What's it like to play volleyball at the highest level? MLV champion Indy Ignite teaches IndyStar

Stepping between the lines showed that. Looking foolish in trying to get footwork down but getting coaching, from the players, then reminders about positioning on digs and tips about timing of attacks, and then high-fives and affirmation when finally launching an attack or serve over the net.

IndyStar sports reporter Dana Hunsinger Benbow, left, and sports editor Aaron Ferguson find the fun in a humbling volleyball lesson with Indy Ignite.

Yes, leaning into Tuaniga's leadership about dancing — something I never do — and celebrating a point — something I happily did in our serving competition — was a great reminder that sport is fun. These are kids games that some are lucky enough to perform at the highest level and, yes, that brings consequences throughout the course of a season or career, but fun in the Ignite's sense embodies the culture of this team.

"I just want to help people feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations," Tuaniga said.

How volleyball players process information quickly is incredible

Right, left, right, jump and open your upper body to the setter — this was the command to hit out of the middle blocker position. Oh, and you also want to go fast, as the pass to the setter is in the air. That timing was tricky for someone hearing this and trying it for the first time in a matter of minutes.

Another one: left, right, toss the ball up in front of you, left, right, jump, locate the ball and serve (over the net or you owe donuts) — this for an effective jump serve.

High-level volleyball became a constant when I moved to Madison, Wisconsin. It quickly taught me how fun this quick-paced sport is to watch, and playing at a low level with friends amplified the excitement of the sport.

But it took until this opportunity between the lines (my background is a few physical education units with no teaching on form) to have an even greater appreciation for the level at which players process information, and how quickly. And, no, that's not talking about the skills referenced above they learned at 8 years old.

The number of reps since they began playing does help, though. Preparation before the action is key, and the Ignite spoke about the importance of "eye work" or reading the opposition from pass to set to attack.

MLV champion Indy Ignite taught IndyStar what it's like to play volleyball at the highest level. Reporter Dana Hunsinger Benbow, left, and sports editor Aaron Ferguson, right, learn from league libero of the year Elena Scott how to receive serves.

Hitting options from either pin, the middle — sometimes a quick dump by the setter — or the backrow provide numerous attacks to plan for. A drill the Ignite do, "ball, setter, ball hitter," helps them prepare for in-game opportunities, Scott explained. It begins with the opposing offense setting itself up with a pass to the setter, judging the tempo by looking at the ball and then back to the setter's hands to read where the attack will come from and then "where the shoulders are facing, where the elbows are going."

Scott was the best at this in Major League Volleyball, being named the libero of the year. Impressive for someone who played setter in high school. But it didn't take long to hone in on becoming an elite defender, helping key Louisville's run to the national championship game in 2024, and now the Ignite to a regular-season championship.

That backcourt view provides a little bit more time than those at the net. Martyn takes a pre-hop when the ball is reaching the setter to activate her movement, knowing she'll have to rotate to her left or right to close down attacking lanes. Middles like Martyn also have to prepare for the possibility of the setter dumping the ball when in the front row, which she said causes a late reaction to try and block it.

Consider that even the longest of rallies are over by the time you've read those last three paragraphs, and it puts into perspective how quickly these offenses are run. Oh, and the power behind those hits as Indy's Leketor Member-Meneh can send it over at 63 mph.

How my baseball background translated volleyball skill sets

Baseball is the lens through which I translate skill sets through because so often in sport, the movements and goals are similar. As 6-foot-6 middle blocker Cara Cresse explained the importance of squaring our upper body to the setter, I found a different translation.

Pointing my left shoulder at the net helps not only aiming my attack but maximizing power on my swing. Not only that, but I'm squaring my shoulders as I would after fielding a ground ball to aim toward first base. And, while I'm not throwing down a mound like a pitcher, I instantly thought of the imaginary rubber band that stretches from my front hip to my arm that when stretched builds up enough power to maximize velocity — hitting velocity, in this case.

In-between reps — Bertolacci kept it quick — I explained this epiphany to Cresse, who said her Louisville volleyball coach, Dan Meske, would use similar ways to explain things during his drills. When I was younger, I had a coach who used boxing terms to explain this concept of maximizing force to generate velocity as a thrower, or exit velocity as a hitter.

Indy Ignite middle blocker Cara Cresse gives IndyStar sports editor Aaron Ferguson a lesson on how to play middle blocker.

Cresse is among the Ignite players who would make good coaches one day. Or even in the fall as Martyn and her husband do at Fishers High School, or opposite hitter Azhani Tealer does at Vanderbilt. The grace with which they gave us, even staying after practice for an hour, was an admirable trend for those at the top of their sport, which they'll look to claim beginning 7 p.m. Thursday in Frisco, Texas.

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X:@DanaBenbow. Reach her via email:dbenbow@indystar.com.

Aaron Ferguson is a sports editor at IndyStar, overseeing coverage of college sports, the Indiana Fever and IndyCar. Follow him on Twitter at @Sports_Aaron.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How difficult is playing pro volleyball? Indy Ignite teach lessons