We had the privilege of interviewing Brooke Thao, whose team embarked on an incredible playoff run with an impressive winning streak. Brooke graciously shared her valuable insights and experiences on what it truly means to be a dedicated student athlete, balancing academic responsibilities with intensive training sessions and representing her school with utmost pride.
1. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started with volleyball and what inspired you to pursue it as a sport?
So I started playing volleyball when I was 8 years old and I was just playing rec volleyball but I was also playing soccer at the time. And for some reason I just liked volleyball a lot more than soccer, less running haha. But I continued to play volleyball and I’ve loved it since. And my parents play volleyball and a lot of my family does too so it just make sense for me to play as well.
2. As a student athlete, how do you balance your academic and athletic commitments? What strategies do you use to stay on top of your studies and maintain your performance on the court? How do you manage your time between academics and athletics?
Well one thing I will say is that it is not easy. It takes a lot of time management. Which hasn’t always been easy for me. I like to focus on one thing at a time so I can put all my efforts into one rather than put little effort into too many things. So my homework first then volleyball. But it’s a balancing act and I still struggle with it today.
3. What challenges did you face as a student athlete, and how do you overcome them?
It can become very overwhelming doing school then having volleyball and then college recruiting. And sometimes I can lose motivation in the middle of all of it. But I like to think back to why I started this journey in the first place and why I am pursuing this dream of mine, That is what keeps me going at the end of the day.
4. How has being a student athlete influenced your personal growth and development?
Being a student athlete has definitely taught me a lot. It teaches me responsibility and making sacrifices. It teaches me to be discipline and patience, which is not an easy thing to learn, trust me.
5. Can you share any memorable experiences or accomplishments as a student athlete?
Honestly one of my favorite experiences was my past school season. My school team made it to the final four in playoffs and we played our butts off all season. This past season really changed me as a player and I loved playing with my team. And playing with them was so fun for me and exciting. And just seeing how much our team grew over just a couple months. This season was super special to me.
6. How do you handle pressure or stress, especially during intense competition periods?
It’s not easy to handle pressure, I will say that, and in high pressure situations it’s easy to lash out and scream at everyone, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t do anyone any good when you yell. I’ve learned to take a step back and focus on one thing at a time. Especially on the court when everyone is looking at me, I try to stay calm and lead by example. Handling pressure has always come naturally to me because my parents push me harder than anyone else. So knowing that I can handle them, I can handle any situation.
7. How do you balance sportsmanship and competitiveness in your athletic pursuits?
Maintaining sportsmanship and competitiveness requires a respectful attitude towards your opponent, but it also requires you to be humble. I don’t really like to “trash talk” rather I let my skills do the talking. But don’t let that make you think I’m quiet, I am still very aggressive on the court but I don’t need my words to do that for me. I still keep my aggressive attitude but I use my skills to show off for me.
8. What advice do you have for other students who are considering pursuing athletics alongside their studies?
I would encourage them to go for it but know what they are getting into, and how committed they are really going to be. Make sure that it is something they really want and how they are going to time management sports with school. And if they are willing to be committed, don’t give up even if it’s hard, maintain a healthy balance and to work hard.
9. Who is you biggest supporter?
I would have to say my biggest supporters are my parents. They sacrifice a lot for me and there is so much going on behind the scenes that I don’t know about. They really do everything for me and they push me to be better, and they always support me in everything I do.
10. Looking ahead, do you have any plans to continue playing volleyball in college or beyond? Are there any other goals you have in mind for your future, both on and off the court?
Yes I would LOVE to play volleyball in college, right now I am going through the recruiting process, which is long and time consuming. One of my goals is to be committed by next summer, but outside of volleyball I am not really sure what I want to do in life yet. There are so many things that I haven’t been exposed to yet so I am waiting for something to speak to me.”
