Q & A WITH USA JUNIOR OLYMPIAN TAYLER HILL AND MOM
"I’m not really her coach, I’m her mom."
6-20-07
gPrep: What was it like to be in Colorado with your daughter Tayler Hill?
Monique Hill: ”It was a really good experience. The first day I could tell she was a little more reserve. Everyday Tayler got more and more comfortable because she got to know the girls better. And her team, they built a rhythm together. The last day Tayler did a lot of passing but she had so much fun! At first I wasn’t sure if she was enjoying herself. But as the days went on, I could tell Tayler was having a lot of fun.”
gPrep: Did the girls bond by the last day?
Monique Hill: ”They really did. They were just cracking-up and just having a good time on the bench. It looked like they’ve been playing together for a whole season because of the way they were interacting with each other.” The first day it looked like a lot of individuals out there playing. But towards the end of the weekend, they were actually playing as a team.”
gPrep: It must have been real special to be there with Tayler to share the big stage?
Monique Hill: “It was real fun for me, just to be there to support her. I was trying to push Tayler but I’m not really her coach, I’m her mom. If her coach were there, Tayler would have played a lot harder you know if her dad were there. But, she did well.”
gPrep: You must really be proud of her?
Monique Hill: “I love her. I am very proud of Tayler. I just had a great time.”
Tayler Talks
gPrep: I noticed a few games you went in the paint and got a lot of rebounds.
Tayler Hill: “Yea. We were lacking on post players. But I had a good time down there.
It was something new. It was interesting playing with a group of elite players because everybody down there was an elite player. So, everybody had to get together and come together as one to play as a team. Everybody is a star on their team back home. But down there, they had to come together and play as a team.”
gPrep: Talk about your experience in Colorado Springs. What did you learn about the game and about yourself?
Tayler Hill: “I learned a lot about the game. You have to play the game as a team.”
gPrep: What was it like having mom there to support you?
Tayler Hill: “My mom, (laughs) it was great, because I had a lot of support.
She was getting on me. Every little thing, she was getting on me. But, it was great support though and I’m glad she went.”
gPrep: What was the most fun?
Tayler Hill: “… Meeting new players! Meeting the new players had to be the most fun
down there…meeting elite top players.”
gPrep: Your USA jersey, what was it like getting your jersey for the first time?
Tayler Hill: “I was excited! They gave us two sets of practice jerseys, shorts and tops.
They also gave us two biker shorts, two sports bras, shoes, bags, socks and bandanas.
So it was pretty exciting and we got to keep all our stuff. That was pretty exciting.”
gPrep: What was the hardest lesson you learned?
Tayler Hill: “This wasn’t really a lesson, but breathing down there was HARD!
The altitude was way different. It was hard to breath at first then you get use to it..”
gPrep: What was it like playing in the bronze medal game?
Tayler Hill:” It was fun . We played Brazil. After we played Brazil the first time, we
knew how they played. So, it really wasn’t any big competition but it was fun though.”
gPrep: What motivated you to play harder?
Tayler Hill: “… One of the head coaches. I talked to her a little bit. She was
talking about how we are the most fortunate girls out of the 36 to be down there.
So, that motivated me.”
gPrep: Do you feel that you made a statement down there?
Tayler Hill: “Yea, I did. I just played my game. Like, I wasn’t selfish with it and I adjusted to the other players.”
gPrep: Did you learn something about yourself?
Tayler Hill: “Yea, I learned that I wasn’t just the top player there, but I was the top player out of the 36 players that they chose to be junior Olympians.”
gPrep: Was it your best experience?
Tayler Hill: “Yea. It was a pretty good experience. It was a good experience.”
gPrep: Was it too much?
Tayler Hill: “No! It wasn’t. It was a lot of hard work, which is good.”
gPrep: Is it a relief for you to know that you belong with the elite?
Tayler Hill: “I don’t think it was a relief. It was me going down there playing my game and just playing my hardest and that’s what it came to be, me being one of the top players down there.”
Copyright 2007, gPrep, All Rights Reserved