‘Play for Tay’ is what the Parkston Trojans volleyball team does every time they take the court. The ‘Play for Tay’ slogan honors their teammate Taylor Thuringer, who was killed in a car accident in August of 2019, days before the start of her freshman year of high school.
Sports were always important to Taylor. Working hard, having a positive attitude, and being a good teammate were just a few of her strong traits.
“She put her heart into everything,” explained Taylor’s father Scott. “She was in volleyball, basketball, softball, track, and every sport she was in, she put her heart into it, and was an awesome team player.”
While it’s been two years since Taylor passed, her legacy and identity with the team remains strong. At the 2021 state volleyball tournament, the Parkston volleyball team wore special teal colored t-shirts during warmups with ‘Tay’s Team’ displayed on them.
“That was her favorite color. You saw the volleyball team had the shirts on and that was just her color,” said Taylor’s father. “Bright, loud, stuck out, just like her. She just had that personality, loud and full of energy, and that’s Taylor.”
Both of Taylor’s parents are appreciative of the continued support - not just from the team, but the community as well.
“It means the world to us. I can’t even explain,” said Taylor’s mother Ann. “When we see people out in the community wearing the Taylor shirts, it just means so much. She was kind to everyone. She didn’t have enemies, only friends.”
“It’s been two years and the support is just unbelievable,” said Scott. “What we get, not only from our town, but from the surrounding towns. The story is all around our area and it’s been unbelievable.”
Parkston head volleyball coach Abbie Hobbick said the team has continued to find ways to honor Taylor's memory.
“She’d be a junior this year, and she’s been a big part of our team since that day and will continue to be for a very long time," Hobbick explained. “It means a lot to our girls to be able to represent her every day. In the team huddle, we say, ‘Play for Tay.’ She’s here, she’s with us. She’s in the girls’ minds and we definitely feel her.”
When Parkston is playing a home volleyball or basketball game, there's a 'Play for Tay' plank that the players tap before taking the court. They also have something similar that they bring on the road.
[Taylor] loved being part of a team - didn’t care if she played or not, just wanted to be part of a team. To me, I think that’s why her team revolves around her as well as they do, because she wanted to be part of that team, and now it’s Tay’s team and people are playing for Tay.
