Joanna Schmitt Online Journal No. 8

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma outside hitter Joanna Schmitt continues her player journal to take fans behind the scenes as the Sooners attack the 2004 season. The Sooners are off to a 10-13 start. As for Schmitt, she has tallied two MVP awards during the non-conference season and is ranked ninth in the Big 12 with 4.04 kills per game.

Before she prepared for her home match with Texas Tech, Joanna checked in with SoonerSports.com to talk about the season so far and answers questions from fans. This is the eighth installment of Joanna's journal. There is a link at the bottom of the page so you can submit questions for Joanna to reply to in her next entry.

Joanna Schmitt
Journal No. 8 (November 10, 2004)

Hey everybody, it's time for another journal entry! Thank you all once again for coming out to our home matches and I hope to see you out there for the remainder of the season.

Lately, we've had a lot of good practices, we just need to carry that over to the games. Yesterday we beat the coaches pretty handily in a scrimmage, which doesn't usually happen. Hopefully we'll pick up a win tonight against Texas Tech. If we play our game, I think we'll be all right.

I'm hoping that we have a good crowd tonight. Santiago and the other coaches were out handing out donuts to students on campus this morning. They've been doing that all season and I think that says a lot about our coaching staff. They are making an effort to put more people in the stands and spread the word about the program. I don't think a lot of Big 12 coaches would do that. We appreciate the extra effort.

Let's answer some questions....

I play middle blocker and outside hitter on my volleyball team. We just finished our season and finished 19-4. My dream is to play for OU and graduate with my M.D. I am six feet tall and hope to still grow a little. Can you tell me what I can do to better myself and my chances of ever playing for OU? I would love to come to any camps that OU puts on.
Amanda Jevons from Henderson

If you are not already involved with it, you need to get involved with club volleyball. Try to go to as many club volleyball tournaments as possible to get maximum exposure from college coaches. Come to any of our OU camps, they are in July and we hope to see you there. Just keep working on your volleyball skills. Check SoonerSports.com under camps and you'll find all the information about summer camp. That is your best bet to get face to face time with the coaches and to make a good impression.

Joanna- It sounds like you have been having a great season! Keep up your great, hard work! Here's my question: What do you miss about your home Wisconsin and what do you like the most about Norman?
Angie Parrell from Munice, Ind.

I miss my friends and family the most, but I also miss the weather of Wisconsin. The heat here in Norman is nice, but it gets too hot. The thing I like most about Norman is my teammates. I can't say that I am a huge fan of the town.

I am a Sooner volleyball fanatic! I love your approach to the game and the attitude and enthusiasm that you bring to the floor! I have a two part question for you. What area of your game do you think has improved the most this year as the season has progressed and to what can we attribute that growth? I would also like to pose that same question in regards to your entire team.
Norman Thecat from Norman, Okla.

I think I have become a smarter hitter for the most part. I think it's because I trust my defense a little more this year. Also, I have good support from my teammates and I don't get carried away and I'm able to make the smart shots. I think our team overall has a better chemistry and we play well together.

Jo, does the team have a pool going on how many yellow and red cards Coach Restrepo will tally by the end of the season? Did you all bone up on your Spanish before the season?
Pete from St. Louis, Mo.

No pool yet, but I think we should start one because he is definitely getting his fair share of cards this year. Maybe we can start a pool about how long he can go in a match without getting one. We didn't really bone up on our Spanish, but that doesn't affect us, because Santiago just yells at us in English.

Hey Joanna, this has been a rough and challenging season, excluding Coach Restrepo who is the biggest motivator on the team. Who lights the fire from the players stand point?
Mario from Norman, Okla.

I think Julie Chester shows the most fire on the court. I know that she wants it the most and will do anything to get a win. You can see the fire in her eyes every time she steps on the court. She is very feisty and goes to battle each match.

Well that's all the questions I have, so I'll talk to everybody later, I have to head over to the Field House to get ready for our match tonight against Texas Tech. I want to see everybody out for our next home match, November 20 vs Nebraska at 7 p.m. See you then.

-#8 Joanna Schmitt

Ask Joanna a Question | Sooner Online Journals

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