Senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Flynn shared why she stayed with Eastern’s volleyball program throughout her four years here and how head coach Sara Thomas is outside of coaching.

Q: When did you first start playing volleyball?

A: “I started when I was 7 years old. I started at little kids’ camps and clinics, and then when I was 9 years old, I started club volleyball.”

Q: Why did you decide to go to Eastern?

A: “I feel like the community was a big factor in it because of the smaller campus. I always knew I didn’t want to go to a big school where I would have to take a bus or walk an hour to go to class. I always knew I wanted the smaller community, and the coaches and the girls made it very welcoming and easy to come in.”

Q: Pancakes or waffles?

A: “Waffles unless there are Swedish pancakes.”

Q: Do you put anything on your Swedish pancakes?

A: “Just syrup. I’m a very picky eater, so for toppings, I’ll either put them on the side or leave them.”

Q: Which teammate are you giving the aux to?

A: “Probably Lilli [Amettis]. She has a good pregame hype playlist. Or Sylvia [Hasz]. She really likes Pop Smoke, so her playlist is pretty hype too.”

Q: How do you feel coach Thomas is not only as a coach but as a person?

A: “She’s an amazing coach and person. She’s always there for us no matter what– school, volleyball, outside of school. She’s just a great person all around, and I look up to her.”

Q: What’s your favorite pregame meal?

A: “When we get Dirty’s, I always get the chicken wrap, which is really good. It’s a light little meal that gets me ready.”

Q: What’s your favorite postgame meal?

A: “Mi Casa. Every time I’m like, ‘I want Mi Casa.’”

Q: Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled?

A: “Arizona. I’ve been there a few times, and that’s my favorite place. Everyone says the heat is unbearable, but I’d rather take the dry heat than the humidity. The mountains and all of the different landmarks in Arizona are very pretty.”

Q: Is the Earth round or flat?

A: “Round.”

Q: Do you like beach volleyball or indoor volleyball better?

A: “I like indoor better. Beach is a totally different atmosphere. I remember our first beach tournament, there was music blasting and coaches weren’t on the sidelines. I was like, ‘What am I supposed to do? What’s the next move?’ I think beach is very helpful for indoor because of endurance and jump height. I like beach and it’s very beneficial, but I like indoor better.”

Q: Dunkin or Starbucks?

A: “Dunkin. I’ve never had a bad experience at Dunkin, and it’s way cheaper.”

Q: What has been your favorite moment out of your four years with the program?

A: “Definitely winning first in the regular season and going to the NCAA Tournament, but I would say overall, working for that moment was definitely a big rebuilding process. The first year, we only won three games, and we still had that fight and that hope. Seeing it play out the way it did was really cool, and it feels great to play a role in that.”

Q: Knowing everything you know now, what would you tell 10-year-old you?

A: “I would tell my 10-year-old self to keep working for what you want and to believe in yourself. It’s very easy to not believe in yourself sometimes, but I would tell my 10-year-old self, ‘Look at where you are now, and look at what you were able to be a part of accomplish. Hard work is the way to go.’”

Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or zhflippin@eiu.edu.