Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:08] Speaker A: And welcome to in the Nest, your front row seat to Mayus athletics. I'm your co host, Matthew Tomlinson. And as you can see, Shane is not here because of last week's debacle. No, I'm just kidding. He's down in Georgia at a classmate's wedding. But instead I'm joined by Jennica beach and Caitlin Rand. Thank you guys for joining.
[00:00:29] Speaker A: How are you ladies doing today?
[00:00:31] Speaker B: I'm doing good.
[00:00:32] Speaker C: Pretty good. Yeah. Setting up for deck the halls.
[00:00:34] Speaker A: Ooh, deck the halls.
[00:00:36] Speaker B: Getting my study materials ready for my finals.
[00:00:38] Speaker A: I know. How's finals looking?
[00:00:39] Speaker C: I have four finals, so I'm keeping my weekend busy.
[00:00:42] Speaker A: Remember education students? Secondary.
[00:00:46] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:00:46] Speaker A: Elementary.
[00:00:48] Speaker B: Yeah. I have three finals and final projects.
[00:00:50] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:00:50] Speaker B: I'm also busy.
[00:00:51] Speaker A: Dang, that is crazy. How are field studies this year?
Good. Good.
[00:00:55] Speaker C: Yeah. We made two trips down to Cedar Rapids, so that was fun.
[00:01:01] Speaker B: Got to see two different Christian schools and experience how they run their classes.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: I like it because like in like day to day, you're in the public schools for field studies. Right. And then you get to experience, you get experiment, like Christian school. Like you kind of get to feel all the different varieties of schools. Right.
[00:01:18] Speaker C: Yeah. This semester was focused mainly on Christian schools.
And next semester we will be going down and teaching. But in the past we have gone into public schools. Yeah. So we've been getting both sides, which is fun. Yeah.
[00:01:32] Speaker A: Because both you come from a very teacher, heavy family. You know, both. Both sets of parents are teachers. Your siblings are teachers, both of you guys. So, yeah, we're excited for this episode. We have some fun stuff to cover. We could talk about some recap, some basketball games, and then we get to talk about, you know, a little sport of volleyball. That was kind of fun this year. Would you guys say yes? It was. Yeah. Looking back, covering women's basketball. So they were down in Ankeny this past week playing Manhattan Christian. A big conference game, first conference game of the year for them and a great game for the ladies. Ended up pulling through and winning 55, 51.
It was awesome to see them, you know, kind of. It was close the whole game. And then they pulled away at the end and took that w. Kind of highlighting some. Some key players. Amelie Mackey had 23 points, which was pretty exciting. And of course, Rachel Barrett, the best rebound in the nation last year, had another monster game. She had 19 rebounds.
[00:02:29] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: Which I'm like, what's the equivalent for volleyball? Would that be like. I don't know what that would be like 10 blocks or something like that, yeah. 19 rebounds and eight points. So very good start to the conference year. Kind of stank. They only have one game because Barkley, you know, they canceled their volleyball season with you guys, and then they canceled their basketball season. So hopefully, maybe next semester they might have it back. But, yeah, they were there and back quick.
Kind of looking at some highlights so far from this year, I had to write it down because there's a lot to cover. But right Now, Amelia is fourth in the country in points per game, 19.8 points, and she's fifth in steals.
Aubrey Silva, our freshman, is 19th in scoring, which is pretty good at 15.2. And of course, Rachel Barrett, another year number one in the nation in rebounds. Oh, yeah, and she's number one in blocks, which is something, you know, a decent amount about.
I tried different sport, right. And then Aaron and Amelia are fifth and sixth in assists.
So the Lady Eagles, man, they're. They're padding those stats, getting those stats up there, leading the nation, you know, with a 4 and 2 record. So great to see them this start of the semester. They have one game left. They're going up to Northwestern up in Minneapolis in CCA Division 1 and Division 3, so be fun to see them play some stiff competition and kind of see, hey, where are we at as far as against D3 and NCCAA Division 1, which you guys had some experience playing a bunch of NAIAs, D3s. It makes you better NCCA Division 1 teams. I know we saw that with. You know how that regional tournament happened.
[00:04:02] Speaker B: Not yet. Not yet.
[00:04:03] Speaker A: Not yet last year. But we'll. We'll. We'll talk a little bit about that in a little bit.
Switching to the guys side. Guys are four and four right now.
You know, it's my favorite sport. But we played Manhattan, and we played Barkley on Friday, and then on Saturday we played Barkley. But crazy game against Manhattan, it was. We were down by 3, 54, 51 with 10 minutes left. And then Manhattan just utterly dominant, just like volleyball. Their men's basketball team is pretty crazy, too. They finished the game on a pretty big one. A 31 to 7 run. Ended up winning 84, 64.
So, yeah, tough game.
Foul count was pretty crazy. They shot 31 free throws. We shot seven, which obviously they were a little more aggressive than we were, but that's kind of tough. But next day we played Barkley.
It was a noon game, which, as those games are so hard first thing in the mornings. You guys. You guys know that, too, with your weekend trips or Your what? Try match games when they have those. But yeah, we end up winning though. Eli Mackey had the game winning shot with 17 seconds left. Woohoo. It was great.
But yeah, we were down 10 with five minutes ago and it was like not looking good. And when I'm so proud of him. We, it was an ugly game. We had 22 turnovers. We gave up 13 offensive rebounds. We shot 15% from three.
[00:05:24] Speaker B: That's tough.
[00:05:25] Speaker C: But it happens.
[00:05:26] Speaker A: It does, Jen, it does happen.
[00:05:28] Speaker C: We've had those moments.
[00:05:29] Speaker A: Yep. You've had those games where it's like, you know, a win is a win. You've had some dominant wins, you've had some wins where you're like we should not have won but because you stuck through it, you know, you never gave up. Which they didn't. They scored, they outscored Barkley what, 15 to 4 in the last five minutes to win the game, which was pretty cool.
[00:05:45] Speaker B: And like experiencing being down and then being able to come back and still win the game is just going to be helpful in the future.
[00:05:51] Speaker A: It really, it really is. Especially like, you know, on Friday night it was reversed. You know, Manhattan went on that big run to end the game and then Saturday, you know, we kind of mirrored that with. We went on the big run.
You know, Colton came in and had such energy. He brought the juice. It was really fun to see him. He played well. You know, Lance had seven steals in the game which was pretty awesome. So yeah, great job for the, for the guys this past weekend. And then looking ahead tonight we go down to St. Ambrose. Their NAI. Last time we played them was actually my senior year here. So we haven't played them in quite a, quite a while.
Yes, a long time.
And then.
Yes, I know, right. The last time we played them, I think they beat us 109 to 81. So it was pretty close. And then Saturday Blackburn, which is a D3 from Illinois, comes and plays us and so we're excited get, get to play one last game before finals kicks in for everyone. So should be fun. But yeah, excited about just, you know, the season because I guess the first we kind of say there's two seasons. There's first semester season and second semester season because you know, basketball is such a long season and then get three weeks off and then hit the ground running right in the new year. So kind of a little highlight of the men's and women's basketball teams. But I know that's not why you're here. You're here to talk to Jenica and Caitlin about play basketball. Of course.
[00:07:09] Speaker C: I'm just kidding.
[00:07:10] Speaker B: The 3V3 in our mural. Oh, yeah.
[00:07:11] Speaker A: Didn't you guys win or in the championship?
[00:07:13] Speaker B: No, not even close.
[00:07:15] Speaker C: Nope.
[00:07:16] Speaker A: Okay. We won't talk about.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: We won't talk about the fight when I tried to.
[00:07:18] Speaker A: Okay, let's not talk about that. Caitlin, let's know. Let's not talk about that. Anyway, volleyball. So what a season it was.
What a season it was kind of. You guys want to share a little bit about just, you know, you know, the last. This is your junior year. So, you know, we had freshman year, which was big, big leaps and bounds. And then last year, which was pretty exciting. And then, you know, the momentum and the, the, you know, coming out of kind of how regionals went last year.
But you guys hit the ground running and then finish the job this year. Kind of talk a little about this year.
[00:07:57] Speaker B: Do you want to start?
[00:07:58] Speaker A: Paper, scissors.
[00:07:59] Speaker C: I can take it. So we didn't have the start that we had hoped.
Coach.
She made our schedule a little bit stronger at the beginning to give us more of a challenge, which was tough, but in the long run, it really helped us.
[00:08:18] Speaker A: It really did. Yeah.
[00:08:20] Speaker C: And so even though our record at the beginning being 0 and 4 didn't reflect what we learned and what we got out of that weekend and really what we went to play for that weekend. And so playing those four teams really did help us.
[00:08:36] Speaker A: I mean, they were really good. They were some really good Division 3 opponents. And it was just fun. Like, you know, you guys, the first, the first day was, you know, tough, but the second day, you guys, you know, rose up and played a lot better. And it was just cool to see like that fight that was there. Like, you guys didn't give up. Like, yes, you know, you're coming in like the underdog, but still, like, there's so many great things you can do as the underdog.
[00:08:57] Speaker B: And we took a couple sets too, which I know.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: Yes. And that was also just a great opportunity for us to shine the light of Christ through volleyball since those teams aren't Christian based schools. And so it was just a great opportunity for us to be a light for Christ on the court and play in that atmosphere because we got to pray with.
[00:09:22] Speaker B: Was it. All four of them said yes.
We asked at the beginning when we were doing our captain's call of like, hey, would you be okay if we would pray with.
[00:09:28] Speaker A: And that's really cool that they would say yes. Like, usually it only happens, like when teams come and play us at home.
The fact, like, you're on the road and they did that, like, that's. That's really cool.
[00:09:37] Speaker B: And like the coaches said, like, if anyone's, like, uncomfortable with it, you don't have to pray. But I'm pretty sure that all the girls prayed. Like, they all stayed and all participated.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: Yeah, that's. That's cool. I know that's. And that's. I mean, that's the whole reason we're here. That's Coach Hannah's, you know, number one C. Is that Christ centeredness. You know, the three C's, Christ centered, committed, and competitive. And it's been fun to see, like, her first year how that the first C was really emphasized and how, you know, they built the foundation of the program with that first year and then you guys coming in the second year. And then, you know, how the last three years that the middle C has really started to kick in. And then the last two years, that third C is really, really taking off.
Kind of talk a little bit about, you know, the mindset going into, you know, conference and regionals, like, obviously made it to the regional championship last year.
[00:10:23] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:10:25] Speaker A: Almost got there.
Wasn't able to finish the job. But like, you're kind of your mindset going in this year to the postseason of like, hey, we're not going to do what we did last year, but we also have to, you know, want it and still compete to. To get to that final goal.
[00:10:39] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, at the end of last season when we did not win that game, there was a lot of emotions that came with that, with being that close and seeing it taken away and just all of that. And as happy as we were for Grace, like, obviously we want to win game, too.
[00:10:53] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:10:53] Speaker B: And so coming in this season, it's a lot of the same girls, but we also have four new players. And so just having. We watched the game together as a team and we relived it so that.
[00:11:05] Speaker A: They could experience before regionals this year or at some point.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: Yeah, it was like halfway through the season just so, like, they could understand, like, where we were coming from because we were all, like, counting down the days of the tournament, like, super, like, ready to change it. And so that I think, got us all on the same page going into our, like, postseason of just like we have. This is what it's all for. Well, it's all for God, but yeah, competitively, this is what it's.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: Yeah. The end goal, though, is to get to postseason and to perform postseason and to ultimately, you know, athletic wise, is to Win the championship. But we know that doesn't always happen.
[00:11:38] Speaker B: But because I mean coach would say like as we're, we were 3 and 10, whatever, you know, when we're continuously losing, like right now it doesn't matter. Like this isn't what's important about the season. Like we're learning, we're growing, we're getting better and then we're going to see the fruits of that postseason.
[00:11:53] Speaker C: And we did.
[00:11:54] Speaker A: Man. Lo and behold, man. Coach Hannah with the good quotes.
[00:11:58] Speaker C: She's so smart.
[00:11:59] Speaker A: She is.
Yeah. Talk about like going into that game like a grace game in the championship. Like obviously you, you'd beat what Kuiper the day before and then which you know, they fought hard but you guys took care of business. And then. Yeah, going into that would just. Was there nerves? Was it like confidence? Was it like, hey, let's, let's not get in the same position or was it just like, no, let's go out there and just compete to our best?
[00:12:25] Speaker C: Yeah, I would say that it was more of like we were all pretty calm. Like we still had nerves, but we had more confidence in our ability to perform than nerves, I would say. And then in coaches pre game talk that she gave us, she said, you don't have to win it in three.
[00:12:44] Speaker B: I think I was, Coach Meg was that good.
[00:12:47] Speaker C: Coach Hannah voiced it, which Meg probably.
[00:12:50] Speaker A: Reemphasize it or something.
[00:12:52] Speaker C: Yeah. So that really helped me and I don't know about Kate, but that was just really nice to hear. Like, yes, we can win in three, but that doesn't mean that we lost if we didn't win.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:13:04] Speaker C: So that really helped. Helped us.
[00:13:06] Speaker A: So I get five tries, right?
[00:13:07] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:13:08] Speaker A: Yeah. Then it was so exciting because we had, we had a home. I think we had, we had home basketball games that weekend and you know, everyone was, was had run to the lobby to try to watch the games in between. In between the basketball games to watch you guys play. And then that last point was scored and oh, the victory, how that was super exciting.
Kind of talk a little bit about nationals experience and just obviously that's the third time for women's volleyball. Men's basketball's made it once and women's basketball's made it twice. And so obviously we haven't been at that stage a lot, but just kind of the experience you guys had there now that you were, you experienced it.
[00:13:46] Speaker B: I was so excited to get to go. I mean there were some stressful moments before, like preparing to leave and being.
[00:13:51] Speaker A: Gone for a whole week.
[00:13:54] Speaker B: But I Just kept telling myself, like, oh, when I get there, it's going like, I'm gonna feel it. And. And that ended up being true. Like, you get there and you see. Even though we had been to Ozark, like, twice already that season, like, when you walk in, it just feels different. And it's like seeing all these teams that we haven't seen before, that was my favorite part about our pool.
[00:14:09] Speaker A: Seeing the big. The big volleyball blow up, that was cool.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: But, like, our pool, we hadn't played any of those teams before. And when you play conference and you're seeing a lot of the same teams over and over again, it was really cool to see what we could do with other people, I think.
[00:14:22] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't think, like, I don't think we've ever played Pensacola or Alice Lloyd, like, ever. We might have played Arlington one year at acca, but, yeah, kind of like we've never played them before. So it's like, now we get to see, like. Like you said, like, there were, what, four MCC teams that made it, which is just. So is the strength of the Midwestern Christian College Conference. But like you said, it kind of gets repetitive when you see them over and over and over again. But then to play other competition, it brings back, like, a whole new dynamic of, like, okay, you know, this is the level that we need to be at to get back to Nationals or to compete well at Nationals.
Can I talk a bit about, you know, first couple. The first three games, you know, against Arlington, you know, you guys shocked everyone. First set, which was amazing. I was yelling out really loud in our house. I think I woke Hallie up. And then Pensacola game, and then the Alice Lloyd game.
[00:15:12] Speaker C: Yeah. So I was really excited to just go in and kind of prove to everybody at Nationals and everybody at home just, like, how much we deserved it. Like, we owned it.
[00:15:25] Speaker B: Even if we have the weakest region, that doesn't mean we're a weak team.
[00:15:28] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. So I was just really excited and really happy that we went out and we were all on the same page about how we wanted to perform.
And so even though we in that Arlington game, we didn't come out with the win.
I was still happy with our performance.
And then that next day when we played Pensacola and Alice Lloyd, it was just a fun game with Pensacola, just like Caitlin said. Just, like, seeing new teams and going in without an expectation, I guess, and just knowing that the good. And knowing that you have to perform well and that they're going to get, like, blocks and aces and good kills. And you just have to be able to bounce back.
[00:16:11] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:16:12] Speaker C: Which is tough when you play three good teams in a row.
[00:16:16] Speaker A: Right. Yeah.
[00:16:16] Speaker C: My body started to feel it. I could tell that I was in my junior season.
[00:16:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:22] Speaker C: My back, my. Yeah. My legs, my feet.
[00:16:25] Speaker A: Especially for you as libero. I mean, you're all over the place. You're diving everywhere. You're sacrificing to keep the ball up and everything.
[00:16:33] Speaker C: Yeah. And then in the Alice Lloyd game.
[00:16:36] Speaker A: What a fun game that was. What a fun game.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: And what a fun group of girls. They were so sweet.
[00:16:40] Speaker A: Sweet.
[00:16:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:16:41] Speaker A: And props to you guys for how late the game was. Like, holy cow.
[00:16:44] Speaker B: Like, way past my bed.
[00:16:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:47] Speaker C: We were starting and it was like, it's like 9:30. Yeah. And I was like, I.
It's already my bedtime. I need to be sleeping. And then we are.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: I know you're on that teacher schedule.
[00:17:00] Speaker C: I'm trying to get it in early, so I'm already adapted.
[00:17:03] Speaker A: Yeah. Alice Lloyd. I mean, you know, there was kind of, like, the expectations going. That game were, like, kind of up in the air because it was like, at that point, you know, Pensacola was 30 in the. In the. The pool.
What? Arlington was 1 and 3 because Alice wanted upset. Arlington in 5, 1 and 2, 4 or 1 and 2. And then, you know, you were. We were 0 and 2 and they were 1 and 1 and it was like, okay, what's gonna happen? Because everything comes down if you guys beat them, it was gonna throw a big old monkey wrench into the pool standing. So did you guys know that going in?
[00:17:34] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:17:35] Speaker A: And you're like, let's go out there and just.
[00:17:37] Speaker C: Yeah. When we came back into the gym, Arlington was walking, walking out. And they're like, we want you guys to win so that we have the chance.
[00:17:45] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:46] Speaker A: So they owe us. They really owe us.
[00:17:48] Speaker B: Yeah. The next day, they said they got noise complaints at their hotel because they were cheering for us.
[00:17:52] Speaker A: That's so funny.
[00:17:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:54] Speaker A: But, yeah, going in that game, just, you know, like, obviously we're here to have the experience, to have fun, obviously to come. Pete to win, but also just to have this experience of, like, hey, this is what the stage is like. But going into that game, like, also knowing, like, hey, if you win, you know, something crazy might happen, and lo and behold, something crazy happened.
[00:18:13] Speaker B: Yeah. I feel like I was just really proud of us for, like, how hard we fought, because, I mean, five sets aren't always easy because it's easy to lose the mental battle of, like, being either down a Set or up a set. And losing and just like going to five is. It's hard. Not necessarily just physically, because it's midnight almost, right.
[00:18:31] Speaker A: And then that fifth set, like, you don't. You don't have 25 points to win. You only have 15. And it's like, no, you gotta get. Gotta get in gear and going.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: And we were able to do that. And that was just really exciting to get to finish and have that win.
[00:18:43] Speaker A: And. Yeah, that would've been crazy if you guys had to play that. That extra play.
[00:18:48] Speaker C: We had the option. We could have played it that night or we could have played it in the morning.
And so we all decided we want.
[00:18:55] Speaker B: To sleep, so we want to enjoy the fact that we won a game.
[00:18:58] Speaker A: Yeah, right. Yeah. You don't want that to be overshadowed. Like, hey, we won, and then say, you play that set that night and say you lose. And it's like, that takes away the joy of, like, hey, we just won for the second time ever at nationals, which is pretty cool. Yeah. What was the mindset going into really, really early playing set in the morning? Like, you know, first, for those that weren't aware, it was because of the pool rankings, because three teams are 1 and 2, and the top two pool teams go to the semifinals with three teams at 1 and 2. There were two playing games, actually. It was Emmaus versus Alice Lloyd. And then Winner would play Arlington to play Winner, who would then go to the semifinals. So what was that. What was that taught going in of like, okay, see what happens? Or.
[00:19:41] Speaker A: Yeah, you tell me. You were there.
[00:19:44] Speaker C: It was early.
[00:19:45] Speaker B: I don't know if I remember.
[00:19:46] Speaker C: Yeah, it was really weird to warm up, get hyped up.
We actually gave the.
[00:19:56] Speaker C: What do you call them?
[00:19:58] Speaker B: Mc.
[00:19:58] Speaker C: I don't know, whatever. We gave him a song request, Goodbye yesterday to kind of hype us up a little bit.
But it was really weird to get hyped up, get warmed up, just to.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: Play one set and then. Yeah.
[00:20:13] Speaker C: Yeah. And so it was definitely a different mindset. And you couldn't start off slow because you only had that one set. You.
[00:20:20] Speaker A: Right, you can't settle in. You like, you have to be, go, go, go, go.
[00:20:22] Speaker C: Yeah. And so it was definitely super weird, but we came out and we played well. But they were also playing, like, lights out.
And so that was super hard to come back in that one set. And then one of the players got hurt. And that was.
[00:20:36] Speaker A: Yeah, that was so random. I was like, 15 minutes, you guys are just hanging out, like, waiting for her to.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: It's Hard to keep, keep momentum and stay warm when you're waiting for that long.
[00:20:45] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:20:46] Speaker C: But even with that, I'm really proud of how we played. Even though we didn't come out with the win, it was nice just being able to enjoy the win the night before and then come in and still play well, right?
[00:20:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:20:59] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: And it's just cool, like, like you said earlier, like, you know, you guys made it there and you won a game there and you made a lot of drama with that win of the playing games and showed everyone like, hey, you know, we're a good team and you guys are a great team and just cool that, like, we, we talk on the podcast all the time and all the parents that support so well know that. But to see everyone else realize that, to see that, it just, it's. It's really cool.
[00:21:23] Speaker B: A lot of the coaches came up and told Coach Hannah that they were really surprised at the talent that we brought to the tournament.
[00:21:28] Speaker A: That's why she's a, what, four time regional coach of the year? Something like that.
Yeah. So what a, what a fantastic season for both you guys in your junior year.
Super excited for this, for your upcoming senior season. But before we get to your senior season, you guys want to talk a little bit about spring break this year with the volleyball team and what kind of. What exciting new adventures we have going on there.
[00:21:51] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:21:53] Speaker C: When coach first brought it up that we would have the opportunity to go down to Guatemala for a missions trip, I was super excited.
One, because I've always wanted to go to Guatemala and the opportunities at my church, I was never meeting the age requirement to be able to go down. And so I was super excited to be gifted this opportunity to go down and then just for it to become so real. And it's kind of. I don't like, I'm more like, nervous, but I'm also like, more excited, like this is actually happening. Like, I actually am like, getting the opportunity to go down and build relationships with new people and go into a culture and eat with them and pray with them and just spend time down there. And so I, I'm really excited for this, but I don't know about Caitlin. Caitlyn wants to speak.
[00:22:48] Speaker A: Yeah, Caitlyn, what about you?
[00:22:49] Speaker B: I'm excited. I'm. I'm more prone to be nervous about it just because it's a lot of things that I've never experienced.
[00:22:54] Speaker A: A lot of unknowns too. Right?
[00:22:55] Speaker B: Yeah. Because, yeah, I mean, we have our schedule, but I know that there's going to be a Lot of opportunities to do other things too. And so I'm excited for how God will use me, but I'm also just a little bit nervous. But it's gonna be great because God has a plan and it's always good.
[00:23:08] Speaker A: Do you guys know, like, what specifically you guys are gonna do down there? Kind of where you're gonna serve or how you're gonna serve?
[00:23:15] Speaker B: We're gonna serve in a women's shelter, like in like, I think it's women and children. And we also are gonna have the opportunity to play volleyball down there.
[00:23:23] Speaker A: That's gonna be a lot of fun.
[00:23:24] Speaker C: I'm really excited for that. And then they're also. I think we're going to like cook with them and like eat with them. And so I'm really excited for that.
[00:23:34] Speaker A: Is an authentic Guatemala. The markets like what I've been around the world just for a mass because that's the only time I've been around the world. But eating like in the markets, it's like one of the coolest experiences because like you don't get more authentic than that for food wise.
[00:23:48] Speaker C: Yeah. So I'm excited to try experience new foods.
[00:23:55] Speaker C: Caitlin's.
[00:23:56] Speaker A: Hopefully Caitlyn will eat something.
[00:23:59] Speaker B: It's gonna struggle. Maybe I can ship over some goldfish.
[00:24:03] Speaker A: Is that chicken in the back? Can you fry it up? Chicken nuggets?
[00:24:08] Speaker C: I don't know. You can do this. I believe in you.
[00:24:10] Speaker A: You got this, Caitlin.
[00:24:11] Speaker B: I can. I can be. I can be brave.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Yeah. I'm super excited because I think like we've obviously had like school trips, like sponsored. Have gone on trips. We've never had athletics team do a full trip. So it's like the experience that that's going to bring, it's going to be really cool just because you guys are kind of setting, you know, your foot forward as the first team to do that and kind of see how it is for hopefully for teams going forward of us able to do stuff like that because ultimately, you know, getting out there and using our gifts and talents to serve other people is, you know, where it's at and what we're called to do. So super excited for that. That's going to be a great experience. It's going to be so fun. And the fact that you get to play some volleyball where you're down there too.
Do you get a coach any at all, like with any of the.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: No. For doing clinics?
[00:24:53] Speaker C: Yeah, that's up in the air.
[00:24:55] Speaker A: Up in the air.
[00:24:55] Speaker C: If we're going to be able to do a clinic.
[00:24:57] Speaker A: But guess we'll find out. Guys will find out here in March, I guess, right?
[00:25:01] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:02] Speaker A: But with that, we're going to go to our fast break section. Fast break with the crackly headphones. But so fast break. Typically, how it goes is we have kind of like a little game of things where Shane and I try to make the other person miss the answers. No, I'm just kidding. We don't do that. But I have some questions for the both of you. Okay.
[00:25:27] Speaker C: I'm nervous. I'm probably gonna.
[00:25:28] Speaker A: Oh, it's gonna be great. Okay, so first one is Jennika.
[00:25:33] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:25:33] Speaker A: You're a twin.
[00:25:34] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:25:35] Speaker A: Which is pretty cool.
But my question is we. We have a number of twins here on campus. And we have another. We have a number of half twins on campus. So, like, you're here, but your twin isn't here.
If you were to guess how many twins we have on campus, what would your guess be?
[00:25:55] Speaker C: I know there's a lot of siblings for sure, but twins?
[00:26:01] Speaker C: I would say those. 10.
[00:26:03] Speaker A: 10 twins. Did you look at my notes beforehand?
[00:26:05] Speaker C: No, I didn't. Is that right?
[00:26:06] Speaker A: Because there are 10 twins.
We have three sets of twins on campus and then four that have a twin that aren't on campus.
[00:26:13] Speaker C: That's so exciting. I think I kind of had an advantage with that one because I work with yearbook, so I kind of look at all the siblings.
[00:26:21] Speaker A: You're like twin pictures, but with that. Caitlin, this question's for you. You guys are cousins, obviously.
[00:26:27] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: How many sets of cousins are on campus?
[00:26:31] Speaker B: I'm not even gonna try to count. I'm gonna just throw out a number.
[00:26:34] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:26:36] Speaker B: Also 10.
[00:26:37] Speaker A: Also 10.
Good guess. There's six. Oh, six sets of.
[00:26:43] Speaker A: Number six. Right. Okay. And then his question. You alluded to this earlier. Oh, we do have a lot of siblings on campus.
Do you want to take a crack at how many siblings we have on campus?
[00:26:57] Speaker B: At least two, because Brooke and stuff.
[00:26:59] Speaker A: Yeah, because you play with siblings, too.
[00:27:01] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:27:03] Speaker C: Maybe like 32.
[00:27:06] Speaker A: 32.
[00:27:09] Speaker A: Calculating calculus, you're in the math. One.
[00:27:11] Speaker B: The best number.
[00:27:11] Speaker A: This best number.
[00:27:14] Speaker A: Okay. There are 24 sets of siblings and 52. 52 siblings on campus. Wow. Which is crazy. So, like, because there's some families have three sets on campus, so it's kind of like. Kind of cool like that. Okay, that was our trivia. Our next one.
All right, Caitlin, Jenica, what's been your favorite Emmaus class so far?
[00:27:37] Speaker B: Mine is Children's Literature with Dr. Jimmo. I just love. I loved reading as a kid, so it was really exciting to go Back and read literature and like, start to build an idea of what I would want my classroom to look like for books and just such.
Any class.
It's just such fun.
[00:27:53] Speaker A: For reals, though, Jen, what about you?
[00:27:56] Speaker C: Would probably have to be the class that I'm currently in right now, or finishing up, I guess. Transformations.
It's been a really good class for me to reflect on respectable sins in my life and just see areas that I need to grow in and rely on the Lord to grow in and not try to do it on my own strength. So I really enjoyed reflecting and journaling in that class.
[00:28:22] Speaker A: That's cool. That was the first year they offered. I think they had the class for a while and then they didn't have it for a bit. And then the first year's back was my senior and I took that class with Mr. Kunjamin. That was. It was. It was. It was a good class. All right, next question.
Favorite professor.
[00:28:37] Speaker B: Oh, this is so mean. I have so many favorites.
[00:28:41] Speaker A: One of your favorite professors. Okay, okay, let me rephrase the question. Okay, let me rephrase the question.
[00:28:46] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:28:46] Speaker A: If you had an open elective and you could pick one professor, who would that be okay to take their class?
[00:28:53] Speaker C: I feel like I would do a professor that I don't really have.
[00:28:57] Speaker C: So I don't know, maybe like one of the EM professors.
[00:29:00] Speaker A: Like. Like Dr. Riley or Mr. Bernaski or something.
[00:29:03] Speaker C: Yeah. Just because I don't get to experience their class in his months. So I'd probably do one of them.
[00:29:07] Speaker A: One of them.
[00:29:07] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: I have to.
[00:29:09] Speaker A: Sure, sure. You have to.
[00:29:11] Speaker B: Dr. Jimmo. Just because his classes are so fun and there's. It's. Learning is just such a fun experience in those classes. But also, I love my classes with Ms. Gratzer because she's just so. She is wise and she has so much information to share, and I feel like I learn so much whenever I'm in class with her.
[00:29:26] Speaker A: And it's cool, like, for. For her specifically, like how she graduated from Emmaus with education and then she was a public school teacher for.
[00:29:34] Speaker B: And when she did her student teaching, she was overseas too. So she's had so much.
[00:29:37] Speaker A: So she's like. She's seen all of it. She's had all the experiences, and so she's able to take all those and put them together in the classroom to help, you know, the next generation of classes, class teachers.
[00:29:47] Speaker C: That. Or I would. If Dean Carter could come back into the classroom, I would love another class with him.
[00:29:53] Speaker A: What class? What was the last class? That you took with him before he switched education.
[00:29:58] Speaker B: Yeah, we were his last.
[00:30:00] Speaker A: Oh, man.
[00:30:01] Speaker B: And the favorite.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: And the favorite class.
[00:30:03] Speaker C: He can't say that, of course, but.
[00:30:05] Speaker A: Okay, this next one is two parts. What's been your favorite memory or moment so far to may us on the court and off the court.
[00:30:15] Speaker A: Or big or a highlight. Something you think about.
[00:30:18] Speaker B: Something I still think about is taking a set off Manhattan our freshman year. It was like one. It was our first weekend of play.
[00:30:24] Speaker A: I was like, amidst of their, what, 85 game winning streak against conference teams. Yeah.
[00:30:29] Speaker B: And we didn't even win that game. But just taking a set off of them was just.
[00:30:32] Speaker A: I think they lost two sets that year to Commerce teams.
[00:30:35] Speaker B: It was so fun.
And of course, regional win. But that goes without saying, right?
[00:30:40] Speaker A: That's an automatic.
[00:30:42] Speaker C: I would have to say.
[00:30:45] Speaker C: This most recent, like, just being down at Nationals, like just off the court, just spending time a week with my teammates and really getting to know them and having meals with them, cooking and watching movies and just having a fun week outside of volleyball was just really amazing.
[00:31:07] Speaker C: I don't know about, like, outside of. I don't know.
[00:31:11] Speaker A: You do do stuff outside of.
[00:31:12] Speaker B: Yes, Yes.
[00:31:16] Speaker C: I would probably say freshman year when we.
When Lucas had never been sledding before, we took him out and we went sledding down the hills and he had so much fun and it was just. And then we had a snowball.
[00:31:31] Speaker A: His gleeful joy of experiencing for the first time.
[00:31:34] Speaker C: And then we had like a snowball fight. And it was just a lot of fun just hanging out those like, stuff like.
[00:31:40] Speaker A: That's like the best I remember, like, my freshman year. Not to hijack the conversation, my freshman year, it was finals for the. In the fall semester and it rained so hard that like half of our freshman class just stopped studying in the Coffee Bean. It ran outside and we just started sliding in the mud because we were like, we need a break. But it was just kind of a fun bonding experience.
[00:31:58] Speaker B: Yeah, that sounds so fun. I say mine would probably be.
There's just so many great things about.
[00:32:04] Speaker A: A maze and why you watching games?
[00:32:06] Speaker B: Oh, no, I would probably say Winterfest. My freshman year. It was Jumanji themed.
[00:32:11] Speaker A: Oh, that was.
[00:32:12] Speaker B: And it was just. It was so coolly decorated. And I had never experienced a Winterfest before, and so everything was just so new.
[00:32:17] Speaker A: Because you probably heard Allison talk about it throughout the years and you're like, cool. Like, what does that even.
[00:32:22] Speaker B: Yeah, but it was. It was really cool. Even if my team got last place. The matter is so Fun.
[00:32:28] Speaker A: That's tough.
[00:32:28] Speaker B: And Dr. Jimmo was in the skit that year, so.
[00:32:30] Speaker C: And he did so well. He should become an actor.
[00:32:33] Speaker B: He should.
[00:32:33] Speaker A: Honestly, he could. He is like the. The thespianism in him is so good. He can. He really takes it seriously. Switching gears to a couple Christmas questions. In light of the season, what is one of your guys favorite Christmas traditions that either your families have done or done together or separate?
[00:32:53] Speaker B: I know we have two sides, right? Mine is probably Sinterklaas, because we do. We're both Dutch. And I'm like, I'm Dutch on my dad's side too. So I have. I'm like 70. No, whoa. 50%. 50% Dutch.
[00:33:07] Speaker A: I'm more than you are.
[00:33:09] Speaker C: She's better than I.
[00:33:10] Speaker B: But my mom always does Santa Claus with us, which is like the Dutch Santa. So he comes on December 5 and he brings presents. If you leave carrots in your wooden shoes for the reind. Not the reindeer for the horse. A little bit past December 5th. Yeah, I got my gift. I got Legos center class game, you.
[00:33:27] Speaker A: Guys, carrots and the. You love the carrots.
[00:33:29] Speaker B: The horse. The horse is hungry. But I love just still being able to celebrate like that part of my life too. The Dutch heritage.
[00:33:36] Speaker C: Something that I really enjoy that we do together with our sides of the family is we have this booklet that has songs as well as it goes through the Christmas story. And so like we read it and then we sing and we just sing all together and it's just.
[00:33:50] Speaker A: That's fun.
[00:33:51] Speaker C: It's a special moment that we do on Christmas Eve that I just really love.
[00:33:58] Speaker A: Do you guys usually like when you have it together? Is it. Is it here in Iowa, but the beaches or is it Nebraska? Nebraska. Okay.
[00:34:06] Speaker B: With our grandpa.
[00:34:06] Speaker A: Grandpa.
[00:34:09] Speaker A: That's fun. All right, next one.
Favorite Christmas cookie.
Oh, if you eat cookies.
[00:34:16] Speaker B: Sugar.
[00:34:16] Speaker A: Sugar cookie.
[00:34:17] Speaker B: Yeah. I decorate them with my sister and usually like our. The children at our church, we'll invite them over.
[00:34:23] Speaker A: That's fun.
[00:34:24] Speaker C: I like a good ginger snap. But I also like the. Is it a sugar cookie that you put the store in the middle of it?
[00:34:30] Speaker A: Oh, like the, like the raspberry jelly or whatever.
[00:34:32] Speaker B: Oh, never mind.
[00:34:33] Speaker A: Or.
[00:34:33] Speaker C: No, no.
[00:34:33] Speaker B: Oh, I know what you're talking about.
[00:34:35] Speaker A: I know what those are called. I don't know what this spritz, but see last week my movie trivia. Christmas trivia was bad. So this year, this week it's like cookie trivia.
[00:34:44] Speaker C: Like there's little stars and then you.
[00:34:47] Speaker A: I'm sure will will find one.
[00:34:51] Speaker C: You press Them into the middle of the cookie. Or you could use like a Hoshi kiss.
[00:34:56] Speaker B: Those are peanut butter blossoms with the Hershey's Kisses.
[00:34:59] Speaker C: It's the. Yeah, maybe the same thing. I don't know.
[00:35:01] Speaker A: The Christmas.
[00:35:02] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:35:05] Speaker A: All right, next one and final question. Favorite Christmas drink?
You cocoa. Are you eggnog? Are you like the Frou Frou coffee?
[00:35:14] Speaker B: I think I'm just basic hot chocolate.
[00:35:16] Speaker A: With whipped cream on it.
[00:35:18] Speaker B: Yeah. And hazelnut.
[00:35:19] Speaker A: Hazelnut.
[00:35:22] Speaker C: I don't, I don't know, I.
[00:35:29] Speaker C: I love a good chai. So if I could make like a Christmas chai, I put this somewhere.
[00:35:34] Speaker B: What are your answers?
[00:35:34] Speaker A: Yeah, I just like a dark coffee with no cream.
[00:35:39] Speaker B: What about cookies?
[00:35:40] Speaker A: There are some good dairy free eggnog out there. So I do like that. Isaiah, like my Isaiah and Levi both love hot chocolate so we usually do hot cocoa during that time. But cookies it would be. I just love sugar cookies with some good icing.
[00:35:54] Speaker C: Do you decorate it yourself?
[00:35:56] Speaker A: We do gingerbread houses and then the boy usually if like we have a basketball party every year where we decorate the cookies and, and then we vote for the best ones and I always try to go too hard on those ones because it's kind of fun.
[00:36:09] Speaker A: But yes. And I actually have a bonus question for you, Caitlyn. This involves your dad.
[00:36:18] Speaker A: Which if we want to get him on the phone, I guess we could get him on the phone. He can ask him.
We can ask you.
[00:36:22] Speaker B: I can call him if he answers.
[00:36:26] Speaker C: If he answers, I want to know the question.
[00:36:29] Speaker A: All right. I gotta figure out a question for your mom.
[00:36:32] Speaker C: Do you want me to try and get on the phone?
[00:36:34] Speaker B: Is it because I don't have network down here. You might have to call me.
[00:36:39] Speaker C: Let me try to call my mom.
[00:36:43] Speaker B: It's not ring. Oh no, it's ringing.
[00:36:45] Speaker C: It's ringing.
[00:36:46] Speaker B: Oh.
Hello?
[00:36:49] Speaker C: Oh, hey mom.
[00:36:51] Speaker A: Hi.
Hey Kathy, it's Matthew. We're live on in the Nest podcast. I'm here with Jennica and Katie Caitlin and we're just chatting up some mas athletics along with some Christmas stuff.
[00:37:04] Speaker B: Hello?
[00:37:06] Speaker C: We just wanted to get you on the line.
[00:37:08] Speaker A: Oh, hey Kevin, it's Matthew. I'm here live in the Nest right now. We're live on in the Nest with Kathy on one phone. You're on the other phone. Oh my goodness.
[00:37:18] Speaker D: Is this a competition?
[00:37:20] Speaker A: Probably. It can be.
[00:37:22] Speaker D: Great.
[00:37:23] Speaker A: I do have one question, do have one question for the both of you.
Kevin was a pretty good basketball player back in the day at Judson.
My question is who Has a better 3 point percentage? Me Or Kevin.
[00:37:40] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:37:42] Speaker D: Is this question for me or.
[00:37:43] Speaker A: Kevin would have to go with me. I'm helping me. You're right, Kevin, it is you.
You're number 10 on Judson's all time shooting percentage for threes. So yes, Kevin dominated.
[00:37:56] Speaker B: I. I did not inherit that.
[00:37:57] Speaker A: You did not inherit that. You got the volleyball side, not the basketball side.
[00:38:00] Speaker B: Yeah, he was my coach.
[00:38:01] Speaker A: He was your coach for basketball or for volleyball?
[00:38:03] Speaker B: Volleyball.
[00:38:03] Speaker A: For volleyball.
[00:38:05] Speaker C: My mom was also my coach and then my dad.
[00:38:07] Speaker A: And she was a really good tennis player.
[00:38:08] Speaker C: And my dad was also my coach.
[00:38:10] Speaker A: Dad. Actually, when you get your dad on this podcast at some point with his Jennica shirt.
[00:38:14] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness. Everybody loves that shirt. My mom also has one. I'm pretty sure, right?
[00:38:18] Speaker D: Mom, does he still have it?
[00:38:20] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:38:20] Speaker C: No. Do you have one?
[00:38:22] Speaker A: No. We're good.
[00:38:22] Speaker B: I have one that I made.
[00:38:23] Speaker D: It's not nearly as cool as your dad's.
[00:38:25] Speaker C: Oh, my bad.
[00:38:28] Speaker D: He's way trendier than me.
[00:38:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:38:29] Speaker C: Matthew, what's your question for my mom? Okay. Do you have one?
[00:38:34] Speaker A: All right.
[00:38:38] Speaker A: Who do you like? No, I'm just kidding. Who's your favorite twin? I'm joking.
[00:38:41] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness. I know that answer.
[00:38:43] Speaker A: It's Trevor.
[00:38:48] Speaker A: Okay, real quick. What's your favorite family Christmas tradition? Kathy.
[00:38:56] Speaker D: Favorite family Christmas tradition? There's quite a few. I'd say long term, it kind of is a long tradition, but I'll narrow it down. I love that we eat pizza every Christmas Eve and then go to the church service.
At a church. And then we have our own little service where we sing and read the Christmas story.
[00:39:15] Speaker C: That's what I said.
[00:39:16] Speaker B: And ice cream.
[00:39:17] Speaker A: Yeah, and ice cream.
That's great. I love that.
[00:39:20] Speaker C: Yeah, that's fun.
[00:39:21] Speaker D: It's precious. Nobody has to cook, which is fabulous.
[00:39:23] Speaker A: Right?
[00:39:24] Speaker D: It's just all about spending time with family and about focusing on what the season's all about.
[00:39:30] Speaker A: Very true. Very true.
[00:39:32] Speaker C: Thanks so much for picking up, Mom. I hope I didn't interrupt you.
[00:39:35] Speaker D: No, I'm just creating an Algebra 2 test.
[00:39:37] Speaker A: Oh, fun.
[00:39:38] Speaker D: It's much more fun to talk to you.
[00:39:39] Speaker A: Not at all.
Well, thanks for joining us on Live on In the Nest. Kathy.
It is.
[00:39:45] Speaker C: Okay. Love you, mom.
[00:39:47] Speaker B: Love you.
[00:39:48] Speaker C: Bye.
[00:39:49] Speaker A: How fun. Speaking of that, if you guys make sure that you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, stay up to date with the latest activities. Speaking of that, our newest eagle commit, Angelina Coburnette, just officially committed. So you guys, next year, super excited. Shout out to Angelina. Yeah, keep stay up to date and what's going on, Adamus? We got some really fun events coming up. We had a great Starlight Carols this past week. We had Deck the Halls. So find you can find out who won all the floor money you guys for right. It was your guys's floor. We have a bridge and then we have. Yeah. Just dues upcoming next in March. So keep an eye out for stuff like that. But anyway, thanks for loving us. Thanks for following us on in the nest. It's been fun. Hopefully we'll have Shane back next week. But Jenica, Caitlyn, thanks for joining and.
[00:40:39] Speaker C: Thanks for having us.
[00:40:40] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:40] Speaker A: What day is it?
[00:40:42] Speaker C: It's a great day to be an Emmaus eagle.
[00:40:44] Speaker A: See you guys later.
[00:41:01] Speaker A: Sam.
