It wasn’t the fact that she stood out like a fair-skinned, 6-foot-3 beacon in a foreign land that made Taylor Simpson’s recent overseas trip such a learning experience.
It was the otherworldly rules Simpson encountered in Singapore throughout August that forced the Doherty volleyball standout to think twice about some of her simple, ingrained habits almost every day.
No jaywalking in Singapore? Strange, yet that was a rule easily followed. No sitting along the sidewalks or in public areas? Fair enough.
But no chewing gum? Now that was something that could give a girl fits.
Nevertheless, even without the comfort of one of her regular habits, Simpson enjoyed the experience of a lifetime last month. Playing for the United States in the first Youth Olympics, Taylor spent about three weeks in Singapore, competing against top international players while reveling in the sort of experience most high school seniors can only dream about.
“We got over there and trained for two weeks, then played for four days,” Simpson said. “It was an incredible experience, even if I couldn’t chew gum for three weeks. There was a lot of volleyball, but we definitely got out to go sightseeing a little bit.”
Of course, the focus was volleyball. And, as usual, Simpson excelled on the big stage. The Denver Post’s Class 5A 2009 player of the year, Simpson helped lead the United States to a silver medal in the competition. The Americans ultimately lost a four-game showdown in the gold-medal match against a Belgium squad that the U.S. had defeated earlier in the tournament.
The loss certainly was no fault of Simpson’s. In the title match, she led the U.S. with 16 kills and added 16 blocks, giving a thrill to her Spartans teammates gathered around their computers in Colorado Springs to watch the contest live.
“It was so fun to see her play in that tournament and to see that level of play,” Doherty coach Julie Ortiz said. “Her teammates were so excited for her. (Simpson) is just an amazing athlete. Every day she comes to practice and is looking to improve her skills. She is just one of those players you love to coach because not only is she an amazing athlete, but she is just a good person too.”
The University of Nebraska-bound Simpson admits she “slept for two days” upon returning from her trip to Singapore, but she quickly has refocused her energy toward leading the Spartans into a season they hope will end in triumph as the Class 5A state champions.
A state semifinalist last year, it has been a somewhat uneven start for Doherty, though no one can question that the Spartans have taken it easy at the season’s outset. Or that they haven’t measured up to the teams they most likely will encounter when their state title drive reaches the stretch run in November.
Doherty, ranked No. 3 in Class 5A, has compiled a 4-3 start going into this weekend’s contests at the Cherry Creek Invitational, and the Spartans have not skimped on the competition, having already seen action against No. 1 Chaparral, No. 2 Ponderosa, No. 6 Grandview, Pueblo West (which was ranked 10th in 4A at the time) and The Classical Academy, ranked 10th in 3A. Doherty still has games remaining against two other top 10 clubs: 4A No. 1 Cheyenne Mountain and 5A No. 8 Pine Creek.
Throughout it all, the Spartans likely will be leaning heavily on their international star. And don’t be surprised if Simpson indulges in a privilege she no longer will take for granted by chomping on some gum while she batters upcoming opponents with clutch blocks and devastating spikes.
“Coming back from that tournament, I’ve been telling my teammates that you have to play every point like it’s for the gold medal,” Simpson said. “You can’t ever let any balls hit the ground. You have to take every shot like everything is on the line. We’ve had a tough schedule, but I know all of us are totally focused on winning that state championship.”
