Typically, Coach Jen Darty orders jersey numbers 1 through 17, and no volleyball player gets a number over 17. That’s it, no exceptions. From year to year, jersey distribution is an uneventful affair, with gear passed out and ordinary words exchanged. But not this season.
Rylee Yarborough’s father wore the number 83 in his football career. He passed away when she was nine. This season, after opening their gear bags, the Varsity Volleyball team surprised her with a wrapped present. In it was a jersey with the number 83.
“She opened it and was immediately in tears,” senior teammate Addie Imbs said. “I was also crying with her, I knew how bad she wanted to rep her dad’s number but never could, and finally got to for her senior season.”
Coach Darty wanted to do something special for Yarborough, to show her how much the team cares.
“She is such a special kid to me,” Darty said. “You could tell how much he meant to her and their whole family.”
Her teammates on the OHS Volleyball team pitched in to create her surprise, the bonds of friendship manifesting into something physical.
“She is such a sweet, funny, and caring girl,” Imbs said. “I’m glad we’ve gotten close and created memories to cherish forever.”
Yarborough also mentors her younger teammates, as well as attending Experience Camps for grieving children.
“She just displays so much pride and has high standards and high goals for herself in all things,” Darty said. “The best type of athlete wants to strive for excellence on and off the court, and Rylee’s a great example of that.”
Yarborough had previously worn the number 1 during her first 3 seasons at Oviedo, but wore 83 for her club volleyball career at OTVA. She plays as a Middle Blocker, Opposite/ Right Side, and Outside Hitter, but not before searching other athletics to find the right fit.
“I tried just about every sport,” Yarborough said. “Basketball, soccer, everything, and volleyball was really the only one that stuck with me.”
In her final season, she committed to Rollins College for Division 2 Volleyball. She attributes her success to her family’s support.
“I play for them, and for my dad above all… for the most part to make him proud,” Yarborough said.
To Rylee Yarborough and the girls of the OHS Varsity Volleyball team, 83 is more than a number. 83 is a person, a memory, and an influence. It’s a warm hug and a cold shower, and repping the orange and black of Oviedo with the knowledge of those who came before is what has created the team that exists today.
“It’s a big deal, getting to wear 83. I feel like I’m carrying on his legacy and representing him, I’m playing for something bigger than myself,” Yarborough said.
