Posted by Christine Jinbo
We caught up with the AAU Player of the Year Emily Cook, who received the award at the National Championships at Hermosa Beach, Calif. on July 11, 2008. The award honors a female athlete and a male athlete who performed well on the 2007 beach tour and showed good sportsmanship.
In the fall, Cook will be a junior at Murrieta Valley High School (Murrieta, Calif.) and plays club for Orange County. She is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter who dominated her age group on the beach.
Q: What went through your mind when you found out you were chosen for the AAU Beach Player of the Year?
A: When I found out I got this award I was so excited to know that I was the female player of the year and had the best sportsmanship. This is the best award to be given to me.
Q: Have you received any other athletic or academic awards? Which ones?
A: Yes, I was first team all league my first to years in volleyball, team MVP, 2007 AAU National Champions.
Q: How old were you when you started playing volleyball and how did you get started?
A: I started playing when I moved to Murrieta. I was 9 years old in the 4th grade.
Q: Do you play other sports? Which ones?
A: I also do track and field. I do the high jump.
Q: Where would you like to attend college?
A: I would like to attend ASU, Pepperdine or USC.
We started the sentence and Emily filled in the blank:
I play best when..... I'm under a lot of pressure. my energy just goes up and i play so much better.
If I were a coach I would.... be positive and supportive of my players and teach them everything I know and more.
The best thing about volleyball is... meeting all the new people around the world.
Something most people don't know about me is... I'm a neat freak.
The best and worst movies ever are... to me the best movies are scary and funny worst movies are corny and try to be funny.
The topical issue that most interests me in the world is... gas prices.
If I could have one superhuman power it would be... everyone says it but it would be to fly.
My most memorable Beach Volleyball moment is... when my partner Kianna Niu and I were in the finals at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. We went to a third game the score was close, and all of a sudden it started pouring rain. It was so much fun to play in we ended up loosing but it was the best game and moment of my life.
We asked Emily to choose between the two choices:
1) Beach volleyball or Indoor volleyball ... Beach Volleyball
2) Skateboarding or Surfing ... Surfing
3) Movies or Video Games ... Movies
4) RedBull or Monster Energy ... Monster
5) American Idol or Survivor ... American Idol
6) Texting or Talking ... Talking
7) Facebook or MySpace ... My Space
8) Health Food Freak or Junk Food Junkie ... Health Food Freak
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