Paige Nash played setter when she was a freshman in high school. Ever since, she's been a big-hitting middle.
Now, Nash may have to take one for the team - the West all-star team.
Nash will join former Dickinson High teammates Katelyn Steffan and Liz Sattler and Midgets coach Jay Schobinger in the North Dakota Optimist and High School Coaches Association all-star volleyball series on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Because the West has 12 players and none are true setters, Schobinger said it's likely that Nash and Williston's Shannon Fee will fill the void.
"If I could get back into it, I have no problem," said Nash, the 2006 North Dakota Gatorade player of the year.
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Schobinger is the West's co-coach along with Tim Wallstrum of Kenmare High School. Schobinger isn't expecting any problems, even though he has to find a setter to pair with a batch of powerful hitters.
"There's a lot of talent out there," said Schobinger, who was recently named the female co-coach of the year by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. "Somebody will step up."
This is the second year in a row, and third in the past four, Schobinger will coach the game. It's also the second consecutive year he's been able to bring three Dickinson players.
Last season Liz Sipma, Betsy Moormann and Mandy Brumfield all played in the game.
"It's just an honor," said Schobinger, who coached the Midgets to back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006. "They're the kids who did the work and allowed me to enjoy coaching them again for a week."
Sattler, who won't play college volleyball like Steffan and Nash, is relishing the opportunity to play two more matches.
"I get to play with two of my closest teammates," Sattler said. "I'm going to make the most out of my time with them and have a lot of fun with it."
Nash is taking her game to the University of Montana and Steffan plans to play at Colorado State. Sattler chose to further her education at the University of Minnesota.
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"I'm definitely going to miss them next year," Nash said. "It'll be nice to play with them one last time."
The games will be played Tuesday at West Fargo High School and Wednesday at Bismarck Century High School. Six Class A and six Class B players make up each team.
Other area players include: Hazen middle hitter Alison Christian, Flasher's Christy Gabrielson and New Salem's Sarah Holle, who will attend Dickinson State and compete in track and field.
"For me, you watch these kids from other towns play and you know that they're good but you don't realize how good they are until you get to spend five days with them and watch what they do," Schobinger said.
