Top Player Spotlight – Megan Weldon 2023 Outside
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This month I will be rolling out some articles that are a little different than we have been writing for the past couple of months. We will still be doing our regular highlight articles on multiple athletes for exposure, however…
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Continue ReadingThis month I will be rolling out some articles that are a little different than we have been writing for the past couple of months. We will still be doing our regular highlight articles on multiple athletes for exposure, however I wanted to do some special articles on a few special athletes that we are getting to know quite well with Prep Dig TX. These young ladies volunteered to answer some questions so that we could get to know them a little bit more personally. The athletes were hand picked out of quite a few submissions that I received. My next installment is with Miss Megan Weldon Megan Weldon 6'0" | OH Oakridge | 2023 State TX . She was picked because we wanted to get to know someone new that we just added into the rankings recently. She is a fantastic young volleyball player for Drive Nation 16 Black and we at Prep Dig TX wanted the volleyball world to take notice with a more personal account of who she is. Without further ado, here is our article on Miss Megan Weldon Megan Weldon 6'0" | OH Oakridge | 2023 State TX .
Megan Weldon Megan Weldon 6'0" | OH Oakridge | 2023 State TX [2023] 5-11 Outside (HS: Nolan Catholic/Club: Drive Nation/Verbal: Uncommitted)
We currently have her ranked as the 102nd best prospect overall and the 39th ranked outside in the up and coming 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays for some great programs in the Dallas area in Nolan Catholic high school and Drive Nation Volleyball club. Her Drive Nation club program has been covered by us quite extensively this year and when you watch her play, you will see why. This young lady can flat out ball on the sport court. She is a hard swinging pin hitter who can do it all for her teams on either side of the court. She bangs out kills almost effortlessly with her cannon for an arm. She can swing both line and angle and now that she is on our radar we see her moving up the rankings soon. Due to her amazing play at Nolan Catholic this past season she was able to earn 1st Team All-District for TAPPS Division 1-6A. She is also a very accomplished beach player as she recently took 1st place at the 2021 Galveston Bracket at the TAPPS Sand Volleyball Championships. Her star is on the rise and we will be watching very closely as she progresses on and off the court.
We have profiled some setters and liberos so far in this series and now we will turn our attention to a pin attacker to get her take on things. We were able to ask Megan some personal questions so that our readers could get to know her a little better and here is a little from the conversation:
Prep Dig TX: What hobbies and interests other than volleyball do you have?
Megan: Many of my hobbies and interests are definitely volleyball related! Playing indoor volleyball is pretty much a year-round staple in my life. When I’m not playing indoor, I enjoy training and competing in sand volleyball tournaments. Volleyball has given myself and my family some different opportunities to travel, which is something I really enjoy and look forward to. I also like to watch a few TV shows, movies, and of course…Volleyball (both collegiate and professional)!
Prep Dig TX: What is the most played song/artist that is played the most on your playlist?
Megan: My playlist is really a mix of everything! I’m always adding new songs that I hear on the radio and listening to them on shuffle. I think my favorite kind of music is the type that’s played at outdoor volleyball tournaments where everyone is relaxed in a laid-back, beach-like atmosphere having a good time singing along!
Prep Dig TX: Tell me why you started playing volleyball.
Megan: I was invited to join an indoor rec league when I was in the third grade with a group of my friends. I jumped at the chance to join the team and instantly fell in love with the sport. I tried out for a club team the next year and have had the best time playing indoor volleyball over the last 5 years. I started playing sand volleyball after taking part in a summer camp and playing with a few of my friends in local tournaments. I feel like indoor and sand compliment each other so much as far as strategy and conditioning. I continue to play sand through Nolan Catholic High School, TAPPS tournaments, and at various tournaments in the area.
Prep Dig TX: What keeps you motivated to get better at your craft at this point in your volleyball career?
Megan: My love, passion, and focus for the game of volleyball, both indoor and sand, fuel my dreams and goals to learn the skills in order to play at the collegiate level. Every time I set foot in the gym and on the sand, I try to get better and become more consistent with every rep in order to improve myself and to become a better teammate. If I can leave each practice knowing that I was just a little better than I was the day before, I feel like I’m a step closer to becoming more successful in reaching the goals I’ve set for myself and for my future!
Prep Dig TX: What do you love about the primary position you play?
Megan: I love that as a pin hitter, I have the opportunity to work alongside each of my teammates. I like that I am not limited to one thing, I have the opportunity to serve, pass, block, and hit all in the same game. Also, I love being able to hit different shots every time I touch the ball, and the strategy involved in deciding which one!
Prep Dig TX: Name an influential coach that you have had and why they were influential to you.
Megan: I have been very blessed to work with so many influential coaches over the past several years. I started my club journey with Coach Shawnica Urias at Integrity Volleyball Club, with assistance from Coaches Kaylee and Angel. I played for her for two years. Not only did she teach me the fundamentals of the game, but she also inspired a fun, successful team atmosphere where everyone had a responsibility. She has been so supportive of me ever since and still tries to make it to a few of my games when she can. When I was 14, I had the awesome opportunity to play for Coach David Eteaki and Assistant Coaches Lima and Brittany at Integrity. They were very tough, but definitely helped me develop ball control, strength, energy, confidence, and mental toughness. He saw potential in me, and played a huge part in helping me to become a starting six-rotation player. These coaches all helped me to make the Varsity Volleyball Team at Nolan Catholic High School my Freshman year, where I play for Coach Kameshia Melton (aka Coach K) with help from her Assistant Coaches Remy, Jay Jay, Kendall, and Trista. They really push me to be my best, and have always been so supportive of me. Coach K has always made me feel valued as a player and as a person. It is so fun to play with my teammates in front of a crowd filled with friends and family tied together with school spirit! I have played club volleyball for Coach June Boller for both my 15s year at Ace Volleyball Club with Assistant Coach Claire and now with 16s at Drive Nation Volleyball Club with assistance from Coach Jeremy. They have really taken the time to teach our team how to utilize strategy. This has brought a whole new awareness and has definitely elevated my game. Coach June has always been approachable and is straight-forward and honest with her players. She is one of those coaches who really enjoys watching her players grow and succeed. I play Sand Volleyball with Coach Lenne Ortiz, who definitely goes above and beyond to always help me achieve my goals. He has spent countless hours getting our sand courts perfect, organizing tournaments, and encouraging me to do more than I knew I could! I hope I can reflect the love for the game of volleyball one day as much as he does. I have been extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to work with all of these compassionate coaches, who have each become like family to me. They have all helped me to become a better player, but more importantly, have helped me to become a better person both on and off the court! For that, I am forever thankful. I sure hope they all know how much they have changed my life!
Prep Dig TX: Name an influential player that you have played with and why they were influential to you.
Megan: How could I name just one? I have been very lucky to have been on many teams filled with amazing people. My teammates have helped shape me into the person I am today. Their constant kindness, support, and hard work have pushed me every moment I’ve been on the court with them.
Prep Dig TX: What is the one thing you want to work on the most to be better at in your position?
Megan: I want to work to make sure I get better each day no matter how difficult that may be. I want to know that every time I step foot off that court that I have improved in some way, whether it’s being more coachable, more consistent with a skill, more disciplined, more mentally tough, more strategic, have learned something new, or have become a better leader. I know that it takes a great deal of dedication, commitment, and self-evaluation in order to reach my volleyball goals and I am very willing to put in the work. I want to continue to grow to be the most successful person, player, and teammate that I can be.
When you read her answers, we hope you see that she is a very compassionate young lady who appreciates life and those amazing people in hers. Her heart is going to take her far in life. We love that she is willing to grow to become a better person and player in every aspect. We see her potential on the court and think that in a few years she could definitely progress to help a college roster in the future. We hope all of our readers enjoyed getting to know her a little bit better. Stay tuned for more info on Miss Weldon.
Again, I decided to write a few articles on players such as her so that our readers can get a true understanding of what these athletes go through and how volleyball is a passion for them like it is for many of us. These players deserve all of the recognition that they can get. I will be rolling these out throughout the month along with our regular highlight articles that contain multiple athletes.
We will be publishing more articles daily to give the recognition to each athlete that has earned the right to be called a top 100 Texas Volleyball Player. Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for or that you think have what it takes to be added to our database, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Lastly, Thank you to everyone for all of the shout-outs on social media, tags, emails, direct messages, and most importantly…thank you for continuing to read out publication and support us as we strive to bring attention to the wonderful and amazing players of this great big state of ours! Volley on!