Welcome To The “Block” Party!
The SCVA held Event #1 on January 20th and 21st for the 15U and 17U age groups. The event location (Open Gym Premier in Anaheim, California) was packed with all courts being utilized. This article will focus on our middle…
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Continue ReadingThe SCVA held Event #1 on January 20th and 21st for the 15U and 17U age groups. The event location (Open Gym Premier in Anaheim, California) was packed with all courts being utilized. This article will focus on our middle hitters/blockers who are the first line of defense. They tend to be quick and agile, moving side to side, and helping their pins with the block. Watching a middle block the ball and throw their hands up in accomplishment of the assignment is a highlight every time I see it. Walking by courts, here are some middles that caught my eye. They stood out by their ability to block and put the ball down to score.
Diñe Reece
Diñe Reece
Diñe Reece is a middle blocker/hitter for IMUA Universal Volleyball Club. She plays under the guidance of head coach Mark Mina. Reece was a stand-out on the court when I watched her play. She was up at the net getting blocks and acing her serves. She was the only middle I saw serve before rotating out. For her high school, Reece is an outside hitter. She is a freshman who played varsity this past high school season. As long she keeps learning and growing in the sport, Reece is going to be lethal by senior year.
Ariel Chime is a middle blocker/hitter for Coast Volleyball Club . She plays under the guidance of head coach Rodrigo Suelotto. Chime has an amazing reach. Her penetration at the net is beautifully captured in her picture. Her body is straight, arms extended, she blocked this ball straight down with quickness. Her height and vertical made it easy to get blocks. She jumps so high her head is above the net. Chime shuffled left and right, helping her pins. She is a defending force at the net. She easily won jousting matches against opponents.
Highlights
Kelis Hawkins
Kelis Hawkins
Kelis Hawkins is a two-sport athlete with volleyball and basketball. She is a middle blocker/hitter who plays for Forza1 North Volleyball Club. She plays under the guidance of head coach Dani McCree. Although this is her first club season, Hawkins is already proving that she can compete with the best of the best. She can block and put fire behind a ball. The picture captured is of her getting a kill. She has long arms and high hands that help for effective blocking. She helps her outside and right side close the block by creating a wall that can’t be penetrated. Given time and more experience, Hawkins is only going to grow and get better.
Kaliya Ndiaye
Kaliya Ndiaye
Kaliya Ndiaye is a middle blocker/hitter for Tstreet Volleyball Club . She plays under the guidance of head coach Jonathan Predney. Ndiaye was the most relaxed middle I saw on that day. She’d get a block and casually turn to her team. She stays ready at the net, eyes moving and reading the other side, knowing which way to shift. She times her jump and knows just where to place her hands to stop the ball. Ndiaye was not intimidated at all, ready and waiting to score from a defensive block or offensive kill.
Teiora Tinoisamoa
Teiora Tinoisamoa
Teiora Tinoisamoa is a middle blocker/hitter for SoCal Volleyball Club. She plays under the guidance of head coach Jason Sebastian. Initially, Teiora hadn’t rotated in while I was watching SoCal play. While there she did go in and I saw her in action. The picture captured is of one of her blocks. She went into the game loaded and ready to move. Posted up at the net, she made her presence known by her lateral movements helping her pins. Tinoisamoa will be an asset to any volleyball program looking for a player who can capitalize on offense and defense.
Maliyah Cooper
Maliyah Cooper
Maliyah Cooper is a middle blocker/hitter for Legacy Volleyball Club. She plays under the guidance of head coach James Ker. What caught my eye with Maliyah was when she jumped up and killed an overpass. The trajectory of her hit was like a bullet going for a target. She got on top of the ball and hit it straight back down. Another thing that stood out was her solid hands at the net. There was a play where the right side was set and Cooper blocked her, she was set again, and Cooper for another block. She can read where the ball is going and was already over there to block or at least slow the kill attempt down. Cooper will be beneficial for any program looking for a player determined to make her presence known through her gameplay and ability to block balls and score points.
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