By Ernie Gonzalez – Executive Editor
Before she was Mermaid Man from Spongebob Squarepants, she was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz four times. And before she was Dorothy four times, she was a sheep twice.
But Ryann Thomison doesn’t live on a farm, isn’t on a quest to find the Great and Powerful Oz and isn’t responsible for the safety of Bikini Bottom. Every Halloween, although the costume changes, the meaning of the day does not.
For the San Jose State volleyball sophomore, her 19th-birthday plans are simple — “Practice.”
“It’s going to be the same as it was last year,” the Sacramento native said nonchalantly. “Thaliana [Grajeda] and I dressed as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy then, but beside practice, not sure.”
What makes Ryann’s story special is that according to Sumi Thomison, her mother, who attends the majority of the volleyball team’s home games, she was initially due on Thanksgiving.
“I was out trick-or-treating with my other daughter and all of a sudden … yeah,” Sumi said before giggling.
According to a Yale study in 2011, there are 5 percent fewer babies born on Halloween than any other day of the year, including leap years. The majority of the reason why, according to the same study, is that society normally affiliates Oct. 31 with curses and evil.
To Sumi however, worrying about the date was the last thing on her mind. Probably just like any other mother, her attention was spent on rushing to the emergency room safely and soundly.
“My main thing was getting to the hospital, not the day of the year,” she said.
Fast forwarding 19 years from that Halloween night, Ryann’s goal is to continue to perfect her craft both in the classroom and on the hardwood.
“She’s passionate, energetic, she loves [volleyball], she just thrives on it,” Sumi said. “And the coolest part is that she’s not only at San Jose State because of volleyball … she loves the school.”
Grajeda, one of the team’s middle blocker says Ryann is just one of those funny, quirky people to be around, even on the court.
“She’s just one of those people that makes you laugh, whether it’s what she says or what she does. Everything about Ryann just cracks you up … in a good way.”
Ryann, who plans on being a hotdog this Halloween, will be preparing for a home matchup versus New Mexico her first day of being 19. She’s started 11 of the 21 matches this season and currently sits second on the team with 44 blocks and sixth with 91 kills.
Win or lose those conference matchups, her birthday is all that matters — at least in the eyes of Sumi.
“It’s, you know, a really exciting day,” Sumi said. “There won’t be a game on her birthday … it seems as if the schedule Gods do that intentionally, but I’m fine with that. Halloween is always a win though.”
Follow Ernie on Twitter @superego1012