Pollock has great impact for spikers

His impact is obvious. His skills are essential. His leadership is intense.

This Nittany Lion became addicted to the game of volleyball at Hermitage High School in Richmond, Va. Earning the honors of three-time all-district and two-time all-region player, Pollock was a redshirt freshman at Penn State in 1995.

"In my senior year in high school, Penn State won the national championship," said Pollock. "Honestly, I was worried at first having to compete on this level."

But compete he did. In his first year of eligibility, Pollock averaged 10.44 assists per game. He improved to 17.52 last season. This year, those numbers will probably rise considering his starting position.

With the graduation of former setter Justin Otto, Pollock now becomes the center of the team's game plan.

A setter is responsible for the second contact and the speed, height and location of the ball for hitters. While his duties in this sense are crucial, his teammates must also trust and depend on Pollock to do this job without fail.

"Anytime we are in a 5-1 offense, the setter is critical," coach Mark Pavlik said. "Dan has learned a lot about the position and himself. He is not physically gifted, but what he has done is sharpened the mental approach in the offense."

If a setter is good, he becomes unnoticed and overshadowed by the big offensive plays of the hitters. Coach Pavlik hopes Pollock will do just that this season.

"The appreciation of the setter comes from the hitters and the coaching staff," Pavlik said. "Danny shows solid leadership on the court, making sound decisions. He worries more about the team them himself."

This dedication highlights the contributions of Pollock. He is the emotional center of the team.

Since the starting position of setter carries this huge leadership role, Pollock had to step up this year to assume this spot. This new role, according to Pollock, was a hard adjustment.

"We (the oldest players) used to look up to people and now people look up to us," Pollock said. "We now have to get at some of the younger guys who are not working hard enough."

The role of motivator seems natural for Pollock. On the court, he constantly communicates and appears to inspire his teammates. He doesn't dwell on mistakes, but instead pushes his teammates with reinforcement.

"They look to him as a leader," said outside hitter David Gealey. "When things go wrong they look to him to smooth things out. He has to keep the team in check and not let people get down on themselves."

As Penn State enters the 1998 season with high expectations, Pollock's role becomes even more critical to their dreams.

On the court, he carries the offense of the team. On his shoulders, he carries the emotions of the players.

This might be a huge load for one person, but Pollock is determined to bear it for the team.

"I just want to help my team win as many matches as we can," Pollock said. "I will do the best I can in each match. We can't let up at all."