On the attack: Colony volleyball player becoming dominant in the middle

Oct. 29, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - Basketball coaches often say taller players need to, &#8220grow into their size.”

Maybe it's the same for volleyball?

Hannah Curtis has spent her entire high school career as a 6-foot tall middle hitter. Now she is playing like a dominant 6-foot tall middle hitter.

Curtis, a Colony High School junior, won't jump to say she is having a breakout season. But with a 21-kill performance in a win over the Wasilla Warriors on Thursday, a match where she also scored five solo blocks, Curtis continued to prove she is one of the emerging talents of the Northern Lights Conference.

A reason for her success may be learning to play

better at her height.

&#8220I used to not play my height,” said Curtis, who has stood at 6 feet since she was in the eighth grade. &#8220I used to hate being tall, but now I love being tall.”

Colony head coach Amy Carter said Curtis has never been an uncoordinated athlete, at least at the high school level, but Curtis has certainly improved in that department.

&#8220I used to be kind of gangly, but now I can use my body to my advantage,” Curtis said.

Obviously Curtis has the physical tools, Carter said.

&#8220She's got the height and the arm swing,” Carter said. &#8220But she's also very quick.”

But, even better, Curtis has the appropriate attitude, the Colony head coach said.

&#8220She just made that decision that she's going to be a dominant player,” Carter said.

Curtis attended a series of camps during the offseason, something she also credits to her improvement. She participated in the Allen Allen and Midnight Sun All-American camps in Alaska. Curtis also had the opportunity to travel to Boston for a Nike High

Potential camp.

&#8220They really helped me a lot to improve my skills,” Curtis said.

One of the biggest things Curtis learned, she said, was the need to hit around the opponents' blockers.

&#8220Last year, I had a really hard time hitting side-to-side,” Curtis said.

She showed that ability in a key NLC win over the Warriors on Thursday.

During a key Colony 7-1 run in a tiebreaking third game, Curtis posted four kills and a solo block. She was able to use her height to get up and over the smaller Wasilla blockers. And she was able to knock the ball away from the Warriors' taller hitters up front.

&#8220She's really improved significantly since last year,” Carter said.

Curtis has also had to incorporate somewhat of a leadership role on a very young team.

&#8220Last year she was one of two sophomores on a team with seven seniors,” Carter said.

Curtis said there is certainly a pressure that goes along with taking a position of leadership, but it's something she is appreciating.

Curtis helped Colony improve to 6-7 overall and 3-6 in NLC play with the win. The victory ensure at least the third seed from the North Division in the upcoming conference tournament.

After Ashlen Welch gave the Warriors a 25-19 win in the second game of the match, with a hard shot that fell just inside the back line, Curtis sparked the Knights during an early run in the third game. The Knights built an 10-point lead midway through the third game, and was able to hold on for the 25-18 win.

Kristin Coan posted three of her seven kills in the final moments of the fourth game to help Colony secure the 3-1 win. Coan found a whole in the Wasilla defense, to give her squad the 22-20 lead. On the following play, she sent the ball across the court for another point.

In addition to the performance of Curtis, Carter said passing and the play of setter Desi Diselrod where key factors in the win.

&#8220When we are passing well - and I think Wasilla is kind of the same - everything goes well from there,” Carter said. &#8220If we can get the ball anywhere close to Desi, we can do something with it.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.