Page 52 - Demo

52 || MOST FITNESS || JUNE / JULY 2016makes the squad until a couple of weeks before the Olympics, so everyone is on edge. There are so many beautiful moments, where you%u2019re crying, laughing, and exhausted together. Moments that make it all worth it. You realize that every single moment, was supposed to happen to build you and character, and your strength, to mold you into the player that you%u2019ll be for the team, the player you%u2019ll be for your country. It%u2019s bigger than you.MFM: Your college statistics are quite impressive; can you describe what your college experience was like? Did volleyball consume all of your time?KG: Thanks. College was the biggest growing experience of my life... until now, in my transition. I had an outstanding freshman year, then went through the sophomore slump. I learned quickly what that was. I had to grow up quickly in college. It%u2019s fun, but it%u2019s also a business. Volleyball & school, consumed the majority of my time. But I had a great time also creating tons of awesome memories, which I%u2019ll always cherish.MFM: What was running through your mind during the 2008 Olympic Games when your team brought home the silver medal?KG: It was surreal. I was proud of how we fought together to get to the gold medal match, especially since we were a team that no one expected to medal. But, it was bittersweet. No one ever wants to be 2nd place. I went back and forth between trying to enjoy it, and seeing every error that I made during the match flashing across the screen of my mind. Wishing you could play again. Overall, looking back I%u2019m proud of everything we overcame individually and as a team. Our coach, Jenny Lang Ping, prepared everyone for their chance to play, that was an integral part of our success. I have so much respect for the girls on our team, we needed every person on that team to step up, and we all did. Our veterans were great leaders, I wouldn%u2019t have been who I was for that team, without their guidance.