Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Taylor Govaars - Taylor-made for

the Sailors

Tony Altobelli

The Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team lost more talent to

graduation and injuries in one year than some schools lose in a lifetime,

but outside hitter Taylor Govaars wouldn’t let that spoil her final year

with the Sailors.

She took the baton that was passed from graduates April Ross and

Krista Dill, among others, and helped lead a rather young and

inexperienced Newport squad all the way to the CIF Southern Section

Division I-A quarterfinals.

“I felt some pressure, but I wanted that pressure to come to me,”

Govaars said. “I figured that would be better than having the younger

players deal with it. We never looked at this year as a rebuilding year.

Our coach (Dan Glenn) wouldn’t allow us to feel that way.”

So Govaars took that responsibility and became a spiking machine for

Newport. She was at or near the top of the kill leaders in every match

she played, including the Sailors’ three playoff contests last week.

“She was our leader in kills, digs, blocks and was our top passer,”

Glenn said. “She was our hardest worker in practice and the thing you

love as a coach is that she got better every single year. She stepped it

up early this year when Heather Cullen went down with her injury and

became a real leader for us.”

In the opening round against University, the Daily Pilot Athlete of

the Week had 12 kills in the 15-0, 15-7, 15-10 win, followed by 20 kills

against Hart in the second-round win.

Newport’s run came to an end in an 11-15, 15-2, 15-11, 15-11

quarterfinals’ loss at the hands of Huntington Beach, despite 28 kills

from the 5-foot-11 Govaars.

“Those last two games could have gone either way,” Govaars said about

the contest with the Oilers. “I think it came down to them making all the

key plays down the stretch and getting a few lucky bounces to fall their

way. It’s too bad because that was the best we had played all year long.”

Govaars will now take her volleyball talents to the “First State” and

compete for the University of Delaware and become a Fighting Blue Hen.

“I’m real excited to be heading out there,” Govaars said. “I knew that

I wanted to head back east and Delaware was my first choice. The college,

the people and the atmosphere were all a perfect fit for me. I’ll still

be bleeding blue like here, too.”

Govaars credits Glenn for pulling out the best talent that she had for

every match.

“He taught me that you can work so much harder than what you think you

can,” Govaars said. “That’s something I’ll definitely take with me to

Delaware.”

That hard work, plus some hardware from a couple of CIF Division I and

state championships as well.

“That was so awesome,” Govaars said. “Not too many athletes can say

they were a part of something as special as that. I was fortunate enough

to be a part of twice.”

Looking to major in education at Delaware, Govaars still sees a lack

of knowledge in certain parts of her volleyball game, despite the passing

grade from Professor Glenn.

“Even though I’m an outside hitter, I really love to pass, but I still

need some work on my blocking,” Govaars admitted.

Taylor’s brother, Morgan, is a freshman at Newport and will have some

big shoes to fill.

“He’s a stud,” Taylor said with a laugh. “We’ve had our moments like

any brother and sister, but for the most part, we have a very good

relationship.”