Jeanna Duncan has always been a setter. Except for those two seasons, she spent learning to be a right side hitter and, you know, winning a state title.
As much fun as the new position was, Duncan - now a senior on the Northwestern High School volleyball squad - has returned to her natural home on the court and is better for the experience.
Duncan grew up on the game of volleyball and was destined, it seemed, to always be a setter. That changed in her freshman season when the Northwestern coaching staff, which includes her father Doug as an assistant coach, transformed her temporarily into a right side hitter.
She spent two seasons in that role, winning a State B state title with the Wildcats in 2011, before returning to the setter spot in 2012 and again assuming the lead role in 2013.
"It's just kind of a natural fit for her. She's the workhorse of our team," said Northwestern head coach Nora Groft. "She works harder than anyone else. She really just puts her heart and soul into the game. The other players really respect her, and so for her to be in that leadership role just seems natural."
Duncan said the experience on the front line has made her a better defensive player and a more patient offensive player.
"When I did get that chance to be a hitter, I thought it was really fun," said Duncan. "Looking back on it, I'm actually really glad that that happened, because I feel it's made me a better defensive player."
"I think as a freshman coming in, it maybe didn't occur to her that she would be a passer on serve-receive," said Groft. "But she ended up being one of our better passers, even though she had never passed before."
Duncan said the experience of being on the receiving end of the sets has also expanded her understanding about being on the giving end.
"Being a hitter is really challenging," said Duncan. "You really have to have the timing down. Now I understand that, yeah, if you're not getting to the ball, well, I've been there. I know how that feels."
Even through the transition to the hitter role, Duncan kept tabs on her setting skills by setting for the junior varsity squad. As the right side player, she would also often serve as the secondary setter in case the primary setter was taken out of the play.
The move is actually not that unheard of for Groft's teams.
"That's how we transition our younger setters into that setting role on the varsity," said Groft. "We use those first couple of years to get them out on the court and get them experience. Typically the right front or right back is a natural place to put them, so that they get comfortable on the varsity level court without the pressure and responsibility of running the offense as a 14-year-old freshman."
Having her father at a ready reach has been a key factor in the success of Duncan's journey through her career.
"It's been nice," she said. "I can go to him and ask him what I'm doing wrong and how I should fix it. Sometime we clash, but he's always there and I know that I can go talk to him if I have any questions."
Having grown up in and around the game of volleyball, Duncan feels the weight of the perennial success of the team, but considers it "an honor" to lead a team with such high expectations for itself.
"Northwestern's always been good, so you want to keep that going," she said.
The Jenna Duncan File
Family: Parents: Doug and Amy Duncan; Zachary (16); Darby (14); Moira (12); Zeke (11).
Favorite athlete: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs of the NBA).
Favorite team: Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Other sports: Track.
Game day superstition: None.
Future plans: Undecided.
Athletic memory: Beating Warner in district championships as a sophomore enroute to a state title.
Follow @J_Scoby on Twitter.