Up and Coming: Riley Walsh

<p>  The Breck Mustangs may not have had the best record during the 2018 high school volleyball season, but they do have a truly dynamic player in Riley Walsh.  Only a sophomore, Walsh had nearly half of the teams kills last year.  In fact, she was one of only two sophomores to make the All-Conference team for the Independent Metro.  So what is it that makes her such a talented athlete; and how did this up and coming, outside make PrepDig's top player rankings for the class of 2021?  Well, after seeing her play there are two main components of her game that set her apart:</p> <ul> <li><em>Speed</em> -  At 5'11 Walsh can be described as long and lean.  She covers the floor well, but her foot-speed is not extra ordinary.  It's her swing. The velocity she gets on the ball is a result of how fast she can snap that arm down.  Her contact point is so high and then she executes near-perfect form on her swing creating a snap on the ball that defenses aren't ready for.  The power behind the ball becomes too much for blockers to manage.  When I watched her play, two matches she never was blocked once.  Her blocking opponents rarely even got a touch on the ball.  The tempo she creates during her swing is unmatched by others her age and is what older players work endlessly to gain.  Which leads to her second attribute.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><em>Youth</em> -  It is easy to name several young, talented players, but not many whom their age is a positive characteristic.  I'd half expect to see more mistakes or some tentativeness but Riley youth is just another strength in her toolbox.  Her seemingly skinny frame somehow seems to have more capability than that of a bigger, stronger outside.  Not only that, but her reach is well above the net and helps her cover the perimeter of the court.  On the court, she is engaging and energetic.  The celebrations she shares will teammates reflect a young player with a true passion for the game.  Likewise, her repertoire of attacks is that of seasoned player.  Yes, she can easily hit the ten foot line but many of her kills are in the deepest part of the court.  This shows she has an understanding of how to effectively score.</li> </ul> <p>      Riley and her club team, M1 16-1 team, are playing this weekend in the KC ShowMe National Qualifier.  They’d tart the weekend ranked 21st but there is confidence knowing Riley and her teammates will put forth their best efforts.</p>