University of Georgia Athletics
Q&A with Hadli Anstine Daniels
July 09, 2015 | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. – As we continue to highlight the Georgia volleyball program Hadli Anstine Daniels spoke exclusively with georgiadogs.com. Daniels played for the Bulldogs from 1992-1995 and still holds several records, including career solo blocks (155) and career blocks per game (1.65). She currently is a Special Education teacher and head volleyball coach at Buford High School.
When did you start playing the game of volleyball?
I started playing volleyball in the 9th grade. My mom had to force me to play because I was so shy that I didn't want to try out.
Why did you choose Georgia?
I chose UGA because I felt it was a perfect fit for me. When I took my trip there, I fell in love with everything including the team and coaches. My assistant coach Jenny McDowell (who is now at Emory) was a huge influence on my decision.
What was your time at Georgia like?
While I was playing, we were in the top 20 and made it to the NCAA tournament all four years. Another reason I chose UGA was because I felt I could make an impact quickly and was able to start all four years as well. I was the SEC freshman of the year, which was probably my greatest honor while at UGA...I still bring it up to my family all the time!
What is your favorite memory while playing at Georgia?
My favorite memory volleyball-wise was our trip to Hawaii my sophomore year. That may or may not have been another reason I chose UGA. I also met my husband at UGA (he was a former football player), so I have many great memories with him there as well.
What did it mean to play for UGA and be able to wear the red and black?
Because I am from Boston, I wasn't aware of how great the SEC was. After playing there for four years, and realizing all of the rivalries, I bleed red and black. I have a deep dislike for Florida since we could never get that SEC Championship from them. My husband's cousins played football and basketball there as well, so we are truly Dawg lovers!
Was there anything you learned while playing for Georgia that you were able to take with you into your career, especially as a coach?
One of the most important things I took from playing at UGA is that no matter what the level of play, athletes play better when they know their coach cares about more than just the game. Coach Iams and Coach McDowell helped develop me as a player and as a person. They cared about what was going on off the court as well and that was huge for me since I was so far from home. There is so much stress that comes with sports these days, but I still want to make it fun and teach the girls all that comes from playing on a team. Intangibles help a team win more than the talent, and we focus on that here at Buford.
