Show Me National Qualifier- Impact Players
I had the opportunity to watch some amazing matches and talented players in Kanas City at the Asics Show Me National Qualifier. There were teams from all over the US in attendance. This is a type of tournament where big…
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Continue ReadingI had the opportunity to watch some amazing matches and talented players in Kanas City at the Asics Show Me National Qualifier. There were teams from all over the US in attendance. This is a type of tournament where big name clubs send some of their best teams and a place where underdogs have a chance to make a splash. Typically, each winner of the gold bracket in their division will earn a bid to the Junior National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana this summer.
I was there coaching my club team but I made sure to show up early and stay late to catch some teams/players I would have otherwise missed. Here are a few players that stood out and made an impact for their team.
Abby Fudickar #4 Right side for Rise 15-1 (OK). She is left handed and this helps a ton with players who are on the right side. This allows her to hit the entire court easier. This also allows a player to be open to her setter rather than letting it cross their body before swinging. She had a solid swing that was well placed in some big moments. She may apply more pressure from the service line rather than at the net. She has a solid float serve that moved so little that if you wrote a word on the ball, you could read it on the way by. She helped her team from OKC finish tied for 15th in the Liberty division.
Karlyn Francis #2 Libero for Premier Nebraska 15 Red (GP). She was a sight to see with how technically savvy she was with her skills. She had very smooth movements in serve receive and in transition. She has that look of almost effortless motion as she plays because of her anticipation and reading ability. Her simplistic platform helps control unnecessary movements and errors. This is an athlete that colleges will be looking at in the near future. She helped her team from Omaha finish tied for 17th in the Liberty division.
Madalyne Barger #17 Outside hitter for Shockwave 15 Alex (HA). She can really put some mustard on the ball. She blasted multiple balls in the match I got to see. On top of that, she was able to hit a plethora of shots. She is a threat to all defenders on the other side of the court. It’s not just her ability to hit multiple spots and swing hard, it is that she is so cerebral with what she does. It is the timing of them. It is the hitting multiple shots within the same rally. She is a team leader on her club team and easy to see why. She helped her team from Wichita finish tied for 19th in the American division.
There was top notch talent all over the convention center. It was hard to stay focused on any one court. I see these players making waves in their home states in the upcoming school season. They will continue to develop and soon be on college coaches’ radars. I wish every team and player a solid finish to the rest of their season.