I guess when a lot of people watch volleyball, their eyes are naturally drawn to wherever the ball is. That's probably true for all sports which use a ball. However, when I am just casually watching volleyball - not calling a game, or describing the action - I find myself focusing on one position on the court and watching how that player moves regardless of whether the ball is near them or not. This is particularly true of defensive specialists. Typically, after I've obtained a loose feel for each team involved in the match, I'll start watching a DS and see how she positions herself, moves laterally, what her reactions are like, how accurately she receives serve, how many times she fills the lane of a shot and is in position to dig, etc, etc. I do this for the other positions on the court as well, but more often that not, if I am watching a position, rather than the ball, it's a back row defender. I've written here many times that back row defense is my favorite part of volleyball.
For all of the above reasons, I was a little sad when I heard that senior Janet Hill was making the transition to being a "setter only". That was selfishly motivated, of course. The last two seasons, Janet has been a huge complement to libero OJ Olson on the back row. Just look at any roster. Every team has a few girls that are 5'5", 5'6" listed at DS. These role players - sometimes three rotation substitutes for a hitter - are the players I often focus on. They are the unsung heroes of many teams, not getting the glamour of the front row players, setters or libero.
But with SFA bringing in DS and possible libero down-the-road Lexus Cain, it made sense to return Janet to a setter role. Of course, versatility is what makes Janet so valuable. You'll hear us talk about that in the interview that you can get to by clicking the link down below. Janet is a fantastic story. She worked so hard to first just gain a contributing role with the team. Then, secondly, she was able to earn some scholarship support when originally that wasn't a part of the deal. While it appears Holland and Connell will be the primary setters in our 6-2 offense here at the beginning of the year, Hill looking over both of their shoulders will be a good thing. If either Paige or Shannon needs a breather, or is just having an off-night, it's a truly positive thing to have that third setter on the team - especially in a two-setter offense.
While I do anticipate Janet seeing the floor during the year, we have recent evidence of how influential seniors that are role players can be from the bench. Les Jackson and Amanda Rister were not every-match starters and at times, barely played. Yet, both provided solid veteran leadership and maturity. And that's the great thing about Janet. She can lead if she is on the court and she can lead if she is in reserve. In my last post, I commented on how Sophomore Shannon Connell is fortunate to have someone like Holland as a friend and mentor. Despite Janet not being penciled in as a DS, I have to imagine that she can aid someone like Cain in learning the ropes and providing a veteran helping hand as the freshman adjusts to the speed of the college game from the back row.
While we all know that teams need a good setter, smart and strong hitters as well as blocking strength, I've always believed good teams will have players like Janet Hill and Madison Martin. In Janet's case, the need is for versatility - like a utility infielder in baseball. Toward Martin's case, it is always good to have a ball-control OH that can play three rotations solidly, but can also swing if the situation warrants it.
This interview has a lot of great moments in it. Overall, I enjoyed talking with all three of this years' seniors. Links to all three of the interviews are provided below.
In the near future, I am planing a video featuring Holland and Connell discussing play calling and types of sets. I get asked questions about those two things a lot by casual fans, so it should be informative to let the experts explain it rather than me. Additionally, fans ask a lot of questions about the libero, so I anticipate OJ featured in a video or series of videos that explain the role of her position. Call them "educational videos" if you want. My hope is that if fans, students and people from the community understand volleyball and it's intricacies a little better, then they will become more committed followers of Ladyjack Volleyball. Plus, they will understand and enjoy more of what they see when they come to a match.
Radio coverage from Arkansas begins Friday at 3:50 PM. The radio will be streaming free, with no need to download anything, right here at this site.
Click Here For the Interview with Janet Hill
Click Here for the previous interview with Paige Holland
Click Here for the previous interview with Jill Ivy
Showing posts with label Janet Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Janet Hill. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Veteran Previews: Katzy Randall & Janet Hill
The Ladyjacks are off to a strong start in 2012 after sweeping UTA on their new floor Saturday night to capture their first tournament title of the year. Sophomores Katzy Randall and Janet Hill each played instrumental roles in getting the job done over the weekend and this post casts all the light on these two girls. Below is a transcript of our online interview followed by ant audio interview done prior to leaving for the UTA Tournament.
Katzy Randall was definitively one of the most anticipated recruits of the 2011 class. Before all is said and done, she figures to get her shot at being the star of the show. When healthy, Randall has the skill set to play all the way around and when elevating the way she was early on in 2011 can be a truly dangerous outside hitter. Her ball control skills keep her integrated into floor time even when nagging injuries keep her from being as aggressive as she'd like on the front row.
A truly great scenario for the 'Jacks would be for Randall to just completely take over one of the outside hitter positions and run with it all season long. That way, current freshman Tori Bates and Keeley Kainer could carry a lighter load. Bates and Kainer each turned it up a notch as the UTA Tourney wore on, but Randall has the experience and the talent to allow Humphreys to ease the freshmen along. Having all three of them healthy makes us deeper on the outside and increases the chance that our offense will be more balanced alongside the efforts of Burns and Allen in the middle coupled with Ivy's strength on the right.
Janet Hill has gone from a role of part DS and part backup setter to fully concentrating on defense in 2012. I think this shift was inevitable given you don't see many 5'5" NCAA DI setters. But, the fact that Janet has setters' hands only adds to the dimension she current plays on the back row. I think the role she had this past weekend suits her just fine and is the type of contribution all should expect going forward. One thing I failed to mention in stat wraps for the chats during the UTA Tourney is that Hill twice upped her career high in digs. She had 9 scoops against UTPA and then 10 in the championship against host UTA. Her 2011 high was 8. Expect more double digit dig performances out of Hill during the year as she looks to solidify court time on defense.
As always, many thanks to both Janet and Katzy for returning questions via Facebook and taking the time after an intense and long practice to sit down and chat.
SFAVB: Katzy, describe your off-season routine in terms of workouts, exercise & rehab. Did you do anything different to prepare for workouts beginning this year as opposed to just before beginning your first year?
KR: I didn't have much of an off season due to having surgery in January. I started doing rehab everyday and was fully released by late May. That is when I then slowly but surely started my off season. I had about two solid months to get back to where I needed to be for this season.
SFAVB: What is the #1 piece of advice that you would give the incoming freshman as they begin to prepare for their first college volleyball season?
KR: I tell incoming freshman to just relax and play the game that you got recruited to come and do. It seems so much harder than it really is but if you just relax and play like you know how too, than you will be fine.
SFAVB: Janet, What was the #1 thing that you saw as different in trying to defend/dig college attackers as opposed to those you saw in high school?
JH: One of the main differences in college from high school hitters is their size. The girls in college are the best of the best, and are much bigger than most girls I played against in high school and club. Another main difference is the hitters in college have a higher volleyball IQ; meaning they understand the game better and handle the mental and tactical side of the game better.
SFAVB: You mention experiences coming out of high school and club ball... I I know – that like others on the team – that you had opportunities to go to other schools to play volleyball and go to school. What was it about SFA Volleyball or SFA in general that convinced you that being here was the right thing for you?
JH: SFA was the first college campus I ever stepped foot on when I came to a camp early in my high school career. All the other schools I went to just couldn't compare to the atmosphere here at SFA. Everything from the coaches and girls to the gym are just so inviting and comforting. It was a pleasant surprise to start going to class and be so enthused by the professors and classes. I started out as a Math major but then added Computer Science as a second major. It’s a perfect fit for me!
SFAVB: Katzy, you may very well be in line for a six rotation spot this season… what do you feel you need to improve the most on: front row or back row responsibilities?
KR: I need to definitely improve on my front row game because of my injuries. Because of the injuries, I have put my main focus on defense and it has become pretty solid.
SFAVB: Hitting from the left side.. you’re known for having a diverse repertoire of shots. Is there one particular shot that you feel is your very best weapon?
KR: I do have a nice bag of tricks I can pull out come game time but my better shot would definitely have to be my cross-body line shot. I think I have put my focus on that shot for a long time, being such a short outside but it is hard for the defense to read you when you look like your going cross but really your hitting line.
SFAVB: Janet, when playing defense, do you feel particularly more comfortable in any particular back row spot?
JH: As a DS, left back is probably where I feel most comfortable because everything is funneled to that position so you're always expecting the ball and don't have to anticipate as much as you do in right or middle back.
SFAVB: Janet, you brought up your studies and majors a minute ago... tell the truth: Does a lot of studying get done on the bus or in hotels on the road? Or, is most of the time just spent relaxing getting to know your teammates?
JH: Well...being the size I am, I'm able to get A LOT of sleep on the bus because I can actually lay down unlike many of the girls. Also, I tend to get queasy if I read in a moving vehicle…So not a lot of homework gets done of the bus for me. On the bus and in the hotel rooms many memories are made with my teammates, as well as a lot of down time to keep our bodies well rested.
SFAVB: Katzy, was there one or two particular upperclassmen/veterans last year that played the role of mentor to you during your first year?
KR: Definitely Maddie [Hanlan] helped me out a ton, especially in the back row and being a freshman. She just had something about her that would calm me down and I knew I was capable of the job at hand. Les [Jackson] also helped out being a great leader and only being a sophomore.
SFAVB: Finally, Janet - like many of the volleyball parents, both of your parents are very active in supporting you and the club as a whole. Describe the support and role that they have played for you as you’ve made the transition to college athletics.
JH: My parents have always been supportive of me and all my decisions. Once I went off to college nothing but love and support still came from them. They still come to all of my games and that's such an amazing feeling to look up in the stands and see them cheering me on and knowing that they still will put the time and energy into driving many miles to see me. I think they are just as excited as I am to start this season!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take a listen to more conversation with Katzy and Janet in the audio file below:
Katzy Randall was definitively one of the most anticipated recruits of the 2011 class. Before all is said and done, she figures to get her shot at being the star of the show. When healthy, Randall has the skill set to play all the way around and when elevating the way she was early on in 2011 can be a truly dangerous outside hitter. Her ball control skills keep her integrated into floor time even when nagging injuries keep her from being as aggressive as she'd like on the front row.
A truly great scenario for the 'Jacks would be for Randall to just completely take over one of the outside hitter positions and run with it all season long. That way, current freshman Tori Bates and Keeley Kainer could carry a lighter load. Bates and Kainer each turned it up a notch as the UTA Tourney wore on, but Randall has the experience and the talent to allow Humphreys to ease the freshmen along. Having all three of them healthy makes us deeper on the outside and increases the chance that our offense will be more balanced alongside the efforts of Burns and Allen in the middle coupled with Ivy's strength on the right.
Janet Hill has gone from a role of part DS and part backup setter to fully concentrating on defense in 2012. I think this shift was inevitable given you don't see many 5'5" NCAA DI setters. But, the fact that Janet has setters' hands only adds to the dimension she current plays on the back row. I think the role she had this past weekend suits her just fine and is the type of contribution all should expect going forward. One thing I failed to mention in stat wraps for the chats during the UTA Tourney is that Hill twice upped her career high in digs. She had 9 scoops against UTPA and then 10 in the championship against host UTA. Her 2011 high was 8. Expect more double digit dig performances out of Hill during the year as she looks to solidify court time on defense.
As always, many thanks to both Janet and Katzy for returning questions via Facebook and taking the time after an intense and long practice to sit down and chat.
SFAVB: Katzy, describe your off-season routine in terms of workouts, exercise & rehab. Did you do anything different to prepare for workouts beginning this year as opposed to just before beginning your first year?
KR: I didn't have much of an off season due to having surgery in January. I started doing rehab everyday and was fully released by late May. That is when I then slowly but surely started my off season. I had about two solid months to get back to where I needed to be for this season.
SFAVB: What is the #1 piece of advice that you would give the incoming freshman as they begin to prepare for their first college volleyball season?
KR: I tell incoming freshman to just relax and play the game that you got recruited to come and do. It seems so much harder than it really is but if you just relax and play like you know how too, than you will be fine.
SFAVB: Janet, What was the #1 thing that you saw as different in trying to defend/dig college attackers as opposed to those you saw in high school?
JH: One of the main differences in college from high school hitters is their size. The girls in college are the best of the best, and are much bigger than most girls I played against in high school and club. Another main difference is the hitters in college have a higher volleyball IQ; meaning they understand the game better and handle the mental and tactical side of the game better.
SFAVB: You mention experiences coming out of high school and club ball... I I know – that like others on the team – that you had opportunities to go to other schools to play volleyball and go to school. What was it about SFA Volleyball or SFA in general that convinced you that being here was the right thing for you?
JH: SFA was the first college campus I ever stepped foot on when I came to a camp early in my high school career. All the other schools I went to just couldn't compare to the atmosphere here at SFA. Everything from the coaches and girls to the gym are just so inviting and comforting. It was a pleasant surprise to start going to class and be so enthused by the professors and classes. I started out as a Math major but then added Computer Science as a second major. It’s a perfect fit for me!
SFAVB: Katzy, you may very well be in line for a six rotation spot this season… what do you feel you need to improve the most on: front row or back row responsibilities?
KR: I need to definitely improve on my front row game because of my injuries. Because of the injuries, I have put my main focus on defense and it has become pretty solid.
SFAVB: Hitting from the left side.. you’re known for having a diverse repertoire of shots. Is there one particular shot that you feel is your very best weapon?
KR: I do have a nice bag of tricks I can pull out come game time but my better shot would definitely have to be my cross-body line shot. I think I have put my focus on that shot for a long time, being such a short outside but it is hard for the defense to read you when you look like your going cross but really your hitting line.
SFAVB: Janet, when playing defense, do you feel particularly more comfortable in any particular back row spot?
JH: As a DS, left back is probably where I feel most comfortable because everything is funneled to that position so you're always expecting the ball and don't have to anticipate as much as you do in right or middle back.
SFAVB: Janet, you brought up your studies and majors a minute ago... tell the truth: Does a lot of studying get done on the bus or in hotels on the road? Or, is most of the time just spent relaxing getting to know your teammates?
JH: Well...being the size I am, I'm able to get A LOT of sleep on the bus because I can actually lay down unlike many of the girls. Also, I tend to get queasy if I read in a moving vehicle…So not a lot of homework gets done of the bus for me. On the bus and in the hotel rooms many memories are made with my teammates, as well as a lot of down time to keep our bodies well rested.
SFAVB: Katzy, was there one or two particular upperclassmen/veterans last year that played the role of mentor to you during your first year?
KR: Definitely Maddie [Hanlan] helped me out a ton, especially in the back row and being a freshman. She just had something about her that would calm me down and I knew I was capable of the job at hand. Les [Jackson] also helped out being a great leader and only being a sophomore.
SFAVB: Finally, Janet - like many of the volleyball parents, both of your parents are very active in supporting you and the club as a whole. Describe the support and role that they have played for you as you’ve made the transition to college athletics.
JH: My parents have always been supportive of me and all my decisions. Once I went off to college nothing but love and support still came from them. They still come to all of my games and that's such an amazing feeling to look up in the stands and see them cheering me on and knowing that they still will put the time and energy into driving many miles to see me. I think they are just as excited as I am to start this season!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take a listen to more conversation with Katzy and Janet in the audio file below:
Check back later in the week for two additional posts: First, on Thursday, we will take a look at each team in the conference and what they lost in 2011 and what they are looking to replace in 2012. Second, over the weekend at the UTA Tournament, I got a chance to talk with UTPA Head Coach and former SFA Assistant Brian Yale. Our interview will be available here on Saturday. Veteran previews continues with seniors Sabrina Burns and Maddie Hanlan. Also look for the first installment of SLC5 next week after the second weekend of tournaments has finished up. Finally, the link to Allison Gideon's Trek-X blog will go up soon as well as the first draft of the SLC Lineup Grid. Check the right sidebar for those two features.
Lots coming your way - as always - at SFA Volleyball's Strongest Presence on the Net... sfavolleyblog.net
[Credit: Thanks to Connie Ziober for providing some of the photos seen in the above file.]
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