Danielle Tang '16 Recruiting Profile

My name is Danielle Tang, but everyone calls me Dani. I live in Graham, WA. I have lived in Washington for thirteen years. We moved here from Oregon when I was two years old. I love it here--I mean, sometimes I wish it would stop raining and get some sun, but I love all of the trees and even the rain we get.

Currently, I go to Cascade Christian High School. This upcoming year, I will be a sophomore. I have gone to Cascade ever since pre-school. I have met so many people who have helped me develop spiritually as a person and in everything I do in life. My school is small; there are about four hundred kids in the high school alone. I have become close with my classmates and we have a lot of fun.

Outside of sports, I snow ski whenever I have time, I read, and I sing in choir. I like skiing because it is something different that I don't feel I have to be phenomenal at, I can mess around and still have a lot of fun. One of my favorite quotes about a reader and a non-reader says this: "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once." George RR Martin. I also feel that I express myself when I sing. If I am really upset about something I can crank up the volume to a song and my mood can be changed. I have sung in choir for three years.

I have amazing parents who have always supported me in whatever I do. My mom, Lori, is the assistant volleyball coach for my high school and the high school girl's tennis coach. My dad, Aaron, is a firefighter in Graham. I have a little brother, Aiden, who plays lacrosse and soccer.

I first started volleyball when I was in fourth grade. I only started it because my mom said I needed to do something athletic. I was thought to be the un-athletic child. I coped in fourth grade, but I thought it might get better, so I played again in fifth grade. Fifth grade I had more fun, so I did it in sixth grade. I then got into junior high volleyball. At the end of my seventh grade year, I told my mom I wanted to try out for club volleyball. She thought it was a great idea, so I tried out for Lake Tapps. I made the 13's team. I was so shocked. I never thought I could make the team. My coach put me as a middle blocker. I had never had a true position before, so it made me feel like I actually belonged in the sport. We went to Nationals in Atlanta that year. During the 14's club season I was a middle blocker, but I felt like I could be more of an asset to the team in another position. We went to Nationals in Columbus, OH that year. In the summer, I worked on my hitting and setting skills so that I could potentially play opposite for school. My freshman year of high school I made varsity team as the only freshman (we had nine seniors). I started every game except senior night. I played opposite front row for our other setter. This past year, I made the 15's Orange team. I played outside and opposite, and I really like it. I feel that I have found the position on the court where I can be most helpful. We made it to Nationals in Dallas.

In addition to volleyball, I also play tennis. I started tennis before I did volleyball, but volleyball has always had a stronger voice than tennis in my life. I was the only freshman to make the varsity team. I also work out once a week with a trainer to help me get stronger and be more fit.

I think volleyball has helped mold me into the person I am today. I have learned that to be a team player you have to do what is best for the team, and not for yourself. Volleyball has helped me grow as a person because of what the sport teaches us. It teaches us that not one person can win a game by himself or herself; you need the support of others to help you accomplish your goal. You can't expect someone to do your job for you, you have to work hard to do your job and let the other person do his or her job. I know that I have made friendships that will last a long time with my teammates. They have stood beside me in thick and thin. We have laughed together, cried together, smiled together, and had fun together.

I am not quite sure what I want to major in college. I am thinking I want to be a physical therapist for sports related injuries because I think it would be a good way to stay around sports and help others who love to play sports and be active.

One of my all time favorite quotes is from the infamous Walt Disney. "Why worry? If you've done the very best you can, worrying won't make it any better." There are verses in the Bible about worrying, but I am constantly reminded not to worry. I am not sure what God has in store for me, but I am trusting in Him to guide me through the fog.