As you may have heard, Taylor Langland set the new all-time setting record for EPG Volleyball at a September match against Ridgeview. For those of you who don’t know, a set is when a player uses their hands to push the ball up to a teammate who then attacks it. At the time of the interview, Taylor had about 2,200 sets in her high school career. Taylor responded, “I loved the support that I felt from my community. At the moment, it felt overwhelming because they stopped the volleyball match for me.”
The original record was held by Mrs. Wallace. How did she feel about having her record broken? “I am thankful to have held it for a long time, but also happy to pass it off to such a successful player.” Mrs. Wallace handed Taylor a bouquet of flowers after she broke the record.
Taylor believes that the record will stand for a long time, saying, “Not all athletes get to play varsity for four years. Also, going to state last year helped boost my assist count.” She first realized that this record was possible to break after going into her junior year. “After going to state my junior year, my coaches told me how close I was to breaking records. So ever since then, it has been a goal for me to chase after.” She showed her determination to achieve this in her last year of high school. I asked her what this record meant to her beyond the stats she responded with, “I think breaking the record kind of shows a side of my athletic career. It shows how far I have come in my career and that I have worked so hard to complete a goal.”
Her family took some pictures with her, she was interviewed by News 25, and the record was announced during the volleyball game. However, she didn’t want a big celebration. “My family knows that I don’t like getting praised or treated differently for my athletic talents and accomplishments.” Her grandmother, Mrs. Reinkensmeyer, explained, “Taylor tends to be more reserved and humble.” Even when Taylor accomplishes something impressive, she doesn’t want extra attention.
When asked what role her coaches and teammates played in her reaching this goal, she responded, “As a setter, I can’t get an assist without my hitters getting a kill off of my set.” Without her teammates, she wouldn’t have been able to break the set record. She also mentioned her coaches being supportive of her since she started playing for them. She told me how she had developed since her freshman year, saying, “My mental toughness has grown throughout the years, my knowledge of volleyball has expanded.”
Taylor’s advice to an underclassman who wants to follow in her footsteps is as follows: “Your attitude plays a bigger role than you realize. It is important to stay level-headed and lean on your teammates. Don’t overthink the little things, just play to the best of your ability, and the rest will follow.”
