By Richard Greene | Published Sunday, November 1, 2009
Paradise's Candice McDaniel wears the white jersey on the court, serving as the libero for the Lady Panthers volleyball team. But the colors most associated with the job are black and blue; the hues of the bruises she's accumulated while diving recklessly after balls.
"I'm covered in [bruises]," McDaniel said. "I call them my battle scars.
"It's part of volleyball," she added. "You sacrifice for every point. Bumps and bruises come with the white jersey."
The senior's willingness to put herself in peril to save a ball helped the Lady Panthers to a second-place finish in District 6-2A and a 26-12 record. They open the 2A playoffs Tuesday with a bi-district match against Bowie at Jacksboro at 6 p.m.
The worst of McDaniel's battle scars was a lump on the head that she sustained diving after a ball.
Her coach, Susie Burt, has seen McDaniel over the past three seasons run into walls and bleachers to get to balls.
"She's not scared to sacrifice her body to get the ball up," Burt said. "There's times she's sliding into the wall and bleachers, and she'll lay there a second. I yell at her, and she's the first to jump up and go get a ball."
McDaniel's reckless style earned her the Libero of the Year award last year for 6-2A when she finished with 387 digs. She was also tabbed as the Messenger's Libero of the Year. This season, she's averaged 40 digs per match for the defensive-minded Lady Panthers.
"Defense wins volleyball games," McDaniel said.
McDaniel is in her third season on the Paradise varsity. She took over as the team's full-time libero last season for Brittany Higgins.
"She was my mentor," McDaniel said. "I tried to follow in her shadow and be as good as her or better."
McDaniel became a libero in eighth grade when the University Interscholastic League began allowing teams to use the specialized defensive player. A libero is restricted to playing on the back row and is not allowed to complete an attack or attempt to make a block. The libero must wear a different color jersey than their teammates, so they are easily identifiable.
She had never heard of the position before she started playing it.
"I was the little one that couldn't hit on the front row, so I became the libero," McDaniel said. "I couldn't pronounce it for the longest time. I had people asking me why I wear a different colored jersey. I even looked it up to find out about it."
McDaniel quickly adapted the most important trait needed for the job - a desire to get to every ball.
"She wants to get every ball," Burt said. "She usually finds a way. As a libero, you've got to have that attitude. If you can make the pass, you need to be the one to get to the ball."
Along with desire, Burt said McDaniel is quicker than most players.
"She has a burst that allows her to get any ball," she said.
Sometimes McDaniel surprises herself when she chases down a ball hit by an opposing player.
"It blows my mind some of the balls I get up, because I shouldn't," McDaniel said.
As the libero, she does not compile any of the offensive statistics - kills and blocks - that would make her work stand out. But she doesn't mind.
"It's awesome to get to be that silent person and to get the ball up for teammates," McDaniel said. "I've always tried to be the silent encourager. I never wanted to be the star."
Her work does not go unnoticed. Burt also said her passionate play has rubbed off on her teammates, who work even harder to get a ball down for a point after McDaniel makes a dig.
"They feed off each other," Burt said. "If she gets the ball up, they follow her and help."
The Lady Panther's 26-win season has been what McDaniel hoped for her senior year. She believes the team is ready for a playoff run and maybe even a third match with Peaster, which handed the Lady Panthers their only district losses.
"We can play with the best of them," McDaniel said. "Our playoff mentality is to take it one game at a time. I want to see Peaster again honestly."
She is sure to add a few more bruises before then.
