Many coaches seem to continually be searching for a setter with the “so called” prototypical volleyball body and height. Here’s my question for them: Wasn’t having a 5 foot 7 or 5-8 setter for four of the last five Olympics enough to prove that it isn’t necessary?

I’m 5-8, and I was one of those setters in three Olympics, two of them on silver-medal winning teams (2008 and 2012). Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, who is 5-7, was the other.

I first heard the body type, height conversation when I was about 15 or 16. I went to a USA Volleyball junior tryout with one of my high school teammates, Tehani Miyashiro. We were both extremely undersized – I was barely 5-7 at the time – and not the “typical” volleyball body type. But we were undoubtedly the best volleyball players in the gym. (Yes, I might be partial).