She rides a 2007 Harley Davidson Street Bob complete with black crocodile leather on the tank and fenders. 

She has 20 body piercings and five tatoos (The Olympic rings are on one hip). 

She’s suffered seven concussions. Those are the documented ones. There may have been more.

She likes to use the word “dope”—as in how good something is.

She took her dog (dressed as a pirate) trick-or-treating this past Halloween.

And she’s been called crazy more than a few times.
But there is nothing crazy about the success three-time indoor Olympian and Burleson, Tex., native Stacy Sykora has achieved in the sport since coming out of Texas A & M (where she was a three-sport athlete) in 1998. 

Regarded by many observers as one of the top liberos in the world during her career (she’s got eight years of professional experience in Italy and Spain to prove it), the enigmatic Sykora recently saw her journey in the sport come full-circle in Beijing this past August when she helped the U.S. Women’s Olympic Team win the silver medal—the program’s first medal showing on the grand stage since 1992 (and best finish since the 1984 team won the silver medal).

“She was one of the best liberos in the world and still is,” said fellow 2008 U.S. Olympian and libero Nicole Davis (USC alum). “She’s a great competitor who brings a lot of intensity to the gym every day. She’s a people person. This is a team full of women and that can be volatile. She brings everybody together and brings a level of competitiveness that inspires people to try harder and get better.”

But this chapter in Sykora’s career almost didn’t happen. She walked away from the game (except for a 3-month stint in Spain) after a disappointing 2004 Olympics showing in Athens where Team USA came in ranked No. 1 in the world and left with a 2-4 record and did not advance to the medal rounds.

“It was a huge disappointment,” said Sykora. “I was devastated. I was really hurt. I took it hard. We had expectations. I’ve learned not to have expectations in volleyball anymore. You only get let down with expectations. We had the best team and we came out with nothing. I couldn’t get over it. I needed a break. I didn’t want to touch a volleyball again. I was done. I didn’t want to see a volleyball.”

She ended up staying away for nearly three years.

“I don’t know why I needed a break to extend three years,” said Sykora, who currently works for the Las Vegas-based company Skeletal Metal, which produces jewelry out of surgical metals. “There’s no reason behind it. I just didn’t go back. I trained on the beach, but that wasn’t going to work financially.”

The 5’7” Sykora got the playing bug again while conducting a youth camp.

“I’m demonstrating things and showing them and I go, ‘Wow. I can kind of still do this.’ I love the game and I missed it. I went back because my life wasn’t the same without it.”

And one of the game’s most colorful performers was back in business.

“Desire,” said former U.S. Women’s Olympic Team coach Toshi Yoshida in reference to Sykora. “She told us that she wanted to become the number-one libero in the world when she joined the national team. She’s a non-stop, hard-worker. She’s very competitive.”  

Current Team USA coach “Jenny” Lang Ping was impressed with how Sykora handled her assignment as a defensive specialist in the 2008 Olympics.

“That is a difficult position with limited playing time,” said Lang Ping.

“But every time we put her on the court, she got into the game right away and did her best, giving the team a lot of positive energy. She plays great defense and works well within our system.” 

But Sykora has paid a price for that competitive edge she brings to the court with those multiple concussions.

“I collided with a player once. Two were when I hit the cement ground. A couple came from balls to the face,” said Sykora. “My trainer before 2004 said if I suffered another one  he’d be scared to let me play for my health. I still don’t hesitate to dive for the ball. I don’t let it affect me at all.”

That’s not to say Sykora isn’t taking proper precautions.

“I’ve had an MRI to make sure everything is alright up there,” said Sykora. “I have to look at my life. My    volleyball days are numbered. I have to make sure my head is OK. If my friends heard me say that line they’d say my head is not OK.” 
Sykora laughs when the word crazy is brought up in describing her.

“I’ve been called crazy in every language by some person on some team,” said Sykora. “It’s funny. I portray that person, but I’m not crazy.”

She prefers to use another adjective.

“Unique is the closest word to crazy without saying crazy,” said Sykora. “I would say I’m unique. I have so many angles to myself. People know me as ‘Crazy Stacy.’ Some people know me as a sensitive person. I’m unique. There is more to me than what the eye can see. I love life and have fun and enjoy it.”

Sykora is regarded as one of the world’s best liberos. She was ranked No. 1 statistically in the Italian pro league she played in during the 2007-2008 season.
Photo by James Rulison

Outside of the concussions, Sykora has remained injury-free, for the most part, during her career thanks to maintaining a high-level of physical fitness.  

“My body feels like it’s 15 or 16,” said Sykora. “I can do everything
I used to do. My body doesn’t take the torment like hitters do. The volleyball gears—the knees and shoulders—start to wear out at 30. Mine are still intact.”

Sykora’s training regimen helps overcome her dietary habits.

“I eat terrible,” said Sykora. “I work out and my body doesn’t lose shape. I maintain what I have. It helps me keep a good quality of life. I continue to lift weights. I lose weight when I stop working out. I’m a skinny girl. I lose muscle. It’s the opposite effect. I get skinny, other people get big.”

Looking ahead, Sykora emphasizes she is not part of the volleyball retirement community.

“I thought I was retired after 2004 and I did another one,” said Sykora. “I’m not retired. You never know.”

Sykora, as of press time, was still waiting to find a landing spot overseas. She said her agent had a few leads.

“There aren’t many foreign liberos in foreign countries this year,” said Sykora. “There was a big scare when they proposed that (FIVB) rule (which goes into full effect in the 2010-2011 season) limiting two (players with international transfer certificates) per team (on the floor at the same time). Nobody was going to take a libero. I usually have the choice of three or four teams. Now I’ve got to go where there’s an opportunity. I either accept it or I don’t play volleyball.”

Sykora also plans on returning to Colorado Springs in May for the
start of the new USA Volleyball quadrennium.

“A lot of veterans won’t be going back this year,” said Sykora. “What helped this last team is players like Robyn (Ah Mow-Santos) and Danielle (Scott) returned and helped the younger girls and brought experience to the gym. USA Volleyball is in my blood. I feel like I have to come back. Am I going for another Olympics? No, I’m not saying I’m going for another Olympics. I’m returning to the U.S. national team and my role will be to be a libero. I’m going to take it and run with it.

“If my role is to teach these girls and help keep gym etiquette, I’ll accept that role. But I’m going in there to fight for the libero position. I’m a reflection of USA Volleyball. Say we don’t win a game and don’t qualify for the 2012 Olympics. It’s not just that 2012 team. It’s a reflection on what we’ve done in the past. USA Volleyball has given me so much. I feel I have so much to give back.”

And if things don’t work out?

“I could come back in May as an experienced veteran and the team could jump on my back and I’ll carry them. I’m not going to say that will happen,” said Sykora. “They may not have a response to me. If not, I’ll walk away and be happy. I’m not one of those people who is going to hold on to it. If I’m not helping the team, I can walk away and be OK.”

She’ll be OK because there’s still a big world out there ahead of her.

“Things happen for a reason,” said Sykora. “Something always comes up in life. I’m like a rolling stone. I adjust to what I have.”