Echo: How long have you been playing volleyball for?

Takiera Darrow: I started in eighth grade, but then, when the season started I got concussed so I really started in ninth grade because I had to miss that season. So,  I’ve been playing for about four years now. 

E: What made you want to start playing volleyball?

TD: I started playing because out of the other sports it seemed like the most fun to me. I did run cross country in seventh grade, but I didn’t really like it so then I switched to volleyball.

E: What position do you play?

TD: I play outside hitter, but this is my first year playing that position because before that I played middle. 

E: Has it been hard to adapt to the Fall II season?

TD: It’s definitely different, because we don’t have fans and we are used to playing with a bunch of people so it’s a lot harder to keep our energy up when we are playing and it’s just us. Especially when we have home games and nobody is watching us. 

E: How do you handle schoolwork with volleyball?

TD: It’s definitely a lot but it’s easier if I take time during JV games because we aren’t allowed to watch our teams anymore. We usually sit in whatever room we are assigned to and do homework together and help each other with homework. And any breaks we get, like during lunch, I try to get my homework done so that during games I don’t need to be focusing on the school work that I have to do. 

E: How is the team doing this year?

TD: We are undefeated. We have a game tonight, but right now we are 7-0 so we are doing really well.

E: Are there any other sports you play besides volleyball?

TD: I also run track but I’m not sure if we are going to be having meets this year or just practicing because of COVID. 

E: What are your hopes for next year as a senior on the team?

TD: I hope that next year we keep the same team chemistry. We are only losing two seniors so I feel like we will be okay, but I really like the way that our team is working together right now and we all get along and hang out outside of volleyball, so I hope that we still end up doing that next year. 

E: What do you love most about volleyball?

TD: I honestly think I love my team the most, because we all get along and when we are out there together there’s not a single person that is negative or gets down and we all really keep the energy up when we talk to each other. It feels like we all have a good connection and we all really like each other so that definitely makes the team way more fun to play with.