Countdown City Classic: Five Setters to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most traditional end-of-year club volleyball tournaments in the state of Texas, the Countdown City Classic will be held in San Antonio this coming weekend, from Friday to Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It will be a massive event, with as many as 483 teams from around the Lone Star State competing in 16 divisions from U11 to U18 at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Open divisions will be particularly strong, reuniting some of the most talented prospects in Texas and as we get ready for the start of the action, let's take a look at a few names that have what it takes to stand out from the competition. We start with the setters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jocelyn Chambliss","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Churchill","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Alamo","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Chambliss is one of the setters of hosts Alamo 15 Premier. She's a very technical player, who built her game around her outstanding ball control. Chambliss is very clean with her touch on the ball and is very reliable and consistent with her setting. She spent part of the last high school season as a libero with Churchill and also provides major contributions on the backcourt, making impressive digs and serving well.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c57029"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18995012/6582dc24ff0cab041c12ab3b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c57083"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["318204"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the top setters in her age group in the state, Dahl will be calling the shots for STVA 16 Mizuno during the event. Among her main skills as a playmaker is her ability to track passes and get into the exact right spot to make contact with the ball, which helps her remain accurate and consistent. She likes to speed up the game when in system, but prioritizes precision when setting off the net. Dahl is also long and uses her arms well to block at the net, as well as score points with her swings. Her extended reach also allows her to make strong plays on defense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c570e7"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17115939/65284382a680f212cc013ba8' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c57107"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["254134"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Thomas emerged as one of the top setters in the Houston area in the last club season and is a key piece in her talented [program_tooltip program_id='462263' first='TAV' last='Houston'] 16 Adidas team. She checks all the boxes when one thinks of an elite setter as she has the size, the technical skills and the volleyball IQ to get the job done. Thomas is very smooth on the ball and is also very cerebral and methodic with her ball distribution, keeping all her hitters in a good rhythm. She can also score on setter dumps and helps on the backcourt with solid defense and consistent serving.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c5715c"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/carlylthomas/status/1688351473350914049?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/carlylthomas/status/1688351473350914049?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brooklyn Myers","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Johnson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Austin Performance","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Another player who takes up setting and hitting duties, Myers will be in action with AP 17 Adidas this weekend in San Antonio. The tall setter runs a simple, yet very effective, offensive system, in which she prioritizes the team's main hitters, but finds ways to keep everyone involved. She's particularly accurate when setting the middle back position and also displays great connection with her top hitters. Myers also moves well on the court and is very active on defense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c571f6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15373251/65791772041e480b4087c00e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c57216"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["142639"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Back home with Xcel 181 Adidas after one season with [program_tooltip program_id='462263' first='TAV' last='Houston'], Fadal is the team's floor general. She's a setter who leads by her play on the court and very naturally becomes the centerpiece of the teams she plays for. Fadal is very resourceful in a lot of ways and is truly an all-around setter, who stands out with her ball distribution and precision, but also brings a lot to the table with her serving and defense. She steps up in big matches and has excellent chemistry with all of her hitters as many of them play in her high schoo team Barbers Hill as well.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65887a1c57269"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpL5b5TvYUk","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpL5b5TvYUk </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->