Naomi McPeake goes from gym to barn, splitting time between her passions: showing goats, playing volleyball
Every day after volleyball practice, Naomi McPeake rushes home to her barn, where she feeds, waters, grooms, exercises and trains her goats.
“Don’t knock it till you try it,” she said. “Everybody judges me for showing goats, but they don’t know that I get so much out of it.”
The Oglethorpe County High School sophomore has learned how to juggle her time between playing school and club volleyball, showing her goats and her academic responsibilities, but there is sacrifice involved in pursuing multiple passions.
Last year, the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show occurred at the same time as the region volleyball tournament. Naomi made the decision to only show wethers (castrated male goats) and gave up showing does (female goats) in order to compete in the tournament.
“I knew that I had worked really hard for (varsity), but I knew I needed to stay humble about it as well,” Naomi said. “My team needed me for my position.”
Naomi started showing animals nine years ago. Her father, Andrew McPeake, grew up showing animals in Oklahoma and wanted to introduce his children to the sport.
“I thought it would be an excellent way to teach our kids responsibility, time management, work ethic,” he said. “Our kids don’t get to sit around very much.”
Naomi won 2024 4-H master showman, 2022 National Showmanship champion at the North American International Livestock Exposition, 2024 Reserve Grand Champion, 2021 fifth overall all-market doe, and is a nine time division winner at the Georgia State Fair.
She spends about 90 minutes a day taking care of her goats and devotes six days a week to volleyball. Naomi will show four goats this month: Sexy Red (wether dam), Blondy Blue (market doe), Kramer (market wether) and Nick (market wether).
Six years ago, Naomi picked up volleyball.
Last year, she started on the OCHS varsity volleyball team as a freshman setter, and helped her team win the Class A state championship. This year, she’s a co-captain, and she holds the school record for most assists with 1,316.
This season, she leads the Patriots with 72 aces, 223 digs and 514 assists. Last season, she finished with 802 assists and 102 aces. Naomi also secured a spot on the 2026 American Volleyball Coaches Associations Phenom watch list.
“She’s very commanding on the court,” coach Brianne Harrison said. “She works her butt off. She’s very smart, and she’s only 15.”
Andrew and his wife Julie said they have seen Naomi’s confidence grow as she’s learned how to work and communicate in a team setting.
“That growth of figuring out how to talk to her teammates, that’s a lot to learn, especially at her age, but in her position, it’s a necessary thing,” Julie McPeake said.
It’s the support of her parents that allows her to juggle these passions and interests, Naomi said. They drive her to and from practices, games and shows, finance everything and never miss a game or a show.
“I know my team here is just Team McPeake,” Naomi said. “It’s just my parents and my brother. They’re always so supportive.”
In the offseason, Naomi plays for the Walton Elite Volleyball Club. She said she feels like she improved from last year to this fall.
“I’m stronger. I'm ready,” Naomi said. “I’m more court aware.”
When asked to rank her interests, she declined.
“I don’t think that there’s a first for me,” Naomi said. “I don’t have one over the other.”