"EO, can I ask you a question?"

For those of you who don't know, my volleyball nickname is EO (in case this isn't obvious, E and O are my initials).  My club volleyball coach created it in 8th grade when there were 2 of us Elizabeths on the team.  EO isn't just catchy, it's a perfect name to yell out on the court.  As someone pointed out to me recently, names in sports need to be 2 syllables.  Which sounds better on a football field when a teammate scores a touchdown, "BOB!" or "BOBBY!" 2 syllables.  It just works.  My problem was not too few syllables but two too many.  It isn't easy yelling out "Elizabeth go for the ball!" Instead, "EO! Go for the ball!" And so EO stuck.  10 years later, I still go by EO when it comes to the world of volleyball.  And now you know the background for every fantastic question/comment/quote I hear on a daily basis coaching volleyball, as all question/comments/quotes start with "EO...?"

"EO you have such a cool name."
Yes, this was the first year that a freshman actually thought my name was EO.  Not as a nickname but that was my name from birth.  EO.  Nothing else.  I do introduce myself as EO in any volleyball context but I feel like I normally explain they are my initials.  My only question to her would be, how do you think I spell my first name?  Eeyo?

"E-I-E-I-O"
Old McDonald had a farm?  This would be really funny, if my middle initial was I, but it's not.  It's an A.  E-A-E-A-O?  Doesn't work as well.

"EO what do you do?"
My favorite question.  How do I explain my array of odd jobs and my life story to a 15 year old.  I should just stick to one solid answer: "I coach you in volleyball."

I laugh at the end of each day about the things these girls say.  They keep me young and I love them for it! More good quotes and stories to come!

JV Volleyball relaxing during a break at a tournament (notice Anna and Megan in the background, making up a dance routine)

Blocking the sun from distracting the ref, such troopers

go troubies!