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Wednesday, 21 July 2010 11:40

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News-Gazette Photo/Ken Jackson

OHS volleyball players Jennifer McDaniel (seated left) and Gladys Chaparro recently celebrated their scholarships with, standing from left, Jennifer’s father, Kevin McDaniel, Coach Carrie Palmi and Elsa Soto, Gladys’ mother.
Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Two Osceola High school volleyball players signed scholarships recently, but only one will step on a court this fall.
The other one will step, gingerly, into a boat.
That’s right, an eight-person rowboat to be exact.
While Gladys Chaparro will become part of a volleyball program with a rich  history at Pasco-Hernando Community College in New Port Richey, Jennifer McDaniel is headed to Nova Southeastern University in Davie on a rowing scholarship that was earned in part due to her athletic prowess.
“I have an online profile because I played both soccer and volleyball, and the coach (John Gartin) found it,” she said. “He said he looks for multi-sport athletes for his program, contacted me and asked if I was interested in rowing.”
After telling him she had to visit the school to make a determination, she went to Davie — and it was love at first sight.
“I loved the place, and it has its own medical school, which is great because I want to go into biology and pre-med,” said McDaniel, who has an eye on becoming a rheumatologist (one who studies joints and connective tissue).
McDaniel, a three-year middle blocker and hitter for Coach Carrie Palmi’s Kowgirls, who tallied 262 kills and 104 blocks as a senior, was offered a volleyball scholarship to Stetson, but Nova’s medical program won out.
“It makes complete sense to me,” Palmi said. “You have to like the school and look at getting your degree first.”
The nearly $10,000 in athletic scholarship money, combined with other awards, should cover McDaniel’s tuition.
She said that volleyball conditioning was very good preparation for rowing.
“It’s all cardio and leg power,” the 5-10 McDaniel said.
The Sharks rowing program won the Varsity 8 Division II national championship in 2009 under Gartin, and the Varsity 4 and 8 have a combined record of 118-18 over the last seven seasons.
Chaparro, who had 143 kills and 63 service aces last season, is slated to be a right side hitter for the Conquistadors at PHCC. She sent her highlight video to a handful of coaches, which led to a tryout offer from Coach Kim Whitney and then a scholarship offer.
“The coach said I’ll work as a hitter, and she has an eye on me becoming a starter by my second year,” Chaparro said. “I’m working on improving my vertical, and she sent a huge summer workout plan, but I’m excited about it.”
Palmi said that Chaparro really came a long way in three varsity years at OHS.
“She’s been working year-round and that’s helped her overall game at the net,” Palmi said. “Her goal has always been to play in college. She believed she could do it and I’m so glad it worked out for her.”
Palmi said that Chaparro will have to adjust to the faster-paced college game.
“If she keeps her self-confidence I know she’ll excel. Volleyball is such a mental game at that level,” she said.
PHCC is 137-45 over the last five years. Whitney has led the Conquistadors to three Suncoast Conference Championships and two NJCAA national tournament appearances.
 

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