On Tuesday, April 9th, the varsity boys volleyball team held a memorial game to honor the life of Daniel Xiao, a former member of the team who passed away in late 2023. When asked what it means to play in his name, Jayden Barnes, another member of the men’s varsity volleyball team explains “It means a lot to me, I was kind of nervous going into today, but I just wanted to make sure that I could play good for him and that the team would perform good…I think we did a pretty good job and I’m glad that we could play for him” said Barnes.
Multiple friends of Daniel share that he was easygoing, inspirational, and eager. Hudson Harms, former varsity athlete, shares that Daniel is “So amazing to be around, he lifted everyone up, made everyone happy, and not to mention he was one of the best players on the court at all times. It was fun playing with him, fun being friends with him,” said Harms. When it came to volleyball, Daniel was “one of those players that you explain something once, and immediately he absorbed it and was so appreciative and thankful for the information and the coaching he got,” shares Dean Finch, one of Daniel’s first coaches at CT. “He was a quiet soul, but he spoke through different actions,” said Finch. Sanica Perakatt, one of Daniel’s friend’s shares “he was an amazing person on the court and off the court”.
Best friends since childhood, Idrees Nait emphasizes that the game in his honor is “proof of how amazing Daniel was, he’s obviously left an impact on everybody, and even without the ceremony, everybody knew Daniel was like the best guy you’ve ever met, and it’s great to see something actually put together” said Nait.
When asked what inspired the team to play in his name, John Clinton, also on the varsity team shares “It was the legacy he left here, the impact he’s had on all players on the team, it’s crazy how much has affected the whole program,” said Clinton.
“It’s special to know that the impact a young teenager has on so many is powerful…His passing was a huge impact to all of our volleyball community, this team specifically, and his friends and family. He may pass and he may move on, but his legacy and his spirit will be here forever. It just goes to prove that anybody can have an impact on anybody’s life, and Daniel touched a lot of people in a very quiet way,” Coach Finch highlights.
