PALATINE, Ill. - It's easy to trace the roots of Sarah House's (Crystal Lake, Ill., Crystal Lake South) game. When the Harper College volleyball sophomore first started playing in high school at Crystal Lake South, she was an outside hitter. And when she joined the Sky High club team in her junior year, she played libero.
Combining those skills on attack and on defense are what have made House such a good all-around player for the fourth-ranked Hawks and have led her to be chosen as Harper College's fifth Athlete of the Week.
“Sarah has the insatiable desire to be the best, and she has the drive and determination to get there,” said head coach Bob Vilsoet. “She understands the value of practicing and giving her all at all times.”
As a freshman on last season's 34-13 squad, House ranked second on the team in kills with 343 and third on the team in digs with 338 digs. She played outside hitter but was able to stay on the floor for full rotations because of her ability to play the back row. House was rewarded for her performance with a spot on the N4C All-Conference team and the Region IV All-Tournament team. This season has been more of the same. She ranks third on the team in kills (175) and digs (236).
At 5-foot-8, House is at least four inches shorter than two-time All-Conference pick Lauren LaMasse (Hoffman Estates, Ill., Hoffman Estates) from the 2011 team and freshmen Veronica Dabrowski (Des Plaines, Ill., Rolling Meadows) and Erinn Hellweg (Wauconda, Ill., Wauconda), all of whom are 6-feet or above. So how does she compensate?
“I can jump a little bit. Their hits are very powerful and I am more of a placement hitter,” House said of the difference between her and her taller teammates. “I have to really look before I hit, otherwise it just isn't going to work out. You always want to mix up where you hit. One time I hit line, then again, then I'll hit a cross. You can't do the same thing three times in a row or else they start to pick up on it.”
In House's two years at Harper, the Hawks have been incredibly successful with a 54-18 record, including a 16-3 mark in N4C play. A culture has been established with Vilsoet and his teams. His teams are always prepared.
“The practices, we always come ready to work hard,” House said. “We don't go into games overconfident. Last year, our problem at regionals may have been that we were overconfident and that hurt us. Us sophomores know that now and we always tell the freshmen before big games to not be cocky. Go into games knowing that you can lose and willing to push yourself to the limits to win.”
House's ability to do so many different things on a volleyball court is also due to her coaching experience. As a coach, one must be able to teach different parts of the game to younger players and House has grown in that area as a coach with Sky High. It's helped mentor younger teammates like Dabrowski, who before this year at never played middle back and House was able to show her where she needed to be in certain situations.
“I feel like I am always coaching my teammates,” House said. “They may get a little annoyed with it sometimes, but it just kind of happens. I feel like they learn a lot from me and I learn a lot from them. Just watching each other play, there are different things that we pick up on.”
House played in high school all four years in addition to playing basketball and softball during her freshman and sophomore seasons. After her junior season, she joined Sky High where she first played for Vilsoet. It was there that she played with current teammates Sam Wallenberg (Elk Grove, Ill., St. Viator), Clara Moravec (Lake in the Hills, Ill., Jacobs) and Stephanie Igielski (Streamwood, Ill., St. Edwards). It was there that she caught the attention of Vilsoet when she would work on the different kinds of shots that make her the player that she is today.
“It started out in club practices that her desire to be the best was obvious,” Vilsoet said. “Each practice, she would have in mind what she wanted to improve upon and would focus all her energy on learning how to execute those shots effectively.”
Knowing that she wanted to play in college, Vilsoet convinced House to come play at Harper. And House has not regretted that decision one bit.
“I love it,” House said of her experience at Harper. “I wish it was a four-year school. I would be here for all four years and play here for all four years. I love it here, it's awesome.”
Looking ahead, House's future is uncertain. She knows that she wants to continue playing but hasn't decided where that will be. Wherever she lands, House will surely bring the type of all-around game that she has been so successful with at Harper.
“She plays with her whole heart and soul on the court and truly enjoys and plays every minute and every point to the fullest,” Vilsoet said.
