If 2009 was the year of the outside hitter around Bastrop County, 2010 looks to be the year of the setter.
Bastrop’s Rachel Clardy leads a talented group of setters in Bastrop County, which also includes Elgin’s Kelsey Markham and Smithville’s Colline Morrell.
Clardy said that the trick to being successful at the setter position is being able to adjust to the game.
“You have to focus on your hitters because each one is different and they like different sets,” she said. “You also have to know the other side of the court and know what your hitters are up against and who they are matched up against.”
Clardy and Bastrop head coach Christy Donaldson said they felt the position was like a quarterback in football because the setter is the one position that has to control the court.
“There is a lot to keep up with,” Clardy said. “You constantly have to be thinking and that’s difficult because you’re making quick decisions.”
Donaldson added, “It is one of the most important things to have a good setter. I was lucky when I got here to have a setter like Rachel, who already knew how to push the ball and read her hitters.”
Clardy was the best overall setter last season, finishing with 854 assists, averaging 8.5 per set.
She finished just ahead of Markham, who is entering her fourth season with the Lady Cats’ varsity team.
Markham finished with 907 assists, but averaged 8.0 assists per set.
Elgin head coach Hollie Smith-Huston, who like Donaldson, is entering her third year with her setter said that Markham’s experience and playing the setter position makes her one of the most important players on the court.
“The setter touches the ball every time,” Smith-Huston said. “(Kelsey) is extremely athletic and has just a natural touch to her sets. She fits the mold of what I look for in a setter. If our passers are not successful, the setters must make them successful and that’s what Kelsey does.”
Smith-Huston said that when she looks for a setter, she looks for ones that have quick feet, athleticism and a competitive nature.
“We have freshmen coming in that have never played setter before, but they fit that mold of what makes a good setter,” she said. “One of the most important traits of a setter is that they cannot be passive.”
Clardy said that chemistry is very important and she feels that the chemistry she has with other Bastrop players will be beneficial for the Lady Bears.
“Hillari (Raemsch), Raven (Barnett) and I have been working together for a few years now so they know how to talk to me and let me know how close they are or where they are going to be,” she said. “I think the setter is one of the most important positions on the court, but you couldn’t do it without your passers. Without a pass, you can’t set. Without your hitters, you can’t get a point. It’s definitely one of the most important because (the setter) is the middle man.”