Guess what — we have another Friday Faces!!! We wanted to introduce you to some extraordinary people, our Athletics Team. Aside from coaching, you’ll learn today that our coaches are skilled in a variety of “sports”. Settle in and enjoy meeting our amazing Athletics Team. Also, we would be remiss if we did not give a special shout out to all the wonderful parent volunteer coaches! Thank you to all these fabulous people for the work they do with our kids.
Where would you spend all of your time if you could?
- Erik: At my house watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars while eating homemade cookies.
- Rich: In the oak tree woodlands of San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties.
- Mark: I would spend it Outside: rock climbing, surfing, hanging out at the beach/pool/BBQ, fishing, hiking.
- Cale: Snowboarding all over the world.
- Isabel: At the beach with my friends or with my mom! Playing volleyball and spikeball, surfing and swimming in the water, and just hanging out. 🙂
- Julia: I would spend all my time at the beach, specifically Cannon Beach in Oregon when it is just a little overcast. I love going there with my family!
- Zoe: I would spend all of my time in a boat on Lake Tahoe with friends and family all around me.
- Ajeeth: The beach.
- Tucker: Lake Shasta.
- Blake: Just generally outdoors, climbing, hiking, mountain biking, preferably with friends and family.
- Ken: Travelling with my family, preferably somewhere in the mountains.
What is the luckiest thing that has happened to you?
- Erik: Winning a backpacking backpack at REI.
- Rich: To be able to move our family to North San Luis Obispo County in 1987.
- Mark: Meeting my wife Rose.
- Cale: When I was in elementary school, my family won a free all-inclusive Bahamas cruise from KFC restaurant. Only to be canceled due to a hurricane.
- Isabel: Honestly, getting my first job here at SLOCA coaching HS Boys Volleyball. Sounds cheesy, but it was just crazy because other things just worked out perfectly for me to be able to work here, and when I found out I got the job, it was such a blessing and I felt so lucky. And, it led me to coaching other sports, teaching a few classes, and meeting some of the best people. I don’t know where I would be without it, but I’m so glad I don’t even have to think about that! I guess if I have to choose something not work-related, I would say when I went abroad to Thailand, I was chosen randomly out of a huge group of students to go Zip Lining for free! It was one of the longest Zip Lining courses in Southeast Asia I think if I remember correctly, and it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. I was so lucky to have been chosen and it’s something I’ll remember forever!
- Julia: Getting to coach basketball! I was very lucky to have met with a professor who helped me connect with people at SLOCA and brought me enough luck to get to work with some amazing young women. I can honestly say it has changed my life forever and has brought me a new found love for the sport.
- Zoe: I was lucky to gain a little sister when I was 7 years old. She is the light of my life and one of my best friends.
- Ajeeth: Meeting Derrick Rose.
- Tucker: Having the parents I do.
- Blake: Overall I’d say I’m a pretty lucky guy. Seeing as I can’t think of a good single event, I’m going to give the cliche, I’m lucky to have the wonderful family I have. And no doubt that is true.
- Ken: Beating Brigid Haggerty on a marketing 101 test in college.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
- Erik: Dodgeball.
- Rich: Daydreaming! I’m living proof that you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the sport of archery.
- Mark: Eating Pizza. The pizza sandwich eating contest.
- Cale: Dicing Onions.
- Isabel: Eating popcorn. I can eat popcorn all day, every day, and never get tired of it!
- Julia: Probably sleeping (I have slept 22 hours of a day) or nail painting/nail art, a newly acquired skill.
- Zoe: If fire dancing (poi) was an Olympic sport I think I could have a pretty good chance at winning a gold medal.
- Ajeeth: Eating.
- Tucker: Ability to sleep anywhere.
- Blake: Probably procrastination. I have had a life time of practice and perfection at being an Olympic level procrastinator. Or as my Econ professor once said, it’s not procrastination, it’s being the most efficient with your time.
- Ken: Procrastinating.
What’s the last adventure you went on?
- Erik: Camping in Carrizo Plainzzz.
- Rich: Two days of wandering around the Los Padres Forest shoot’n arrows at stuff.
- Mark: I just started the adventure of parenting. Which I think is one of the best and hardest adventures I have ever been on.
- Cale: In January I went snowboarding and hiking in the snow at Mammoth Mountain.
- Isabel: I went up to Santa Cruz a week ago with a friend and explored different beaches, ate at some good food places, went to the Wharf/Boardwalk, and saw my brothers as well. It was so fun being outside so much in such a beautiful place and making the most of it all!
- Julia: Going anywhere in California is an adventure for me! Most recently I traveled down to LA, visited the Walk of Fame, the Museum of Love, the Disney Opera house and a good portion of Pasadena.
- Zoe: I volunteered for the Adapted Paddling Program where I brought people with disabilities kayaking for free! We kayaked on Morro Bay for three hours and I had an amazing time. The weather was beautiful and the participants were wonderful. I would highly recommend. 🙂
- Ajeeth: Went to Carrizo Plains.
- Tucker: Flew out to Mississippi to conduct research and interviews!
- Blake: I did a birthday bike ride covering nearly 80 miles of SLO county riding the best dirt/gravel roads and single track trials. About 25 friends showed up and we had a blast getting that type 2 fun adventure in.
- Ken: Family backpacking trip in Mineral King to Franklin Lakes.
Thank you to our Athletics Team for all the time and energy you put forth encouraging our SLOCA students to not only be strong athletes but students of strong character.
