| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2010 9:30 am |
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High Schools 
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Timeout with ... Riley Taitingfong Marysville-Pilchuck, senior, volleyball For about nine years, starting at age 5, Riley Taitingfong lived and breathed gymnastics.But when the grueling training (16 hours per week) and pressure turned into a stifling grind, she looked for a change of pace. She found volleyball, and in turn fulfillment. “Not only did I find that I really had a love for (volleyball), but I really enjoyed the camaraderie,” said Taitingfong, a setter. “It’s such an individual sport in gymnastics that (for) everything you rely on yourself. You practice pretty much on your own and with your coach.” Volleyball was refreshingly different. “Being able to have teammates encourage you and pick you up when you’re down,” she said, “and having to rely on them was a totally new concept for me. And I really just fell in love with it.” A co-captain for M-P (which was eliminated this past weekend at the Class 4A District 1 tournament), Taitingfong also loves TV dance shows, playing pranks on her coach and working for her school’s TV station. Coach’s corner Taitingfong shared captain responsibilities with boisterous senior Mikayla LaRosa. They took different approaches to the job. Taitingfong is “the more reserved one, more of a quiet leader. She leads by example,” M-P coach Shelly Johnson said. Ready, setter, go A first-year varsity team starter, Taitingfong backed up teammate Brittany Fitzmaurice last year. Taitingfong learned a lot about setting from Fitzmaurice. “She was amazing and she was really encouraging to me,” said Taitingfong. “Just watching her as kind of my role model helped me a lot, so this year I was more prepared for the kind of responsibility it was going to be.” QB on the court “Being a setter is like being the quarterback of a football team,” Taitingfong said. “You have a lot of decision-making to do and that probably has been the toughest part for me, is being more assertive about that.” You got served When she was a freshman Taitingfong had trouble serving. “It was tough. It was like a miracle if I hit the ball over the net,” she said. But Taitingfong worked at it. Now she has a tricky jump float serve. She takes two steps, tosses the ball up, takes two more steps and hits the ball. She doesn’t follow through with her hand, which creates a floating, knuckleball-like effect. Overseas adventure Taitingfong’s parents are from San Diego but they temporarily moved to Spain for work. Taitingfong was born there and lived in Spain the first four years of her life. What’s on TV? Interested in a career in communications, Taitingfong has worked for M-P’s student-led television station, TV3, since her freshman year. She is currently station manager, aka the head honcho. TV3 broadcasts a variety of content, including morning announcements, graduation ceremonies and basketball games. Queen Riley Taitingfong was excited (and surprised) to be named M-P’s 2009 homecoming queen. She and king JJ Gamalinda, who plays football, were honored during halftime of a recent football game. “It was nice. But I would have been just as happy if any of my friends won,” said Taitingfong. Just dance A longtime wannabe dancer, Taitingfong loves TV shows like “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Best Dance Crew.” “I really like watching the athleticism and I’ve always secretly wished that I could be a dancer,” she said. “I don’t really have that much rhythm, but part of me always thought that that would be so cool.” Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam. |
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