A ninth grader at Gig Harbor High School, volleyball player, chef, social butterfly, and expert babysitter, Deja Nuttall (9) is thrilled to start fresh this year at a new school.
Volleyball has always been a big part of Nuttall’s life. She started playing when she was in fifth grade and has been playing for Dakine the entire time. She practices around 8 hours a week, plays a game almost every weekend, and absolutely loves it. One of her top goals for this year is to become a better volleyball player. She is not the only player in her family, however. In an outdoor sand court that they recently built in their backyard, the whole Nuttall family loves to play together, an activity that everyone enjoys. “We play all the time,” she explained. Nuttall has looked up to her mother a lot when it comes to the sport, since she not only played D1 volleyball in college but also coaches volleyball now. She loves connecting with her mom through a sport that both of them love. In fact, she explained that the reason she started playing volleyball in the first place was because her whole family plays the sport: “I wanted to be like them.” Apart from connecting her family, volleyball has helped her to make friends and form great relationships. “It’s fun playing and getting better and improving on my skills,” she said.
Nuttall’s goals for this year include improving on her volleyball skills and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. It’s important to her that she gets good grades in order to “secure my future and be prepared for college.” Nuttall aspires to play volleyball for Brigham Young University like her mother. She says that her driving motivation for completing the goals she sets for herself is her ability to complete them and the satisfaction she is rewarded with after achieving something great.
When she’s not playing volleyball, Nuttall can often be found working as a babysitter. She loves getting to play with and care for children and the happiness that they bring to her life. “They’re really sweet and wholesome, and it reminds me to be a better person,” she reflected. Nuttall babysits about two times weekly. Sometimes, it’s for her own siblings, which she has four of, but most of the time it’s for children from other families. “I just like being around kids,” she said, then added with a laugh, “And making money.” Her tips and tricks for being a good and effective babysitter are playing with the kids and making sure to remember to do what they want to do, even if it’s not always what you want to do. “They’re really fun to be around. There’s no drama or anything. They’re just little kids, so pure and cute.”
Walking her dog, dominating on the court, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, and studying like a scholar are only some of the incredible things that Deja Nuttall has achieved, and she continues to reach higher and further every day. With a new school year opening so many new opportunities, this freshman is ready to take it all on.