By BUTCH HARMON
In volleyball, being tall is a bonus. When you combine height with outstanding athletic ability, then you have something special.
The Okemos volleyball team has such as player in junior Daria Richards. Not only is Richards tall, 6’2″, but she is also a very athletic player. She gives opposing teams problems at the net, as her leaping ability enables her to jump to 10′ 3″.
“Daria is a very good athlete,” coach Jamie Ianni said. “Her quickness and jumping ability are strong points. She is a very explosive jumper. She is also a high jumper on the track team.”
Richards was an all-conference volleyball player last season, and this season, she picked up where she left off last year. She is one of the top hitters in the area and leads the team in kills. She has also helped lead the Chieftains to second place in the league.
Richards’ skills have made her an attractive college prospect.
While Richards is one of the top players in the area, she is just scratching the surface of her potential. “Daria is a volleyball and basketball player but in the ninth grade, she committed to volleyball,” Ianni said. “She has only played one year of very competitive club volleyball. She is really a young volleyball player experience-wise. She is really fun to watch. She is one of those kids that every time they step on the court, you can see her improve her game. Her game has improved every time out. She’s been adding things to her game all the time and has really grown her game.”
Even better for the Okemos volleyball team is that it has another tall, talented junior to put up front. Rachel Thomas is another six-footer who plays middle blocker. She earned honorable-mention all-conference honors last season. She is also starting to draw the attention of college recruiters, as she was recently offered a scholarship by Tennessee Technological University.
“Years ago, we had two Division I players,” Ianni said. “It’s great to have a pair of players like Daria and Rachel. They are two very talented players with a lot of potential. Beyond that, they are great kids. They are great students. Overall, they are the total package. They do a lot of service work and are just outstanding young ladies to be around.”
Okemos hosts its district this season and is looking to continue its improvement as the postseason gets underway. The Chieftains have a tall task, as state-ranked DeWitt is also in the district.