Player to Watch: Sofia Luciano

In the cyclic world of high school sports, teams constantly change, giving opportunities to younger players. This is the case for Sofia Luciano (‘16), setter on the girls volleyball team.Luciano moved up to the varsity level as a sophomore after spending her freshman near on the Freshman/Sophomore team, and has to show both coach Liane Sato and dedicated upperclassmen that she deserves to play on the competitive varsity team. It is very rare that players on the Freshman/ Sophomore team moves directly to varsity, completely skipping the Junior Varsity team.“The transition [to varsity] was exciting but very nerve-racking because I have a lot to prove as a 10th grader on varsity,” Luciano said. “[But] I’m really excited to have this chance.”The setter of volleyball is equivalent of the quarterback position on football. With combination of athlete and leader, the setter touches the ball nearly every play while coordinating the team. This on-the-court “coach” communicates with her team while being decisive in high-pressure situations.According to starting setter Blossom Sato (‘15), who is currently out due to a shoulder injury, Luciano posses the qualities that require her to lead the team as the setter and the so-called “playmaker” of the game.“You have to be strong, and have a positive mentality,” Blossom Sato said. “[Luciano] has really earned her spot on varsity. She’s willing to try new things and it’s obvious she wants to improve.”Kiley McGill (‘14), a team captain and outside hitter, was also supportive and excited for Luciano’s role on the team.“[Luciano] is an outstanding teammate and player. She’s always pushing herself to be better and encouraging our team to do the same,” McGill said.Liane Sato tries to prepare for the group of graduating seniors each year by giving younger players like Luciano more playing time at the varsity level. In the past two graduating classes, the classes of 2013 and 2014, the girls volleyball team lost a majority of their starters, which has made the team have to work harder to stay in their current standing.“Graduating seniors creates an opportunity for players to compete for a [varsity] spot.” Liane Sato said.Regardless of the intense competition for a starting role at the varsity level, Luciano understands volleyball is a team sport and regardless of her personal skill, it is important to be patient and be a team player.“I try to be supportive because it is a team sport,” Luciano said. “If you are a great player but can’t work well with others, you won’t make it as an athlete.”jsadler@thesamohi.com