Q: For basketball, it looked like your team was pretty solid this year. Being one of the senior leaders on the squad, what was your mindset heading into the 2009-10 season?

A: We were all pretty much like sisters, we knew each other really well. We play well and we work well together. Maya (Marder) and I, who had been on the team the longest, just really wanted to keep the family aspect of our game. We know how each other plays, and we just wanted to make sure we didn’t work against each other.

Q: A lot of girls who play varsity golf don’t play any other sports, but you’re an exception to that. How did you get introduced to golf?

A: I was a sophomore, and my dad played golf, but I never even thought about it. My best friend, who was a senior at the time, convinced me to play. I liked being involved in sports, so I just started playing… I ended up picking it up pretty easily. I had fun and ended up liking it a lot.

Q: What was your greatest memory from this year playing sports at Overlake?

A: The bus rides with all the teams. Not one specific team, but I think over time we all just became sisters and those were my favorite memories, all the things we used to do on the bus. If I had to pick one memory from a specific game, it was probably volleyball, when on Senior Night, against Bellevue Christian… I ended up getting the last hit to win the match. It was pretty amazing.

Q: Would you like to give a shout out to anyone who has helped you get to where you are today as an athlete?

A: Our A.D. and his assistant, John Wiley and Steve Meredith, are really great. They have a really good program here where anyone can get involved. I wouldn’t have been that involved if it wasn’t for them. My coaches have been amazing, I’ve been really fortunate to have great coaching. And I would not have played if it wasn’t for my parents. They’ve always been really supportive of me in sports, and my dad specifically.

Q: If you could give some advice to any up-and-coming athlete who wants to be able to play and excel in three sports like you have, what would you tell them?

A: Time management (laughs). I would suggest not to just play sports to get the letters. That was never something that was going through my mind. If you really want to succeed in a sport, you have to enjoy it, and take the time to practice it, but not so much that you will get burned out.

Click here to read the Reporter’s feature story: Overlake’s Elliott: Excellence personified