Latest / Illinois Valley - Shaw Local / The Times Athlete of the Week: Seneca girls volleyball’s Tori Skelton
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- 0:05The Times Athlete of the Week, Seneca girls volleyball Tori Skelton This
- 0:13article is being read by an automated voice brought to you by
- 0:16Everlett. Of 426 votes cast in an online contest, Seneca
- 0:23Girls volleyball defensive specialist Tori Skelton received 224 to be named the
- 0:28Times Athlete of the Week. Sponsored by SOQ and Grasser's Plumbing and
- 0:33Heating Ink Skelton delivered three aces from the service line and led
- 0:37the back row defense as the fighting Irish top streeter in straight
- 0:41sets last Wednesday, part of an eight-match winning streak for Seneca. Also
- 0:46on The ballot were runner-up Ethan Stark, Serena Boys Soccer, Maggie Hamer,
- 0:50Somonok Leland Girls Cross Country and Aidan Collum, Dwight Football. Weekly ballots
- 0:56go online Mondays and are accessible via Facebook The Times Sports and
- 1:00Twitter at Chapedalty with voting going through midday Wednesday. Here is a
- 1:05QA with this week's winner. Do you have any nicknames? Skelton. Tor
- 1:09Tor Dog T T Tortoise Taurosaurus. How old were you when you
- 1:14started playing volleyball and what got you into the sport? Skeleton. I
- 1:19started playing volleyball in sixth grade and I fell in love with
- 1:22the sport when I first joined club volleyball with MVP 60,450 in
- 1:27my seventh grade year. Being a defensive player, what are you looking
- 1:31for when the other team is setting up an attack? Do you
- 1:34try to anticipate where the setter is setting, slash a hitter is
- 1:38hitting, is it pure reaction, or is it a combination of both?
- 1:42Skelton. I am always examining our side of the court for holes,
- 1:47anticipating hits or tips and reading the block. The hit is usually
- 1:51going to be manipulated based on where the block is put, so
- 1:54I am always trying to anticipate rather than purely react. Reading the
- 1:58hitter's hand placement and shoulder rotation is also important when anticipating where
- 2:03a ball is going. In emergency situations, the just go or reactionary
- 2:07plays are necessary for success too, but anticipation is prioritized. What are
- 2:13a few of your favorite gyms you've had the chance to play
- 2:15volleyball in over the years? Skeleton. I love playing home games because
- 2:20we are blessed with an amazing facility. I have also enjoyed playing
- 2:24in the Wilmington gym over the years. What movie would you say
- 2:28you've seen more than any other? About how many times? Skelton. I
- 2:33have definitely seen Forest Gump more times than any other. I could
- 2:37say more than a dozen times. Which of your teammates cracks you
- 2:41up the most? Skelton: All of my teammates are hilarious and have
- 2:46the perfect attitudes for the perfect times. However, my teammate Hayden Pfeiffer
- 2:51always matches my energy and I can count on her to make
- 2:53me laugh the most. If you could see any musical artist in
- 2:57any venue, all expenses paid, who would you see and where? Skeleton.
- 3:02I would love to see Noah Kahan at any venue because he
- 3:05is my absolute favorite artist. You and your teammates are going out
- 3:09for dinner to celebrate a big win. Where are you going? And
- 3:13what are you ordering? Skeleton. We would go to Bash in Ottawa
- 3:18and I would get Crab Rangoon and the Two River Sushi. Seasonal
- 3:22question What was your favorite Halloween costume you've ever worn? Skeleton, Max
- 3:26Mayfield from Stranger Things. What goals does the team have for this
- 3:31season and what will it take to achieve them? Skeleton, win the
- 3:36conference and win regionals. To achieve these goals we have to keep
- 3:39practicing our consistency in all aspects of the game. I think we
- 3:43are on a great track this year. Is there something about you
- 3:47that people who only know you through sports might find surprising? Skelton.
- 3:52I thoroughly enjoy school in general, reading and baking. Do you have
- 3:57any plans yet for life after high school? Do they involve sports?
- 4:01Skelton. I am attending Olivet Nazarene University in the fall of 2027
- 4:06to major in English education and continue my volleyball career. I aspire
- 4:11to become a high school English teacher.