VYPE: Hayden, what grade are you in, what position do you play and when did you start playing volleyball?
Hayden Brandon: I am in 12th grade, I’m a setter, I started playing volleyball in 5th grade.
VYPE: What is your favorite memory or moment as a player for BHS?
HB: My favorite memories are all the times we had dance parties in the locker before games.
VYPE: Do you have a favorite subject in school and a favorite teacher?
HB: My favorite subject is math because I love how it gives me a good challenge. And my favorite teacher is my math teacher Mrs. Anderson because she every helpful and she workouts at the same gym that I do.
VYPE: What makes BHS a great place for you as a student-athlete?
HB: I feel like BHS really supports and understands their student- athletes because they help us not be behind when we miss some school days due to games or tournaments. We also have great coaching staff who really support us as humans first and athletes second. The strength coach at BHS Daniel West really embodies this, he always asks how I am doing and makes sure I’m successful in my endeavors.
VYPE: Has anyone on the team surprised you this season with their play or just impressed you this season?
HB: Sophie Frye really impressed me this season. It seemed as though she really stepped up her game and she was determined to have a better season than last year, and she came out and did just that. I’m so proud of her and I’m glad I got to see her grow not only as a player but as a person.
VYPE: Which teammate keeps everyone laughing, who is the most serious?
HB: Avery Matney always had some funny joke or comment to say, and it kept the mood light a fun. I feel like it’s a draw between Marissa Demuth and I on who is the most serious during the games.
VYPE: How do you mentally prepare yourself for competition?
HB: I would think about all the preparation and time I have put into my sport, visualize me playing perfectly, and I repeat you got this in my head until it calmed my nerves.
VYPE: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
HB: The best advice I’ve ever received is from my weightlifting coach Daniel West and he said that one bad weightlifting meet or volleyball game doesn’t define who I am as a person. And that I need to shake it off and believe in myself.
VYPE: What’s the goal for life after high school?
HB: I want to continue my weightlifting journey in college and maybe win a few more national championships! I also want to continue my coaching career for weightlifting and help kids learn to lift.
