EV libero says it’s ‘most exciting position on the court’

Some sports love to mess around with the names they give to different positions.

Football? What’s the difference between a Sam, a Mac and Leo and what the heck did they do with the fly half and the scatback?

Basketball? They used to have two guards, two forwards and a center. Now you have point guards, shooting guards, off guards and sitting guards, and coaches who completely do away with names and call their positions the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 – which might get a little confusing when you play for a team called the Sixers.

Volleyball got into the act a few years ago when they added a whole new position: the libero.

Already fielding outside hitters, middle blockers and back row and defensive specialists, the libero added a new wrinkle.

“For one thing, we get to wear a cool, different-colored jersey,” East Valley senior libero Brooklynn Juris said. “I have to explain to people why.”

The first-team All-Great Northern League libero a year ago, Juris is in her third season at the position for the Knights.

“As a freshman I played defensive specialist,” she said. “In a lot of ways, they’re the same position. The difference is that I can sub myself into the game without having to notify the officials.”

The contrasting jersey makes it easier to track just what a player like Juris brings to the game. Since the libero is prohibited from contacting the ball when it is completely above net height, she concentrates on doing the hard work that makes a team click – digging out balls from opposing hitters and handling serves from the oppositions.

Essentially, the libero is a defensive antidote to opposing team’s best hitters.

“I think it’s the most exciting position on the court,” Juris said. “I love playing it. You have to keep a positive mental outlook on every play.”

As a three-year starter in a league where teams play each other three separate times during the regular season, court savvy plays a big role in what Juris does for the Knights.

“By this part of the season we know what teams are going to do,” she said. “You know what hitters like to do and how servers are going to hit the ball. That lets me cheat a little bit, get myself in position to make the play.

“I love to make a good dig and start a big play for my team.”

Handling serves is a special emphasis.

“Our coach takes that very seriously,” she said. “He brings out the ball machine and the radar gun and works with us. What’s toughest for me are the slow serves where the ball moves a lot. They’re like a knuckleball and it’s difficult to get a good hit on the ball.”

East Valley enters the final week of the regular season in third place behind Pullman and Cheney. The Knights played their final home match of the regular GNL season Tuesday. Next Tuesday they play their finale at Clarkston.

But Juris said she and her teammates aren’t taking anything for granted.

“In our league anybody can beat anybody, so anything can happen,” she said. “We graduated some key players from last year’s team, so we were pretty young to start the season, but those players have grown into their roles and right now they’re playing with experience.”

East Valley has a well-deserved reputation for finishing well and becoming a formidable factor by the end of the season – no matter the sport.

The Knights are in the post-season tournament, but just where that tournament will be played is anyone’s guess.

Pullman and Cheney entered the final two weeks tied with seven wins, but the Greyhounds have two matches remaining, against Clarkston and, in the regular season finale, at Cheney.

The chance to host the league tournament goes to the regular season champion.