Katie George: FACES of Louisville

After following her career as captain of the University of Louisville volleyball team and as Miss Kentucky USA, the obvious question is, “What’s next for Katie George?” Well, it turns out Katie will hang up her volleyball uniform and tiara soon and continue on with the next phase of her life. She will take some time off from her busy schedule and then spend time building her television career. Until then, she’ll get to write in her journal, shop and eat at her favorite Louisville restaurants during her well-deserved downtime. Today, though, she’s ours! Welcome Katie George, today’s FACE of Louisville!

Volleyball ends for you this month. What are your immediate plans when it’s over?

I plan on spending the holidays with my family and friends here in Louisville. I most definitely will not be working out once volleyball ends. I will devote my birthday month to eating all my holiday favorites! Also, I will visit my boyfriend’s family in Denver after Christmas. We love to ski, snowboard and hike! I’ll probably catch up on all my guilty pleasure shows that I’ve been missing this fall as well.

You worked at WLKY doing a segment a week. Tell us a little bit about this job and if you would like to expand your presence on air.

I produced one segment a week titled “#Girl Power” . My mission is to empower young females in the community who are doing amazing things. I am able to tell their inspirational stories with hopes of motivating other young women to do the same. After volleyball and school wrap up in December, I can only hope that my presence on air increases and that I further my career in broadcast journalism.

What are your responsibilities as Miss Kentucky for the rest of the year?

My responsibilities are lessening as we approach the end of the year. With volleyball season in full swing, it’s hard to balance personal appearances as Miss Kentucky USA with my practice schedule. But before I give my crown up, I will speak at a few charity events, schools and make a few more appearances in my crown and sash. I’m lucky that my pageant director has been so accommodating during my volleyball season.

You’re about to retire your two uniforms, meaning your University of Louisville volleyball uniform and your Miss Kentucky crown and sash. Are you ready for the next chapter in your life?

I think it’s going to be a bittersweet experience. I’m the type of person who likes to plan and prepare for the next step in my life. I’m very ready to start my career and see what possibilities unfold. However, my identity as a young person has stemmed from my volleyball career. I’m curious as to how I will transition from a Division I athlete to a “has-been” overnight. It won’t be easy! I’ll miss competing at the highest level and training with my friends and teammates. Yet I’m very excited for my future in broadcasting and can’t wait to see where I end up in a few years.

What is Katie George’s next chapter?

I hope to work for a major news or sports network, such as ABC, Fox or ESPN, just to name a few. I’m going to work my butt off to become the next Erin Andrews of the sports world or the next Diane Sawyer of the news world! Gotta dream big!

Give us a peek at your agenda. What’s a typical day or week like for you?

BUSY! I would have to say that every day varies because I’m doing so many different things right now. So generally I wake up around 6:30 a.m. to go work out and lift weights with my team. After workouts, I’ll shower and change and head to the WLKY station for work. I’ll work a few hours and then head back to the Yum! Center on campus for practice. I’ll get there around 12 p.m. and eat some lunch. I’ll warm up and get some extra setting reps in before practice and then head into a three-hour practice. After practice, I’ll watch film with my coach, Anne Kordes. Then I might head back to the station to finish up my work for the day. If I don’t go back to work, I’ll catch up on laundry, cleaning, emails, texts, etc. Of course, by this point I’m starving, so I’ll have to pick something up because I cannot cook! After I eat, I’ll study or do whatever homework I have that day. Off to bed after that! The cycle usually repeats itself!

Who are your mentors, and what advice do you treasure?

I think Ron Kordes and Anne Kordes have been mentors throughout my life. Melissa Starck-Bean coached me at KIVA, where I played club volleyball growing up. She truly taught me how to be a leader from an early age. Andrea Stahlman, the news director at WLKY, has mentored me in my early stages of broadcasting. My grandfather, Dr. Salem M. George, my mother and father, and my two older brothers have all mentored me through my life. I’ve been very blessed to have such an amazing support group through the years.

Fill in the blank. You’ll never see me without my __________.

Journal

Where can we find you hanging out around town?

I love LouVino on Bardstown Road. My roommate and I love having wine nights there. Also, Mojito off Brownsboro is one of my favorite restaurants in town so you can find me there. I love Hammerheads and Game, too. I’m telling you if there is good food and happy people around, I’m there.

What’s your bucket list travel destination?

I’ve always wanted to go to the Phi Phi Islands off of Thailand. The pictures look absolutely incredible. I hope to honeymoon there one day. I just have to trick a guy into marrying me first!

Favorite thing to do in Louisville?

I love going to dinner with family and friends at new places that open up in Louisville. I love food! I like to say that I am a food connoisseur. So I research new restaurants, menus and drink lists, chefs, etc.

Night owl or early bird? What do you do during that quiet time?

I cannot function well without a good night’s sleep. That means I need around eight hours of sleep! So I would say I like to go to bed pretty early and wouldn’t consider myself a night owl unless I’m going out with friends, which isn’t often during volleyball season. But I wouldn’t consider myself an early bird either, because I’m not a morning person. Yet I feel like I’m forced to be because I always have to get up early for volleyball. I think I would say neither, but if you made me choose I would say early bird. I’ve found a new love interest, and I’m really infatuated with it. It’s called coffee.
During my quiet time, I love to listen to music on Spotify or Pandora. I like when they make playlists for me. I don’t have time to make my own. I also write in a journal daily. I love to write. I write about my thoughts, dreams and goals. My strengths, weaknesses and fears. I write song lyrics. I write down people’s names that I meet. I honestly write about everything.

What’s on your personal reading list right now?

I’m currently reading Cronkite by Douglas Brinkley. It’s a pretty amazing biography of Walter Cronkite. My father always talked about how much he loved watching him after dinner. He told me if I aspired to be a great broadcast journalist, I needed to study the work of Walter Cronkite. So that’s what I’m doing.

Lightning Round! Give us your:

Candy or junk food splurge: Oreos
Guilty pleasure song: “Hello” by Adele
Tearjerker movie pick: The Notebook. Gets me every time.
Standby nail polish color: Nude
Favorite cocktail: Lemon drop martini
Cartoon alter-ego: Tasmanian Devil

What are three of your favorite things, excluding faith, family and friends?

Snakeskin boots, suede skirts and turtlenecks. I absolutely love fashion. I want to be a fashion blogger one day! If only I had the time!

Thank you Katie, and thanks to Adele Reding for her beautiful FACES photography. To see more of her work, click here.

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