Taylor Johnson '20 Recruiting Profile

Having two, loving and supportive, moms has always made others perceive me as different, but I never have felt different. My loving mothers have supported me through everything and taught me to keep an open mind. I have always been involved in sports, but it was not until 8th grade that my moms encouraged me to try volleyball as a way to stay fit for basketball. What I discovered is a sport that I absolutely love playing. I live for the exciting feeling when it is 23-24 in the fifth set, and my team is down, with the crowd’s roar in the background, and all I can see is the volleyball and my five other teammates.

By looking at my profile, you may notice that I am not the tallest player for my position as a middle hitter/outside hitter, but I learned in volleyball that if I continue to work at the details and have dedication, I can improve all of my skills at any position. While I have indicated at position on my profile, I am a flexible player that can adapt to multiple roles; as a middle hitter, outside hitter, libero, defensive specialist, and/or the team’s cheerleader. One of the traits that I have learned about myself through playing volleyball is how competitive I am, which I realize can be an asset or a liability. I tend to be friends with everyone on the team - as a junior I have focused on reaching out to the younger players and forming a relationship - sharing and commiserating in their feelings. I have also learned that I am not a loud leader, however, I tend to lead by example, especially for the younger players. I believe that my love for this sport will continue to make me a coachable, flexible player who can contribute to the team wherever I am needed.

Another attribute that may not be apparent from my profile is my strong leadership skills. I have been chosen by teachers to be the school representative in various workshops, including the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy. During the Blackstone Valley workshop series, which entailed twelve, 2 1/2 hour sessions during my sophomore year, I learned how to take responsibility, communicate with various adults, and how to believe that I can make a big difference in the culture of my school and of the teams or organizations in which I participate. In this academy, a creative community project was required , for which I created a yearly 5th and 6th grade girls volleyball clinic that I organized and ran for two years. Each year I led a clinic for 20-25 future volleyball players. I was able to apply my leadership attributes by planning the event from start to finish while promoting our volleyball program and hopefully impacting younger players. I have currently served for three years as Class Officer and often take the lead on projects when others are too busy. I have worked at being an effective leader on my volleyball team and being the best possible role model for others.

Lastly, I have an outstanding work ethic. I can say this confidently since several teachers have pointed this out to me and my guidance counselor has called me a “rock star” in terms of how hard I work at everything. Another teacher told my parents that I am the nicest student in the whole school. I feel proud of these comments and try to live up to them.