Meet Weston volleyball player Riley Huml
WESTON, Mass. — Often there is an unsung hero on the volleyball court and that is the setter. Weston Girls Varsity Volleyball team is lucky to have one of the best as one of their setters, Riley Huml. Not only can she get a good set to her hitters, but she also can go on a serving streak, kill the ball herself and dig balls coming at her from across the net.
Having started playing volleyball in 6th grade for a beach volleyball club, Owls Volleyball, and playing for their U16 age group at ages 11 and 12, as well as playing grass volleyball, Riley honed her hard court skills. They say one day of beach volleyball is the equivalent of two days of hard court and that shows in Riley鈥檚 all-around skills 鈥� being able to play multiple positions and developing her amazing volleyball IQ. Her teammates trust that she will get the ball to them with her great hands for setting, and that trust helps her teams reach great success.
Riley has played for her current club, Smash Volleyball, ranked in the top 3 in New England during the 2022-23 season, for the past two seasons and has committed to them for the upcoming season. She has been an integral part of her Smash teams claiming the top spot at many volleyball tournaments, winning gold!
Having been on Weston鈥檚 Varsity team since 8th grade (and practicing with them in 7th grade), Riley has greatly contributed to the team being a 2022 State D4 Semi-Finalist and ranked in the top 20 of D3 teams in all of Massachusetts this fall.
Although Riley always puts the team achievements over personal ones, it cannot go without mention that she currently leads the 2023 Varsity team in assists, including 42 assists in a 4-set win against tough opponent Acton-Boxborough, was named an All-Star at the end of last season, and made an AAU All-Tournament Team this past club season.
Congrats, Riley!
Interview with Riley:
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Riley Huml: Playing at the collegiate level.
What do you love about your sport?
Huml: I love having fun with my teammates. In between points, it is so fun to celebrate and cheer each other on; and it鈥檚 great when we can have fun off the court too. I love all the friendships I have made because of the sport.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Huml: Since volleyball is a very position specific sport, I am often competing against the same girls every year for the setter spot on a team. I just focus on the things I can control, such as working hard and giving it my all, and believe everything will fall into place.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Huml: One of my club coaches told me 鈥楽o what, next play.鈥� This stuck with me because he wanted me to not care about whatever just happened and to just focus on the next point.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Huml: Volleyball is a game of mistakes. The team with fewer mistakes wins. If I have a service error, it certainly frustrates me, but I try to remain positive and stay focused on my next serve. I still aim for the zone and think about my technique.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Huml: To lean on other people. When someone is not having their best game or the game gets challenging, I focus on making other people around me better. I cheer on my teammates, bring a positive attitude, and connect with my hitters. I know when I need a little help, I can always rely on my teammates too.
Anything else you鈥檇 like to add?
Huml: As a setter, it is not all about the glory. My job is to make the hitters look good and not be prideful. That being said, I am truly humbled and honored by this recognition.
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