Houston Stock Up/Freshman Showcase – 5 Players to Watch – Vol. 3
In this article:
The Prep Dig Stock Up and Freshman Showcase is coming to Houston and this coming Saturday, July 22, some of the most exciting prospects in the state of Texas will be in action with us at the Texas Tornados facility,…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Prep Dig Stock Up and Freshman Showcase is coming to Houston and this coming Saturday, July 22, some of the most exciting prospects in the state of Texas will be in action with us at the Texas Tornados facility, located northwest of downtown.
We have players from several regions in the Lone Star State entered to take part in the Showcase, such as Austin, San Antonio, Mission, Waco, Beaumont and Corpus Christi, and are very excited to welcome all of them and continue to help them succeed in their volleyball journeys by providing the exposure they need to achieve their goals.
Registration is still open, so don’t waste any more time and make sure you’ll be there – and use my code TorresDig2023 for a $10 discount.
As we prepare for the two events, here are some of the players that will be joining us for the two events:
Kennedy Crider
Kennedy Crider
Crider is one of the exciting prospects we’ll welcome at our Freshman showcase this weekend. I haven’t watched her in person yet, but am already looking forward to it after watching some of her film from the recently-ended club season. The Alamo middle has a very efficient game at the net, using her length to overcome opposing blockers and hitting the ball in different directions, making it very hard to stop her. Although her game is obviously still developing, there are some really promising signs in it, such as her great footwork, her heavy right arm and her aggressive attitude on the court.
An explosive outside hitter, Glover could be one of the most dynamic players on the court on Saturday. Although a little undersized, she’s often the most-used offensive player in her teams and had a very strong club season with Houston Juniors before deciding to move to Moco Mavs next season. She’s fearless when she’s set at the net and feels like she can beat any blockers standing her way, which makes of her a very fun player to watch. With how high she can jump and how hard she can hit the ball, it’s easy to see why she has that kind of confidence. Another important aspect in Glover’s game is her speed as she moves really quickly on the court and is often the first to get to the ball on the backcourt.
Highlights
Few players in the Houston area, and perhaps in the state of Texas, can match the athleticism of Rawls-Fletcher. The way she can jump out of the gym (and how effortlessly she does it) is truly mind-boggling. The physical tools have always been the bread and butter in her game, but the Texas Tornados middle has been consistently adding more pieces to it. Her offense has improved by leaps and bounds and now it looks like her blocking is the next area of her game where she’s focusing on. During the last club season, it was already possible to see Rawls-Fletcher make some stops at the net because of her improved decision-making and she’ll only get better when she can combine physical and mental tools in an efficient way.
Highlights
Martinez is another player from the exciting Valley Venom – 151 team from the last club season to attend our showcase. She was an important player to the team, sharing setting duties with Aleena Zuniga Aleena Zuniga 5’8″ | S Sharyland Pioneer | 2026 TX and maintaining the team in rhythm no matter what with her smart ball distribution and her consistently precise sets. Martinez also displayed some really interesting skills on the backcourt, getting several digs at the right back position and causing issues to opponents from the service line with her tough floater.
Highlights
Emmarie McFarland Emmarie McFarland 5'10" | OH Dawson | 2025 TX
Emmarie McFarland Emmarie McFarland 5'10" | OH Dawson | 2025 TX
A long and athletic outside hitter, McFarland is excellent at putting the ball down at the pins. She uses her length and power very well, making a strong approach in every play, but is also very intelligent with her shot selection and always takes a good look at the block before swinging. Her blocking can also be a factor because of how well she places her arms across the net to take up space from opposing hitters. McFarland is also well-versed in defense as she reacts very well to plays and has excellent ball control, getting balls up from the middle back position and also when she drops from the net to cover the sharp angle area.