Get to know Kitchener's Olympic beach volleyball player Sarah Pavan

Kitchener native Sarah Pavan is gearing up for her first trips to the Olympics.

The beach volleyball player became teammates with Heather Bansley of London, Ont., just three years ago and the duo have made a large impact in their sport.

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We're following Pavan during her quest for Olympic gold in Rio this August.

To get us started, Pavan took a few minutes out of her busy training schedule to answer some questions about growing up in Kitchener, life as a professional volleyball player and what she really thinks about what she has to wear on the beach volleyball court.

How old are you?

29. I am turning 30 during the Olympics, so that will be pretty special!

How tall are you, exactly?

Six feet five inches.

Where did you go to high school?

Forest Heights Collegiate in Kitchener.

Did you have a part time job in high school?

I think I might be one of the only kids who never had a part-time job in high school. I was so dedicated to my studies, piano, and sports that I didn't have time for anything else.

Do you remember your first volleyball game? If so, what do you remember about it?

I do remember. I was 10 years old and my team was all new players. We had no idea what was going on and were all basically spinning in circles the whole time. Things got a lot better, though.

Was there a coach in high school who really inspired you to be better?

I wouldn't say that I ever needed inspiration to be better. I set a lot of goals for myself from a very young age, so was motivated to be the best from as early as I can remember. My dad was my coach at Forest Heights and all through club volleyball and he dedicated a lot of time to me and my career. We would go out by ourselves on the weekends to practice things that I wanted to improve, and he never said no. He was always there to help me reach my goals.

Love, food and what's on your TV

How did you meet your husband?

My actually met each other in high school, but were just friends (he did ask my dad if he could take me on a date when I was 14, but my dad said no, ha ha). We reconnected several years later when I ran into him while he was coaching kids' club volleyball and the rest is history.

On your days off, what's your favourite thing to do?

I love to go to coffee shops and read a book or do research on whatever topic is interesting me at the moment. I love hiking and stand-up paddle boarding (we live in California). I like to be outside and do whatever will keep me busy. I'm not very good at doing nothing!

Where is your favourite place to travel?

How do I pick just one?!?! I love going to Switzerland, Italy, and Brazil.

Your Twitter account says you're a foodie. Are you allowed to eat dessert or comfort foods?

Of course! I cook most of my meals and eat very healthy on a regular basis. Combining the amount of time that I spend working out with how healthy I eat, I feel that there is nothing wrong with having dessert and stuff like that every now and then.

What foods are an indulgence for you?

Pizza and ice cream!

Does it surprise people when they learn you have a degree in biochemistry? 

Yes. People often stereotype athletes as being "dumb jocks" so there is generally some surprise when they find out that I placed great importance on my academics.

• Canadian named NCAA female athlete of the year

Do you ever go to the beach on your days off to just relax?

Not usually. I will go paddle-boarding out in the ocean, but I will never just go lay on the beach. My skin takes enough of a beating being in the sun everyday, so I try to limit my exposure when I can.

What are you watching right now on television or Netflix?

The Blacklist, Grimm, Game of Thrones

Let's talk volleyball

You made the switch to beach volleyball in 2013 – what was the hardest part of going from indoor to beach volleyball?

The hardest part of making the switch was retraining my body to perform skills that I had been doing a specific way for 15 years. Even though indoor and beach volleyball are similar, the skills are just different enough that I had to really work hard to teach my body how to do them a different way.

What's the most challenging part of being a professional volleyball player?

Being away from home for months and living out of a suitcase. Missing holidays and birthdays.

Are you ever not training?

During the past four years, nope! I switch back and forth between beach and indoor, so when one season ends, the other begins.

We always hear about the crazy diets of professional athletes. What might surprise people about what you eat?

I eat whatever I want. I exercise a ton, and eat very healthy, so if there is something I feel like having one day, I eat it. I take very good care of my body for the majority of the time, so I feel that everything is fine in moderation.

Is it harder to play on a team or alongside just one other person?

It is much harder to play with just one other person. There is so much more interpersonal stuff that goes on when there are only two people on a team, and each player's actions and words affect the other so much more than when it diluted among six other people.

It seems like every four years, the uniform beach volleyball players wear gets critiqued. What do you really think of what you wear on the court?

The thing that people don't understand is that we wear bikinis to play because they are the most comfortable thing to wear. They keep us cool in countries that are sweltering hot and it makes it easier for us to move when we have sand and sweat and everything weighing us down. We are not required to wear them; we choose to. I think that given the problems our society has with women and body image, we should be commended for being confident in our bodies, instead of being critiqued for wearing too little clothing.

You've already been to Brazil – what did you love most about it?

I love the vibe, especially in Rio. People are so happy and relaxed, and it's all about enjoying life.

What is your biggest challenge in the upcoming Games?

I think my biggest challenge will be the fact that I have never been to an Olympics before. It is the biggest tournament of my life, but also something that is completely new to me, so that is something I will have to manage.