CIBOLO – Steele senior defensive specialist, Geneva Moreno began her high school career as a setter. However, after college coaches suggested she switch positions, she transitioned into a libero during her sophomore year. Moreno has since embraced the role and is just six digs away from tallying 2,000 careers digs.
Steele head volleyball coach, Jordan Madill, says Moreno's drive to reach personal goals and milestones has led her to this point in her high school career.
"She sets goals and she's not going to stop until she gets there," Madill said. "She gets something in her mind and she's going to make sure it happens. No matter how she gets there, she's going to make sure it happens."
Moreno, who has been playing volleyball since the age of six, has accumulated 1994 digs and broke the school record of 1,970 against Reagan on September 10. Although she has been working towards these numbers since her second year on the varsity squad, the libero wasn't sure she'd get there.
"It's definitely something I've been working for since my sophomore year," she said. "I never really thought I'd be able to get this close but again I wouldn't be here without that block being set up and those hitters on the other side of the net and my team pushing me every practice to become better."
Moreno's mother, Gina Howard, says her daughter worked tirelessly to embrace her defensive specialist role, from taking private lessons to competing on club teams, yet she says her daughter gives the credit to her teammates in helping her.
"‘I couldn't do this without these amazing hitters on the other side that are making this possible for me, all my teammates, my coaching staff,'" Howard recalled her daughter saying. "‘There's no way I could do this at all without everyone - it's a team effort for sure'."
The Otterbein commit lists work ethic and leadership skills as factors that have led her to become a successful libero. Madill echoes Moreno's sentiments that Moreno's biggest contribution to Steele volleyball is making her teammates better.
"She really is a team player," Madill said. "We talk about all the time in practice how iron sharpens iron. She really tries to push her teammates and the other DSes that are on our team to be the best that they can be."
Moreno looks to reach the 2,000 dig mark in Tuesday's rivalry match against Clemens.