“He had no fear at all.”
From that point on, Walker kept the same poker face and played with the same style. Additionally, he had a propensity to be an intimidator against teams who could not match his will or skill.
Walker would continue to consistently pile up kills for the talented Rebels and be a mainstay for a Flintridge Prep squad that advanced deep into the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs the past two years.
He accumulated 737 kills the past two seasons, and helped the Rebels reach the semifinals in 2007 and the quarterfinals this year.
“I think I just got more confidence to help me be more consistent,” said Walker, who was selected the All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Player of the Year by the sportswriters and editors of the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun for the second straight season. “I came in not having any personal goals.
“Even if I had a bad day, I figured that I could contribute in some other way.”
Walker, a senior outside hitter who will attend the University of the Pacific in the fall, hardly had a bad day when wearing the Rebels uniform with pride. Through good times or bad, Walker lent support to teammates on the floor and showed why he was named the Prep League’s co-Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season.
When the Rebels were locked into a tight match, Walker would normally be the first to pump his fist in the air at his team’s bench for the sole purpose of keeping their spirits up.
A prime example came May 13 during a second-round playoff match against Windward at St. Francis High. Walker had 20 kills to help Flintridge Prep rally for a 25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-12 victory against Windward.
