High school volleyball: Dynamic duo shows the way

WEST VALLEY CITY — Great team captains can take a team places that even the best coaches cannot lead players.

That's why the role is often given to the oldest, most experienced and most responsible members of a squad. Hunter juniors Lusia Angilau and Elissa Atiga have embraced that responsibility on the Wolverines' volleyball team, even as they're still learning exactly what it means to lead.

"Having captains that can step up and be leaders, especially vocal leaders, totally changes a team," said Wolverines head volleyball coach Pam Olson. "You don't have to call the extra time out; you don't have to pull players out of a game and talk to them or try to calm them down — the captains do that on the floor for you. Having great captains makes a huge difference."

Elissa Atiga didn't have much choice but to be athletic.

With a volleyball playing mother and brothers who excelled at football, the 16-year-old outside hitter began playing volleyball competitively in ninth grade.

"My mom was the coach of our team at Club Union," she said. "It was really fun. We weren't good at it, but I loved hitting the ball."

Atiga sees being a leader as a challenge, but one that she's happy to have.

"My role is just to keep them doing what we have to do to be successful," said Atiga, who would like to be a doctor or a lawyer. "Sometimes it's a lot of personal pressure to keep everyone motivated, but I choose to take the challenge."

Olson said Atiga, also known as Les, is a positive influence on the team — literally.

"I would say one of her strengths is that she stays positive and tries to help motivate other kids," Olson said. "She controls the momentum of our team."

Her value as a volleyball player includes being versatile.

"She hits well, blocks well, has a good vertical," Olson said. "We need her on the court, especially on the front row. We've moved her position from right side to middle to outside. Where ever we need her to be, that's where she'll be."

Angilau started out competing in gymnastics but quickly outgrew the sport.

"Then I started to get tall," she said with a smile. That's when she took up volleyball, the sport her mother played in high school. She also played for Club Union and had a great experience.