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11/07/2017 11:00 PMAs both a captain and someone that changed positions for the better of her squad, Julia Hyman has proven the consummate team player who set up Guilford volleyball for a magical year.
Julia, a senior co-captain, was a back-row player for Guilford before being asked to moved up the line to setter this fall. During the recent regular season, Julia accumulated 417 assists to go with 99 digs, 35 aces, and 39 kills for the Indians, who went 18-2 for their best record in program history, while also winning the SCC Oronoque Division title. More recently, Guilford advanced to its first SCC Tournament final since 2011.
“This season at setter has gone better than I thought. Other teams usually aim for the setter when they hit the ball, but with my experience in the back row, I felt better and more comfortable with digging. I also made it a good point this year to ask my hitters what they want with bringing the ball to them,” says Julia. “I fell in love with volleyball because I learned something new every day. I also like the mix of athleticism from basketball it brings with jumping ability and reaction skills. I also like the team aspect, too.”
Julia quickly found her comfort zone as Guilford’s setter and had that “a-ha” moment during warm-ups before an early-season matchup. The trust that’s felt throughout the Indians’ roster is certainly evident between Julia and her hitters.
“We were warming up in hitting lines early in the season, and I was setting Emma Appleman, and we had the perfect set. You could see it really got the whole team hyped up. It made me realize how good I could be if I got my sets up,” Julia says. “This year, we genuinely like and trust each other. I can trust my teammates, and it helps my confidence level. Our teamwork is stronger than ever, and you can see it when we play.”
Julia feels that being a captain is a situation that’s worked out all the way around for everyone. Julia’s teammates believe in the messages she relays, while she always puts them before herself.
“Being captain is a great honor, especially for a smaller group of people. I get along with [fellow senior co-captain] Trinity Flynn very well,” says Julia. “The girls trust in what we are saying to them, and we motivate them and aren’t self-absorbed.”
While she applauds her leadership style, Head Coach Laura Meyer adds that Julia is a steady hand as a setter who also provides quality service.
“Julia was a defensive player for us last year, but came into the season ready to be to be our setter. She is all over the floor and makes our offense flow,” says Meyer. “She makes good decisions, which leads to the team’s success. She has one of the most consistent serves on the team. Julia is a captain that leads both on and off the court.”
Despite a pair of five-set defeats late in the season, Julia and the Indians have shown tremendous resolve all year by never throwing in the towel. That no-quit attitude looks to serve Guilford well when it encounters some unfamiliar foes in the upcoming State Tournament.
“We never had a moment this year where we were doubting if we wanted to be there and win a match. We never gave up a single game. We were on a little bit of a high, so we didn’t play well [against Branford in Guilford’s first loss of the year], but we learned we can come back from deficits, and can’t give up,” says Julia, who thanks her team, her brother James, along with Coach Meyer and Guilford volleyball assistant coach Jeff DeMaio. “It will be interesting in states, because we will see teams that aren’t from around here, which makes it much more fun. Our East Lyme loss helped us see what we will see in states and know that we have to play up to that level.”