In March, Vernon Hills senior Alon Polischuk had a conversation that changed the course of his athletic life.
Throughout his Vernon Hills and club volleyball career, Polischuk had played outside hitter. But during a preseason practice, Cougars assistant coach Charles Mann made a suggestion.
“They [the coaches] know I can hit,” Polischuk said. “[Mann] said, ‘We don’t have anyone who can play defense at the [varsity] level.’ I took it to heart.”
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Coach Chris Curry added: “We said, ‘You can keep swinging if you want, but we need someone who can take [the libero] role.'”
Polischuk began to take practice repetitions at libero. By the time the season started in late March, the 6-foot-1, 182-pound Polischuk had won the job.
Through the midway point of the Cougars’ season, Polischuk is thriving. In 16 matches, he has 145 digs at the libero position. Vernon Hills has one of the better front lines in the North Suburban Conference. Senior outside hitters Lem Turner (6-6) and Dylan DeBoer (6-3) are powerful swingers who can take over a match. Polischuk is not only keeping balls in play, but feeding Turner and DeBoer.
“No one saw [Polischuk] going to libero as he’s always been on the outside,” senior setter and outside hitter Jared Bennett said. “But he’s an extremely good passer and what makes him a good libero is he’s super aggressive and he has a hitter’s mentality.”
On April 22, Vernon Hills played Stevenson. The Cougars dropped the first game, 25-22. But in the second game, Vernon Hills controlled serve-receive and won 25-16. In the third game, the Cougars fell behind 6-1 and 13-8, but rallied. Polischuk played a significant role as passer and defender.
The Cougars lost the third game 25-22 to drop the match. Polischuk’s stat line — one service error on nine attempts and 11 digs — revealed how much of an impact he is having from the defensive specialist position.
“Everyone can hit the ball, but not everyone can hit the ball and serve as well,” Polischuk said.
From the back row, Polischuk said he has to expand his in-match point of view.
“There’s more platform and passing. You have to watch the hitter’s shoulder to see if he’s going to the line or squaring up to cross [to the middle of the court]. You have to look for the hole in the block,” he said. “There’s a lot more court awareness, knowing where you are and plan the next move.”
In 2014, Polischuk was designated to the bench. He watched seniors Mike Heinz and Max Spiglanin play the hitter position he desired. He hoped to replace them in 2015.
But one conversation changed his trajectory at Vernon Hills. He’s making the most of his new position while gaining a healthy perspective on the merits of opportunity and new beginnings.
“If you spend your whole life doing the same thing forever, you’ll never know what you can do,” Polischuk said. “You never know where life is going to take you.”
Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @prepspioneer