Height makes right for Spelman

Elite athletes often will do just about anything to attain success, and the quest to reach the top often requires a lifetime of physical, mental and financial investment.
 
Not for Durango High School senior Hayley Spelman. She did it in less than three years.

Since the end of her freshman year, Spelman has transformed herself from a promising tennis phenom into one of the state’s most feared volleyball players.

“I really liked tennis,” said the 6-foot-6-inch Spelman, who in her freshman year was a state finalist as a member of Bonanza’s top doubles team. “But I was introduced to volleyball, and I liked it even more.

“I was tall, and volleyball is a tall sport, so I decided to give it a try.”

There’s little question she made the right decision.

Spelman, who transferred to Durango for her sophomore year, has earned countless honors in her short tenure as a volleyball player.

Over the summer she was a starter for the U.S. Junior National team, which won the gold medal at the NORCECA Championships in Saltillo, Mexico.

“Hayley has and will continue to rank as one of the best ever to come out of the state of Nevada,” longtime Trailblazers coach Bob Kelly said. “And she’s still young. In three years, she’s gone from being a beginning player to a starter on the Junior National team, and she’s still learning the game.”

Spelman, who earned last year’s Nevada Gatorade player of the year award after leading Durango to the state championship match, has had no trouble grabbing the attention of college scouts. She received offers from Nebraska, Southern California, Washington, Texas, Florida and other schools before verbally committing to play at Stanford next year.

“I really like their academic program,” said Spelman, who carries a 4.0 grade-point average. “I went there for a visit, and it really felt right.”

Despite her many accomplishments, Spelman has remained humble about her status as a prep superstar.

“Of course, I have a height advantage,” she said. “But I also love the sport, and I’ve given everything I have to improve myself both mentally and physically.”

Indeed, Kelly said there’s more to Spelman’s success than impressive height.

“She always comes in with the right frame of mind,” the coach said. “And she not only hits and blocks, but she can also attack from the back row almost as well as she can from the front row.”

Kelly hopes Spelman will lead his team back into the state tournament this year. The Trailblazers graduated several key players in the spring, causing uncertainty about the 2008 season.

“We’ll be contenders but not a favorite,” Kelly said. “We’ll just have to see how far the kids develop. Hayley is way above everybody, but she’s extremely supportive of the team. She’s really a team player.”

Spelman, whose squad fell to Silverado in the state title match last year, agreed that she has a job to finish at Durango before turning her full attention to Stanford.

“Just because I’ve made plans for college ball doesn’t mean I can’t make goals for the high school season,” said Spelman, who set a state record with 714 kills last season. “We lost a bunch of seniors last year, so we’re going to have to get back to fundamentals. But I’m positive anything can happen if you’re in the right set of mind.”