TEUTOPOLIS — When the opportunity was there to earn more playing time, former Teutopolis setter Sara Swingler took it.
Now at Lincoln Trail College, Swingler earned the starting setter spot this season and has made the most of a successful sophomore campaign for the Lady Statesmen.
“As my starting setter this year, I am able to pair Sara up with my main hitters,” Lincoln Trail College head coach Dana Goodwin said. “They all work great together. Sara knows there is a lot of pressure and expectations that come with her position and she handles that well.”
Earning the starting setter spot was one of two of Swingler’s goals heading into the year.
“Heading into my sophomore year, I set a couple of goals: I knew I wanted to be a primary setter this year and improve my abilities on the court,” Swingler said. “I am working every day to achieve these goals and plan on pushing myself every day to keep trying to be the best I can be.”
Through 20 matches where statistics have been recorded, Swingler has 248 assists — nearly 4.86 per set.
As a freshman, Swingler played in 13 matches and had 27 assists.
“I’ve been getting a lot of reps in and outside of games,” Swingler said. “I practiced over the summer on a sand volleyball team, where I was able to work my hands preparing for the season. Now, our college team practices for two hours daily, where I constantly work on my setting ability, doing my best to improve.”
The team has totaled 11.70 kills per set and have a .245 hitting percentage.
“Sara knows her hitters and what sets they like most as far as being quick, tight, or farther off the net,” Goodwin said. “That is easily her biggest strength. She is smart on the court and knows how to balance her sets using all of the hitters, but also knows when a hitter is ‘hot’ to utilize that athlete more often.”
The elevation of Swingler’s game has been vital to Lincoln Trail’s success. The Lady Statesmen are currently 13-8.
Swingler also enjoys playing for a coach like Goodwin.
“Coach Goodwin has been coaching at Lincoln Trail for nine years now. Playing for her for the past two seasons has been an honor,” Swingler said. “I love her passion and grit for the sport. This rubs off on her players, giving me confidence on the court to continue to strive to be a better athlete and teammate.”
Likewise, Goodwin also enjoys coaching players like Swingler.
“I love that Sara is an athlete who will come in and do whatever needs to be done with no questions asked,” Goodwin said. “I can count on her to listen to me and her teammates about her setting to ensure she is the best version of herself on the court. Comparing last season to this season, Sara has grown tremendously. Her setting is more consistent and she has gained a sense of confidence on the court.”