SJM_FallAthletes_1023FINAL_REG4 . qxp_Feature 10 / 19 / 23 11 : 03 AM Page t South Jersey Magazine:What are your goals for D.C . every year . Nationals is always in a different place you and the team this season ? and it was in Chicago this past summer , which I loved . alaina farber ? AlainaFarber : My goal for the team is for everyone to I’m thinking about applying to colleges there . We’ve also be on the same mental page when we’re playing , and to been to Maryland and Virginia . Cherry Hill East girls volleyball channel that energy and make everyone better . Volleyball Akey varsity contributor since her sophomore year is like 95 % mental , and if there’s a disconnect , everybody SJM:What else do you do for fun ? get in your own head . If you’re super ner - forone of the top programs will struggle . I feel like this season we’ve done a really AF : When I’m not playing volleyball , I really like to lift vous at the beginning , it’s not a good way inSouth Jersey , this senior good job of picking each other up and being able to recog - [ weights ] and I love cooking . I also like drawing and to start off the race . outsidehitter led the South Jersey Magazine : You are coming off a nize what we’ve done wrong and learn from our mistakes . listening to music . I’ve been experimenting with a lot Cougars in kills as a strongoutdoor track season in the spring , when I learned from one of my friends on the team — her name of stuff with my mom lately and we’ve been going to a SJM:How is the college search going ? junior and is leading you made it to states in the mile and two - mile . is Angie [ Choe ] , she’s a sophomore — a lot of passing lot of concerts together . I’ve been finding new stuff and Areyou hoping to run in college ? themin kills , aces and Which do you like better , cross country or track ? technique , because I was not a good passer . She’s helping new cultural things that I’m learning more about . CH : Right now I’m still undecided . I know it’s digs this season . With Colin Hermack:They both have their pros and cons , but me and I’m helping her , and I feel if we build off each something I would enjoy doing , but I plan to Farber setting the tone , if I had to pick one I would pick cross country . I like the other , we’ll get to our goals . SJM:What are some of the recent concerts you major in computer science , which is a pretty Cherry Hill East should different courses ; track can get a little repetitive because attended ? intense major . I haven’t committed to anything yet . be a sectional title every track is pretty much the same . In cross country , SJM:How long have you been playing volleyball ? AF : I just went to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert , which I contender . every race is a little different depending on the course . AF : I’ve been playing since eighth grade . My freshman know is older for my time , but it’s something my mom SJM:Have you always lived in South Jersey ? Some have a lot of hills ; some have sand and gravel you year , I was still playing soccer and I was able to do both , taught me to value . We went to Arctic Monkeys CH : Actually , I was born in California but I moved have to deal with ; some have narrow trails so there’s a since volleyball got pushed back to the spring [ because of together — that’s one of my favorite bands and it was here in 2006 , so I’ve been here almost all of my life lot of jockeying for position and elbows being thrown . COVID ] . That’s when I realized it was something I wanted like their first tour in America . … She’s also gone to and I don’t have much memory of anywhere else . I’ve to pursue and I really liked the environment better . It was different concerts like Slipknot , Alice in Chains , Shine - always liked my neighborhood and I have good neigh - SJM:How did you get into the sport ? so much more fun for me and something I wanted to do down , Pearl Jam . She’s been introducing me to a lot bors who are very friendly . Mount Laurel isn’t too CH : My dad was a runner in high school so I sort of had in college . It’s a great sport and it’s so competitive , and I of it , so I’ve been collecting records . small but it’s not a big city either . It’s a nice balance . an interest in it . In seventh grade , I decided to try cross love watching it , especially in college . There’s a U.S . country out , and I wasn’t very good but I started to get player named Jordan Larson who I met at nationals in SJM:Do you have any favorite teachers at Cherry SJM:Do you like Lenape too ? into it once I got to high school . It went from there . Indiana two years ago , and she was amazing . Everything HillEast ? CH : Yeah , I do . I like all the people , I like my team . I that came out of her mouth was real and inspiring . She AF : [ Meghan Mikulski ] was my [ AP U.S . history ] teacher feel like I’ve gotten good opportunities and the acade - SJM:While you are racing , is your mind on strategy was being honest and saying that hard work pays off and my sophomore year and I loved her so much . History is mics are good . I’ve had some great teachers and I ap - thewhole time or are you thinking about other if you do what you love , you’ll be happy . That’s what I one of my favorite subjects and she was always keeping preciate that . things ? picked up from playing volleyball . it fun for me . I don’t think there was ever a boring CH : Actually , it might sound a little strange but I try not moment in that class . I still say hi to her in the hallways . I SJM:Who is the funniest guy on the team ? to think about the race . I’ve found that my best races SJM:So you’ve gotten to do some traveling feel like she always engaged everybody so much , CH : I have to give a shoutout to Lucas Minato for that ; have come when I wasn’t thinking too much and I’ve throughthe sport with your club team ? whether it was making jokes or references we would get . he’s always making me laugh . During our warmups he managed to stay relaxed . Sometimes if you’re thinking AF : I have and I love it . I’ve gone to Florida and we do We watched the John Adams series in her class too . always has something to say and he cracks me up . about it too much or anticipating too much , you can SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 20 issue 7 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 35