5 Playmakers From The Tom Larsen Triton Classic
Tom Larsen is a volleyball fixture in the Green Bay area. He has coached at about every level, girls and boys, and continues to give and influence the volleyball community. I love that Notre Dame Academy has an annual tournament that honors…
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Continue ReadingTom Larsen is a volleyball fixture in the Green Bay area. He has coached at about every level, girls and boys, and continues to give and influence the volleyball community. I love that Notre Dame Academy has an annual tournament that honors him. They have also done a great job creating a very competitive tournament with a really great field of teams (and some pretty awesome parents too). Let’s take a look at a few of the big available playmakers:
#12 Josie HalbeibJosie Halbeib – 2021 – 6’2 – Setter/Right Side – Sun Prairie
Halbeib drew my attention right away. I’m not sure if it was her hitting down the line, smart shots like rolling right over the block, or the fact that she has such a high reach and swings over the block. No matter the set, she finds a way to get the ball past (or through) the block. Halbeib has a strong serve down the line. She also sets up a really strong block and plays with a really high volleyball IQ.
Katherine Walch – 2020 – Libero – Notre Dame Academy
Walch is a great pick-me-up player. She talks to her teammates after every play, whether they won or lost the point. She is solid in serve receive with a great platform. On defense Walch makes good adjustments. She makes nice defensive moves and is disciplined with block coverage. And can she dig a ball! I had fun watching her control a hard driven ball, and see her effortlessly put it in the target’s hands.
#17 Kirsten AndersonKirsten Anderson – 2020 – 5’9 – Middle Blocker/Right Side – Sun Prairie
Anderson runs a nice inside 1 ball and bangs it high off the block. She can hit the ball either way and puts up a nice block. Anderson makes smart plays at the net and evidently forgot she was a right- handed hitter because she threw in some hits with her left. She must be ambidextrous because her lefty swings were sometimes just as good as her right. Anderson runs a smooth 3 ball route and has a fast arm swing.
Molly Rader – 2020 – Middle Blocker – Notre Dame Academy
Rader works around the block nicely by cutting inside, swinging high over the block, smart tips, or just swinging heavy thru the seam. She also runs smart routes and a nice quick 1 ball out of serve receive.
Morgan Jensen – 2019 – 5’8 – Libero – Sun Prairie
Jensen is what I call an “aggressive defender.” She attacks the ball, rather than waiting for it to make its way toward the ground. Jensen plays with a very high volleyball IQ and serves a wicked float in the seams. She also places a killer short serve and plays some seriously gritty defense.