Boys volleyball: Farmer thrived in his turn to lead Glenbard West

After winning the boys state volleyball championship in both 2015 and 2016, Glenbard West had some rebuilding to do in 2017.

Among the Hilltoppers graduates who had to be replaced was setter nonpareil Paulie Bischoff, named captain of The Daily Herald All-Area team for both championship seasons.

But coach Christine Giunta-Mayer had identified Bischoff's replacement years ago: Sean Farmer, a rising senior who had played the position on the Glenbard West JV and in club and served as a reliable defensive specialist as a junior.

And the Hilltoppers, led by Daily Herald DuPage County 2017 All-Area captain Farmer, went on to win their third straight title.

"Sean has been talking to and learning from Paulie for three years," Giunta-Mayer said. "We knew he had the mental and physical tools to take the team over. And he went out and did it, setting with a smoothness that was reminiscent of Paulie, as well as footwork and leadership qualities that showed us early that this year's team was in good hands with another great quarterback leading them."

"Winning again is a pretty incredible feeling," Farmer added. "We solidified our senior class legacy and showed that we weren't just along for the ride the past two years. I got to prove to the volleyball community that I wasn't just the guy in Paulie's shadow. And I wanted to make Paul proud of me."

A special year for setters

Farmer's designation as All-Area team captain takes on added significance when you realize that by anyone's evaluation this would have to be "The Year of the Setter" in DuPage County boys volleyball.

The 20-man All-Area team includes no fewer than nine setters. Many of them are the tall, attacking quarterbacks who can distribute the ball to teammates and also have the size and the skills to be both an offensive and defensive threat at the net.

"This is a really strong group of setters," Giunta-Mayer said. "But Sean is a standout because he's so mentally tough. He knows everything about our team and our opponents. And because his work last year made him such an asset on defense."

"With Paulie back for his senior year, I didn't expect to play too much as a junior," Farmer added. "But I taught myself how to serve-receive in order to get on the floor. I learned a whole lot about the defensive aspects of the game - how to read hitters better. It just broadened my experience as a volleyball player. And I also got to study Paulie up close during the year, and he helped me improve my game so much in practice and in matches."

He said Bischoff, now playing at Stanford, taught him to be a setter, as well as a leader and a teammate.

"We still talk and he continues to be my mentor," Farmer said. "He's really helped get to where I am right now."

Farmer knew he was going to have to take over as the team's leader as a senior, succeeding Bischoff, who is regarded as one of the all-time greats of the boys players from this area.

"I loved the challenge, but it was a little nerve-wracking," Farmer said. "I didn't know what to expect, but as the year went on and with the help of my coach and my teammates, I got comfortable. Toward the end of the year, we really developed as a team and our attitude became a quiet confidence that we could make it three in a row."

While last year's team finished 42-0 and put its opponents away in two sets in every match, this year's Hilltoppers went to three sets four times, including the win in the finals over Lincoln-Way East, and the only loss of the season to Lake Park in the finals of the Springfest tournament at Glenbard East.

Farmer believes that the loss turned into a positive event almost immediately.

"It took the pressure off our shoulders and helped us refocus," said the 6-foot-3 senior, who will continue playing volleyball at the University of California-Irvine next year. "We found out we weren't perfect and that gave us a new mentality in practice. We started to play with a chip on our shoulder in matches. And as the season progressed the pressure eased and we just had to play volleyball. By the end of the year, we believed in ourselves and if we were behind, that no deficit was too big."

Farmer is quick to point out that the three-peat was a total team effort. He credited Cam Lilly, "the best right side in the state," veteran outsides Johnny Winkler and Robbie Murphy, and "awesome" middles J.T. Ardell and Matt Scruggs, as the strongest group of hitters any setter had the privilege of setting up.

"My job is getting them the ball," Farmer said. "And there's not a better group at getting into position and putting balls away. And Zac Norvid is one of the best defensive players and passers I've ever seen.

"Christine did such a great job of building this winning program from scratch in only a few years. She cares so much about the success of the team and about the players individually."

Cool under pressure

Farmer said that one of the huge challenges involved in leading a successful group like this is maintaining the balance between intensity and calmness throughout a match.

"I've got to constantly remind myself to keep cool," he said. "I'm touching the ball on every play and deciding who to set. So, I've got to keep my composure and poise. I have to be on an even keel and not get down."

That's one quality that's right from the Paulie Bischoff playbook.

"He always played and looked the same way," Farmer said. "You couldn't tell if he was winning or losing. That's an important part of the job as setter."

Giunta-Mayer believes that the leadership and the mental aspect of his game are what separate Farmer from the other fine setters on the All-Area team.

"We always knew he had speed and quickness and outstanding volleyball skills," Giunta-Mayer said. "And he has a quick release and can make split-second decisions. He has a great memory and he's always applying what he knows about our team and about the opponents. He's a true captain whose demeanor just screams confidence - and he just feels the game completely."