There is no hesitation from Lyons Township girls volleyball coach Joann Pyritz when she says the setter is the most important position on a volleyball team.

“I think it’s difficult to perform well when you have a great hitter but you really don’t have someone who is a consistent setter,” Pyritz said. “It certainly is (the most important).”

Alexis Viliunas and Erin Juley both see time at setter for the Lions, who are 29-2 on the season. Viliunas and Juley each possess the two traits Pyritz feels are essential for any successful setter: Both are good athletes, and both are smart.

When an opponent hits a ball over the net, the setter needs to already know what the opposition’s defense is doing, who is blocking on the other side of the net, and where each of her hitters prefer to hit the ball. Add to that remembering where she has played the ball earlier in the match and figuring out which one of her teammates has the hot hand, and it is clear to see that plenty is going through a setter’s head on every play.

They also, obviously, need to be able to set the ball effectively.

“An excellent setter has to have consistent hands, and that means the height and depth of a set needs to be executed fairly consistently, otherwise it throws off the timing of the hitter,” Pyritz said. “I think both of my setters can do that.”

There is one more quality Pyritz looks for at the setter position, one that sometimes goes unwritten, but often times can be the best indicator of a player’s potential for success at the position.

“Other players have to respect the setter, because they are calling plays from the floor,” Pyritz said. “A setter who is not a good leader usually struggles from the floor.”
 

3 keys to playing setter

1. An incredible work ethic — A setter needs to be the hardest working player on the court, both during a game and in practice.

2. Athleticism — Setters have to handle a variety of passes and have to set balls at different heights and distances, in addition to playing defense.

3. Strong decision-making abilities — A setter has to be able to focus on multiple things at one time, all while getting ready to provide a perfect assist to one of her teammates.