Club Spotlight: Sting United 15 Burlington
Sting United 15 Burlington has officially wrapped up their season. This particular squad had a very unique opportunity. Their head coach is also a head coach for an NCAA Division 1 college program. Susie Johnson is not only the coach for this scrappy…
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Continue ReadingSting United 15 Burlington has officially wrapped up their season. This particular squad had a very unique opportunity. Their head coach is also a head coach for an NCAA Division 1 college program. Susie Johnson is not only the coach for this scrappy 15s team but also for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers.
This squad has kept focus on developing each and every player. Johnson stated, “My theory has always been, in club and college, that if you truly want to develop and get better as a person and player, you will when I’m around. I push players to do things they didn’t know they could do. This group responded very well to that. They worked very hard at every practice and match. It was a pleasure to coach them”.
Anyone in the Badger Region that wants to compete with the best knows about Milwaukee Sting. Sting has recently been branching out with the creation of Sting United teams in Burlington and Madison. Sting United 15 Burlington actually has players from all over the area and not just Burlington. You may have heard of them, or maybe not. Sting carries a lot of great teams no matter where they practice. This 15s group will definitely be one to keep an eye on.
Josie JohnsonEmily Glembin (2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – St. Thomas More), Josie Johnson (2022 – 5’6 – Setter – Waterford), and Katie Heidenrich (2022 – 5’9 – Outside Hitter – Nicolet) all made their varsity squads in their freshman season. Josie Johnson is a player who “all-out” hustles for a ball on every play. Heidenrich can hit from either pin and can slice the ball, even when she is running the 2nd ball in a stack play. She can make a hard cut with a fast hard swing and an arm that resembles a whip. Heidenrich might not be the tallest on the court, but she elevates, and when she gets on top of the ball, she is deadly.
Most of the United players should be making an impact on their high school teams as sophomores, while 3 freshmen will be working on making their first mark on the high school scene. According to Coach Johnson, they have all improved in not only their whole game but also their toughness throughout the season. While the United squad was making improvements, they demonstrated a strength in staying competitive throughout the whole match, as well as the whole tournament.
Ally EckelUnited also has some versatility and youth feeling its competitive culture, including Josie Johnson, who has the ability to not only run the offense but also get the most out of her hitters and help them play at their highest level. She is also scrappy on defense and has a low flat float that is really tough for opposing passers to get a solid first contact. As for United’s first contact, they have an up and coming 2023 recruit anchoring their defense in Allyson Eckel (2023 – 5’6 – Libero – Bradford). She is not only strong on defense and hustles to keep the play alive but gives them a solid first contact. Coach Johnson said Eckel grew and made the team so much better in the process.
Riley LaineRiley Laine (2023 – 5’11 – South Milwaukee) and Kaitlin Lauer (2022 – 5’10 – Franklin) hold it down in the middle with some big blocks, working the angles, and running routes both in front and behind the setter. Sydney Ludvigsen (2023 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – Union Grove) is another young player that could do some damage this fall with her ability to tool the block and take an inside set and turn it to “smoke” the line.
We always hope to see growth and improvements from the start of the season to the finish, and it is always great went you can finish your season on a high note. United did just that with a strong showing at the Asics Jr. Championships where they finished 2nd out of 64 teams and were really challenged on day 3 where they had to beat a couple of tough Boiler Jrs teams in the quarterfinals and the semifinals. Both matches went to 3 sets, but United came out on top. In the championship, they came up against Team Pineapple, which is a club out of Indiana that is run by Olympian Lloy Ball and friends. United couldn’t quite get the win for the first time that weekend, giving them a 9-1 record.
Sting United 15 Burlington Roster
Alex Rafenstein – 2022 – 5’7 – Defensive Specialist – Franklin
Ally Eckel – 2023 – 5’6 – Libero – Bradford
Chloe WernerChloe Werner – 2022 – 5’10 – Pin Hitter – Waterford
Emily Glembin – 2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – St Thomas More
Josie Johnson – 2022 – 5’6 – Setter – Waterford
Kaitlin Lauer – 2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Franklin
Katie Heidenrich – 2022 – 5’9 – Outside Hitter – Nicolet
Kennedy Cornell – 2022 – 5’5 – Defensive Specialist – Burlington
Riley Laine – 2023 – 5’11 – Middle Blocker – South Milwaukee
Sydney Ludvigsen – 2023 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – Union Grove