The Setter Who Sets the Tempo

Off the Court

Away from volleyball, Shirk said that she loves to cook and often cooks homemade meals for her family. She also said that she loves to give gifts to those around. 

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How it Started

Shirk’s mom decided to put her in volleyball as a child where she began playing as a middle. Being in the middle didn’t feel right to her and that is when she decided to try setting. 

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“I am most confident in my setting,” she says. “I can push my tempo, no matter how fast or slow the hitters want it, and I just like it there.” 

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I had asked if there was another position that she wanted to play if she had the opportunity, with no hesitation she said she loves setting and couldn’t imagine playing another position. 

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Two Teams, Two Worlds 

Shirk lives in Indiana but plays club in Chicago, a drive she has been making for two years. Homework gets done at school or after practice late at night. The schedule is rigid but she says that it taught her something important. 

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“I didn’t know anyone at first but it was really important for me to integrate myself into something that wasn’t comfortable, because I’m not a very extroverted person.” 

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The two environments feel different. Her bonds with both teams are similar, she says, but the competition is better in club. High school, on the other hand, offers a little more freedom. Her family can get to high school games more easily because they are close by. Club tournaments are harder for them to attend because of how often she has to travel, but she says the environment feels more exciting. 

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Finding the Rhythm 

I asked Shirk what something was that people may not know about her from watching her play and her answer was simple, she’s aggressive and plays with real fire, especially when her team scores big points. Her teammates would describe her in three words as: hardworking, calm and aggressive. 

Her favorite team memory came from playing at nationals when her and her team faced a team from the club A5, whom they had played many times before, and beat them. 

“Everyone was so hyped, it was really exciting.” 

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The People and The Places 

One thing that Shirk did not expect from club volleyball was making so many connections. She told me that she loves getting to meet teams from all over the country. What she loves most about tournament weekends is spending time with her teammates. Shirk is close with all of her teammates, both club and high school. On the day of our interview, Shirk and her teammates from her high school team were going to visit and watch Notre Dame volleyball play which is something not many teams get to do. 

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What’s Next

Evelyn’s biggest goal is to play in the Olympics. She spent much of her last summer at college camps, including one in Michigan where she reunited with a teammate, Lauren, and bumped into a few familiar faces from other clubs. 

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On the technical side, she is focused on improving her setting as a whole. Her weeks are structured around high school practices, games and lifting at least once a week. 

As the season winds down, Shirk is looking forward to club: seeing her friends again and traveling which she loves. 

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