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hplandmark.com sports
the highland park landmark | November 15, 2018 | 27
Athlete of the Week
10 Questions
with Ireland Hieb
Hieb is a senior at Highland
Park High School
and an outside hitter on
the girls volleyball team.
How did you start
playing volleyball?
I started in sixth grade,
and I didn’t really want to
at the time. I was playing
basketball and I liked that
more. My mom told me
about the summer camp
my school was putting
on, and I just didn’t want
anything to do with it. My
cousin, she was trying out
for her freshman team, and
she wanted to prep with
me. I realized how much I
liked it and it took off from
there.
Why do you love the
sport so much?
I really like the competition
and the team aspect of
it. I love working together
to achieve a common goal
to win because I’m really
competitive and I like that
winning feeling.
What is the most
challenging part of
playing volleyball?
It’s very unpredictable.
For example, if one of the
girls hits it and they hit the
ball and it tools off our
block, and we don’t know
which way it’s going, we
might have to run all the
way across the court to get
the ball up. You just never
know what’s going to happen.
What is your most
memorable moment as
a Giant?
Definitely winning conference
last year, because
it was the first time since
1975 or ‘76 or something.
It was a really big team effort.
I was really proud of
my team in that moment.
I’m a four-year starter, so
when I made varsity as a
freshman that was really
exciting.
Who is the funniest
person on the team?
I think Christina Martin.
This one game, Allyson
(Gordon), our setter, set it
and Christina, our hitter,
didn’t want to hit it, so she
just said, ‘No.’ and passed
it over to someone else.
Do you have any
superstitions before
you play a match?
I always listen to a song
before we play. It’s “Til the
Day I Die,” by TobyMac.
What is your guilty
pleasure?
Ben and Jerry’s Phish-
Food.
What is one thing
people don’t know
about you?
I am a black belt in Karate.
I did it for 12 years. I
stopped when I was 14.
If you could travel
anywhere in the
world, where would
you want to go?
I think Ireland, because
my grandma promised me
Photo by Stuart-Rodgers
Photography
when I was born that she
would take me there for
high school graduation.
It’s my mom’s heritage,
too.
Is that why you’re
named Ireland?
No, it’s not. My mom
went in for an ultrasound
during her pregnancy, and
they noticed that there
was a cyst in my brain
... During that time they
were praying, and asking
friends to pray, and then
two weeks later they went
back for another ultrasound
to check the development
and the cyst was
just gone. My dad said if
the baby made it and was
healthy then her name
could be Ireland because
Irish people are fighters
and they don’t take crap
from anyone.
Interview by Sports Editor
Brittany Kapa
The Varsity: North Shore Podcast
Guys talk huge Loyola football
win, announce volleyball honors
Staff report
In this week’s episode of
The Varsity: North Shore,
the only podcast focused
on North Shore sports,
hosts Michal Dwojak
and Michael Wojtychiw
get their listeners ready
for another huge Loyola
Academy football game
after a big win over Maine
South while also announcing
22nd Century Media’s
Team 22 girls volleyball
team and Girls Volleyball
Coach and Player of the
Year awards.
First Quarter
Michal Dwojak and Michael
Wojtychiw recap a
huge Loyola football win
over Maine South in the
quarterfinals.
Second Quarter
The guys announce the
all-area girls volleyball
teams, as well as Player
and Coach of the Year.
Third Quarter
With girls swimming
Find the Varsity
Twitter: @
varsitypodcast
Facebook: @
thevarsitypodcast
Website: HPLandmark.
com/sports
Download:
Soundcloud, iTunes,
Stitcher, TuneIn,
PlayerFm, more
postseason happening, the
guys recap the sectional
meet for area teams and
preview the state meet.
Fourth Quarter
They preview another
huge game for the Ramblers
against Lincoln-Way East.