By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
SAND ROCK – Gadsden State volleyball coach Courtney Brothers has had her eye on Sand Rock senior setter Rylin St.Clair for quite some time.
Even before she became the Lady Cardinals’ head coach late in 2021, Brothers recalls St.Clair making an impression on her when she coached at Southside in Gadsden.
“We’d always see them (Sand Rock) in tournaments, play dates, things like that, and she stuck out in my mind a little bit,” Brothers said. “I thought she would be a good setter when she gets older and she’s matured into that position very well.”
Brothers will now get to continue honing St.Clair’s skills after she signed a scholarship with the school on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m excited volleyball is a part of it. I’m so glad to be able to continue playing that sport,” St.Clair said. “Being able to play against other players that I’ve played with like (former Sand Rock teammate) Jacey (Stephens) who goes to Snead is really cool. A lot of my friends are going to Gadsden State (including) one of my roommates (Savannah Hall from Fort Payne) who I played travel ball with before. I just felt like this would be a really good fit for me. I really like their coach, and being local, my family is able to come. That’s really important to me.”
Brothers said St.Clair’s quick jump-setting ability fits perfectly in the Lady Cardinals’ system.
“She runs their offense very well. She’s very smart and has that option to hit on the front row as well, and that’s what we’re looking at,” Brothers said. “We like to run a quick style offense and she’s going to be able to handle that. That’s what they’re used to running as well. She can throw the defense off with where she’s going to go.”
St.Clair certainly made an impact at Sand Rock, particularly this past season. She posted 1,529 assists, 339 digs, 91 aces, 90 kills and 40 blocks for the Class 2A state runner-up Lady Wildcats (49-18) last season.
“I have seven seniors, but she really pushed us to that next level this year to where we could get further than we ever have,” Sand Rock coach Lisa Bates said. “You’ve got to be able to get the ball to the setter, but you’ve also got to have a good setter to put it in good places for the hitters. Rylin is really talented at that. She’s really fine-tuned and worked at it, like watching videos and going to camps, really learning the specifics and the mechanics. She really developed these last two years into something special for us.
“I’m proud she’s getting this opportunity. She really deserves it after all the time she’s put into it. I think she’ll do really well there.”
St.Clair said setting can be “nerve-wracking at times” but “knowing your hitters and having chemistry with them makes it so much easier.”
“I’m excited to get started in the spring and get to know my hitters there too and just work with them,” she said. “It’s a hard position, but every position is hard if you think about it. I’m just grateful to have the opportunity.”
“We’re very glad she chose us,” Brothers said. “We’re very excited to get her on the court. She’s going to make an immediate impact for us.”