The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

TONE
We want to hear your voice!

Which school event do you most look forward to this year?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Sophomore Danya Taymor brings intensity and mental awareness to volleyball court

After her second season on the junior varsity volleyball team, sophomore setter Danya Taymor has demonstrated her talent in the sport.

Taymor did not always know that volleyball was her sport, but since she joined the volleyball team at Jordan, she has only improved.

Taymor ended up making the A team all three years in middle school and the junior varsity team both as a freshman and sophomore in high school.

"I love playing volleyball because not only is it athletic, but a great deal of the game has to do with your mind," Taymor said. She says that she tries to stay focused and passionate throughout games because she feels that it helps the rest of the team.

"As captain and setter I try to pull my team together when we are struggling. If we are down in a game, instead of just going on to the next point, I try to have us take a break in the middle and just relax before the next point," Taymor said. "It is important not to get upset with yourself or your teammates when you play, which I did a great deal when I first started. Now, I am able to forget mistakes and play each point as if it were the first."

As the setter on the team, leadership is expected of Taymor, she tries to set every player as often as she can. "I know how much it sucks to not touch the ball," Taymor said.
"My team makes it really easy to be captain because no one has a negative attitude. I have a great time playing with them all," Taymor said.

Taymor attributes her vast improvement over the course of the last two years to the club teams that she has played on. Because the club season is so long, spanning from December to July each year, Taymor has the chance to focus on her physical play and skills.

"She has matured and gained a lot of confidence in herself and in her ability to run our offense. This season, we ran a primary passer/swing offense, which gives the setter three
to five setting options on every serve receive. It’s a pretty complicated offense, and a lot of other JV coaches were surprised that we ran it so successfully. I give Danya a lot of credit for the success," head coach Theresa Carey said.

The intensity with which Taymor plays is often mesmerizing, as she carries the team with a cheery voice, a supportive countenance, and always has a high-five for each of her teammates.

"I appointed Danya as one of the co-captains because of her confidence and enthusiasm," Carey said.
"When you see people that you are on the court with focused and into the game, I think it pushes you to adopt that outlook as well," Taymor said. "I think that most of the time I try to stay focused on the game, therefore prompting others to do the same."

Taymor led the junior varsity team in service aces with 51 over the season and in serving
efficiency with 91%. During the Leland Tournament on October 11, of Taymor’s 57 successful serves over five matches, 23 were aces.

Outside of volleyball Taymor participates in choir, and is in the advanced all women’s school singing group called Spectrum. She is enjoying her first year on the Paly Mock Trial team and hopes to become involved in the school’s winter musical, "Into the Woods." She is also in Paly’s Thespian Society club.

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

All The Paly Voice Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *