TIMPANOGOS HS VOLLEYBALL CAMP

So, today was the first day of my volleyball camp at Timpanogos High School for the little kids ages 5-11 and teenagers ages 12-18.  My morning session with the little kiddies was awesome.  These girls and one boy were the best.  They showed up sleepy eyed and dragging their feet at 8a.m in the morning... too early for a little one in the summer. LOL

So, anyway once they started their warm up tag game, they were ready to go.  We worked on the basic forearm passing skill with them and they all did great.  Little Maggie, the girl that's 2nd from the left next to Tommy(the boy) was very impressive.  She showed a lot of talent with her fearless passing.  Tommy (this boy) was little "Mr. Knowitall", no really, we'd show him how to do something and he'd say, "I know how to do that, I already know how to play" well, excuse us...LOL!   Alison (3rd from left) was also a quick learner that was a good passer.  Rebekah (4th from left) was some what of a little day dreamer.  She would be so easily distracted with what the other girls were doing that we kept having to call her name to pay attention.  Then we have my little niece, Rosileni (5th from left) who was just so eager to learn and play.  She showed up ready to play with her kneepads on and determined attitude.  She did awesome ( I think she'll grow up to be an awesome vball player like her aunty...ME, LOL!).  Then last but most definitely not the least, on the far right end, we have Teniyah.  Teniyah was the comedian of our little group.  She did great in learning how to pass and participating, but she had the giggles throughout the whole camp.  I was wondering why she was always laughing, so I asked my volleyball player(Lauren) who was working with, why? Lauren says: She's laughing at me cause I have to go and chase the balls she hits wrong... and she's laughing because she say's Evan (one of my other players) looks like a Leprechaun... so her word for the day was "Leprechaun".  I can't wait to hear what her new word will be tomorrow... this girl was just too funny.  She was such a character! 

I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have to work with and teach kids how to play volleyball.  It is my passion and I enjoy teaching kids the sport of volleyball.  These kids reminded me today of why I truly enjoy coaching and teaching kids how to play volleyball... thank you for that reminder kids!

Ashley Sagapolutele Nielson, Graduation Party

This is Ashley Sagapolutele Nielson, the beautiful graduate.
Taking a few seconds to get a pix together. My Handsome hubby and I.

In this picture: Kuini, Samantha, Talia, Angie and Lisa and one of their friends on the far left.

I love this picture of my aunty Uoma and Me. She is my dad's first cousin.

This is my favorite picture! Verlynn Nonu and I with a few of the center pieces.

Ashley Nielson is a graduate of Kearns HS in Utah. Her party was lots of fun with family and some of her close friends. Her mother, Nesi along with her father Siu are proud parents in all that Ashley has accomplished. The food was great, lots of food...entertainment was great and of course our family was lots of fun. Congrats Ashley and good luck in your future endeavors!

Oh yeah, pictures were taken by the very talented and crafty Verlynn Nonu!

THS Volleyball Car Wash

On Saturday, May 23, 2009 my girls Volleyball team at Timpanogos HS had a fundraiser car wash. Our car wash was only for about 4 hours, but we did fairly good. We had a donation car wash, where people donated what ever amount of cash they wanted to have their car washed. It was lots of fun and work. The girls also made lots of delicious baked goods to sell. We had a fire engine show up and got the girls excited to wash it. They had lots of fun washing the fire truck and taking pictures on it. The only sucky thing about it was that the firemen didn't really donate to our cause...booo!!! LOL.

Anyway, the girls had a blast and I'm proud of all their hard work and dedication to our volleyball program. Thank you to all the parents, friends and strangers who came by to get their cars washed.

Here you see some of the girls washing a car while others were still washing the fire engine.

The girls by the fire engine: Backrow(L-R) Lizzy, Chauri, Carlee, Mandy, McKaye, and Carmen. On truck(L-R) Melanie, Ina and Lauren. Frontrow(L-R) Dayna, Rachel, Erica, Evan, Casey, Emily, Katie, Sharissa, Amanda, Chelsea, McKeyla and Jill.

Some of the girls on the curb of the street holding up our signs/posters for the car wash. I don't know what Ina is doing running on the street...must be samoan...LOL

Here I am making sure everything runs smoothly. Also selling the baked goods and collecting donations from people.

Emily, Katie and Evan(on the car) washing this truck...they did really good, cause we got a very nice donation from this person.

This Is The Place Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday before Easter Sunday, my sisters in law, Melissa and Siniva took William, Isabella and Alana to an Easter egg hunt in Salt Lake City at the "This Is The Place".

William was in the 0-3 age group hunt and he was awesome. I set him down after putting him over the fence and he took off. He was following his dads instructions to "race all the kids, and get lots of eggs". William did exactly that, cause once his feet hit the ground he was off and running.





Alana was in the 4-7 and 8-11 year old age group hunts. We had to put her in two because she didn't have much luck with finding eggs in the younger age group. As you could tell in her picture she was very happy with her basket of eggs.

We enjoyed watching them both hunt for eggs. William was the aggressor in finding eggs and Alana was the easy going one when hunting for eggs. At the end...they were both happy with the eggs the found.

Substitute @ Timpanogos HS

Today I've started my first day as an official long term substitute at Timpanogos high school. I'm currently writing this blog during my free period of the morning. I've had one class so far and it went great. The classes I'm teaching today are the 11th and 12th grade lifetime fitness classes. Didn't really do much fitness with them other then a few exercises and then played basketball. I had the class do a few stretches then run two laps around the half of the gymnasium...funny, one girl tells me "we never run" I told her, "well, your running now!" What the heck?, how is a class called lifetime fitness and you never run?...Anyway.

School is alot different out here in Utah from California. I'm so use to the last names, Garcia, Rodriguez, Perez etc...all over my rosters. Now I have Baker, Hortman, Nielsen, Riggs etc...with a few of the Flores's and Castaneda's. It's almost like a culture shock for me...nah, not really. The students here however, are much more mature, respectful, polite, honest(so far) and sincere. It's nice going through my whole day at work without hearing the "F Bomb" every minute come out of a students mouth. And can you believe it, not one boy sags his pants below his waist line. I just love it...no ghettoness to the students here. There are definitely some over grown young boys and girls here too. Man, I don't know what they feed these kids out here, but they're tall and some of them look like men already...LOL...that coming from someone who's use to seeing short mexicans everyday. There are a few Polynesian students here, but other then the ones in my Volleyball class, I haven't really seen any yet.

I think I'll like it here at Timpanogos HS. The school population is not that big and it's very personal here between the adults and students. The school spirit is awesome and I love it! I don't see immature kids trying to gang bang around school grounds. I like the fact that I can come to work, not put on my tough face(the I'm gonna kick your ass look if you try me), feel safe walking on to the campus. I thought I'd never be in such an enviroment as a teacher. I'm really grateful for my teaching experiences I've had in California. Through those experiences, I know that I can handle any tough situation I'm put in out here in Utah. Although there probably won't be any tough situations out here that would match ones I've faced in California.

I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity to teach and coach here in Utah. I look forward to having a wonderful teaching/coaching career her at Timpanogos High School. Maybe sometime in the near future I'll be a permanent teacher, if not here at THS then at another high school.

GO T-WOLVES!!!

Magalei Nieces

These are my two nieces on my husbands side of the family. Both are unique in their own ways and bring a lot joy to the Magalei family. Alana Nevaeh and Leina Tagiafouga are both beautiful little girls who enjoy playing, laughing and being spoiled by their grandparents. I enjoy having them both as my nieces and am grateful for two such sweet spirits.

This is Alana Nevaeh Magalei, daughter to Sherwin and Siniva Magalei. She is adorably cute and loving. Alana is a sweet spirit that loves to be with her mommy and daddy when they're not at work. She really, really loves "Barbie" and all the princess movies that barbie has out. Alana loves to cuddle and hug with people (espceially ME)and play with her favorite uncle Spencer. She's smart, fun loving, sweet, sincere and playful.

This little girl above here is Leina Tagiafouga Magalei Utu. Leina is the daughter of Spencer's sister, Clarice. Leina loves to eat and go outside all the time. She loves being with her nana and papa because that's who she's with most of the time. Leina is also a special little girl who gets spoiled by both her grandparents on her daddy and mommy's side. She doesn't speak yet, but if she did, she'd be saying the darnest things.

Change Is Good

So my husband and I have moved to Utah about 4 weeks ago. We made the move out here because we wanted to start our life together on our own after living with my parents in California for three years. I've lived with my parents for more then that, but as a married woman I've lived with them for 3 years with my hubby.

Life here in Utah is so much more different then in California. People here are nice, helpful, slow paced and most of them are latter day saints. I thought I'd never like living in Utah because of the cold weather and slow paced lifestyle. Then we made the move and after a few days, started to enjoy this LDS (mormon) state. My husband and I truly miss the warm weather of California, but we're happy to move away from a state that is going down the drain...sort of speaking.

I've started substituting for the Timpanogos High School and coaching my volleyball team. I enjoy teaching and coaching my students and athletes. The young women I've been given the opportunity to coach are wonderful. I really look forward to bringing back that winning attitude back to THS. I honestly think that if I hadn't gotten this coaching job, my husband and I would still be in California...but hey, I truly believe that things happen for a reason. My husband is currently unemployed and is seeking employment. So, if you know of anyone hiring at a warehouse, please let me know. My husband needs a J.O.B! hahahah...

Althought we are now Utahians (if there is such a word) we are Californians at heart... i.e. we are big USC football fans, and L.A. Lakers FANS...we would never convert to BYU or UTES fans. Many have said we would, but my husband and I have sworn to be loyal fans. We would never, never be Jazz fans cause we dislike them. So, do not like the Jazz and their fans...LOL! So, for those of you family members and friends who think we're going to convert...NOT!

All in all...Change is Good and Things happen for a reason!!!