JEFF FIELDER Editor
ALLIANCE – Taylor Manion, a senior at Alliance High School, is this week’s Nspire Today! Female Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Manion has been the starting centerfielder for Alliance High School’s softball team the last few years. She had a superb performance in the Bulldogs’ season opener last week at Holdrege, hitting two home runs and finishing with seven RBIs. Alliance beat Holdrege 16-3 and then topped Chadron 13-9 earlier this week to improve to 2-0. Alliance also played this weekend. Manion also plays tennis and is a member of National Honor Society. Her parents are Boone Manion and Meagan Shrewsbury.
Q: Are you happy with how Alliance has started this season?
MANION: “I feel like we’ve done really well. Our attitude and effort have been up a lot lately, and we’ve been a more unified team. I think Coach Palomo has been pushing us to our best ability, and I think it’s really paying off.”
Q: What are your expectations for this year’s team?
MANION: “I believe this year Alliance’s softball team is definitely going to make a statement. We’ve put in a lot of work over the offseason and in the few practices we’ve had coming into this fall season, so I think we’re going to make some noise.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed playing softball over the years?
MANION: “I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve made a lot of memories and friendships.”
Q: How much have you enjoyed playing centerfield?
MANION: “I enjoy it a lot. A lot of people think that you don’t get much action in the outfield, but that is a very false statement. Like [against Chadron], I made six to eight outs. The ball definitely comes out to me a lot, and I love that.”
Q: Being a senior, does this season feel any different to you compared to previous seasons?
MANION: “It does. My big goal is to make it to state, and I believe that this team definitely can do that. Being a senior, I definitely want our team to make a statement and be remembered for a long time.”
Q: How many seniors are on the team?
MANION: “Six.”
Q: You had a great performance in the opener. How special was that game for you?
MANION: “My first dinger in that game was the second one I’ve ever hit, and then I hit another dinger right after that, and it was a grand slam. It was definitely an unbelievable feeling. I was very excited that I was able to accomplish that, especially being our first game. After the first home run, I was pretty excited, and I was, ‘Wow, I just did that.’ But I told myself, ‘OK, I need to stay humble and just keep making contact. I don’t have to do too much. Just swing the bat and hope it goes somewhere.’ It surely did on my next one.”
Q: Talk about your growth as a softball player since you started high school.
MANION: “I’ve grown a lot in softball, especially coming into high school. My freshman year I wasn’t the best, but I learned things from the older girls, and I think that’s what helped me really improve. I’m glad they helped me out, and now that I’m a senior, I get the privilege of helping out this year’s freshmen, sophomores and juniors. I want to help teach them about the sport I love.”
Q: Have you always been a pretty solid hitter?
MANION: “No. Last year, my junior year, I was always the flex; I never got to bat. I only got to play defense because I wasn’t the best batter, and I wasn’t good at base running. But coming into my senior year, I told myself, ‘I need to make a statement right now to show everyone that I can do this.’ I would definitely say that during the offseason and in practice I’ve put in so much work, and it’s helped me get to the point where I’m at now. I definitely give a big ‘thank you’ to Coach Palomo for helping me get to this point.”
Q: What do you think is the strength of this year’s team?
MANION: “I would say our strength is that we don’t give up. We definitely put up a fight.”
Q: Do you hope to keep playing softball after high school?
MANION: “I’ve definitely thought about playing softball after high school, but I’ve also gotten some scholarship opportunities for tennis, so it’s kind of up in the air as far as what I want to do in college.”
Q: Where would you like to go to college?
MANION: “That’s still kind of up in the air, but possibly UNK, Wesleyan University, or even Wyoming in Laramie.”
Q: Besides softball and tennis, what other activities do you participate in at Alliance High School?
MANION: “I’m in National Honor Society, Key Club, and I’m in a church youth group.”
Q: Outside of sports, what do you like to do for fun?
MANION: “I like to hang out with friends and family.”
Q: Which teacher has influenced you the most during your educational career?
MANION: “I would say my coach, Carlos Palomo, for my weights class. He’s always pushed me to get better, and even though it’s a fitness class, he’s even pushed me academically – to make sure that I’m staying on top of my grades. I don’t let that slip. He always pushes me to try to get all A’s and B’s. He’s always been there to support me with everything I’ve done.”
Q: How much pride do you take in being part of National Honor Society?
MANION: “I take a lot of pride in it. It takes a lot of hard work to keep my grades up during my sports seasons. It’s definitely a great feeling.”
Q: What would you like to major in at college?
MANION: “I’ve been thinking about being an athletic trainer or a physical therapist for high school or college teams.”
Q: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
MANION: “Probably country or rap.”
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
MANION: “I would have to say La Villa. It’s one of our Mexican restaurants here.”
Q: What do you like to order there?
MANION: “A cheese enchilada plate.”
Q: Who do you think is the kindest person at Alliance High School?
MANION: “I would say my best friend, Madison Adam [senior]. I would say she’s the kindest person because she is always there for people, and she’s a very caring person, and she does very well academically. She’s always willing to help other people with their academics. She’s also the FFA president for the second year in a row. She is a great leader, and she’s very humble.”
Q: Have you lived in Alliance your whole life?
MANION: “No. I actually lived in Chadron for a couple years while my mom was finishing college. That was preschool through first grade. Then I moved to Hemingford, and I went there from second grade to fifth grade. Then I moved to Alliance. I went to St. Agnes from sixth to eighth grades, and then I came over to the high school.”
Q: What makes Alliance a special community?
MANION: “I would say it’s a special community because we’re all there for each other. Everyone knows everybody. People in the community have each other’s backs no matter what.”
Q: Do you have any siblings?
MANION: “I have three younger brothers – Kash Shrewsbury, 11; Tripp Shrewsbury, 8; and Bodhi Manion, 10 months.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.com or by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
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