Dear Volleyball Interviews Tehani Faitau, Senior Setter at Durango HS
This season DearVolleyball.com hosts a series of inspiring volleyball interviews with standout female players from Las Vegas during the 2018 high school season. The first interview is with former Silverado, current Durango All-State senior setter Tehani Faitau.
Hi this is DearVolleyball here with Tehani Faitau, Durango senior and All-State player...
Welcome!
First introduce yourself tell us your name, school, position and how long you've been playing.
Tehani: Hi, my name is Tehani Faitau. I go to Nevada State High School but I play for Durango High School. I am a Setter and I've been playing for about 6 years now.
DearVolleyball: This is your senior year. So what are your goals? What are your individual goals and what are your team goals for your last year of high school eligibility?
Tehani: My individual goal would be just to be more consistent as an all-around player. And a team goal would be to win state.
Dear Volleyball Interviews Tehani Faitau, Senior Setter at Durango HS
DearVolleyball: Great! So what has to happen for your team to win state what has to happen as far as you as a player is concerned.
Tehani: I think we all have to come together as one. We need to really work together and we need to work hard. And really get on the same page as to what we really want. Everyone has to understand where we want to be and where we want to go.
DearVolleyball: What are your plans for the future as far as volleyball is concerned?
Tehani: I do want to go to college for volleyball. Other than that I want to go to college and study for nursing which I'm doing already right now.
DearVolleyball: Oh, so you already have gotten started?
Tehani: Yes
DearVolleyball: Good for you!
DearVolleyball: if you had to pinpoint one or two things that you really like about what you do on the court what are they?
Tehani: I love how we're always able to touch the second ball.. we should always get a touch on it. I love having to adapt to new hitters and new players and give them an opportunity to hit the ball.
Dear Volleyball Interviews Tehani Faitau, Senior Setter at Durango HS
DearVolleyball: And with communication with your players, why do you feel you do that well?
Tehani: Because I get so excited and a lot of joy comes out while I'm playing... all I want to do is talk... I find it very encouraging when you talk to one another.
DearVolleyball: So what are some things you remember to say that inspires players to play best around you? What are some things that you tell them?
Tehani: I tell them to be confident in themselves and to not dwell on the last point but just to keep playing.
DearVolleyball: Do you tell yourself that?
Tehani: Yes I do
DearVolleyball: Name one or two things that are tough that don't come naturally for you in volleyball. It could be a skill or it could be the way you think about something.
Tehani: Skillwise, I would say, defense. I feel like sometimes I'm too slow so I won't get to my spot so I feel like I I stay right where I am. I'm afraid that I won't get to the ball sometimes..that would be skillwise.
Sometimes I can be lazy and I may tend to have a lazy mindset so I'm working on motivating myself and finding motivation in other people, so I'm really learning right now how to motivate myself.
Dear Volleyball Interviews Tehani Faitau, Senior Setter at Durango HS
DearVolleyball: good. Is that hard?
Tehani: Yes, it can be when you're frustrated with other players it can be hard to motivate yourself.
DearVolleyball: So how do you counteract that?
Tehani: Not thinking about it too much and know that I've worked so hard to be somewhere and I just need to continue to work just as hard.
DearVolleyball: Name something you are superstitious about. Are there one or two things you have to do the day of a game or before a match?
Tehani: I have to eat fruit. That's it.
DearVolleyball: That's it?
Tehani: Yeah I have to eat fruit because then I'll feel healthy. (laughing)
DearVolleyball: so you don't believe that you have to put on the same socks for each game or have to eat the same meal before a match?
Tehani: No I dont eat alot of carbs before a match, but I try and eat as healthy as possible.
DearVolleyball: Awesome. Who's your volleyball role model. Let me rephrase that..who's a current player that you look up to? Can be beach or indoor...
Tehani: I have no idea...
DearVolleyball: Really?
Tehani: Yes Im not really into these players...I really like old school...its different. Like those players are so much more aggressive and there's so much more passion in them from what I always watch.
DearVolleyball: Have you enjoyed playing at Durango?
Tehani: Yes! I played at Silverado for two years and that was fun then I switched over to Durango and its been good ever since.
DearVolleyball: Thank you Tehani for giving us your time and letting us get to know you a bit better. Good luck this season at Durango, we look forward to watching you play!
Tehani: Thank you!
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