A VOLLEYBALL SISTERHOOD ALL IN THE FAMILY ORLANDINIS ARE A DOMINANT PRESENCE ON FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART VOLLEYBALL TEAM.Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News Samantha Orlandini stood next to her sister Jenna, clutching the microphone while addressing her cousin Tina. She fought back tears as she read from a folded piece of paper. ``You are an amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. athlete, energetic and hilarious. But most of all, you are a great friend. Even though we share the same last name, there's no doubt in my mind that you would still be one of my best friends.'' Orlandini's message was one of four delivered last week during Flintridge Sacred Heart The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity This devotion is predominantly used in the Roman Catholic Church and also used in the Anglican Church. of La Canada Flintridge's annual girls' volleyball senior night ceremony. It was the most emotional, by far. That's because standing next to the girls was Flintridge Sacred Heart volleyball coach Shelli Orlandini, mom to Jenna and Samantha and Tina's aunt. This is the first -- and only -- season all the Orlandini girls will play on the same team with Shelli as coach. To say it's been an emotional journey is an understatement. ``Everyone always tells me that we're so lucky, but it's times It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a like senior night when it's really brought to life,'' said Tina, 17, a senior defensive specialist. ``It's moments like that where I'm so thankful for my family. I was completely blown away.'' Said Jenna, 15, a sophomore defensive specialist: ``You don't get to do things like that too often.'' The Tologs (26-5) beat Louisville of Woodland Hills that night en route to winning a fourth straight Mission League title. The win was great, but even better was how the family enjoyed the achievement together. ``They all understand the importance of family values family values pl.n. The moral and social values traditionally maintained and affirmed within a family. , and they're able to continue what their grandfather Vince wanted them to have, and that was a Catholic education and the opportunity to do something they truly loved,'' Shelli said. ``On nights like that, I know he is looking down on them and they couldn't be in a better place.'' When the Southern Section Div. I-A girls' volleyball playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. pairings were released Sunday, Shelli Orlandini was in the family kitchen tending to more important matters. With the help of Jenna and Samantha and a handful of other females in the nearly 50-strong Orlandini clan, they made ravioli soup. When it comes to family traditions, even volleyball takes a backseat. ``When (husband Jerry) and I were dating, one of the greatest traditions I experienced was ravioli soup,'' Shelli said. ``It's the most unbelievable soup. It's ridiculous.'' The Orlandini women make the pasta and filling from scratch in early fall, then freeze them until Thanksgiving. Once they thaw, they add chicken broth Noun 1. chicken broth - a stock made with chicken chicken stock broth, stock - liquid in which meat and vegetables are simmered; used as a basis for e.g. soups or sauces; "she made gravy with a base of beef stock" and parmesan cheese a kind of cheese of a rich flavor, though from skimmed milk, made in Parma, Italy. See also: Parmesan and serve it as an appetizer. ``If we don't have it at Thanksgiving, it's not the same,'' Shelli said. ``That's why I know my children will never let that tradition die.'' They cook to Italian music The term Italian music is ambiguous and may refer to several topics:
adj. 1. Made or prepared in the home: homemade pie. 2. Made by oneself. 3. Crudely or simply made. Adj. 1. pasta. Jenna and Samantha take care of molding the pasta into squares and stuffing them with a homemade meat and cheese filling. It's hard work, but a rewarding experience for all. ``When you decide something is really important in your life, whether you want to be a good player or be a good coach or be a good parent, you commit yourself to it. For us, that type of commitment carries over to something like volleyball,'' Shelli said. ``Family means a lot to me, and just being able to share this with your kids makes them see how important it is. That's why made I made (ravioli soup) a priority for them when they were in second grade.'' Shelli, a former three-time All-American (1983-85) at Cal State Northridge under legendary coach Walt Ker, left Crossroads of Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. to coach under Nancy Tinkham at Flintridge Sacred Heart. At the time, her daughters were still toddlers. As a result, they basically grew up in Flintridge Sacred Heart's gym. ``Sometimes I didn't have a babysitter babysitter A person, often an intelligent family member, who stays by the bedside of a Pt requiring mechanical ventilation, and guards for equipment malfunctions or other problems , so I'd bring them with me,'' said Shelli, who also has an 18-year-old son Vince. ``By the time they were in second grade, they'd go back and serve overhand o·ver·hand also o·ver·hand·ed adj. 1. Executed with the hand brought forward and down from above the level of the shoulder: an overhand pitch; an overhand stroke. 2. and get it over the net.'' Tinkham, who left Flintridge Sacred Heart in 2005 to coach at Village Christian of Sun Valley, initially resisted the idea of the girls hanging around practice all the time. ``But now that I have my own kids, I can swallow those words because I understand the babysitting issues,'' Tinkha0m said. ``(Shelli) made all the right decisions with them in regards to volleyball. To expose them to the game and to her love of the game was so important in their development. ``I remember watching her kids set balls at 5 or 6 years old. To expose them to high school kids all along helped their maturity as players, and now Sam is one of the best setters in the state and Jenna will be one of the top liberos.'' Under Tinkham, Flintridge Sacred Heart won back-to-back Southern Section Div. IV-AA championships in 1996-97, establishing a pattern of excellence that includes five league titles, five semifinal appearances and one finals berth in the past nine years. ``Neither of them ever thought about going to another school and playing volleyball,'' Shelli said. qqq Ironically, Shelli was recruited to Cal State Northridge on a basketball scholarship after a stellar career at Alemany of Mission Hills. But a chance encounter with Ker changed all that. Ker talked Shelli into playing volleyball for the Matadors, and was later rewarded when Shelli became one of the greatest setters in Div. II history, leading the Matadors to a national title in 1983 and runner-up finishes Noun 1. runner-up finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) second-place finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the in 1984-85. ``She was a rocket ship rocket ship n. A spacecraft powered and propelled by rockets. in terms of her learning capability right off the bat. She developed into one of the best female athletes I ever coached,'' said Ker, whose sons, Kevin and Tony, play volleyball at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . ``I'm not surprised that she's having success. Not surprised in the least.'' Shelli recently returned to CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge with her family to watch the Matadors play Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
``It was shocking news. I wasn't expecting it at all,'' said Samantha, who has 2,818 career assists, 875 this season. ``It was so early and it was my first offer, and it was ironic because it was the school both my parents went to. It still is shocking to me.'' qqq Flintridge Sacred Heart reached the semifinals under Shelli in her first season. But it was an adjustment for Samantha after playing as a freshman under Tinkham. ``(Last year) it was so much harder to work with her because, No. 1, she's my mom, but No. 2, she's my coach,'' Samantha said. ``I want to yell back at her because she's my mom, but I can't yell back because she's my coach. But I figured it out.'' Tina and Jenna have also endured their own frustrations, knowing Shelli won't hesitate to replace them in the rotation. ``I know the way (Shelli) is outside of volleyball, so on the court I see a different side of her,'' Tina said. ``But the fact that she's so competitive helps me be more competitive.'' Although this is the only year Tina, Samantha and Jenna will play on the same team, the Orlandini name will continue at Flintridge Sacred Heart, with cousins Rebecca and Alessandra arriving in the next three years. Needless to say, Samantha Jenna and Tina will be watching their development. ``It's such a big part of what we do,'' Jenna said. ``I doubt that any one of us would want it any other way.'' erik.boal@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Shelli Orlandini, left, has led the Flintridge Sacred Heart girls' volleyball team to Mission League titles in both her years as head coach. (2) Samantha Orlandini said it was hard playing for her mom, Shelli, at first, ``but I figured it out toward the end of last year.'' Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (3 -- color) Shelli Orlandini, top, coaches her daughters, Samantha, left, and Jenna, right, and niece NIECE, domestic relations: The daughter of a person's brother or sister. Amb. 514; 1 Jacob's Ch. R. 207. Tina on the Flintridge Sacred Heart girls' volleyball team. Michael Owen
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