Washington volleyball recruit once played ... football?

The window for signing National Letters of Intent has opened for high school seniors enrolling in fall 2012. Washington has signed two recruits so far, with at least two others expected.

Volleyblog Seattle spoke with Cassie Strickland Thursday afternoon, one day before she recorded a team-leading 16 kills in her final high school match (a playoff loss to Mater Dei). Although Strickland is a hitter for Huntington Beach’s Edison High, she expects to compete for a libero/defensive specialist position at Washington.

Tell us about signing your Letter of Intent to attend Washington?

Cassie Strickland signing her Letter of Intent
[Orange County Register]

Edison High had a signing ceremony Wednesday morning (November 9) before school started . We had ten girls and only three boys signing. They had us all at a table so everyone could sign at the same time. It was fun; I got to sign with a lot of my friends; I have friends going to UCLA and Stanford and USC (in other sports.) They had posters up. My mom brought a little stuffed animal, a Husky that she calls “Dub.” She put it next to me while I was signing.

Did you sign “Cassie,” or your full name, “Cassandra”

I signed “Cassie,” ‘cause it’s short. Only my really close friends call me Cassandra. Most people call me Cassie, unless I’m in trouble.

What other schools did you consider?

I was considering Penn State and Texas and Pepperdine.

Tell us about Washington’s coaching staff.

I just really like everything about the coaches. I like the way they talk to their players. I got to see them coach when they were playing Arizona. They’re never talking down to the players; they talk to them like they’re having a conversation with another adult. They treat them with the respect that they expect to get back from the players.

Why did you pick Washington?

I really like the campus; the scenery is really green, which is different from California. All the people I got to meet and interact with were really nice, all the girls on the volleyball team were really nice. (Washington defensive specialist) Kelly Holford was a senior at Los Alamitos High when I was a freshman at Edison High, and we were both on the same volleyball club (TCA). I also have family up there. So it will be really nice to be close to family, but then kind of be far from home at the same time.

Who are your relatives in Seattle?

It’s my dad’s side of the family; I have aunts and uncles and cousins in Renton and Auburn, plus others in Vancouver. My cousin, Jason Thompson, went to Kennedy High School and is my age. He will be playing football for Washington this fall.

Any worry about being homesick?

No. I’ve just never been the type. I’ve been on long trips far away, and I’m always more sad to leave the destination than I am happy to be home. I’m really close to my family, but I think I’m gonna be fine.

Any worry that your parents will miss you?

My dad has to be 100% involved in everything. He’s the one who pushed me, first into football. And then when I showed interest in volleyball, he really pushed me to do extra training, do extra practices, just have the right mindset, not just go and goof around, but to get better and compete. And he’s always pushed me to improve every single time that I step onto the court, and be better than I was the day before. And my mom’s the positive cheerleader on the side. She was totally fine with wherever I wanted to go—she was stoked that I was getting offers from schools. But my dad really wanted me to stay close and he really wanted me to go to Pepperdine, so he could come and watch me play.

You just said that you played … football?

My brother and I have always been really close. He played football, and I wanted to play football, ever since I can remember. I love the 49ers; Steve Young was my idol, that’s why I wear #8. I kept bugging my dad to let me play, and he said no. But I came home with a Pop Warner tryout poster and I said, “Dad, please let me go!” He finally said okay, but said, “The only way you can play is if you don’t cry. If you cry, you have to quit.” So, I played starting at age 8, third, fourth and fifth grade. I didn’t cry. I broke my foot in a practice, but I didn’t cry because I didn’t want to quit. I got to play quarterback and middle linebacker.

Quarterback Cassie Strickland (25), Huntington Beach Pop Warner
[courtesy Strickland family]

What do boys say about a girl who played football?

I’m going to high school now with a lot of the guys I played football with; they’re all on the football team at Edison. A lot of them come to my volleyball games. And I help coach the boys’ varsity, and play with them for fun. Playing with guys is a lot of fun, ‘cause they don’t take anything personally. And the intensity level is just way up there.

Do you own anything with a University of Washington logo?

I have two sweatshirts—one says, “No one digs like a Dawg,” and the other says, “Point, Huskies!”—and then I have a big purple blanket that has “Washington Huskies” on it.

SEE ALSO:

• Washington’s Austin, TX recruit has Seattle roots
• Washington signs two recruits, two more in the wings
• You can’t spell Washington without a “K”