By Sam Roberts
Eisenhower High School, Lawton
photo provided
The sound of a packed volleyball arena, the warmth of a welcoming community, and the values of love and respect have shaped Danlynn Silva’s life for as long as she can remember. Now, as the new head volleyball coach at Cameron University, Silva is bringing those same values from her home in Hawaii to southwest Oklahoma, hoping to build not just a successful volleyball team, but a family.
For Silva, volleyball was never just a game. Growing up in Hawaii, she was surrounded by a culture that embraced the sport. While many children begin their athletic careers playing soccer, Silva found her passion elsewhere. Introduced to volleyball at just seven years old by her grandfather, who had played nationally, she joined a local club and remained there throughout her childhood and high school years.
“When I introduced myself to volleyball,” Silva said, “that’s where I found what I loved, and volleyball is what I wanted to be.”
Her love for the sport continued into college, where she played setter at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock from 1997 to 2000. During her collegiate career, Silva helped lead her team to three Sun Belt Conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. After graduating with a degree in Health Sciences, she dedicated herself to coaching, eventually leading the Nike-sponsored Maunalani Elite Volleyball Club in Honolulu and later serving as an assistant coach at Florida Institute of Technology before accepting the head coaching position at Cameron.
Yet despite her impressive résumé, Silva says her greatest priority is not wins and losses.
“At the end of the day, you’re still a human being,” she explained. “We’re grooming you to be the best version of you. Volleyball is extra. Volleyball’s fun and compete and all of that. What brings you to school is volleyball, but at the end of the day, it’s to make you the best version of you and to go on in life.”
That philosophy is rooted in the culture she grew up with in Hawaii. There, volleyball games routinely draw thousands of spectators regardless of a team’s record. Silva remembers sold-out arenas filled with grandparents, families, and lifelong supporters. She also remembers the tradition of welcoming visiting teams with aloha and making everyone feel like they belonged.
“It’s just something they love to do and go and watch,” Silva said. “It’s very cultural.”
Moving from Hawaii to Oklahoma has been an adjustment. While Silva has felt welcomed by the Cameron community and fellow coaches, she admits that leaving the comfort of home has not always been easy. The relationships and sense of belonging she experienced growing up are things she hopes to recreate in Lawton.
“People in Hawaii like to talk story,” Silva said. “They like to get to know you and see how you are and what you’re about. They’ll give you the shirt off their back.”
That spirit of generosity and connection is something Silva hopes her players will carry with them long after their playing days end. She wants relationships with her athletes to extend beyond practices, matches, and graduation ceremonies.
“If you play with us your whole four years and you enjoyed it, I want that memory and all of our interactions to carry on to your personal life,” she said. “If you get married or have kids and we grow that great relationship, I would love to go. That’s the kind of relationship that I’m hoping to grow with the girls.”
Inside the Cameron volleyball program, Silva is focused on establishing a culture built on two simple principles:
“What I want to bring is love and respect,” she said. “We want to love one another and respect, of course, and trust. Just knowing that we’re going to care for you like you’re our own.”
She believes trust and genuine care create stronger teams than talent alone. By encouraging players to support one another and embrace their responsibilities, Silva hopes to create an environment where everyone can thrive.
Her coaching philosophy also emphasizes growth. Rather than asking athletes to become copies of her, Silva wants them to discover their own strengths and maximize their potential.
“When we talk to our players, we always say we want to get you to have more tools in your toolbox,” she explained. “Now let’s add a couple more things to make you successful.”
Silva believes improvement begins with understanding both the physical and mental sides of the game. Through practice, communication, and mentorship, she challenges athletes to expand their volleyball IQ while developing confidence in themselves as individuals.
One lesson she returns to often is patience.
As she introduces new systems and expectations to the Cameron program, Silva asks her players to trust the process. At the same time, she is learning patience herself as she adjusts to a new community and gets to know each athlete’s unique personality.
“I need them to be patient enough to take it all in and understand it and be willing to try,” Silva said. “And for me, I have to learn patience in understanding different personalities.”
As the Aggies prepare for a new season, Silva’s goals extend far beyond the scoreboard. Of course, she wants to win matches, but she believes success is measured by much more than victories.
“I think I would like team camaraderie,” she said. “When you create a great bond, then it just makes volleyball flow freely. It’s great to watch.”
For Silva, the ideal season is one filled with growth, laughter, strong relationships, and memories that last long after the final point is scored.
And for the young athletes watching from the stands—from Eisenhower, MacArthur, Lawton High, and middle schools across the area—her message is simple.
“Dream big,” she said. “If that’s something you’re passionate about, then go for it. Don’t be scared. You’ll never know.”
As Danlynn Silva begins her first season at Cameron University, she is bringing more than years of volleyball experience to Lawton. She is bringing a piece of Hawaii with her—a culture built on family, kindness, and connection. If her vision becomes reality, the impact she leaves on Cameron volleyball may be measured not only in wins, but in the lives she helps shape along the way.
