right before tournament time. I was out for the rest of season. This was not how I wanted to end my sophomore year (especially just because of a pinky!). However, this really taught me how big of an impact you can still have on the bench during a game. Being enthusiastic, communicating, and encouraging can be just as important as hustling on the court or making shots. My injury also opened my eyes to how special it is to be able to play college basketball. I do not take my health for granted and remind myself to enjoy every minute of being able to play this sport. This was also my last time playing with Bonnie and I am so grateful to be able to have experienced my first two years of college with my older sister.</li>
</ol>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Junior year (2015-2016):</span></div>
<ol style="margin-left: 10px; padding-left: 20px;">
<li>Being named a captain. This was a highlight for me because I wanted to be a leader of the team and being named a captain puts the pressure on you to really try to be your best every day and be a role model. I think being a captain helped me think about the team first and to play my best for my teammates and coaches. This was also the first year that I have ever played on a team without one of my sisters. Finally didn’t have to deal with them (just kidding!). It was a difficult transition for me, but luckily Bonnie stayed up in the Bay Area taking extra classes for Optometry School so I got to see her quite a bit.<br /></li>
<li>Beating Notre Dame in the Sweet 16. This was a huge game for our team. We moved the ball well, played together and for each other, and left it all out there on the court. Of course we wanted to win our next game, but this game stands out to me because of the overall team effort to take down that number one seed.</li>
</ol>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Senior year (2016-2017):</span></div>
<ol style="margin-left: 10px; padding-left: 20px;">
<li>I have to say a highlight of this year is being able to play with Bird and Bri. We have been through a lot together these four years and I love both of them. I love them as people. I love them as players. Bri is someone I can talk to about anything. Bird is one of the most positive people I know and she can always put a smile on my face. One thing we all have in common is a love for this game. Thinking back, these two were a major reason I really re-discovered how much I love playing basketball. I know I am going to have life-long friendships with my two fellow seniors. I cannot wait to see how the rest of our final season goes.<br /></li>
<li>One final highlight that I will mention here is the people that I get to hang out and work with every day. I absolutely love my Stanford family and have so much fun traveling and working with these people. We still have a lot of games left this season. I am excited to see what else is to come for us! I hope it doesn’t fly by too fast!</li>
</ol>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for supporting Stanford Women’s Basketball! I hope to see you at the rest of our home games this season. Go Card! </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<i style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</i></div>
<div class="p1">
<i style="font-size: medium;">--Karlie</i></div>
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</style>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-6079477871115872132017-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:002017-01-02T14:50:05.688-08:00Sorry, I’m from Canada, eh?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFt_1s-zZVcovUJmvu_MbTQ4Su9st5lntahjJaPj2mYdpIJ0J0dK8mHvqF4kNZmkN8e7GpcIatBJmR81ct7_cwSvmot9GtzyPVTiiaMijZepiqmIKECw7goPPPx16AIpj973EGPhJ9T-4/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFt_1s-zZVcovUJmvu_MbTQ4Su9st5lntahjJaPj2mYdpIJ0J0dK8mHvqF4kNZmkN8e7GpcIatBJmR81ct7_cwSvmot9GtzyPVTiiaMijZepiqmIKECw7goPPPx16AIpj973EGPhJ9T-4/s200/team.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
My name is Mikaela Brewer, and I’m a freshman on the Stanford Women’s basketball team! I’m from Barrie, Ontario, Canada, which is a small town just north of Toronto.<br />
<br />
You can probably imagine my excitement in coming to Stanford, where it is relatively warm all year round and there is no SNOW! During this winter, my hometown was pounded with cold, snow, ice and your typical Canadian winter, yet, we do not have snow all year round despite what you may think! In my hometown, we actually have extremely hot and humid summers, and regular seasons! Sadly, no, I also do not live in an igloo, or ride a dog sled to school.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, my diet consists of more than bacon and maple syrup, and a ‘loonie’ is a dollar, not a crazy Canadian, although we do have plenty of those! A ‘toque’ is also a type of hat, and the ‘Canadian tuxedo’ is when someone wears jean on jean. Finally, although I do watch hockey, and it is very popular in Canada, it is not the only sport we play!<br />
<br />
Some Canadian characteristics are however completely true, and I exhibit them (according to my teammates) extremely often, and believe me, they do not hesitate to point it out!<br />
<br />
I do say ‘sorry’ a lot, and with a very Canadian accent, and am also overly polite to a fault, except on the court that is! I also, as you may have guessed first, say ‘eh’ A LOT, and my teammates catch it almost every time!<br />
<br />
I do spell many words like favourite and honour with a ‘u’ and although I speak fluent French, not all Canadians do, in fact, most don’t!<br />
<br />
Canada is not as different from its southern counterpart as many would think, although one thing is for sure: it is very very very cold there right now, and although I miss my family, I do not miss the -40 degree winter weather! <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-85272325390401670522016-12-23T09:09:00.001-08:002016-12-23T09:09:58.467-08:00Kaylee's dream<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPDUx9YSZ1Hsu7oLk158JJoegRa-ey37F6xG_6siR7NtokfkEs1rq_2cuQhgcpKonDqpFO81LkV15uViGSLm2LV4DF5PkTRACfArvyB9YHvptfsL6mAxBtBnGM6jvY2N6s7078bwXwqo/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPDUx9YSZ1Hsu7oLk158JJoegRa-ey37F6xG_6siR7NtokfkEs1rq_2cuQhgcpKonDqpFO81LkV15uViGSLm2LV4DF5PkTRACfArvyB9YHvptfsL6mAxBtBnGM6jvY2N6s7078bwXwqo/s200/team.jpg" width="158" height="200" /></a></div>Not many people know this about me, but it has always been my dream of mine to be a wedding planner. I love everything about it: I love weddings, I love making people happy, and I absolutely love organizing. <br />
</p><p>Of course when I finish my career with basketball and finish my career as a lawyer, I’d love to get into this; but for now I spend my time imagining my wedding and planning my teammates’ weddings. So, I thought I’d share a few.<br />
<br />
<p>[<i>Kaylee's incredible blog is way too complicated for Blogger to handle. Click <a href="http://www.stanfordfbc.org/FBCFiles/Kaylee.Blog.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see it.</i>]<br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-45416373719481830092016-12-19T15:37:00.001-08:002016-12-19T15:37:23.059-08:00Favorite Christmas songsHello Stanford fans!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0t2faB4s1ZYrTYj31ajvhLjTkmwyXNvgkx2H79-1GCWyKZ5oVHs4IvWkWl2izzEeZiyB5hOAlfn-HDYYB1PHgELaRDaQZR4OBplqCGB7lCcK37B0atwwKkZJYpjVLctYlW3rghTZOYs/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0t2faB4s1ZYrTYj31ajvhLjTkmwyXNvgkx2H79-1GCWyKZ5oVHs4IvWkWl2izzEeZiyB5hOAlfn-HDYYB1PHgELaRDaQZR4OBplqCGB7lCcK37B0atwwKkZJYpjVLctYlW3rghTZOYs/s200/team.jpg" width="120" /></a>Christmas is nearing and I am so excited!<br />
<br />
So in honor of my favorite holiday I have gotten everyone’s favorite Christmas songs together! Which is your favorite?<br />
<br />
Players:<br />
Mikaela: Silent Night by Kelly Clarkson<br />
Dijonai: Mistletoe by Justin Bieber<br />
Nadia: Wonderful Christmas Song by Paul McCartney<br />
Anna: All I Want by Justin Bieber<br />
Shannon: All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey<br />
Alanna: Jingle Bell Rock, version from the movie Mean Girls<br />
Alexa: Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano<br />
Marta: Santa Baby by Marilyn Monroe<br />
Kaylee: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love<br />
Brittany: Dominic The Donkey by Lou Monte<br />
Karlie: Baby It’s Cold Outside by Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé<br />
Bri: Christmas Eve by Justin Bieber<br />
Bird: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Christina Aguilera<br />
<br />
Coaches:<br />
Tara: Silent Night by Frank Sinatra<br />
Amy: Little Drummer Boy by Harry Simeone<br />
Kate: Silver Bells by Bing Crosby<br />
Tempie: This Christmas by Donny Hathaway<br />
Katelin: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by NSYNC<br />
Brittany: Please Come Home For Christmas by The Eagles<br />
Hana: Baby It’s Cold Outside: version in the movie Elf<br />
John: White Christmas by Bing Crosby<br />
Shelbi: Sleigh Ride by TLC<br />
Mary: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra<br />
<br />
<i>— Shannon</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-3879315981256362032016-12-06T17:10:00.000-08:002016-12-06T17:10:51.231-08:00Anna's storyHi Cardinal Fans,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyXV_VXP167Koo3WiIwl4O7s3xYdl6XSkJ_jKT3jf7ewirypTClTQ_eIBCAs8wg5aS6m-WE_U5PcwyzzxoeJaismV0UoMkBuRwJIlcAef5kAUYySNN92khyphenhyphenrz6V1jCeCs7Q8Vx5Xi_SE/s1600/alumni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyXV_VXP167Koo3WiIwl4O7s3xYdl6XSkJ_jKT3jf7ewirypTClTQ_eIBCAs8wg5aS6m-WE_U5PcwyzzxoeJaismV0UoMkBuRwJIlcAef5kAUYySNN92khyphenhyphenrz6V1jCeCs7Q8Vx5Xi_SE/s200/alumni.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>My name is Anna Wilson, and I am a freshman point guard for Stanford Women’s Basketball. <br />
<br />
I was born in Virginia then I moved to Washington state for my senior year of high school. I have two older brothers, Harry and Russell, and both of them played dual sports in college. I am the youngest and only girl in my family. <br />
<br />
I started playing basketball when I was five years old, and my dad was my first coach. I played with the boys at the YMCA. Those years of playing under my dad and with the boys helped inspire and shape my passion for basketball.<br />
<br />
I started playing AAU basketball when I was in sixth grade and that was when I began playing with the girls. These girls were way better than the boys I was playing with. They were faster, stronger, and taller than I was. I guess you could say that trait of height does not run in family (haha), but these girls had all the tangible things I didn’t have.<br />
<br />
Max Coates, my AAU coach and mentor, who recently passed away, saw something in me that he believed separated me from the rest of the girls I was competing against. These things he saw were the intangibles—the immeasurable and not physical traits I possessed. The intangibles were all based on the things I learned playing at the YMCA: have fun competing, be willing to learn and listen, have meaningful relationships with the people on your team, and always continue to grow and seek out growth in others.<br />
<br />
The lessons that I learned way back then have brought me to where I am now. Those lessons are the reasons why I love Stanford Women’s Basketball.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I have not had the ability to play this season. But I hope is that I can bring leadership to the other freshman, a sense of calmness and patience during times of adversity, and to be the best version of myself everyday. I understand that this is all a process, and my ultimate goal is to be completely healthy at the end of it.<br />
<br />
I have truly enjoyed my time here so far. I have grown and matured in so many different ways. The reason why people choose Stanford is obviously because of the outstanding education, but in the face what really influences who you become in the future are the experiences you have and people that surround you.<br />
<br />
I have been blessed to be surrounded by some of the most talented and compassionate people that I know. I have fun with them everyday, I enjoy the relationships we have built, and we all are steadily growing each and everyday. I am excited to go on this journey with this team and to learn from the best in the game. Go Cardinal!<br />
<br />
With much love from #3,<br />
Anna WilsonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-88255131141646500572016-11-18T22:05:00.000-08:002016-11-20T13:41:17.031-08:00Reflections from India: Surmounting my Expectations <br />
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WZJqHHNoHyQp181oVx_Zvh3oenubvt-GDve3yUa9P_M6maMNIrkeEmafilnWagbjyrLgjPr-W6dZwMnMya2uvsLtilH7weYjpCrZhSD0Bqa0TB6D2cG2A-k4UHnwVANdW_Ly5cr93a0/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WZJqHHNoHyQp181oVx_Zvh3oenubvt-GDve3yUa9P_M6maMNIrkeEmafilnWagbjyrLgjPr-W6dZwMnMya2uvsLtilH7weYjpCrZhSD0Bqa0TB6D2cG2A-k4UHnwVANdW_Ly5cr93a0/s200/team.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>India. What are some images that come to mind when thinking of this particular country? The Taj Mahal? Colorful clothing? Perhaps crowded streets and bustling markets? I know those images were exactly the ones that came to my mind when I found out that I would be participating in ACE India. <br />
<p><br />
However, what I failed to comprehend was exactly how different the lifestyle in India is from my own and what exactly I would be experiencing during my time there. <br />
</p><p>Everyday on the way to my volunteer site called Vidya – a school for underprivileged children without access to education – presented the perfect opportunity to observe everyday life. From the very first car ride, I realized just how different the Indian lifestyle was. First of all, no one uses traffic lane lines. Every car is unevenly staggered, aggressively accelerating even if only 5 feet of space is available ahead. There are motorbikes weaving in and out just mere centimeters away from other vehicles. People cross the street, slowly meandering throughout the traffic, but confident they won’t get hit amidst the chaos. Horns honk every 3 seconds and the occasional cow or elephant can be spotted lazily making its way through traffic as well. I’m convinced that street life in India is an art. <br />
<p>At the school, from grades pre-k to 11th, students rise up out of their seats to acknowledge us when we enter the classrooms. When we walk by them, each student says, “Good morning ma’am,” or “Hello Didi,” with a gentle wave and a shy smile. The more I toured the school grounds, the more confident and excited I became to start working. That is, until one of the teachers threw me in an 11th grade class and said, “OK you can start teaching them,” and then walked out. <br />
<p>I was left in the classroom with a fellow volunteer feeling extremely unprepared as all the student’s eyes fixed upon us in anticipation of what we had to offer. The students told us that they had chosen business as their area of concentration. In my head I was thinking “how in the world am I supposed to teach business to these students?!” I hadn’t taken a single business class in my life. I’ve also never taught in a classroom setting, especially to students only a couple years younger than me. So there I was, half a world away in India, standing in front of a class with no prior experience whatsoever, to teach English to Indian students whose English was already fairly advanced, and to also infuse some principles of business, which I knew nothing about. At that moment, I realized how underrated being a teacher was. <br />
<p>After that initial experience, my volunteer partner and I began brainstorming class activities and lesson plans. I had to adopt this aura of authority and wisdom for the students who were eager to learn, but in reality on the inside, I was terrified and doubtful of my ability to teach. However over time, each day of teaching became better than the one before. I’ve learned so much about India, my students, the way life goes on here, and so much about myself. I would have never imagined myself in a situation that I described above, but it has been nothing short of phenomenal. <br />
<p>In the classroom I was out of my comfort zone, but on the playground I was more in my element. Kids pulled at our sleeves begging us to play games with them. A group of little girls taught me how to play Kabuddi, the oldest game in India’s history. They squealed with laughter as I attempted to play, not knowing the rules. <br />
<p>I also had the opportunity to play some basketball. I remember doing a simple right handed lay up and everyone stopped and clapped in awe as if were some acrobatic feat. It was such a surreal experience. It’s hard teaching specific skills to the students because they’ve been playing basketball in their own style and rules their entire life, but I played along because basketball is basketball nonetheless. <br />
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6fjvfR0iwiarF3SnxZ9x4SWMvzR8TFLE1gcyCvXAD1edQ1l5nP1a3TYmZzjUOu5Qk0BWq3XMhpA25KfObqLVY9bNgx5MOc2lmtd1bPDmzPZqNvIbMKTEBLyASav73YVrH7xMs3l3a48/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6fjvfR0iwiarF3SnxZ9x4SWMvzR8TFLE1gcyCvXAD1edQ1l5nP1a3TYmZzjUOu5Qk0BWq3XMhpA25KfObqLVY9bNgx5MOc2lmtd1bPDmzPZqNvIbMKTEBLyASav73YVrH7xMs3l3a48/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="400" height="260" /></a></div><p>Sometimes on the playground, I just talked to students who weren’t playing sports and just learned about their life. I’d ask about their plans after school and hear about the way they thought or the desires and dreams they had. What I heard was sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes amazing, but always interesting. Once I asked a girl about her henna on her hand. It wasn’t an intricate pattern at all and I asked why because usually hennas are elaborate. Her response was, “I am a simple girl, and only want simple things.” I loved that. <br />
<p>So whether I was observing from a car window, standing in front of classroom, playing my own sport in a foreign country, or simply just asking questions to younger children, I was constantly being introduced to new things. Processing all the information and flinging myself into situations where I have no clue how to respond left me utterly exhausted but also brought me to many new insights and discoveries about myself and about life beyond anything I’ve ever known. <br />
<p><i>-- Alexa</i><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-56681867265972807202016-03-08T18:02:00.000-08:002016-03-08T18:02:12.334-08:00Lessons about teamwork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxjno5B85tfJWINgMzo4lYsgo_fBWksB28Gv-7H9aVQpuQ8GGQ6jscG__V0wl-5gXxHGNzdeh_83JN5nhEXWLCs9WhkJoPwwaOC3b4j_4dWoRTgZgVyXqzgK6qAMfWZhplgOo0_0lyvw/s1600/recruit+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img width="100" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxjno5B85tfJWINgMzo4lYsgo_fBWksB28Gv-7H9aVQpuQ8GGQ6jscG__V0wl-5gXxHGNzdeh_83JN5nhEXWLCs9WhkJoPwwaOC3b4j_4dWoRTgZgVyXqzgK6qAMfWZhplgOo0_0lyvw/s200/recruit+copy.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;">Basketball is a teacher of many lessons. I learn new lessons everyday through my exposure to basketball. During my time here at Stanford, one of the most important lessons I have learned is the importance of teamwork. Here are a few lessons about teamwork:</div><div style="clear:both; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>T</b></span>enacity - As a team, we have a duty to strive and persist to win as many games as possible. As the saying goes, “The game is not over until it’s over.” We must fight tenaciously until the clock hits 0.0.</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>E</b></span>ffort - The more work you put in, the better the results. Winning as a team takes consistent<span style="color: #ff2600;"> </span>effort from each teammate.</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>A</b></span>ttitude - Attitude is everything. Whether our attitudes are expressed verbally or through body language, a positive or negative attitude can be infectious. Staying positive and working together as a team is a major key to success!</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>M</b></span>indset - Basketball requires mental toughness. As a team, we must keep our minds focused on our goals to be victorious. Without a strong mindset, challenges become obstacles!</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>W</b></span>ork ethic - A strong work ethic not only builds character, but also produces rewards on <i>and</i> off the court!</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>O</b></span>pportunity<b> </b>-<b> </b>At Stanford we have an amazing opportunity to play basketball while obtaining an excellent education, and this should not be taken for granted. We also have an opportunity to bond and grow as a team. Teams with great chemistry win championships. </div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>R</b></span>epetition - Great practice makes great players, and great players make great teams. The more we practice, the more we sharpen and develop our skills that prepare us for challenging games ahead.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;"><b>K</b></span>nowing Who You Are On and Off The Court - Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned is that basketball demands that you know who you are, whether on the court or off. We play the game of basketball and strive to do our best, but basketball does not define us – we define it. If we maintain this perspective, we are free to excel, not just in basketball, but also in all walks of life.<span style="font-size: 10px; line-height: normal;"> </span></div><br />
<i>-- Bri</i><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-12807973422033941712016-03-05T10:28:00.000-08:002016-03-05T10:29:28.493-08:00Spirit animals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyzTLZNwTJabD-5EL8l7TuPg7EKrbo8546MbxHQloyD8lm16bQsUd99lc56bEo87VYvKuAq3FG8XDm9liWyHnXQ4IFvR2Pi5Ry-LABkxpIIQVbVKULbcwLTYeDfFifEjNbtBFCJuNSWY/s1600/kiran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyzTLZNwTJabD-5EL8l7TuPg7EKrbo8546MbxHQloyD8lm16bQsUd99lc56bEo87VYvKuAq3FG8XDm9liWyHnXQ4IFvR2Pi5Ry-LABkxpIIQVbVKULbcwLTYeDfFifEjNbtBFCJuNSWY/s200/kiran.jpg" /></a></div>Hey Stanford Fans!<br />
<br />
Y’all get to see us play every week but how much do you really know about us off the court?! Well… what better way to get to know us than to know which spirit animal each of us most resembles! <br />
<p style="clear:both;">Alanna- a wombat! (small animal native to Australia). Alanna is a wombat because she is soft, cuddly, adorable, and…. Australian!<br />
Alexa- a sea turtle! They’re laid back, go with the flow, and love to travel!<br />
Marta- a poodle. Confident, proud, and spoiled.<br />
Shannon- a giraffe! Tall and cute! <br />
Britt- an elk. Very competitive with great endurance. Also a high sense of integrity.<br />
Kaylee- a lioness! Because she’s always fierce, whether it’s the way she acts, looks, hoops, or any other aspect of life.<br />
Bird- an elephant. Wise and peaceful but still enjoys having fun.<br />
Bri- a dog! Loving, playful, and VERY loyal.<br />
Kailee- a wolf. There’s no doubt KJ has her packs back! <br />
Karlie- a cheetah. Marvelous, fast, and smooth! <br />
Lili- a bear. Symbolic for strength and courage. Has strong grounding forces and provides stable leadership.<br />
Alex- a sloth. She thinks for herself, moves at her own pace, and just likes to hang out and do her own thing. <br />
Kiran- a deer. Calm, peaceful, and wise. <br />
Tess- a raccoon. Crafty, smart, and willing to eat anything in sight. Also, as long as they are unbothered, they mind their own business and stay under the radar.<br />
<br />
Hope that gives you guys some insight into who we really are!<br />
<br />
<i>— Kiran</i><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-45508564278847570912016-03-02T16:39:00.001-08:002016-03-02T16:40:59.348-08:00Coffee Club<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSxBDT4BDT1VUv2jUzt_bjfc0bYBJRC6ale-i_qagQ73phFqpmPIGDdWeC5xuxidwa7bviTNJQA7_C3r84828HPDy-I3hsKjjFkw1l1UPkJI-mITSXaigpBQi3fr_pNrAX0HFWbGwRgA/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSxBDT4BDT1VUv2jUzt_bjfc0bYBJRC6ale-i_qagQ73phFqpmPIGDdWeC5xuxidwa7bviTNJQA7_C3r84828HPDy-I3hsKjjFkw1l1UPkJI-mITSXaigpBQi3fr_pNrAX0HFWbGwRgA/s200/team.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
As a freshman, I didn’t really know what to expect for when we would travel to our away games. For example, where would we eat? Would we have time to see the city we were playing in?<br />
<br />
I was imagining our road trips to be like the road trips I would go on during my AAU tournaments…lots of free time, shopping, seeing the iconic places the city I was in had to offer, etc. I love traveling and road trips were especially fun!<br />
<br />
However, in college, I quickly realized that road trips for away games were very different. Traveling during season and in the midst of school barely left any free time to do anything. Between practices, watching film, team dinners, shoot-arounds, and of course lots and lots of homework, there was always something to be done at the hotel.<br />
<br />
But as someone who loves to travel, I still wanted to experience some aspect and get somewhat of a feel of city we were staying in. That’s when I learned about Coffee Club.<br />
<br />
Coffee Club, established by previous Stanford Women Basketballers, is a group open to anyone who wants to join. Every morning on road trips, Coffee Club meets in the hotel lobby before breakfast. Tess Picknell, Coffee Club’s president, searches for local and unique coffee shops to go to, and then whoever shows up for Coffee Club that morning; we all walk together to that coffee shop.<br />
<br />
Consistent members of Coffee Club are myself, Tess, Bird, Hanna (our video coordinator), Kaitlin (our athletic trainer), John (our communications director), and Mary (our intern).<br />
<br />
Coffee Club is such an awesome group. It gives me and everyone else an opportunity to explore and experience the city a little bit when time permits us not to.<br />
<br />
Coffee Club gets me up early and has me feeling productive. It’s a great start to my day! Not to mention, talking with Coffee Club members over warm pastries and delicious cappuccinos unique to each city never fails to put a smile on my face…also Bird always seems to have a funny story to tell.<br />
<br />
It’s a great bonding experience. I even remember one time a coffee shop in Spokane had board games, so we all gathered around a table and started playing Scrabble! It was so much fun!<br />
<br />
Hopefully Coffee Club will continue in the upcoming year. Who knows… maybe after Tess graduates, I will become the next Coffee Club President? <br />
<br />
<i>— Alexa</i><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-12484758982855814312016-02-15T18:03:00.000-08:002016-02-15T18:04:21.868-08:00Cardinal Strengths<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7y1XUkEoDSoBgl_wD_5YfWC1Tsvv7sRBnYrqjEk9ttarcWbQf_DTko_Yn0jkHhYo_jqK6vs-eEFyehkZipNCXWI2YxOXyJLYT2zKgeA7gGxRFtBi_vi72xJJNXTM2ALrQl-1FWaStr8/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7y1XUkEoDSoBgl_wD_5YfWC1Tsvv7sRBnYrqjEk9ttarcWbQf_DTko_Yn0jkHhYo_jqK6vs-eEFyehkZipNCXWI2YxOXyJLYT2zKgeA7gGxRFtBi_vi72xJJNXTM2ALrQl-1FWaStr8/s200/team.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
<br />
A few weeks ago, after one of our practices, Bird mentioned the idea of a super player who had all of my teammates’ strengths. She would have:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Karlie’s shooting,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lili’s clutchness,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shannon’s post moves,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Bird’s shot blocking,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kailee’s basketball IQ,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kiran’s versatility,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tess’s strength,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Bri’s ball-handling,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Marta’s passing,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kaylee’s rebounding,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Brittany’s ability to get to the basket,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alexa’s speed,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alanna’s finishing around the rim</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I thought about how crazy it would be to play against someone like this because they would be virtually impossible to beat. But then something struck me. I realized that our team can be just like the super player. If we maximize on everyone’s strengths, this team can be unstoppable.<br />
<br />
However if one strength is lost the capability of the team declines. From seniors to freshman, in order to succeed everyone is needed. As we approach the last third of our season it will be fun to see how we will organize these strengths.<br />
<br />
It may take a little while to see the full potential, but once we figure it out I have no doubt in my mind that this team will be stronger than ever.<br />
<br />
<i>-- Alex Green </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-24505488286658862542016-02-03T21:21:00.000-08:002016-02-03T21:21:16.243-08:00Translation from the Australian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxg7F546GMMiozlhkRx-U7EbZggj5UFV2xFvj8u4R3i2se1taDvO4gJa2dnV_sCTZBDV5qdsBPa3I9YQhaLX8Q4uIC2Q1h2XpPnYhIzdlJ6wFOg_DsmfwYpbZhksvIU8QBOSCSqZJx9Cg/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxg7F546GMMiozlhkRx-U7EbZggj5UFV2xFvj8u4R3i2se1taDvO4gJa2dnV_sCTZBDV5qdsBPa3I9YQhaLX8Q4uIC2Q1h2XpPnYhIzdlJ6wFOg_DsmfwYpbZhksvIU8QBOSCSqZJx9Cg/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>My commitment to Stanford University meant not only leaving everything I knew and the safety of home behind me in Australia, but also having to adjust my use of language. <br />
<br />
Some people say Australian’s have their own language and on arriving in the USA in September last year I came to realize that this is somewhat true. <br />
<br />
On my first day in Palo Alto I made my way to Target in search for some bedding. I proceeded to ask a store employee where the “doonas” were located. The look I got from the employee was a mixture of confusion and concern. I had to explain that a “doona” was a blanket used to keep you warm at night. <br />
<br />
I have experienced countless more instances similar to this one, where no one seems to understand what I am saying. In an effort to help people understand some of the Australian language I have come up with some rough translations.<br />
<br />
Doona – blanket used to keep you warm at night<br />
Vegemite – delicious condiment that is commonly spread on toast with butter<br />
Mate – a friend, more than an acquaintance<br />
Barbie – Barbeque <br />
Bikkie – Tasty biscuit <br />
Bloke – man, guy<br />
Brekkie – Breakfast<br />
Crook – sick, unwell<br />
Daks – pants, clothing worn on the bottom half of the body<br />
Dunny – lavatory <br />
Lollies – candy but not chocolate <br />
Corkey – deep bruise, Charlie horse <br />
Maccas – MacDonald’s<br />
Spewin’ – angry or extremely disappointed <br />
<br />
<i>— Alanna <br />
</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-158192459570854842016-01-26T18:14:00.001-08:002016-01-26T18:24:38.602-08:00A new look at the JuniorsHi Stanford Fans!<br />
<br />
It is crazy being an upperclassman this year. I love my Junior classmates. This is our third year together, and I would not ask for anyone different to spend my four years of college with. Each one of us is very different and this makes us get along so great. To tell you a little bit about each one of us, I wanted to compare each of us to a dog look-alike. <br />
<br />
I love dogs. My first dog was a golden retriever named Sami. My family now has a new puppy named Lucy. She is a black lab and no matter how big she is getting, she still thinks she is a lap dog. She constantly jumps up onto the couch and sits right on you. Here are what I think are not only dog look-a-likes for us five juniors, but also similar in personalities. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Bird – St. Bernard<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2z0FmaqWDycS2GqOrSmG1DowCfOGfatoQUVZW87ZXH9b2KV9iSf9T0r9NSuQFhRDVXmd0Tej5-bc1wvTpWnRDV7Dn7UW9jR8bvhlGcUP5bid8EtpmW6wVfy0P7mPuEPg0bQVn4Nh4pZc/s1600/st+bernard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2z0FmaqWDycS2GqOrSmG1DowCfOGfatoQUVZW87ZXH9b2KV9iSf9T0r9NSuQFhRDVXmd0Tej5-bc1wvTpWnRDV7Dn7UW9jR8bvhlGcUP5bid8EtpmW6wVfy0P7mPuEPg0bQVn4Nh4pZc/s400/st+bernard.jpg" /></a></div>For Bird, I always get a smile on my face when I see her, so I thought a St. Bernard was perfect. When I think of Birdie, I think of a fun-loving, energetic person who’s always putting a smile on people’s faces. When I see a St. Bernard, I just want to give him or her a big hug. They are gentle, lively, and friendly just like Bird. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Lili – Komondor<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtkXAGxxye4yrOSL4OzLR0II2M2KYGb9vqUUZXrcmr3udZZjcqh6UFNNiBLs6LRrvuOtW6-pfydJqCDNCF0gL7GGDNnUYPiZBWAiXKFCKuwkI1JlSrRo-P2Hpj8b21QWjBaVTXVpXZOQ/s1600/komondor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtkXAGxxye4yrOSL4OzLR0II2M2KYGb9vqUUZXrcmr3udZZjcqh6UFNNiBLs6LRrvuOtW6-pfydJqCDNCF0gL7GGDNnUYPiZBWAiXKFCKuwkI1JlSrRo-P2Hpj8b21QWjBaVTXVpXZOQ/s400/komondor.jpg" /></a></div>Now, I chose the Komondor for Lili because of its dread-like fur. However, looking up the personalities of Komondors actually match Lili quite well. Komondors are intelligent, independent, and protective. When I look to Lili, I always know she has something meaningful to say and I know she has my back. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Kailee – Rhodesian Ridgeback<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp1ptgVFX9NW5-zg2xDHJM153-aR3IzAK48eNSHkVSHkjNQeWanm_NFnN6LRvDvSBxkyZMAHDg-pCXIEE6g-xZkd3GMQzCSu7VnFZ1Ni7YMlj9b9K22w_C8yBJNvklZ1vJX9XVQ_GcZ0/s1600/ridgeback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp1ptgVFX9NW5-zg2xDHJM153-aR3IzAK48eNSHkVSHkjNQeWanm_NFnN6LRvDvSBxkyZMAHDg-pCXIEE6g-xZkd3GMQzCSu7VnFZ1Ni7YMlj9b9K22w_C8yBJNvklZ1vJX9XVQ_GcZ0/s400/ridgeback.jpg" /></a></div>Kailee is tall, athletic, and tan. So I thought a Rhodesian Ridgeback would be a perfect look alike. Looking at the personalities of these dogs, however, also gave a perfect match. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are strong-willed, dignified, and loyal. I know that Kailee always has my teammates and I’s backs and she is always going to be there to fight for herself and her teammates. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;font-weight: bold;">Kailee Alternate<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mfsc8mY_K-c3XAUGvuoyUOgFRdPZLMjlpW71a8VAJmnD0P-qLhQM9GZ2FeQa9x36CeyP8E1wTsRIpC_JFn2xMiHcyHGcJCrZswQnXNcxa2OhHdaBpvxfpl61j7joN1mKSfdAYw49ECU/s1600/kaileealt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mfsc8mY_K-c3XAUGvuoyUOgFRdPZLMjlpW71a8VAJmnD0P-qLhQM9GZ2FeQa9x36CeyP8E1wTsRIpC_JFn2xMiHcyHGcJCrZswQnXNcxa2OhHdaBpvxfpl61j7joN1mKSfdAYw49ECU/s400/kaileealt.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;font-weight: bold;">Bri – French Bulldog<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdlhQvCPKHxWFQpzKOu073yytC75ouOii1SEHrCALHOJH8y_2BmJhoDJWbEmxUu3Hbr2RBt9ZA8DKZWV0Kv_KhSn-9ba7LODUKUwIvgI5MJo3D-G8RK0xil3Gl4TvJ-eqcA8XCLcxYNA/s1600/bulldog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdlhQvCPKHxWFQpzKOu073yytC75ouOii1SEHrCALHOJH8y_2BmJhoDJWbEmxUu3Hbr2RBt9ZA8DKZWV0Kv_KhSn-9ba7LODUKUwIvgI5MJo3D-G8RK0xil3Gl4TvJ-eqcA8XCLcxYNA/s400/bulldog.jpg" /></a></div>Bri was a tough one to match. I went with a French Bulldog because she is small and athletic. Bri may be small in size but she does not act small. French bulldogs are easy-going, alert, and playful. Bri is one of the most easy-going people I know. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Karlie – Yellow lab<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiaAq1mmCznor3onV-fPpWGBY3yR7RDY3YW9ta5y0vBD8KQS0ZPCtv1Lb9zICqO1c1YrAkvV3wIAK9kjfumh45C9rCJw2jCacdA41Vtw4c8dQVSckX14lGLhd4TJfpHKEyFv_6mTbbew/s1600/lab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiaAq1mmCznor3onV-fPpWGBY3yR7RDY3YW9ta5y0vBD8KQS0ZPCtv1Lb9zICqO1c1YrAkvV3wIAK9kjfumh45C9rCJw2jCacdA41Vtw4c8dQVSckX14lGLhd4TJfpHKEyFv_6mTbbew/s400/lab.jpg" /></a></div>I just picked a yellow lab for myself because I am blonde and I love them.<br />
<br />
And just to throw in some dog pictures for the coaches:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKpRP1lGKOrFq5pBsRW443orKp_p54YdvaQVlJzWuOPvHoiFZmOfDDObpFKeZlMae90nsMlkyQS4pZhv7sJDSDGAthxlDYMPDs6YxYxcAVcVSWUdQ2c4oPp4d7ibL8lHvHjtmDji_xIo/s1600/tempiewhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKpRP1lGKOrFq5pBsRW443orKp_p54YdvaQVlJzWuOPvHoiFZmOfDDObpFKeZlMae90nsMlkyQS4pZhv7sJDSDGAthxlDYMPDs6YxYxcAVcVSWUdQ2c4oPp4d7ibL8lHvHjtmDji_xIo/s400/tempiewhole.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigOzMzexme5HZuE0jBsrcj5G0GzISQsI1iOMWjWlscYTYC7TRhQPYT6wdRDTLiIb_qgHxcDui1AUo7DGDtxmMxLbb-HpxsuptCaoF6K_cnpIjSOGllpchk48JiPdYvBjAexugH5_-Jbw/s1600/katewhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigOzMzexme5HZuE0jBsrcj5G0GzISQsI1iOMWjWlscYTYC7TRhQPYT6wdRDTLiIb_qgHxcDui1AUo7DGDtxmMxLbb-HpxsuptCaoF6K_cnpIjSOGllpchk48JiPdYvBjAexugH5_-Jbw/s400/katewhole.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltQkF8UY8Z66JpX-quhZiv5AGYjvVgYQ-_rbx6NjDqqyfgJbF8EzuBVzxOZih8G6i752I4Svc-pp0PKNqlXEewJQLme9Kmq2mHhHMZxWP0GYgDEVQQlzsomkoLBzEIloyyMMT-lmF0O0/s1600/amywhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltQkF8UY8Z66JpX-quhZiv5AGYjvVgYQ-_rbx6NjDqqyfgJbF8EzuBVzxOZih8G6i752I4Svc-pp0PKNqlXEewJQLme9Kmq2mHhHMZxWP0GYgDEVQQlzsomkoLBzEIloyyMMT-lmF0O0/s400/amywhole.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_iLsNpwiKUFpOI3BgdLHk4MmzbiZ_dEHXQGyuI7jGmqnLMdqvYYcQ7PIxhgL2Y01ZTPqWy54OmTlFOKhxyDpsYBKKOc5e85xUixv0i75NLn8xtBEypy_BzjR1wN1zIjqYHNmQ5be1qU/s1600/tarawhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_iLsNpwiKUFpOI3BgdLHk4MmzbiZ_dEHXQGyuI7jGmqnLMdqvYYcQ7PIxhgL2Y01ZTPqWy54OmTlFOKhxyDpsYBKKOc5e85xUixv0i75NLn8xtBEypy_BzjR1wN1zIjqYHNmQ5be1qU/s400/tarawhole.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<i>— Karlie</i><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-79633765841026072462016-01-25T08:12:00.000-08:002016-01-25T08:12:30.034-08:00From one family to the next<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ogf_4IurqmxDO3KesR39A5UqRL58ZwAhevNuV2j32oPh5cd2Ll8_14QVUf6nt-mssPuoWe0PuMz5rqpmjgPtoCEHxrF6Hxxv6-RLb0b4UCNvpC5GsrrX2xLumyPU-iUFbHD_D2s-g88/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ogf_4IurqmxDO3KesR39A5UqRL58ZwAhevNuV2j32oPh5cd2Ll8_14QVUf6nt-mssPuoWe0PuMz5rqpmjgPtoCEHxrF6Hxxv6-RLb0b4UCNvpC5GsrrX2xLumyPU-iUFbHD_D2s-g88/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>I absolutely love when people ask about my family because I always have so much to say about each and every member. I could tell endless crazy stories about my siblings and our adventures, ranging from playing roller-basketball in the driveway to creating slip-n-slides into our pool. <br />
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It’s safe to say there’s never a dull day in the Sniezek household, granted, there are quite a few of us. To be exact, I have six brothers, two sisters, and two parents. When people discover that I come from a large family, I unfailingly receive a variation of the following question, “can you recite all their names?” I’m sure you were all thinking it as well so here it goes, my parents are Edwina and David, and my siblings in chronological order are Sarah, Edward, John, Joseph, Robert, Michael, Matthew, (myself), and Katerina. <br />
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Like I mentioned earlier, I could talk forever about my family, but I’ll try to keep it short. In my very unbiased opinion, my mom and dad are the epitome of great parenting, that’s not to say they’re perfect (no offense Mom and Dad), but they taught my siblings and me what to value in life and the importance of strong morals. <br />
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As for my siblings, well I can honestly say they’re my best friends. Since we’re all about a year apart, growing up together was quite entertaining. Imagine having recess all day, everyday with your favorite buddies. That’s how I would describe my childhood. <br />
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In many aspects, having a big family is quite similar to being a part of a team. I learned a great deal about communication, leadership, and togetherness, so much so, that I attribute much of my success to my family.<br />
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Although I miss them everyday, I know my family is proud of me, as well as my decision to attend Stanford. <br />
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And what’s even better, I’ve been fortunate to find a second family here at Stanford, my team. <br />
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<br />
<i>--Marta</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-42835205478442390232016-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:002016-01-21T08:29:35.104-08:00Memories of Four years<b>Freshman Year</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8vDHUZUUOJDj-HwQJGsQrDpcJQKnSC7_BTLog0LEbhYQkyoxrE-hlxFZfwfNVVdPN7OX4RmtORX1QBuU21rBs_L_20s9HOioXg4-HZ3dwfZoxpMhB4-qiRg5VJj3C3s7YGpxitWHf3E/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8vDHUZUUOJDj-HwQJGsQrDpcJQKnSC7_BTLog0LEbhYQkyoxrE-hlxFZfwfNVVdPN7OX4RmtORX1QBuU21rBs_L_20s9HOioXg4-HZ3dwfZoxpMhB4-qiRg5VJj3C3s7YGpxitWHf3E/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>First day on campus. Aly Beebe and I went exploring on our bikes (that didn’t stop us from getting lost on the way to the gym on the way to our first workout), I had only learned how to ride a bike two weeks before (in preparation for college), I ran into pole and crashed. I bent my handle bars and went flying. I walked into my very first workout at Stanford with four or five grapefruit sized black and purple bruises covering my legs. But I haven’t crashed my bike since!<br />
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The first time we went to Hawaii, the food was amazing, that was the first time I had experienced the gloriousness that is papua. At breakfast they had this coconut syrup that is just to die for. Two years later and I still remember that syrup, of course the win against Brittany Griner and Baylor at Hawaii was sweeter, but only just. <br />
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<b>Sophomore Year</b><br />
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The team trip to Italy was simply amazing. I remember Aly, Amber, Alex and I got completely lost on the first day we were in Rome. But I think that overall the funniest part of that trip was when we were playing our first game. We were about half way through the first quarter and somebody had just delivered some water bottles to our bench, we all took huge drinks of the water, and then almost as one we all choked and spit it out, because unknown to us the water that we were given was sparkling water instead of regular water.<br />
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My Sophmore year was also my first year of coffee club, I remember one time Sara James, Mikeala and I walked 30 minutes in the middle of a wind storm before breakfast to get to the cafe. I think that might have been the best coffee I ever tasted…and then we walked back.<br />
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The Final Four was pretty awesome as well.<br />
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<b>Junior Year</b><br />
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I think that one of the most memorable moments of my Junior year, besides the Connecticut win of course (Amber making the three to tie up the game will always stay firmly in my memory as most awesome moment of all time), is when we finally beat ASU in the PAC-12 tournament. The locker room after that win was crazy, plus I always love it when Bonnie breaks out her AC/DC Dynamite performance. <br />
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<b>Senior Year</b><br />
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It’s been great so far, but I think that the best moments are still ahead of me. <br />
<br />
<i>Tess Picknell</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-13643768544107269392016-01-04T20:01:00.000-08:002016-01-04T20:01:04.233-08:00Secret Santa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC3xQrVezLY4LWBDMVPkzOsDwrMuRO-iHy3xJI6LPZZX22uWJIFfxTDC45sZa1yzgPQfmFH_lVoKgKcDiKHHzfSlbdGtRrEJcuNqPAYG3UlwCVBjVgso9BeQiMNKx2q3Gs9vojiiTrls/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC3xQrVezLY4LWBDMVPkzOsDwrMuRO-iHy3xJI6LPZZX22uWJIFfxTDC45sZa1yzgPQfmFH_lVoKgKcDiKHHzfSlbdGtRrEJcuNqPAYG3UlwCVBjVgso9BeQiMNKx2q3Gs9vojiiTrls/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>This year our team decided to do a Secret Santa gift exchange, we drew names out of a cup during the Gulf Coast Tournament, we were obviously excited about the Holidays coming up. <br />
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The plan was to pick a teammate, get them a small gift, keep it a secret, and we would do the exchange in the locker room on the 21st before we all went home. On a team of 14 girls there aren’t many secrets, we hate keeping things to ourselves so we didn’t think that the secret part was going to work, but everyone was so excited about our new holiday tradition and lips were sealed!<br />
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I was driving back to campus from Target when we got back from the tournament and I don’t know what came over me but I decided if we were going to have gifts in the locker room we had to have a tree to put them under so I took a sharp U-Turn to the tree lot I had just passed. The man was nice enough to make a little stand for the mini-tree I got out of a stump. It was the best purchase of the year, it brought a little holiday spirit to the locker room and that tree is still green after a month and I am pretty sure no one ever watered it!<br />
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The gifts started to appear under the tree as the 21st was approaching but there were shipping dilemmas that required we push the exchange until the 26th when we were back from our short break. Despite the wait on the 26th the team gathered around the tree to open presents, and I can easily say that this was my favorite ever team activity! <br />
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I won’t share what everyone got each other or anything like that, mostly because I cannot remember, but it was so exciting to see how happy people were when they opened these small gifts. <br />
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It was amazing how perfect people’s gifts suited them! Usually at a gift giving event people give and receive random stuff but our gift exchange was so special because it was so THOUGHTFUL! Gifts were really varied, from clothing to tea kettles, but each one had such a story behind it… something someone had mentioned in the locker room one day, something that had a saying on it that the teammate always says, or just a fun gift. <br />
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The gift exchange was so much fun for our team and definitely a tradition that is here to stay!<br />
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Happy New Years Everyone,<br />
<br />
<i>Kailee Johnson </i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-57425938626326918732015-12-20T12:02:00.000-08:002015-12-20T13:29:25.498-08:00We Could Be Mechanics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeqI1AxuWyIZcuK4t3NeSLUQVx96-anDVm_G5Wrdpgvn-OBkPR73cFvrTf31nQ4zldUZdESmvrDXDv_O7zb0Y8mY2s3gaiuiIH0-JTa5BeF961gAOKyNVF3ldktMtyZQsp7PeUsCxkco/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeqI1AxuWyIZcuK4t3NeSLUQVx96-anDVm_G5Wrdpgvn-OBkPR73cFvrTf31nQ4zldUZdESmvrDXDv_O7zb0Y8mY2s3gaiuiIH0-JTa5BeF961gAOKyNVF3ldktMtyZQsp7PeUsCxkco/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>Christmas break can get a little boring after a while. The days we don’t have games, we usually just practice and then sit in the hotel. So you can imagine the excitement some of the team and I had when we discovered that I was locked out of my car with no keys…<br />
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To give you the background details, I usually just lock my keys in my car and use the keypad on the door to unlock it. So I walked out to my car after practice and as I pressed the keypad, I realized it wasn’t working and I was in trouble. <br />
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So what does any 20 year old in trouble do? I panicked and called my mom, (because of course she could help me from a thousand miles away). Just as I was realizing that she was no help over the phone, some of the team walked out to rescue me. <br />
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Brittany, Alexa, Marta, Kailee, and I: I figured we were the perfect team to break into a car. So after trying to come up with a plan, we realized that I left a light on, which killed my battery (thus, the keypad wouldn’t work to unlock the door). All we needed to do was jump the car. Simple right? Wrong. We couldn’t pop the hood because that would require pulling a lever that was in the car. So we had to get creative. We looked up Youtube videos, found makeshift tools in Kailee’s car to use, and it looked like we were getting close to popping the hood. You would’ve thought we were true mechanics. <br />
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So what started as an unfortunate event was just another teaching experience. It was a reminder to double check my lights before I get out of the car. I learned that if basketball and school doesn’t work out for us, we can open up our own shop. And I was reminded of how lucky I am that each person on this team has my back on and off the court. <br />
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After all of this and about 20 minutes I was in my car and driving away, feeling thankful for my teammates. And feeling thankful for AAA. (Because we called them pretty much right away).<br />
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<i>— Kaylee Johnson</i><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-75869016576537117752015-12-18T09:04:00.000-08:002015-12-18T09:04:09.144-08:00A Cardinal Chistmas<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng3fuo94EsNGIK_zXfubpHctR9N7UntVEjEHTNR4rJHoKSq7j4ljafwQdnOk8grxDd6usBuByvogDVC7VgQGjQKn8bEf_3x1ejhmNr_BoLONorhj11zr_AlYG6rAYHMPwekVFc6XGo1o/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng3fuo94EsNGIK_zXfubpHctR9N7UntVEjEHTNR4rJHoKSq7j4ljafwQdnOk8grxDd6usBuByvogDVC7VgQGjQKn8bEf_3x1ejhmNr_BoLONorhj11zr_AlYG6rAYHMPwekVFc6XGo1o/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>As the holidays are approaching, between traveling, practices, and games, it can be hard to get into the Christmas spirit. <br />
</p><p>This year though, our team started a new tradition by doing Secret Santas. For those of you who don’t know what that is, everyone secretly draws a teammate's name out of hat and on the 21st everyone is going to give their gift to the person they have. We made a rule that you can ask one other teammate for help in finding a gift but that is it. Everyone is so excited to see what is in store; not only wondering what gift they are going to get but who it is from as well. <br />
</p><p>To prepare for all the gifts that are coming, Kailee Johnson even went out and bought a little mini Christmas tree to put the presents under in the locker room. Then Bird (Erica McCall) had her Mom bring up Christmas ornaments from home to decorate the tree with. They are even cardinal red and white to match our school colors! Its like our own little celebration. On top of that, most days we will listen to Christmas music in the locker room at some point. <br />
<p>Overall it is a total team effort to get ourselves into the holiday spirit and I wouldn’t want to spend the holiday celebrating any other way!<br />
<p><i>Brittany McPhee</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319022177034557784.post-32175433668077275172015-12-04T14:15:00.000-08:002015-12-04T14:15:47.103-08:00Things I Miss From OhioHi Fans!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ggxVPxWJReiW_FLGAsyGqnpnUaKlQGzGKDXrCwQQ4_hEM6pwFpEtMhntFS2jcls6loua1PhRQKjIm6xrYrFzWRrKNHu4qwYOpI_FkyuSAyaaH67Rqa9jQR8fLyuhNRgV2zZyaTjYGaM/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ggxVPxWJReiW_FLGAsyGqnpnUaKlQGzGKDXrCwQQ4_hEM6pwFpEtMhntFS2jcls6loua1PhRQKjIm6xrYrFzWRrKNHu4qwYOpI_FkyuSAyaaH67Rqa9jQR8fLyuhNRgV2zZyaTjYGaM/s200/team.jpg" /></a></div>As some of you know I am from Dayton, Ohio (more specifically, Centerville).When I left for Stanford I didn’t think I would miss anything about Ohio, but I was so wrong. Here are a couple things I miss:<br />
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<b>Bill’s Donuts</b>: Bill’s is a donut joint in Centerville, Ohio that has become more and more famous for its delicious donuts. The selection of donuts they have is extensive and none of them will disappoint. People from towns all over come to Bill’s to try it. It is open 24/7 so it is a really nice midnight snack on summer nights. <br />
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<b>Skyline Chili</b>: (I’m starting to notice a theme of food) Skyline is a restaurant that serves conies (mini hotdogs with cheese, onions, and mustard), 3,4, or 5 ways that included chili and cheese on top of spaghetti noodles, a 4- way has beans in addition, and a 5-way has beans and onions. I did not appreciate it as much as I should have, it is SO good.<br />
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<b>King’s Island</b>: King’s Island is an amusement park near Cincinnati, Ohio. I am not really a roller coaster person but it is still a lot of fun. There are a bunch of rides and games, but there is also a water park, which is my favorite. I love all the water slides, the wave pools, and my favorite is the lazy river. But my favorite time for King’s Island is around Halloween. During the fall, King’s Island has a “Fear Fest”. Fear fest is where they turn different parts of the part into “haunted house” type things. You walk through different parts and there are different themed places to match all your worst fears: clowns, hospitals taken over by zombies, werewolves, and much more. So missing Fear Fest this year was very different<br />
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<b>Canes Chicken</b>: Canes Chicken, to continue my food theme, is a restaurant that only serves chicken tenders, toasted bread, French fries, and cole slaw. They are the best chicken fingers I have ever had! <br />
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<b>Graeters</b>: Graeters is an ice cream place in Ohio. They have an assortment of unique flavors. My favorite is called the Buckeye Blitz, it is chocolate ice cream with huge chocolate chunks and little peanut butter nuggets. It is delicious. <br />
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-Shannon<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0