SE: Kuck Keeping K-State VB in Rallies with Relentless Digging Mentality
Oct 23, 2019 | Volleyball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
K-State volleyball's Dru Kuck earned the nickname, "Flying Squirrel," as a 13-year-old setter. It, in part, explained why she never made it at that position and, instead, thrived on a different part of the court: The back row.
"I was always the one who flung (herself) around all over the court," Kuck said. "Being a setter, I would go and dig balls and tips that I didn't need to, that someone else should have."
Now K-State's leader in digs (263) as a true freshman, Kuck transitioned to libero at age 14. The next year, she started a stellar high school career at Sheboygan North in Wisconsin. She proved she was a libero all along.
Kuck finished her high school career with a school-record 2,097 digs, including a single-season record of 694 as a senior that ranked as the fourth-most in the state that season. She was ranked as Wisconsin's No. 2 recruit for the class of 2019 by PrepDig.com.
"I've always had that (defensive) mentality," Kuck said.
Asked what qualities make up a good libero, Kuck answered with this somewhat self-descriptive response:
"A baller. That's the overview," she said, as K-State (6-12, 1-5) hosts Kansas (6-10, 2-4) on Wednesday at 6 p.m., on ESPNU. "They are just feisty. They are going to make it hard for you to get a ball (down). It doesn't matter if you're going to hit a ball as hard as you can or you're going to tip it real short, they're going to put effort into it and they're going to also keep their hitters and everyone else accountable. If a ball drops, if someone hits a ball out, they're that person that's, like, 'You can do this. You need to do this.' Not in a way of being mean but in a way of saying I know you can do this and you're going to do this. Just firing everyone up."
Kuck has done her best to emulate that definition in her first season at K-State.
Despite a hand injury that forced her to miss four games, Kuck holds K-State's lead in digs by 69. She's posted double-digit kills in all but two matches: Her second career match and her first back from injury. Earlier this season, she became the first Wildcat in the rally-scoring era (since 2001) to post five straight matches with 20 or more digs.
In a five-set loss at Oklahoma last week, Kuck set a new career high with 36 digs, tied for the third most in school history in a five-set match in the rally-scoring era. It led a school-record dig total and to her being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
The numbers and honors have all exceeded Kuck's expectations. The way they came about have not, however.
"I know I wanted to make an impact. I didn't know what it was going to be. After talking to (head coach) Suzie (Fritz), I knew I was going to come in and be that drive, the fire in the back row," Kuck said. "No matter if I was playing libero or (defensive specialist), I was going to be doing that all the time. I wanted to make a difference and add something."
Kuck said her teammates have added to her game through the "competition mentality" present at practices. Every drill is an intense fight for a position battle, she said, but it instantly becomes friendly afterward.
K-State's coaches, Kuck said, have simplified a few parts of the game to help her play faster. This has ranged from her making the easier set in out-of-system situations to forgoing perfection as the idea for every ball she digs.
"You have to have an open mindset. Forget fast, keep going," she said. "In my head, when I'm going for a ball, I just think of reach and touch. I don't think of a perfect ball. I just think of reach and touch because that little touch could help with the whole play so much."
Even when Kuck was out with an injury, she said she stayed sharp by the way she focused in practice.
"I came to every practice, every workout knowing I can't go out and do it, but I'd be watching," she said. "I'd watch when the hitter goes up and, in my head, I'd be reading where they were going to hit. On the server, I'd be reading. Or, I'd be off on the side helping, saying, 'It's going line, deep, short, watch tip,' keeping my mind and my eyes warm."
Kuck also said she paid closer attention to her teammates while she was out. She tried to understand them better, especially what they need when they are frustrated.
"I like to pay attention to how they specifically like to get out of their head," she said. "Some people like to focus on something else. Some people do like to be, like, 'It's OK, you got this.' Some people like for me to be straight up with them. One of the girls likes for me to make jokes, make her laugh, get her mind off of it. That's a lot of what I focus on. I feel like it's a big part of connecting, keeping everyone positive."
It's also a big part of Kuck's overall mindset. While she's having a great freshman season, she said there's always something more she can provide.
"I'm never going to be satisfied," she said. "I know I got a high for digs last game, but I want to get even more. I can get better at digging. I can get better at serving, for sure; I can get more aggressive at that. I just want to keep going to the next level, to the next level, because I have an idea of where I want to be at, but once I get there, there's going to be a new idea.
"I'm never going to be as good as I want to be because I know I can always be better."
K-State volleyball's Dru Kuck earned the nickname, "Flying Squirrel," as a 13-year-old setter. It, in part, explained why she never made it at that position and, instead, thrived on a different part of the court: The back row.
"I was always the one who flung (herself) around all over the court," Kuck said. "Being a setter, I would go and dig balls and tips that I didn't need to, that someone else should have."
Now K-State's leader in digs (263) as a true freshman, Kuck transitioned to libero at age 14. The next year, she started a stellar high school career at Sheboygan North in Wisconsin. She proved she was a libero all along.
Kuck finished her high school career with a school-record 2,097 digs, including a single-season record of 694 as a senior that ranked as the fourth-most in the state that season. She was ranked as Wisconsin's No. 2 recruit for the class of 2019 by PrepDig.com.
"I've always had that (defensive) mentality," Kuck said.
Asked what qualities make up a good libero, Kuck answered with this somewhat self-descriptive response:
"A baller. That's the overview," she said, as K-State (6-12, 1-5) hosts Kansas (6-10, 2-4) on Wednesday at 6 p.m., on ESPNU. "They are just feisty. They are going to make it hard for you to get a ball (down). It doesn't matter if you're going to hit a ball as hard as you can or you're going to tip it real short, they're going to put effort into it and they're going to also keep their hitters and everyone else accountable. If a ball drops, if someone hits a ball out, they're that person that's, like, 'You can do this. You need to do this.' Not in a way of being mean but in a way of saying I know you can do this and you're going to do this. Just firing everyone up."
Kuck has done her best to emulate that definition in her first season at K-State.
Despite a hand injury that forced her to miss four games, Kuck holds K-State's lead in digs by 69. She's posted double-digit kills in all but two matches: Her second career match and her first back from injury. Earlier this season, she became the first Wildcat in the rally-scoring era (since 2001) to post five straight matches with 20 or more digs.
Freshman already making #KStateVB history ...
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) September 17, 2019
and she's only nine matches in ?? pic.twitter.com/K7h3Hs1nqu
In a five-set loss at Oklahoma last week, Kuck set a new career high with 36 digs, tied for the third most in school history in a five-set match in the rally-scoring era. It led a school-record dig total and to her being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
The numbers and honors have all exceeded Kuck's expectations. The way they came about have not, however.
?? Career-high 36 digs
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) October 21, 2019
?? Helped the Cats set a program digs record
?? Highest dig total in #Big12VB this season
?? Tied for 3rd-highest total in #KStateVB history
Dru Kuck is @Big12Conference Defensive Player of the Week!
??? https://t.co/hvhS8TaFhH pic.twitter.com/PFQKAik894
"I know I wanted to make an impact. I didn't know what it was going to be. After talking to (head coach) Suzie (Fritz), I knew I was going to come in and be that drive, the fire in the back row," Kuck said. "No matter if I was playing libero or (defensive specialist), I was going to be doing that all the time. I wanted to make a difference and add something."
Kuck said her teammates have added to her game through the "competition mentality" present at practices. Every drill is an intense fight for a position battle, she said, but it instantly becomes friendly afterward.
K-State's coaches, Kuck said, have simplified a few parts of the game to help her play faster. This has ranged from her making the easier set in out-of-system situations to forgoing perfection as the idea for every ball she digs.
"You have to have an open mindset. Forget fast, keep going," she said. "In my head, when I'm going for a ball, I just think of reach and touch. I don't think of a perfect ball. I just think of reach and touch because that little touch could help with the whole play so much."
Even when Kuck was out with an injury, she said she stayed sharp by the way she focused in practice.
"I came to every practice, every workout knowing I can't go out and do it, but I'd be watching," she said. "I'd watch when the hitter goes up and, in my head, I'd be reading where they were going to hit. On the server, I'd be reading. Or, I'd be off on the side helping, saying, 'It's going line, deep, short, watch tip,' keeping my mind and my eyes warm."
Kuck also said she paid closer attention to her teammates while she was out. She tried to understand them better, especially what they need when they are frustrated.
"I like to pay attention to how they specifically like to get out of their head," she said. "Some people like to focus on something else. Some people do like to be, like, 'It's OK, you got this.' Some people like for me to be straight up with them. One of the girls likes for me to make jokes, make her laugh, get her mind off of it. That's a lot of what I focus on. I feel like it's a big part of connecting, keeping everyone positive."
It's also a big part of Kuck's overall mindset. While she's having a great freshman season, she said there's always something more she can provide.
"I'm never going to be satisfied," she said. "I know I got a high for digs last game, but I want to get even more. I can get better at digging. I can get better at serving, for sure; I can get more aggressive at that. I just want to keep going to the next level, to the next level, because I have an idea of where I want to be at, but once I get there, there's going to be a new idea.
"I'm never going to be as good as I want to be because I know I can always be better."
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