•A setter is the main contributor to the offense of a volleyball team and must be technically proficient
• He or she must be a great leader and communicator who works well with the attackers and other players on the court
In volleyball, middle blockers, left and right attackers, outside hitters as well as receivers are accorded a lot of attention and plaudits whether the team excels or flops.
Unbeknown to many, these positions would not be worth a mention if setters were not part of the sport.
As volleyball continues to grow technically, setters are increasingly assuming a more pivotal role in the game.
A setter is the main contributor to the offence of a volleyball team and must be technically proficient in setting the ball perfectly for one of the attacking players.
In layman's terms, a setter is the main cog in a well-oiled machine in as far as a volleyball team's attack is concerned.
Without a setter, there would be no hard spikes or technical ball movement. Kenya Prisons setter Joy Luseneka is one of the country's most experienced and successful setters.
The national women's volleyball team regular bagged the best setter award in 2019 in the Amaco tournament and Kenya Volleyball Federation playoffs.
She says the burden of the team's attack is always on her shoulders thus she has to be always alert.
"No matter how far the ball is, you must ensure it is tossed nicely. You have to adjust positions and keep play even if you have to stretch yourself to outside the court. A setter determines the performance of the team and play an all-round game," the former Lugulu Girls' alumnus says.
Luseneka, 29, adds that a setter and the attackers must have a telepathic understanding for them to fulfil their respective roles effectively.
"Every attacker has his or her own ball so it's up to the setter to know who takes which ball when they are setting. While setting, the coach always tells us that the ball should be only contacted by fingers and not palm of the hand," Luseneka says.
Sometimes, things are not rosy on the court and the setter may be compelled to bellow out instructions to the attacks on how he or she wants them to set up.
Kenya Commercial Bank's budding setter Immaculate Nekesa says proper communication between a setter and the attackers eliminates any lapse in concentration.
"A setter needs to be tenacious to attackers and keep them on toes because you can toss an inviting ball but the attacker fails to finish it off," the 18-year-old says.
Malkia Strikers captain Mercy Moim says to be an effective leader and communicator on the court, a setter has to explicitly understand his or her role.
They must be conversant with the different types of balls played on the court as well as all overlaps and the position of hitters and passers.
Setters are associated with balls 10, 8, 7, 6, 3 and 1. Knowing where, when and how to play these balls eliminates confusion in the offence.
"He or she must communicate the plays before serve reception and free-ball situations. The setter determines what will be the most efficient set, the combination applied and also the offensive strategy. This is dependent on team's rotation pattern," Moim says.
Other than kickstarting the team's attacks, Moim says a setter has to be defensively astute to forestall the opposition's attacks through blocks.
"Blocks are an important element of the game where the effort of setters is required. They (setters) are crucial in teamwork and essential components at the back court too. Setting has been one of our strength at the national team because we have experienced players,"the soft-spoken outside hitter, who boasts a 15-year experience, says.
Moim has enjoyed stints in Finland (2013-2015), Azerbaijan (2016) and Thailand (2018-2019) before returning to KCB.
The coaches' perspective
Likewise, Kenya Prisons coach Josp Barasa considers setters as the engine of the team without which play would be disjointed, rudderless and exposed to opposition counterattacks.
"They run the show for the team in as much as they are sometimes unrecognised. A setter touches all second balls to execute the attack and combines with attackers. Setters have to know who to set in various situations and this knowledge comes from meetings with the coach, a game plan, and experience," said the embellished coach.
Flexibility is key for a setter and needs to be sharp in their executions as Barasa points out.
"Swiftness is vital and creativity is a plus. A standard team needs to have four setters who play quick balls and high sets. Setters must also be good servers," said Barasa, who boasts over two-decades experience as a player and coach.
Because of their increasing importance in the game, Malkia Strikers' tactician Paul Bitok says most teams nowadays prefer tall players in the setter role compared to the shorter ones.
Height can be a disadvantage exploited by the opposition to launch their own attacks.
"Setters' hands must be malleable. They are special players with talented fingers who have to magnify their talent. Tall players stand a chance in the department because of teamwork and blocking. In the past, height did not matter," Bitok says.
Much as they dictate the pace of their teams' offence, Bitok warns modern-day setters not to neglect their defensive but to balance their different roles.
"Almost all balls pass through the setter and their distribution must be equitable for all the players. A setter is a team player and coordinates with the coach to keep all the players involved in the game," he explains.
Psychologically, Bitok concurs with Moim's and Nekesa's sentiments that setters must exhibit exceptional leadership qualities, which comes in handy when the team is on a rough patch.
"It is a position with a lot of expectations but a setter has to be mentally stable. They must know the most efficient ways to motivate teammates and show confidence in the players," he says.
Malkia's secret weapon
Bitok reveals setters have been the national team's secret weapon to overcoming their opposition at the different international competitions in which they have participated.
For instance, he identifies Luseneka as a crucial cog in the team's qualification for the Tokyo Olympics during the Africa Qualifiers held in Yaounde, Cameroon early last year.
During the qualifiers, the experienced tactician opted for Luseneka over Jane Wacu or Janet Wanja in certain stages of the matches because she could multitask.
She did not disappoint as Kenya edged out Cameroon 3-2 in the penultimate match before outclassing Nigeria in 3-0 straight sets.
"Luseneka was crucial in both setting and blocking and was important as we overpowered our opponents. It was a tough decision especially when you have all the good players at your disposal, but I am happy we made it," Bitok recalls.
Despite their importance, Barasa bemoans that many coaches focus on other positions to the detriment of their setters.
"Most coaches channel all their energy in polishing attackers while according minimal attention to setters. Setters deserve better attention too because they do the donkey work," Barasa says.
Having learned her trade under different tutors since her high school days, Luseneka admits it takes blood, sweat and tears to forge oneself into a critically-acclaimed setter.
"Training as a setter is very hard and you need to have a positive attitude. It involves a lot of running, falling and jumping. Training is an energy-sapping activity," she narrates.
Nonetheless, persisting and persevering throughout such a rigorous schedule eventually reaps dividends for the team and the player.
Bitok's parting shot to volleyball coaches — whether experienced or upcoming — 'neglect your setters at their own peril'.
Any one can lose a match but a setter having a poor day can have the most impact on a game. Setters are the yardstick that justify the overall performance of the whole team and their importance need not be underestimated."