Volleyball Newcomer Q&A: Taylor Drapp
8/21/2019 3:02:00 PM | Volleyball
We will be posting Q&As with each of the eight newcomers on this year's Alabama volleyball team as they head into the 2019 season. Our second Q&A is with Taylor Drapp from Cincinnati, Ohio
How did you get your start playing volleyball?
"My mom, aunt and cousin all played in college. It's pretty much in the family. I was really interested in basketball and soccer first but then eventually we started playing in the driveway when I was about 12."
When did you realize you could potentially play at the college level?
"I played club basketball and soccer before but then I hurt my knee so I couldn't play soccer anymore, but that eventually led me to volleyball. Once I started playing volleyball, I knew I wanted to play in college."
What colleges were you looking at initially?
"I was mostly looking at the midwest originally. Once I started branching out, I got in contact with Coach [Lindsey] Devine at ETSU. That's where I was originally committed. She wants the best for you as a person. She really cares about you as an individual and is a great volleyball coach as well. She's like having another mom. Her office is always open to talk."
When you first got the news about her taking the Alabama job, what was your reaction?
"At first I was just kind of shook. I had no idea what I was going to do next. I didn't want to play there if she wasn't my coach. I started looking at a lot of local schools and I applied to a bunch over the winter break, it was the worst break ever. My coach mentioned reaching out to Coach Devine and I hadn't even thought of doing that. It turned out that she was very interested in having me with her at Alabama. I was so happy after that. I was in the car with my family basically the next day to visit."
When did you first visit Alabama and what ultimately made you decide to come here?
"As crazy as it was finding out she was leaving, it turned out to be the biggest blessing for me. I was scared at first, but I love it here. It's beautiful. I was floored by every little detail they have. A lot of the people I know back home in Cincinnati rarely go far from there. All my friends think it's really cool that I'm down here."
How has the transition to college life been so far?
"I feel like I was really well prepared. I'm naturally an early riser so I didn't have any problems getting up early for workouts. I took a lot of college prep classes in high school so it hasn't been an issue so far."
What has been the biggest adjustment on the court?
"My high school and club played at a high level, but it's definitely quicker on defense. There's also a lot more attention to detail. I'm doing some different styles of serve receive, adjusting my defensive ready position and the way you read the court and hitters and adjusting around the block. It happens so fast you have to be in the right spot."
How has the team meshed so far?
"We get along so well. It's been so fun. I feel like we're already really close. We hang out off the court and it's not just because the upperclassmen feel like they have to include us. Everybody genuinely wants to be together all the time. Even with these long days, we still get along. The upperclassmen are all really helpful."
What are some of your goals heading into the season?
"I just want to have a real positive presence on the team and just give what I can. As a team, we saw our preseason ranking and want to prove that wrong. We set high goals for ourselves."
