You come from a lineage of college and professional athletes, share how your family's athletic success inspired you to also become an elite athlete.
“Sports” were always around, in some way growing up. By the time I was born, my dad had retired from his 13-season professional football career but his passion for athletics lived on through the sounds of sports talk radio and football Sunday games always buzzing at home, in the car, in every conversation. That said, my parents never forced me nor any of my three sisters to play sports. I actually didn’t join an organized sports team until I was in 8th grade and the inspiration came from my older sister, Denyse. She was the first to play volleyball and, as any younger sister does, I really looked up to her. She taught me everything I needed to know for my first try out and continues to be my biggest cheerleader in my athletic endeavors.