Which colleges run a 6-2 offense?

Question
QUESTION: My 15 yr old daughter has been a setter for the past 4 years on her club team and school team.  However, she is only 5'3" and can probably set through her high school years but for her last several years in club ball she will probably have to transition to a DS/libero.  Our club has several other short girls in her age group that have been doing more passing while Kelley has been setting in a 5-1 offense.  What are the best camps offered for someone who is just starting to transition to the DS.  She is a pretty good passer but obviously needs to get a lot of experience at a camp or privates in order to catch up to some of the others.  I'm confident she can do it.  She's very athletic and has a good down ball. I definitely want her to work hard on this during the summer while also staying on top of her setting.  Also, what colleges would want a shorter setter?

ANSWER: Good evening and welcome to www.allexperts.com!  

You sound like a dad who has a good feeling for the game.  Something tells me that you've probably thought of everything I say!  

a)  Yes, a 5'3" setter can be useful in high school.  I made the state final 4 here in Virginia with a 5'1" setter who ran a 5-1.  She didn't even block when in the front row, just came off and dug.  However, on my 16's junior team that's qualified for Atlanta, our setters are 5'11" and 5'9".  

b)  As for camps, sure you can search out DS/Libero camps.  That would do her a lot of good.  However, those are expensive and not plentiful.  I suggest that whatever camps she attends, she requests specifically to be a a libero/DS.  

c) Now it's going to be really hard to keep her setting AND passing skills at maximum sharpness.  In fact, if she has to run a 5-1 the entire high school season, that keep her from improving on her passing, and thus could affect what team she makes next winter as a libero/DS.  She's in a little predicament.  But it's unavoidable.

d) What college would want a short setter?  Those who are willing to run a 6-2, or those who maybe only have 1 setter on their roster (in other words, they're desperate).  

I hope that this helps.  Please come again, if I can be of any help.  And please visit me at www.coachhouser.com sometime.  My staff and I are directing nine camps this summer, and we give private lessons every Sat & Sun night here in Roanoke.

Coach Houser


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Coach Houser,

Thanks for your help.  What is the best/easiest way to find out what colleges run a 6-2?

Anita

Answer
Interesting question.  I've never thought of it.

But I have the answer.  Look at the 2008 stats for the colleges of your choice.  If there are two girls with a massive # of assists (say 400 to 1000 each) while all the other women have double-digits, then the team probably ran a 6-2. Now, don't be surprised when one girl has 1200, and the other girl has 450.  Some coaches start their top setter in the right front, have her set while there and while in the back row, and not have the 2nd setter take over until the top setter is back in the front row.  Thus, top setter is "the" setter 70% of the time, and accumulates the majority of the assists.

Of course, there are other explanations for two women each having hundreds of assists, but they're not as typical.  The team could have had one setter run a 5-1 for about half of the year, then was injured/replaced.  The team could have run a 6-2 for a while, then coach decided to run a 5-1 (I've done this).  Or, the team could have had two setters who were so equal in ability that the coach ran a 5-1 with one, then the other, then the 1st one, then the 2nd one, etc (I've done this also).  

Hope this helps!
If there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know.
Thank you for visiting.
Coach Houser