Oly Reign 16 Gold- Nationals Preview: Player Takeover!

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 OH [player_tooltip player_id='333217' first='Kinley' last='Smith'] hammers away in this Nationals Preview!</h2>   Thank you to Michelle Bamford from PrepDig California and Emma Adams from PrepDig Oregon for inspiring this player takeover!   We kick off a two-week run of Nationals team previews with a new format- a player from each squad has taken the reigns and provides insight into their teammates and the season. Our sixth team is Oly Reign 16 Gold, out of the Puget Sound Region. The team earned a bid to USAV Nationals in Las Vegas after finishing second at the Regional Bid tournament. The team played in the PSR U18 Power League, battling skilled, older competition in most matches, and held their own, finishing 11th out of 55 teams overall. It's a tight group with four players from Olympia High School and three from Timberline, and they compete for each other on the court.   2027 OH [player_tooltip player_id='333217' first='Kinley' last='Smith'] will introduce the team, and we asked Kinley to answer our questions for an in-depth look at the rising sophomore from Timberline High School.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-reign-16-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556128" style="width:526px;height:auto" /></figure>     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-Reign-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556129" style="width:959px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Coaches Nathan White, Ayzha Fuller and Oly Reign 16 Gold at The Emerald City Classic. </figcaption></figure>    From Kinley: "Addison is an incredible player who always brings energy. She helps our front row stay strong and consistent. Addison is a blocking machine and has a booming, strong swing to put the ball down."      From Kinley: "Destiny is a consistent hitter who we can always count on to score points and end long rallies. She can see the court extremely well, and her placement is perfect; she has a huge block that gives attackers problems. Destiny has a big impact on our team."   "      From Kinley: "Lalie is an amazing libero that is fun to play with and watch. On top of her great defensive skills, she never fails to celebrate her teammates before herself. She constantly hustles all over the court and has consistent serve-receive. You can see her passion for the game when she plays."   ."      From Kinley- "Grey is a huge part of our back row. From making serve-receive look easy to always making great plays on defense. She also has a consistent tough serve that does great things for our team."   <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Durham-Oly-Gold.jpg?w=833" alt="" class="wp-image-556144" style="width:284px;height:auto" /></figure>   "       From Kinley: "Grace contributes greatly to our blocking and hitting game. She sees the court well and is smart with her placement. She brings positivity to the whole team and always works hard in the front row."      From Kinley: "Tove is an undeniably great player. She always brings the heat and is an unstoppable attacker. We can always rely on her to terminate any ball. She also gives a positive vibe that she and our team implement on the court."      From Kinley: "Kealani is a very determined player. She works hard as one of our great blockers. She is also very smart when finding where the opposing team is not. Her consistent swing makes a difference for our team. She can come in to set and play that role to add to her game."   "      From Kinley: "Bailey is the kind of player anyone would want to play with. She is very consistent and always gives her all when it comes to setting. She gets the team hyped and works hard to ensure our hitters will succeed."      From Kinley: "Alice has a high volleyball IQ and knows the game well. When she is on the floor, we all benefit from her smart choices. She works hard to ensure she gets to every ball as a setter and can make tough plays. In addition to being quick and smart, Alice plays great defense and covers very well."      From Kinley: "Ellie is a significant player on our team. She goes from dominating in the back row to being unstoppable in the front row. She can be put anywhere and will do her role greatly. Along with her skills, Ellie brings great leadership and knowledge to the game."     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-Reign-7.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556141" style="width:655px;height:auto" /></figure>      <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Kinley-Smith-Oly-Gold.jpeg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-556135" style="width:246px;height:auto" /></figure>   Volleyball Honors and Accomplishments As a freshman, Kinley was named first-team All-League for Timberline High School. She led the #A South Sound Conference in aces and finished second in kills. Smith was honored as the athlete of the month at Timberline and also named Team MVP for the season. She was on the All-Tournament Team for the 16 Open Division at The Emerald City Classic and will compete with the PSR U19 All-Star Team this summer.   Oly Reign 16 Gold 2024 Season at a glance:   3rd in Colorado Crossroads Tournament 3rd in the 2024 President's Day Washington tournament 5th at Pacific Northwest Qualifier in USA Division 2nd at Regionals, earning a 16 American Bid 3rd in the Emerald City Classic 16 Open Division     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-Reign-5.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556134" style="width:841px;height:auto" /></figure>   Please tell us your GPA and any college majors you are considering. What is important to you in a college? "My current GPA is a 4.0. I am undecided but interested in majoring in sports medicine or forensic science. I am interested in a college with a strong volleyball program, a good area, and a great culture."   How did you get started in volleyball? Do you play other sports? "I grew up playing many sports but have only stuck with volleyball. My journey started from watching my cousins play. I actually started passing with my cousin when I was five years old. I began to play club volleyball when I was nine years old, and it instantly sparked a passion in me for the game."   What do you like to do outside of volleyball? "Outside of volleyball, I enjoy camping, painting, traveling, being by the water, hunting, and spending time with loved ones."   What has been the best moment with the team this season(s)? "The best moment for our team this season was the game that got us our bid to nationals. With the match carrying high stakes and a win locking in our bid, our team came out and played for each other. There was an electrifying feeling when we pulled off the win in such a close game with the score of 20-18 in the 3rd set."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-Reign-6.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556139" style="width:628px;height:auto" /></figure>     How do you try to be a great teammate? As a teammate, I try to maintain a positive atmosphere, know what my teammates need from me, and keep it hype on the court!   PrepDig Washington on Smith:   The 2027 OH from Timberline is a physical pin. She paid off the promise she showed as an eighth grader with a terrific first year on varsity. We took notice of her play in the 2023 ECC in Seattle, where she battled in the 15s as a six-rotation OH. At 5'10" with a strong frame, she has played lights out this club season, showing increased range in the middle back defensively and a heavy arm swing. Her vision as a hitter allows her to find the line or cut a ball at a sharp angle to work around the block for a kill. Smith generates power with a forceful approach and excellent fundamentals in her set-up and arm swing when attacking. She racked up big ace totals during the high school season: she has true pace on her floater and keeps it just above the tape. Smith is a dedicated worker and loves to compete- she has the ability to rise to the occasion and make crucial plays in a pressure-packed situation.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Oly-Reign-4.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-556132" style="width:734px;height:auto" /></figure>   Best of luck at Nationals to Oly Reign 16 Gold, and thank you, Kinley, for participating in our Nationals Preview series!