Melissa Minkowski

Hometown: Jacksonville, NC
High School: White Oak High School
College: Old Dominion University
Pets: Yellow Labs Rule!
Occupation (aka real job): Web & Graphic Designer Extraordinaire
Family -
Husband: Yup.. the “other” menacing “Mink”, Joe.
Wife: Ummm that’s me..
Kids: No little ankle biters! Ha ha ha

Nicknames:
“M”:
Meaning: My friend Holly gave that to me as my both my name and my maiden name (now as well as my married name) both start with “M’s”. Not to mention the whole “melts in the hand... tee hee!”

Volleyball Background:
Nothing impressive to list off here, can I make stuff up? Ha ha.. I played in middle school, some USAV (Then it was USAVB or vice versa, can’t remember). I did all the camps while in high school (NC State’s camp, Chapel Hill’s camp as well as Appalachain’s Camp… some of those years I was on the coveted mvp teams ?). I’m pretty much self taught, as you will see when I do my approach (or lack there of) and my diving/rolls.. (yeah, I pretty much belly flop and throw myself at the ball).. ha ha! I’m obsessed with volleyball though, where I lack in the height and the pro training area, I make up for it in heart. ?.

Most Memorable Volleyball Non-Beach Playing Story/Moment:
Hmmm… I guess the most memorable Non-Beach story would have to be coaching JO’s 12’s (girls). I was apprehensive to coach being that I really don’t have a solid resume for volleyball and not to mention coaching is hard! I really was nervous to be teaching/training/coaching young athletes because I know how important leadership is at that age. But I have to admit that I LOVED it. Seeing the look on my girls faces when they would “get it”.. when they finally understood. And when they played in games and got excited and really into it. What a reward! That was really fun.

Most Memorable Volleyball Beach Playing Story/Moment:
I would have to say last year’s EVP event! Not only did we get to play, we found ourselves lucky enough to be sponsored by Luckydog Volleyball and I managed to get my mug on TV for a little tv spot for the local news channel! Of course I dorked up the interview .. but I digress.. (and don’t really feel like talking about that).. We had been given a chance to play on center court, played against some really great, really tall players! It was the highlight of my beach career! We played awesome. We lost in the 3rd game but I didn’t care, we were like real life pros! Ha ha ha!!! I’ll never forget it!

If you could play with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Um, Ben Ferrell. He’s really a big deal ya know!

Volleyball awards won?
Some stuff in high school. And just recently highest points for last year’s beach season for coed and women’s!! WHOO!

Has anyone inspired you either on the beach or in life?
I think everyone/everything inspires me.

Favorite Foods?
Bad Foods: Pizza and French Fries!!! Yum!
Good Foods: Edemame, hummus, whole wheat pasta

Favorite Movie?
There are lots! I love anything martial arts, action flick-ish, scary.. I really don’t do “girly movies”..

Favorite Book?
Where the sidewalk ends

Favorite TV Show?
Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy, anything on MTV (get inspiration from their art stuff, and the fact that you need a little brainless tv in your life right!), history channel, HGTV.. ?

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would have to say that kid from “A Christmas Story”: “….show mommy how the little piggies eat!” ha ha…..

Any hobbies outside of volleyball?
Web Design, Scrap booking (make my own cards and stuff), painting

Anything else you would like your fans to know?
Well, I don’t have any fans. But if there fans to be had.. I’d tell them: Hey, you wanna go watch the real AAA players play!? Hahaha!

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