Scouting Practice: Topeka Saints 14-1 Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was fortunate to be invited to attend an open practice for coaches and scouts which included two teams from the [program_tooltip program_id='430227' first='Topeka' last='Saints Volleyball Club'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On January 28, before the AFC Championship game, the Saints 17-1 and 14-1 squads practiced at Hayden High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I don't often watch 14U teams, so this was a real treat. The whole squad played with high energy and stepped up their game knowing that a scout was watching them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a report on five prospects from the 14-1 team who stood out during practice. 7th-grade athletes were playing up on this team, but I decided to focus on players currently in the 8^th grade who will graduate high school in 2028. I also listed each player's expected high school rather than their current school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513606' first='Hailey' last='Schmidtlein']</strong>, 6'0”, MH, '28 (Hayden)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schmidtlein in one word is a stud. If the coaches had put her in a blue shirt instead of a pink one and worked her out with the 17-1 team I would not have known she was just an eighth grader. She has impressive size and a great approach. She plays solid defense for as young and tall as she is. The thing I liked most about her game is that she already hits the ball with mean intentions. She is tough and skilled beyond her years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='503124' first='Blakely' last='Walter']</strong>, 5'6”, S/RS, '28 (Washburn Rural)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walter is a spark plug player who is highly skilled. She plays with high energy and her teammates feed off that. She can jump set and has a nice touch. Walter is a big-time jumper and can play six rotations due to athleticism. A college coach in attendance shared her thoughts with me and was surprised at the youngster's advanced skill set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='503697' first='Emmie' last='Dean']</strong>, 5'6”, OH/DS, '28 (Jefferson West)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dean is a grinder. She is one of those players you can already tell will play wherever she is needed. She has a nice vertical and a lot of volleyball ahead of her. Dean is a small-town player who will benefit from playing at a high level of competitive club ball. Like many young players, I would suggest she commits to improving her upper body strength.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513601' first='Kiwes' last='Miller']</strong>, 6'0”, OH/MB, '28 (Royal Valley)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miller has an intimidating athletic frame and raw skills. She is expected to play for Royal Valley High School and like Dean will improve her game just by playing on the Saints squad. She needs to work on having a consistent approach and just working on her confidence. Unlike Schmidtlein, I don't think Miller knows how good she can be on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513604' first='Kendall' last='Munoz']</strong>, 5'5”, S/RS, '28 (Topeka West)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Munoz could easily be looked over on this club squad. She plays with grit and could be a future six-rotation player. She is sneaky quick and will feed off the success of the team. She would have competed for a spot on last year's Chargers High School squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->