Danielle Scott Weblog

After getting in at almost midnight on Monday, shutting off my cell phone and turning off the ringer to sleep off and on all day on Tuesday…the days have flown by leaving still so much to do and little time to do it. On top of that the Gulf Coast region has to once again prepare for a hurricane “Gustav”. Many have evacuated New Orleans… We, in Baton Rouge, have been put on a tornado watch until the morning of September 2. Which brings me to my travel date of going to Chicago. You probably are wondering why I might travel to Chicago? Well, TO APPEAR ON THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW! My mom and sister are going to go with me (weather permitting). We will do the taping on September 3 for the first show this season premiering on September 8. All of 2008 Olympic medalist have been invited to be on the show. I am sooooo excited. What a once in a life opportunity. Thanks team.

That is it for now… Oh, Please everyone send your prayers up for the Gulf Coast region and all the countries affected by the hurricane.

Blessings to you,

Danielle

Wow, what a thrill! Praise God! What an accomplishment for our team and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. Gotta tell you I still had the sad emotions that comes with losing any match especially an Olympic match. The reward was so great in having made it to the Olympic Gold match. We really fought and played as a team to put ourselves in the position to win the silver medal.

We celebrated with the Men’s Volleyball team, who won the Gold, at the USA house. I was the only women’s volleyball player to go to the Closing Ceremony. And let me tell you what an ordeal I went through to get there. But as determined as I am in my volleyball career I was determined to go. So I get in a taxi to make it back to the village for 6:45 pm. What is usually a 20 minute ride turned in hour nightmare. At 35 minutes into the ride stuck in traffic, not moving at all…I decided to get out of that taxi and hop into another taxi that was able back out. Somehow I left my phone and Flip video in the first taxi. Can you believe it? It seemed impossible to me as they were both in my hand but somehow I drop it in the taxi. Beside that, once the other taxi arrived nearer to the village all the entrances were block. I couldn’t contain my emotions. I began to boohoo. The kind where you hear yourself crying, yes. Finally made it to the village, changed into my ceremony clothes, and got on the bus to go to Closing Ceremony. As a last effort, I called Jenny to see if there was something I could do to recovery my items. In an attempt to make a long story shorter, I got off of the bus to get my receipt to the first taxi to give that info to Jenny. Then I took yet another taxi to the Bird’s Nest, and miraculously made it there just before USA walked through the tunnel. I couldn’t find my parents but they saw me. The Closing Ceremony was spectacular. But it is not over… so I took a taxi to the village following the Closing Ceremony that didn’t know where he was going! Finally I got out of the taxi and walked about a mile to the village. A frustrating evening but at least I have a story to tell:-)

Now I am in Baton Rouge for a few days, then I will be heading to Brazil to be with my hubby. From there I will be heading to Italy where I will play for team Castellano.

Thanks everyone who supported me and team USA. Thanks for your well wishes and prayers.

For all of you who are wondering. I am not retiring just yet. Stay tuned.

Blessing to all,

Danielle
2008 Olympic Silver Medal

All Praise and Glory be unto GOD! WOW! And what awesome inspiration we have been having leading up to this Gold medal FINALs match! Before the Italy match two femal athletescame over to our table during lunch just to wish us luck. I thanked them then asked their name and sport and how they finished. They were rowers whom had won the Gold the day before. So I went on to ask if by chance they had it with them and if I could see it. They did and of course seeing it wasn’t enough so I asked if I could hold it. Boy did holding it and wearing it for those breif seconds send chills throughout my body and each of my teammates who held it too. We went on to beat Italy….

Before the Cuba match we had practice scheduled as usual but it just so happened that the Women’s Basketball Team (three time Olympic Gold Medalist) and the Women’s Soccer Team Gold medalist were in the gym. Goof around playing volleyball then took a group photo. What inspiration! We went on the beat Cuba.

Now going into the finals we have our eyes set on winning our own. We will play Brazil who is ranked number one and who has not lost a set. They are the team standing in our way of bring home the Gold! We are very familiar with this team as they are with us which should make for an awesome finals match.

Stay tuned “amazing awaits”
GO USA!

Blessing to ya!

Danielle

Praise and Glory to GOD! We advanced to the semi-finals WOOHOOO! I am just so proud of my teammates. We are really playing as a team, fighting to win, and enjoying the process. That has been a main goal of ours, to take one point, one set, one match at a time and be in the moment. How awesome to come back from behind then command the fifth set. I hope it is as exciting for you fans of volleyball as it is for us. Don’t get me wrong there were some really tense moments but we were able to stay focus, keep the faith, stay patient and calm and not fall into a desparate state. The support it outstanding. Thanks.

Next up Cuba Rrrrrrrr!

GO USA!

Danielle

What sitting on the edge of the chair matches we have had for the fans. Two five game thrillers one against China and the other verses Poland. I hope you were able to see it. Wow beating China in China was spectacular. We were accused of over celebrating but I say well it is the Olympic Games! We silenced the crowd. Praise God! Well we will cross with Italy tomorrow who finished second in their pool. This year there was a coin toss or draw to decide who the second and third place team of each pool will play.

Will be a tough challenge but nothing less expected.

GO USA!

Danielle

Let the Games begin! Oh wait they have!

Lots of exciting things going on! We made it to the village on August 2 and it is awesome. It is so huge! Our housing is nice. Our team is sharing two apartments each with three bedrooms and kitchen and a common area. The International Zone is complete with a bank, salon, post office, tearoom with Chinese dance entertainment, a small mart (convenience store), gift shop and more…

Opening Ceremony was awesome as usual! The lighting of the torch was so unique and cool. As the torch bearer slow immolation of running around the track added build up to the anticipated lighting of the torch and beginning of the Games.

Pool play is on the way. We are 2-1 after beating Japan opening match on August 9 in four, falling to Cuba in an ugly 0-3 loss and beating Venezuela yesterday in four. Two more match left in preliminary round, China on Friday and Poland on Sunday.

As I wrote earlier in this email the Village is huge. We all bought bikes when we learn that they were available for purchase. So Ty and I went for our first ride last night. I was excited and scared at the same time. I prayed “Lord please don’t let me fall and get injured or hit anyone (as obviously there are a lot of athletes walking around”. Well on the ride there Ty’s seat took on a various ranges of motion from all the way forward to all the way back so she had to try to balance where she sat on the seat. On the return, my PEDAL FELL COMPLETELY OFF! Can you believe it. So there we were in the dark searching for the bolt. We found it, but now we are warning everyone to do a once over on their bikes before taking it for a spin.

More to come on our match verses China,
GO USA!

Danielle