Setting the Standard at GJNC Showcase Session 2

When it comes to setting, the objective remains the same at all levels: Running an offense that would empower their hitters to succeed. But that is all that remains similar among setters, as the path to get there might not look the same for everyone. This is where the endless debate about the ideal setter comes into play: whether it is tall, short, righty, lefty, or a specific technique or tactic, teams and coaches will always have their own preferences in accordance with their needs. This is where variety can play an important role in recruiting events, which is what Session 2 of the GJNC PrepDig Showcase showed. Here are four athletes to demonstrate it.    Former softball player who has showcased as Middle in past PrepDig events, and is now running an offense like an experienced quarterback who is on the verge of a breakthrough. You could notice her commitment to her development by how she tries to get her hands on the ball even on medium passes, with a pivot step to square up to the target, as if she were trying to emulate the Olympic great Lauren Carilini. I could foresee her physicality and good habits taking her to the next level in an offensive system that looks for a 1-step tempo on the pins and 2-step on the middle.     Speed and dynamism are her two main qualities you notice when watching her orchestrate her offense. No surprise there, since she is also a 100-meter track athlete who made it all the way to state this year. Compensates for her height with the time she spends on individual training in vertical and mobility. You can tell she has a defensive mindset as a setter, where giving her team scoring opportunities could come from her first contact on a hustle play, or from her mighty-quick ability to make an out-of-system setting situation look comfortable enough for her hitters to convert. A long-term future in a fast-paced offensive system would fit perfectly with her strengths.     She is a double-threat, and not just because she is also a swimmer: Can hit (lefty) with control and placement from the Right Side, and dish with a smooth contact on the ball that seems to merge indoor and beach setting grip into an effective combination that allows her to play long distance with ease and precision, especially on back sets. Her blocking skills make opponents change their shot direction by invading space early across the net. I could see her continuing to bloom on an offensive system that embraces her ability to spread out the net and play against the flow, while also being a second-ball attacker herself.     Watch out, opponent receivers, because her offensive capability starts at the service line with her high toss/high-speed stop-spin serve. Add that to the charisma and intensity she uses to manage the game as a setter, which seems to drive how hitters respond to her leadership. Nothing fancy, nothing too complicated: she just does a masterful job of bettering the ball and keeping hitters in rhythm. She makes situations look simple when they are not, and has the ability to locate with precision, especially to the pin.    In the end, each of these setters helped elevate the players around them in their respective strengths: size and physicality, speed and dynamism, technical and tactical ability, tempo and decision-making, and unique intangibles that made each of them excel. Four different styles, one same standard.

When it comes to setting, the objective remains the same at all levels: Running an offense that would empower their hitters to succeed. But that is all that remains similar among setters, as the path to get there might not look the same for everyone. This is where the endless debate about the ideal setter comes into play: whether it is tall, short, righty, lefty, or a specific technique or tactic, teams and coaches will always have their own preferences in accordance with their needs. This is where variety can play an important role in recruiting events, which is what Session 2 of the GJNC PrepDig Showcase showed. Here are four athletes to demonstrate it.