BOUTTE: Darian Durfey is a senior for the Lady Tigers volleyball team. Not only is she an incredible athlete, but she’s also a positive role for these girls. Durfey also described herself as the mom of the team.

“I go to Hahnville High School and I play on the right side here on the volleyball team. I’m kind of responsible for being the mom of the team, cheering everyone on and picking them up when they’re having a bad day.”

I asked Coach Scharwath if that were true. 

“She’s one of our biggest leaders of the team, and you know it takes a great kid to be able to be a leader on and off the court and Darian does that through and through. But everyone respects her on the team for that and looks up to her for some major leadership roles.” 

Darian’s journey at Hahnville has had its ups and downs with injures to her leg that has prevented her from playing for most of this season.

“It’s been an emotional and physical rollercoaster. I remember my first time coming in to freshman summer conditioning and I couldn’t even make it through stretching, I was throwing up. Now I’m squatting over 200 pounds, I’m leading the team through their challenges on and off the court. So it’s been a great growing experience”, she said.

Darian’s teammates and coaches appreciate her hard work and dedication, Coach Scharwath agrees. “She’s definitely a team player. She’s all about the team. Whatever is the best for this team, she’s gonna do it and she doesn’t look to herself.”

One of the main reasons why I chose Darian to do my story on, was because how much of an important role she has on this team, proving that you don’t have to play to make an impact in your sport. Durfey always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude around her teammates. 

“It’s a huge piece of the puzzle. Everybody looks at her and if she’s keeping a positive attitude and she’s feeling good you know, there’s no reason that anyone else shouldn’t. She’s a huge attribute to this team being successful”, Coach Scharwath says.

It’s just all about how you carry yourself and how you treat the other people on your team.

“I love seeing all of my teammates grow as individuals and even players. You can see like from last year and then just last week how much they’ve grown”, said Darian.

Her passion for volleyball started her 6th grade year when she played on the recreational team and ever since then, she says it’s been a hobby of hers. After this year, Darian plans to attend ULL to become a physical therapist, however she will not be continuing her volleyball career. Everyone got to know Darian the start of freshman year when she moved to Louisiana after her father passed away.

“I’m from a small town in southwest Iowa which has maybe 3,000 people so when I moved here it was a big culture change”, Darian stated.

I talked to Darian about the person who has made the biggest impact on her life and she said that person has been her Uncle John. “I think the person who has had the biggest impact in my life, is my Uncle John. If I need anything, he’s always there. If I need a ride to school or if I just wanna have someone to get sushi with or destress about the week, he’s always there. He’s just made such an impact in my life”, she says.

“I live by the quote win baby win which is from a track coach here at Hahnville. You just win the moment, you win the game and you win the people you love. You just win baby win.” 

For press play productions, I’m Gabrielle Wood.