For Becca Talmadge, sitting on the bench was a lonely, quiet place. Being the third setter on the Hand volleyball team's depth chart meant Becca spent more time plotting ways to get herself on the court than she did bumping balls to her teammates. Quickly, Becca realized her only choice was to learn a new position and give herself an escape route from the pine.

Becca, a Hand senior and captain of the volleyball team, broke out of the Alcatraz-like bench that caged her as a junior, coming out on the other side as a weak side hitter and a free woman. The term served on the Tigers' bench gave her time to reflect, shining a fresh light on the opportunity she now has at her disposal.

"The time on the bench last year definitely did help because it gave me that motivation, gave me that feeling that I needed to try as hard as I possibly could to keep that spot on the court," Becca says. "It is a privilege to play; I have to prove myself in every practice. Sitting on the bench I watched and learned that I need to run that extra step, go up there, and try my best."

Coming from a volleyball family, Becca's career began in middle school before her first two years of high school were spent on the JV team as its setter. But last season as a junior, Becca sat behind two other varsity setters, meaning that just like an inmate's time outside its cell, Becca's time on the court was limited.

"It was really upsetting, especially when someone would miss a ball or be lazy," says Becca. "I always wanted that ball so to finally be out there this year made me that much more eager to give everything I had. I know how the girls on the bench now are feeling. I play for them because I don't want them to feel as frustrated as I was on the bench."

But breaking out of the bench's stronghold was no easy task. Becca says she understood the two setters ahead of her were better and so staying the course meant staying sitting down. Consequently, this summer, Becca decided to make a change in an effort to free herself from her shackles as she worked on her hitting and turned herself into a weak-side hitter, a position the Tigers needed filled, and an opportunity for Becca to free herself.

"As a setter, you have to be able to hit weak side anyway so for me it was just developing my skills more, working on my approach, and jumping up to the net," she says. "A lot of hitters don't get a full jump in when they go to the net so I really worked on getting that jump, getting that high vertical, and following through with the ball."

Her escape plan worked to perfection as Becca now starts for Hand. Captaining the team, as well, she says she understands she has a responsibility to the team just as she has to herself.

"Being a captain, I don't think my impact even has to be skill-wise," Becca says. "Being a captain you have to be cheering your teammates on. On the court, I'll just give it my all."

That positive attitude is what Head Coach Crystal Procaccini loves most about Becca.

"[Becca is a] very focused and smart player," says Procaccini. "She is very business-like, but still sweet and kind. She is very respectful and has integrity and pride for Hand."

Becca says even though she is playing now, she has no plans to continue to play next year in college. Debating on what she'll study, Becca has been an accomplished student during her time at Hand, making the honor roll, and starting the club Protecting Animals Worldwide (PAW) as a sophomore.

Free now, Becca's bench sentence gave her a lot of time to think, especially about how she'd like her volleyball life to end once she breached the jail's walls.

Says Becca: "Of course, making SCCs and states would be great, but for me it is not about winning. Having the feeling that you tried as hard as you possibly could and a team that is really close and always there for each other is what is important. Of course, winning would be a dream come true and, of course, it is a possibility."