In the wide world of sports, fan craze is most often behind the big play. In volleyball that is usually defined as the kill. But little does the casual fan know, that the big time playmaker for the Garfield Volleydogs doesn’t get kills, nor does she make assists. Junior Amanda Jamieson makes all of those fan pleasing plays possible.

She wears the other jersey. She stands in the middle of the back row. And she gives up her body like a football player would, just to keep the ball off the floor. And what she does, we see.

“To watch people throw their bodies on the ground is the most exciting play in volleyball,” said coach Leslie Hamann. “It’s gets the team excited…it’s gets the fans excited.”

Then how fitting is it that the person who makes the most exciting plays on the court gets little credit and doesn’t get too excited herself.

Jamieson plays the libero position. This spot was added to the rules this year, along with the new rally-scoring system. “Libero” is a made up word. It is supposed to translate a derivation of “free.” The libero plays the entire match in the back row. According to the rules, they may not serve or block nor may they touch the ball when it is completely above the net. Not that the 5’ 2” Jamieson would be doing much of that anyway. Essentially she is a defensive specialist. And she loves it.

“I like that my position is specialized for a specific purpose,” she said. “Passing a hard driven ball right up to the setter gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

However, one couldn’t tell by looking at her that she was satisfied, or even excited for that matter. On the court Jamieson is quiet and calm. She plays like she is supremely confident and has things under control. That self-confidence resonates to the rest of the team and highlights her contribution.

“Amanda is extremely steady,” said Hamann. “We as a team are confident that every time a ball is hit in the back row she is going to save it and give the team a chance to make something happen.”

Jamieson’s volleyball career started in seventh grade when she played at TOPS. For the last two years she has played club volleyball for the Wahine Volleyball club, but doesn’t plan to continue this year.

“I didn’t have a very good experience this year,” she said. “ And I have other opportunities to pursue.”

These opportunities could include softball, a sport she has played at Garfield along with volleyball for the last two years. She also once played basketball.

At Garfield she has been a major part of a very successful team, playing a few varsity matches as a freshman, coming off the bench as a defensive specialist last year, and now starting at libero for the undefeated Volleydogs. She would never attribute that success to herself, even though without her this team would have a different makeup.

“We have a real team chemistry this year,” she said. “We are really well rounded. Everyone improved a lot during the off-season, and we got a lot of new talent from junior varsity. We have really devoted coaches too, who are willing to change [their philosophies] with the game.”

Team chemistry was the base of a rumor throughout the program. Apparently Senior Alix Toothman takes it upon herself to give Amanda her fare share of nicknames. These include Elf Foot, Panda, Manda and Schmoopie. Jamieson said that her favorite name is Schmoopie because it is so random.

That humor shows off her off-court mentality. She is a very talkative and exciting person when volleyball is not involved. The average person wouldn’t even recognize her as a player. She is shorter than most, more modest than the average playmaker. But she makes the plays and she excites the crowd.

For her the game is slow and relaxed. Then all of the sudden the crowd reaches its peak. The other team is screaming at the top of its lungs. The ball is in the air and is slammed down at her. Cool. Calm. Collected. Amanda.