LANCASTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — This week's First Student Super 7 Athlete of the Week is Jadyn Dains, a junior at St. Mary's High School.
When it comes to girls' volleyball in Western New York, there’s perhaps no program more dominant than St. Mary's. They proved that once again, earlier this month, with their 21st state title in school history, and one of the key pieces behind that was Dains.
“Here at St. Mary’s, we’re a family, and I think we made that very clear every game and every practice," Dains said. "That’s what showed in those high, intense moments: we came together and we shook off anything in our heads. It was a magical moment that I can’t replace with anything else."
For lack of a better word, Dains’ skill set has made her a killer on the court.
“I know that when push comes to shove, I want Jadyn to get the ball because she has a fierceness in her game that very few people have," said coach Donald Pieczysnki.
But what stood out to coach Pieczysnki the minute he met her as a freshman was her leadership.
“The minute Jadyn walked through the door, I said to myself, there’s our next captain," Pieczynski said. "She’s one of the best captains we’ve ever had. It’s her demeanor and pleasantness that she has with the rest of the team. It’s strong and passionate.”
Off the court, that leadership hasn’t stopped. As class president, Dains finds herself inspiring her classmates just as much as she does her teammates.
“I love working with the environment of all different classes, and I love being in the head role and in charge of something," Dains said. "So that’s something I look forward to after volleyball.”
Luckily for Lancer fans, Dains has one more year left at St. Mary’s, and she’s already thinking about adding some more hardware to the collection.
“Next season is already in my mind," Dains said. "That number 22, I can already picture it, and I’m excited for what next season brings.”
