2023 Club Profile: Dead Frog 18 National Black

The Dead Frog club program is one that has a lot of players that have something to prove.   Whether it be they come from a smaller prep program, or just feel somewhat overlooked by other larger club programs, Dead Frog has shown a lot of feistiness and determination on the club floor in recent years.   This year has been no different, with 18 National Black leading the way.   <h2>Dead Frog 18 National Black</h2>   Kenneth Herbert is the head coach of this squad, which features a mix of 2023-25 talents.   Joelle Boeskool is the lone setter on the 9-player roster. The 2024 Hamilton product has shown a lot of improvement in the last year, especially in her decision-making and command on the court. Dead Frog has put a lot of trust in her, and it is paying off.   Boeskool has some power arms to work with. On the outside, 18 National Black features Alexis Ames, Jaclyn Ashley and Abigail Marquis.   Ames (2023) is an All-State talent out of Mendon that has all the competitive fire you look for in an outside. She's explosive, athletic and driven. She also knows what it means to play with high expectations. Ames has been racking up the kills this club season.   Ashley is a 2025 product out of Battle Creek St. Philip and has a lot of promising days ahead of her. She's shown she can make all the difficult plays and has a high court IQ. She's quick to go from serve receive to making an attack and can mix up speeds and attack angles.   Marquis (2023) can play the middle or the right side. She comes from Michigan Lutheran High School and recently signed on to play for Southwestern Michigan College. Marquis has a lot of quickness at the net and improved footwork. She's able to adjust well with her body control to get a good swing no matter where the ball is set.   In the middle, Dead Frog has Riley Ketchum, Emma O'Connor and [player_tooltip player_id='462076' first='Alicyn' last='Arevalo'] to work with. All three are 2024 prospects.   Ketchum has shown the ability to be imposing defensively with her long reach and active play at the net. She's got a nice spring off the ground and does well with her timing.   O'Connor comes from the Hamilton program and is a player that can get hot quickly. She's got a good connection with Boeskool, playing in the same prep program, and it is showing this club season. O'Connor is moving well on outside attacks and has been delivering emphatic kills in the middle.   Arevalo joins Ames in coming from the Mendon volleyball program. The 5'11” middle shows a lot of quickness at the net, being able to really pound home the fast set. She's light on her feet and brings a lot of athleticism to the position.   Defensively, 2023 Portage Northern libero Kaylee McDaniel leads the way. She's a very calming player in the back court, always composed and in control. McDaniel is also a force from the service line, attacking aggressive lines.   Carlie Ritchie is a DS for Dead Frog that has helped solidify the back row. The Delton-Kellogg product also just recently signed with Southwestern Michigan College to play at the next level. Ritchie shows good instincts and has a quick first step to the ball.   Dead Frog 18 National Black has been competing at the 18 Club level for the most part. They had a solid start to the year by making the quarterfinals of the JVA Rock ‘N Rumble in January.   Another strong showing was a 13th-place finish at the President's Day Event in mid-February where it competed in the 17-18 Open division.   With a young squad for the age division, there are to be some expected losses along the way. But, 18 National Black has a lot of good team chemistry and a lot of girls eager to prove themselves. It should provide a lot of high moments in the months to come.

The Dead Frog club program is one that has a lot of players that have something to prove.