Cash Kicks Cleats for Higher Peaks

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2010) – Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif.) is quite an audacious and athletic teenager with a plethora of different talents and interests. Before deciding to follow her volleyball calling, Cash was a dedicated soccer player among many other hobbies.

Now this renaissance athlete has kicked off her cleats and is trading in soccer for spandex and volleyball. She now has dreams of becoming the best in her new focused sport while still finding time to paint, read and explore.

This summer, Cash gains her first international volleyball experience with USA Volleyball. She will compete with the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team in Tijuana, Mexico, to battle in the 2010 NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship from July 5-10.

“When I found out I made the team, I couldn’t breathe for like half an hour,” Cash said. “I couldn’t get a hold of myself. I am so excited to be a part of this team and to be representing USA. Every time I see the flag I feel so proud to be able to be representing my country in the sport I love.”

As Cash advances her volleyball play with the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team, she reflects on all of her past interests and experiences leading to her new ultimate dream of progressing in volleyball.

“I have always had an incredible sense of adventure,” Cash said. “When I was small, I was always in a tree or at the top of a swing set. Later, soccer became my first love and I played all positions but found my ideal spot in the goal. Imagine a six foot goalkeeper running full speed at the petite forward to tackle the ball and the player! But I realized that I really liked being tall, and now at 6-3, volleyball has won my heart and has enabled me to travel and meet players and coaches from all over the world.”

Cash excelled as a goalie for her high school soccer team and also helped in winning a State Championship for her club soccer team. However, her height and adventurous spirit determined her shift of focus into the world of volleyball where she gets to both block balls and score points.

“The biggest difference between soccer and volleyball is the accountability of the team,” Cash said. “Yes, you need a strong team for soccer, but if you have one player that is really good then you can go really far. Volleyball is team-oriented and you have to have team chemistry to succeed and because of this, volleyball teams bond closer. It’s more of a family unit and I love how close we all are. I know I am helping my team in every play by blocking, even if I don’t get set.”

Cash expresses her individuality on the court by wearing colorful spandex, socks and nail colors to practice. Her loud clothing matches her personality on the court.

“My little sister and I have a fetish for crazy knee socks,” Cash said. “We have this huge laundry basket in my house that is full of crazy socks. My personality matches my clothing. I am a very loud person and talk excessively. It may not be useful to people, but I feel the need to talk and communicate whenever necessary. I am always cheering on the bench. I find it fun.”

Since deciding to get most serious about volleyball, Cash has participated in numerous USA Volleyball opportunities and has found ways to get more experience in expanding her new found beloved sport.

Cash participated in the 2009 USA Volleyball Junior Holiday Camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. That same year she helped the USA Girls’ Youth A2 Red Team to the gold medal at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships. In 2008, Cash participated on the SCVA Regional High Performance Team and led 16-1 club team to an American Division berth at USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.

Cash and her Coast 18-1 Ozhan Team is 3-0 heading into Wednesday pool matches at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in Reno. Immediately after the tournament, she and her teammates depart Reno (many of whom participating in the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships) for Mexico to compete in the NORCECA Women’s Junior National Championships. Earlier this year, she also helped Coast Volleyball Club 18-1 Ozhan to first place at Big South National Qualifier, second place at Southern California Junior National Qualifier, first place at SCVA Mandatory 2 and fifth place at Vegas Invitational. Cash contributed in 2009 to a silver finish for Coast Volleyball Club 17-1 at Southern California Junior National Qualifier, second place at Northern Lights National Qualifier and fifth place at Vegas Invitational and 11th place at USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships Open Division.

Cash has racked up some impressive honors in the progress of exploring her talent in volleyball from her high school and residence state, California. She was selected captain and most valuable player her senior year at Canyon Crest Academy while earning First-Team All-Coastal League and First-Team CIF Division 3 honors in 2008 and 2009. She was selected in 2008 as Third-Team All-County, La Jolla High School Beach Cities All-Tournament Team, Canyon Crest Academy Coach’s Choice Award and Academic Team. In 2007, Cash played her only international experience with her high school varsity team in Europe (Budapest, Maribor, Vienna and Prague) against the countries’ national teams.

Cash is anxious to travel to Mexico and to play with her team and to extend her volleyball experience.

“Being able to play with a bunch of different countries is so exciting,” Cash said. “It is one step closer of accomplishing my dream of being in the Olympics. I also love traveling, so this experience is a dream come true.”

Cash’s goal outside of winning an Olympic gold medal is to help people all over the world.

“Outside of volleyball, I would really like to become a humanitarian engineer,” Cash said. “I love helping people.”

Cash’s non-athletic accomplishments include a wide variety of activities. She notes her favorites as climbing the Half Dome at Yosemite National Park, navigating her way to the top of a pyramid in Guatemala, participating in a 48-hour film festival and co-writing a three-minute film debuted on a movie screen, singing all of the songs from the Sound of Music while traveling by train in Austria and convincing her pre-calculus honors class to form a math choir in order to remember formulas.

For this world explorer and loud personality, Cash’s next stage will be on the volleyball courts of Tijuana hopefully helping Team USA to the gold at NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship.

Tags: NORCECA, NORCECA Continental Championship, NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship, Samantha Cash, U.S. Women's Junior National Team, U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team