Published: Oct. 24, 2013
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor
Slinger’s girls volleyball coach Michelle Lastovich thought
she had seen it all in more 30 years in the sport.
That was until she met Wynter Elder.
Elder, a senior on the Owls’ varsity team, possesses a
unique trait: She’s ambidextrous.
But only in volleyball. Otherwise, she’s right-handed.
“I think it just came out of nowhere,” Elder said. “It
probably came from messing around in practice.
“It just eventually came where I could use it in a game.”
Elder can execute a kill with either arm, which gives the
Owls an unique weapon on the court.
“It’s a huge advantage for a hitter to be able to hit with
both arms,” Lastovich said.
Slinger hopes Elder can use this unique trait to her
advantage when the Owls host Sheboygan North in a WIAA Division 1 regional
semifinal tonight.
The Division 1 portion of the WIAA state tournament series
starts tonight, while Living Word Lutheran will play its secondround match at
Hilbert. Kettle Moraine Lutheran’s title defense also starts tonight.
“The girls are super excited and rightfully so, they’ve
earned it,” Lastovich said about the Owls getting a home match to start the
regional. “They worked hard in the season. In general, the girls have put
together a nice season, much better than last year. I’m very proud of them.”
Lastovich, who is in her second season as Slinger’s head
coach, saw Elder dabble hitting with both arms a bit during the summer. Then as
the high school season got going, Lastovich’s eyes were opened by Elder’s
ability.
Then she had to figure out if she’d ever seen it in her
volleyball life which dates back to when she was in fifth grade.
So she called friends and former teammates just to see if
they could remember ever playing with or against someone who could do what
Elder could do. Nobody could remember it.
Elder said it probably helps her stand out.
Opposing coaches have noticed and have asked Lastovich to
make sure they were seeing it right.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with those coaches,”
Lastovich said.
The ability to be able to swing with both arms came to
fruition during the club season last year. She noticed her left arm was getting
stronger. She wouldn’t work on it in practice all that much.
Her right arm is her dominant arm, but being able to swing
with both arms keeps opponents guessing when Elder goes up for a kill.
“When you’re looking at somebody who’s hitting out of the
middle, they might set up the block for someone who is right-handed then have
to adjust,” Lastovich said.
There is not much planning as to which side Elder will
utilize; it’s a spur-of-the-moment thing. In a just a second or two, Elder will
dissect where the ball is being set, how the block is being set up and how the
defense is set up. That dictates which arm she’ll swing with.
Sometimes, she’ll even change it in mid-flight.
“It gives the other team something to think about,” Elder
said, adding it keeps other teams guessing.
“It’s very surprising to me. It’s something I got used to
where I could use my left arm as a safety. It’s not something I can work on.
It’s become a habit.”
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