Wes-Del Senior Leads With Heart On & Off The Court

Playing for Others

Wes-Del senior Taylor Freeman’s passion for volleyball is fueled by her love of the sport. However, she has another motivation for playing as well: She has a generous public spirit and pushes herself to do things for others. While serving her school team as captain, she still found time to participate in other activities.

“I’ve played volleyball since fourth grade. We had an elementary school team with a volunteer coach. It was so much fun. Some of the high school players would come over and help. I loved it. Besides school, I was on some club teams. I played two years with Munciana Volleyball and three years with Taylor Momentum Volleyball Club,” Freeman says.

Freeman shares that most people don’t realize there is a lot of strategy that goes into playing volleyball. It is more than just returning a served ball over the net. The two positions Freeman plays are outside hitter and setter. The outside hitter is sometimes known as the left-side hitter since that player hits and blocks the front left side of the court. Good ball-handling skills are a must, as well as the ability to pass to other players. An outside hitter must run the plays the setter calls.

“The setter is like the quarterback. They run the plays and set up the hits. So much thought goes into it. For instance, if the other team doesn’t have a strong middle blocker, the setter communicates to the other players to set up a lot of shots there,” Freeman says.

This year, Freeman achieved some career-high statistics. She racked up 21 digs in a game. A dig is a pass that stops a low-hovering ball from touching the ground, thus keeping the ball in play and preventing the other team from scoring. Freeman also accumulated five double-doubles. In addition, she led the team in kills, which means earning a point for the team.

“A double-double means 10 kills and 10 digs in the same game. A kill is a hit. The setter sets up the outside, then the outside hits over the net and the team scores because the other team can’t return the ball,” Freeman says.

Freeman faced a major challenge this year that threatened to dampen her spirit and take away her enthusiasm. In April 2025, Freeman was woken up by her mother as a tornado was bearing down on their family’s home. Freeman, along with her parents and dog, sheltered in a closet as the roof was ripped off the house. As a result, the house was deemed unlivable, and the family was displaced for several months. The trauma took a toll.

“Afterward, I struggled with anxiety and depression,” she says. “We had to live in an Airbnb and didn’t get back in our house until Dec. 23. It was so small. I had so much on my mind, and I found myself not wanting to play volleyball. It was a struggle. I was team captain, and having to be a leader put extra pressure on me. I put the pressure on myself and did everything I could. I developed a love-hate relationship with volleyball.

“My teammates were so supportive. They made me feel like I belonged somewhere. Then someone said, ‘If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for others.’ So, when I didn’t want to play, I did it for my teammates who did want to play. I did it for the people who love to watch volleyball and for my family.”

Besides volleyball, Freeman is involved in other extracurricular organizations. She is a student council officer and a member of Future Business Leaders of America. As a participant in Students Against Destructive Decisions, she travels to the elementary school to share ways to be healthy and resist various activities. She also volunteers for the Live Like Jonathan Food Drive and works at Kaleidoscope Kids, a daycare in Muncie.

“I will be attending Purdue University Fort Wayne to study psychology with the goal of becoming a school psychologist,” Freeman says. “I won’t be playing on the college team, but perhaps I might play intramural or be on a club team. I will watch the school games because I love to watch volleyball being played. I’m up to coaching kids on the basic elements while focusing on the fun aspects of the sport.

“My mom was a volleyball player at Wes-Del, and she cheers me on and helps. My brother plays volleyball for Trine University in Angola, and he taught me a lot. It is an amazing sport. I have made so many connections and friends. For kids just starting out, I would tell them to just have so much fun playing.”