Daredevil Destinee Leads Lancers

Destinee Norman couldn’t help but laugh when she was asked exactly how many black and blue marks she sports by the end of the volleyball season?

“I don’t know. Usually over 30,” Norman said with a smile. “They’re everywhere. All over my legs.”

Thirty has to be a conservative estimation, at best.

Norman, a junior in her third season of varsity volleyball with the Lewiston-Porter Lady Lancers, is the walking, talking, living description of what it means to put your body on the line for your team.

Serving as the Lancers libero, Norman’s defensive wizardry in the back row gives the Lancers a fighting chance to win every time they step onto the court.

But it isn’t just that Norman finds ways to get to balls that seem certain to drop in for the point, it’s the manner in which she gets to them.

On virtually every single volley you can find Normal rushing, diving, crashing, or rolling on the floor. Her fighter’s heart tells her do anything it takes to keep the ball in the air and the play alive. The fact that she is averaging around 20 digs a game is proof Norman is getting the job done.

“I’m someone who doesn’t want the ball to drop on the ground,” Norman said. “Anything I can do to help my team out I’ll do.”

As the question of “is that girl crazy?” rises in the stands or on the opposing team’s bench, the uninformed observer might think that Destinee’s style of play is just her showboating for attention. Those who know Destinee best say that couldn’t be further from the truth. Destinee Norman is all-in because that’s the only way she knows how to play. She wants to make a positive impact on the girls around her.

“I want to be someone who inspires the rest of my team to be the best that they can be,” Destinee said.

“If they see me as a role model maybe they can say hey it’s possible (to do anything).”

Lancers head coach Paula Singleton couldn’t help but chuckle when asked about Destinee’s reckless style and the number of times her heart shoots up into her throat, but she also spoke glowingly about Destinee’s impact on the team. How Destinee does inspire girls to raise their game and believe that anything is possible.

“It makes me smile,” Singleton said. “I know how much she gives in practice every day. She is an inspiration, and not just on the volleyball court but life in general. She is the go-getter. She’s not the one to sit back and wait for something to happen, she’ll make it happen.”

The second oldest of four girls, Destinee shares the varsity court with older sister Kianna, while Kimberlee (10th grade) is on JV and her youngest sister Lauren is in fourth grade.

“Growing up with my sisters, that kinda got me really competitive,” said Destinee.

Hoping to motivate her teammates, Destinee probably doesn’t even fully grasp how much of an inspiration she is to her siblings.

“One of the reasons why I’m doing volleyball now is because of Kianna and Destinee,” Kimberlee Norman said.

“And the reason why I play libero now is because of Destinee. Cause I see her play and I’m like wow! I want to do that. I want to be just like her.”

Destinee says she really doesn’t give much thought to the fearless way she in which she plays her position because it’s just an extension of how she lives life. No holds barred, no fear and no regrets.

“Always…I’m always out there doing different things,” Destinee said with a devilish grin. “Down in Florida, we went down to this gorge to go tree climbing. (My parents) always get nervous when I leave the house.”

Whether it’s climbing a tree or saving the ball with her own brand of all-in highlight reel fashion, Destinee never fails to amaze those around her.

“Every single time,” Kianna Norman said. “It’s crazy how she does it…I never think she’s going to do it then all of a sudden the ball is flying up. She has it.”

While Destinee does makes some crazy plays look easy, the question of is she truly is the craziest, most daring of the four surfaces.

“Oh yeah. By far,” Kianna said, but Kimberlee interjected with, “I don’t know. I’m pretty close.”

Because of the strong core of seniors that the Lancers have, Destinee is not a captain in name, but her heart and soul play and anything for the team approach makes her a leader by virtue of her actions.

“We are definitely a better team because of the intensity Destinee brings to our game,” Singleton said.

Destinee’s view on her style, well, it’s pretty simple.

“Go big or go home,” Destinee said with a smile.