Top Liberos Across Oklahoma Vol 1
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Sometimes I like to sit in the stands of volleyball matches at club tournaments and just listen to the spectator conversations that take place. Almost always there is someone who asks the question, “Why does that player have on a different jersey than the rest of her teammates?” Then you usually you hear some chuckling and then someone defines the “Libero” position.
There are very many adjectives that people use to describe the players in the vaunted Libero spot. Words like Fiery, Tenacious, Energetic, Quick, Relentless, I could go on and on. They are all usually spot on when describing these players on this list. College coaches across the country have always told me that if you want to win a Championship, you better have a great setter and a great libero. Liberos and Defensive Specialists are the key to playing great volleyball. Volleyball is a very unique sport in which high offensive efficiency is the direct result of the ability to transition defense into viable offense. That is where the liberos and defensive specialists come into play. They must stop the other team. But not just stop them. They must stop them and put the ball in a place to where the setter can set their hitters efficiently in one touch of the ball. They have no control over where the hitter is going to place the ball. They must place the ball perfectly with only portions of seconds to react to the attacked ball that is coming at them at sometimes over 60 miles an hour in less than 25 feet of space.
Its time for some Libero Love!!! Attackers get all of the love and all of the credit for the point to be scored, but any true aficionado knows that a pass must occur first. Have you ever heard of the “No Pass, No Play” rule? Well it usually refers to passing your classes or you wont get to play on your team, but every coach has said this to his or her team before. If you can’t pass the ball, you can’t run an offense. This is the fundamental truth in volleyball. That is why every talented team needs their talented Liberos in serve receive and in defense. The following young ladies are some of the best to do it in Oklahoma across all classes.
Carter Bohuslavicky Carter Bohuslavicky 5'6" | DS/L Mustang | 2022 State OK [2022] 5-6 Libero (HS: Mustang/Club: Oklahoma Peak Performance/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Carter is currently ranked as our 8th best overall prospect and the top libero in the 2022 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is the back row leader for Mustang High School and one of the best club teams in the Sooner state at Oklahoma Peak Performance. Miss Bohuslavicky is a fantastic as you watch her quick and balanced footwork in middle back. We love how she holds the same posture throughout the entire play reading and then during contact. This helps her pass/dig consistently at a high level for her teams. We think she has ton of potential and she has all of the tools to plat at the next level if given the chance. We will be watching very closely as we cover her senior season. Stay tuned to see more coverage of Miss Turner. Please congratulate her on being named one of the best players in the 2022 class!
Ryley Bowden Ryley Bowden 5'3" | DS/L Mustang | 2022 State OK [2022] 5-4 Libero (HS; Mustang/Club: Rise/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Ryley is currently ranked as our 13th best overall prospect and the second best libero in the 2022 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is one of the back row leaders of the varsity squad at Mustang High School and she plays club at Rise Volleyball club. Don’t let her small frame fool you, as this young lady is a beast on the court. We love how she holds her platform solid and away from her body during and after contact. It is because of this that she is able to develop such a soft touch on the ball as she delivers such a “settable” ball to her setter. Hard driven balls are not a problem at all for Ry as she routinely digs “nails” with ease for her team. Stay tuned to see more coverage of Miss Bowden. Please congratulate her on being named one of the best players in the 2022 class!
Olivia Dewitt Olivia Dewitt 5'5" | DS/L Charles Page | 2023 State OK [2023] 5-5 Libero (HS: Charles Page/Club: Virago/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Olivia is currently ranked as our 6th best overall prospect and the top libero in the 2023 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is the libero for Charles Page High School and a great club program at Virago. The super fast defensive stud is phenomenal at reading off-speed shots from her opponents as she keeps her eyes glued to the hitter and not the ball, which helps her stay one step ahead of everyone else. She has no regard for her body as she routinely sprawls out to keep balls alive that are WELL outside of her zone. She covers a lot of ground as she lays out to pancake or dig a stray ball. Her team will always be in the fight if she continues to play defense at that level. The great part is she is only a sophomore and will only get better with age and experience. Stay tuned to see more coverage of Miss Dewitt. Please congratulate her on being named one of the best players in the 2023 class!
This is just some quick analysis of a few of the top liberos in Oklahoma. Stay tuned for more coverage on the rest.
Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following Oklahoma Family!
