Oct. 29, 2010

Story from by Stephanie Pendrys, Sioux Falls (S.D.) Sports Information

Libero. The word looks more like the name of a European luxury sedan than a position in volleyball. For Sioux Falls (S.D.) Cougar and Great Plains Athletic Conference Libero-of-the-Week, Rachel Heeney explaining - or even pronouncing - her position is as difficult as playing it.

Is the senior a LEE-bah-ro, as some people say, a LUH-bare-OH or a lih-BEAR-RO? And what the heck is it?

Confusing casual volleyball fans further is that the libero (Italian for "free") does not wear the same uniform as her teammates. When the Cougars don their trademark purple, Heeney wears white so she can stand out for officials.

"Did you forget your shirt?" curious USF fans might ask.

So Heeney has to educate the uninformed on the uniform.

"I have had to explain to people what my position is in volleyball more times than I can count," Heeney said.

Libero 101: Liberos are back-row defensive specialists - think of them as the defensive equivalent of designated hitters in baseball. The libero is a scrambling, tumbling, diving, backcourt player; they dig out balls by the opposing team and pass to teammates, keeping plays alive.

Points and rallies can begin and end with what the libero does. Heeney is the Cougars' designated digger. And she is darn good at it.

And no one knows this better than senior setter Amber Nieuwsma, who has been at the receiving end of Heeney's passes since they were both freshmen.

"As a setter, it is important to always get a good pass, and throughout the years it has been a blessing to have Rachel passing to me so that I know the pass will be in the right spot," Nieuwsma said of her classmate."Rachel is a great defensive player so I know that I can transition up to the net, and she is going to be there getting the free ball or down ball that comes to my position so that we can run our offense."

Earlier this year, Heeney recorded her 2,000th dig as a Cougar. When you watch No. 2,000, it is a routine dig, nothing special - and according to her coach, that's what makes her special.

"Rachel works harder than anyone in practice, and her dedication to her position allows her to make an exceptional play look routine," Cougars coach Lisa Mathes-Peters said of her libero. "I don't need to tell you that she gives 110 percent."

The first thing you notice when you watch Heeney on the court is that she is never standing still. She starts every point in her anticipatory semi-crouch, but before you can say "dig" - she is diving, flipping, hopping and somersaulting - saving the ball and serving as the party spoiler of the match. Just when it looks like the opposing six-foot outside hitter is going to blast an unreturnable ball over the net for a kill - there is Heeney, sprawling and giving all she has to dig the ball and give her team the chance to win the point. It is like an outfielder stabbing a line drive that looked like a sure double.

You also cannot help but notice the beating her body takes; those bruises are not a part of the purple Cougar uniform. The kneepads help, but other times there is the indistinguishable squeak of skin on court and the thud of new bruises being formed - a libero's personal soundtrack.

"It can be a very difficult position because of the physical play," Heeney said. "You have to be prepared to dive for the ball on every point, and you can't worry about getting hurt. I need to be ready on every point because if I don't do my job, my teammates can't do their jobs."

But this is what Heeney lives for. There is nothing like erasing the impact of a big-time hitter who looks 10-feet tall when she jumps and like a live cannon when she hits the ball.

"Digging is amazing," Heeney said. "It can be a lot of pressure, but I love it. When you stop a big hitter and keep the rally going, it just gets the whole team pumped up."

"It takes a lot of heart and athletic ability to be a libero. Rachel is one of the best in the GPAC, and we are really going to miss her next season," said Mathes-Peters.

It's tough enough playing volleyball. Add the stress of playing the most physically demanding position, then add homework, completing a double major (public accounting and business administration) and senior activities - it can be a time management nightmare.

"I'm not going to lie, it can be tough to handle it all," said Heeney. "It takes a lot of long nights and motivation. But I look to my parents for inspiration; they are the most hard-working people that I know. My mom and dad constantly remind me that in the long run, it will all be worth it."

Looking to the future after her triumphs on the volleyball court, Heeney is currently researching graduate schools and planning a career in forensic accounting.
Pronounce it however you like. Rachel Heeney is a heck of a libero, and Cougar Nation is proud to call her one of our own.