Back in 2006, Volleyball, as part of its 30-year celebration issue, ran a poll asking members of the sport’s community who they felt were the most recognizable names in the game.

Gabby Reece finished tied for sixth in the voting, trailing only names like Karch Kiraly, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

Now some people will argue Reece’s notoriety comes as a byproduct of her many other successful endeavors (modeling, television shows, books, etc.) outside the sport.

But to the now 38-year-old Reece, that all takes a back seat to her true feelings about the sport she started playing on a concrete outdoor court in the sixth grade in her native Virgin Islands.

"Some people don’t realize it or they only see one side," said Reece. "For me, volleyball kind of saved me. My relationship with volleyball has more to do with that. I have a lot of respect and love for the game. It was the single, greatest opportunity and gift brought my way. It changed my life. I’ve always tried to be an ambassador to the sport in my own way. Maybe it was the less conventional way, but I had the means to do it."

Reece, whose latest project, Fitness 360, is part of her Web site at www.gotogabby.com, moved from the Virgin Islands to the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., area when she was a junior in high school. After her senior year at Keswick Christian School in St. Petersburg, Reece played a few club tournaments for Tampa Bay Juniors.

At one of the tournaments, former Florida State coach Cecile Reynaud saw Reece’s mother.

"A tall woman walked by and I said, ‘Who is that lady?’" recalled Reynaud. "Her daughter was on the court and looked exactly like her. Gabby was 16 or 17 at the time and was 6’3". I stayed after and talked to her. She wasn’t highly recruited yet. I brought her up to Tallahassee and offered her a scholarship."

Reece recalls a conversation she had with Reynaud on the recruiting trip.

"The last thing she said was, ‘We’ve shown you everything here at Florida State. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to be part of this program’," said Reece. "I thought, ‘OK. I don’t know why I wouldn’t.’"

During her time at Florida State, Reece’s modeling career (She’s been on the cover of a number of magazines like Shape and Elle) started to take off. To stay within NCAA eligibility regulations, Reece gave up the last two years of her scholarship and competed as a walk-on.

"She would go and make more in a weekend than I was making in a whole year," laughed Reynaud, who still gets a Mother’s Day e-mail from Reece each year. "We’d refer to her as a walk-on. She didn’t like that. It was always, ‘Everybody go pick up your scholarship money and Gabby go pay for your classes.’ She was a pleasure here all four years. When they started paying her for modeling she gave up her scholarship. She was very unselfish and very committed and very concerned about the team aspect. She did things the right way."

Reece went on to gain her most notoriety in the sport on the beach in both the doubles and 4-person disciplines before transitioning into her other media ventures. Still, volleyball holds a major place in her heart.

"I was getting taught how to block two weeks before I got a college scholarship offer," said Reece. "This sport completely changed the course of my life. It’s not just about the game. It’s about the idea that something is possible."

Reece continues to be a major advocate of the sport. She approached the AVP last year about the possibility of re-starting a 4s pro league. Several exhibitions were played at AVP stops last year. Reece played in those events pregnant with her second daughter.

"I think it (4s game) would be a great feeder system to get talented indoor players to the beach," said Reece. "It’s hard to play doubles at the beginning and compete and make a living at it. So many girls play indoor volleyball. Why not use them as a resource for talent and get them on the beach? Let’s think of ways to grow the sport.

"If I’m a girl from Nebraska and have the opportunity to go overseas (indoor) and make 250 or 150 ($250,000 or $150,000) guaranteed or go on the beach and get my butt kicked and have a lot of out-of-pocket expenses, what am I going to choose? I really think it’s a great system to get your feet wet without getting pummeled. Four-on-four is a very fun game and it’s TV friendly."

In addition to working on a number of current fitness projects (including one for TV), Reece stays plenty busy raising her family with husband (and world-renowned surfer) Laird Hamilton. Reece and Hamilton have two children together-daughters Brody Jo (born earlier this year) and Reece Viola (4-years-old). Hamilton’s daughter (and Reece’s stepdaughter), Bela (13), also lives with the couple. Reece and Hamilton have been married 10 years.

"Motherhood is the greatest teacher of them all, for sure," said Reece. "You can fake it and fluff it in most parts of your life, but not here. It’s a great thing."

Looking back, Reece is thankful her mother moved her to Florida when she did.

"The Virgin Islands is a beautiful place," said Reece. "But my mom was very wise to get me out of there. I would have probably ended up working in the tourism industry, working in something like a gift shop. I would have never had college or the opportunities I’ve had. It was a good thing for me growing up on the island. I see things differently. Everything isn’t so automatic."

Having such a positive experience in the sport and now having her own children has only heightened Reece’s feelings on the impact sports can make on one’s life.

"I’ve seen what sports can do for young women," said Reece. "And even for adult women in terms of taking care of themselves. Now that I have daughters, it’s serious. It’s so great for self-esteem-that’s such a critical thing. I tell young girls it’s about the playing aspect. Who cares if you are playing on the high school varsity team, or playing in college or playing in the pros. Just playing is one of the greatest things you can do."

And Reece is living proof of that.