Northern Lights Qualifier: Five Texas Outsides to Watch
In this article:
Bid season has officially started in club volleyball and that means that for the next few months, goal number one for every club team in the country will be qualifying for the National Championship in their respective age groups. Some…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBid season has officially started in club volleyball and that means that for the next few months, goal number one for every club team in the country will be qualifying for the National Championship in their respective age groups.
Some Texas teams got it done last weekend, at the Adidas Lone Star Classic, in Austin, and several others will have the opportunity to book their tickets this week, when they compete at the Northern Lights Qualifier, held in Minneapolis.
The Lone Star State is sending as many as 53 teams to compete in divisions in the 15s, 17s and 18s age groups and while we wish them good luck and prepare for the event, let’s take a look at some talented Texas players who will be on the court from Friday to Sunday, now looking at the outside hitters:
Camila Foreman
Camila Foreman
Foreman will be with HJV 15 Elite in the 15 Open division. She’s been the team’s go-to scoring option in the current club season and has proven to have what it takes to get the job done at the net. Foreman uses her length extremely well and can score from the left and the right. She’s very explosive with her approach and can hit the ball hard, but is also incredibly resourceful. Her right arm is very quick, which allows her to elude blockers with last-second changes and to make split-second decisions. Foreman is also skilled on the backcourt, passing well and playing solid defense, and can serve true rockets when she gets into a rhythm.
Ludwig will be a key piece in the Xcel VB 151 Adidas that will compete to be among the best in the 15 Liberty Division. A defensive specialist in her high school team Barbers Hill, she’s been playing as an outside hitter at the club level and has been doing a solid job. Her accurate and reliable passing is a very big part of her team, which likes to use the middles a lot. Ludwig is also very productive with her defense and generates several transition opportunities every match for them. Despite being a bit undersized, she also gets the job done at the net, getting off the floor well and hitting around the block or scoring off of tips and roll shots.
Highlights
Warren will be one of the pin hitters of the Houston Skyline 17 Royal team that will contend in the 17 Open division. A player with incredible athleticism, she has been developing her game over the years and is now undoubtedly among the best in the state. Warren is an amazing jumper and her offense is certainly the highlight of her game as she makes contact with the ball at a very high point, hits it hard and has developed a great vision to see open spots on the court – her number of offensive errors has also been getting lower each year. She also made amazing progress with her passing and is now an elite player in that area of the game too.
Gittens will be in action in the 17 USA division with her team Houston Skyline The Woodlands 17 Royal. This is a new club in the region and the team is still finding its identity, but Gittens is hands down their most important player and that role has been doing well for her, who seems to be playing at her best this season. She has always been a very explosive and productive hitter at the net and that hasn’t changed, but now we know she’s ready to carry her team’s offense, hitting more balls every match and doing a good job of mixing things up at the net. Gittens has also been having a larger role in serve-receive and has been very solid with that too.
A state champion with Grand Oaks, Emmerling will play for TAV Houston 18 Adidas in the 18 USA division this weekend. Capable of playing at either pin, she’s been mostly used on the left, operating as the team’s go-to scorer. Emmerling uses her length better than most tall players as she’s been able to develop a lot of shots and she uses every and each one of them, making of her a very difficult player to gameplan against – she can smash the ball down but also score with an inch-perfect tip. Emmerling is also a solid blocker and evolved to become a strong passer over the years.