After serving six months in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Peyton McDaniel is finally home- much to the surprise of her volleyball team.
Friday, Oct. 31 marked her first game back in person as Cleveland State Community College faced Walters State in the TCCAA Championship Tournament. The team is undefeated in the conference and 22-2 overall.
A Staff Sgt. in the United States Air Force Reserves, CSCC said Peyton was deployed to Iraq in April. Her brother, Nolan McDaniel, is the assistant coach and has been leading the team during practice and games.
The school says she remained active with the team, no matter the time zone:
“Despite the distance, Peyton remained active with the team. She watched the games on live stream, staying up until the early morning hours to celebrate each win with a FaceTime call. She worked out all the logistics and travel, and she met with the team virtually to review film and prepare for games.”
Her brother, Nolan, said his sister inspires the team. The girls warm up in camo gear and shape their hands in hearts when she’s announced as their coach.
“The girls find a lot of motivation in where Peyton is,” Nolan said. “It is challenging for them, but it has really become part of their identity. There is a lot of emotion on the team every time the national anthem plays, you can feel a shift in their energy. As much as it is possible, Peyton is here without being here.”
Peyton joined the reserves four years ago after playing professional volleyball overseas.
“I chose the reserves because I liked that it had both structure and flexibility; it allows me to have the discipline and benefits of the active military while still pursuing all the things I want to achieve as a civilian. It really is the best of both worlds, and it has given me so many unique opportunities to see the world.”
