Top Youngsters at The Gauntlet: Middles Who Stood Out in 14 Open

Playing middle blocker at such a young age can be a big challenge both physically and mentally. There are so many moving parts and really not a lot of "glory." So, when girls at this age do it well by working hard all match, whether they get the ball much or not, they deserve to be noticed! That unselfish drive will be what takes them to the next level. Without further ado, here are my top MBs in the 14 Open division at the Gauntlet.    Jukes is a rare talent that you don't see every day, especially at middle blocker in the younger age divisions. What stands out most when you watch her is how quickly she moves to block and transition and then how high she jumps. She closes the block with ease, whether moving right or left. Her contact point on both the 1 & 31 sets is so high and fast, that she often beats or hits over the block. Look for big things to come from this young lady; the sky is the limit.     You would be hard pressed to find a middle at this age who works as hard as Finley during the match. She transitioned every time from blocking to hitting and was always an option for her setter, while running every set possible. Smith has a whip of an arm and can put a lot of pace on the ball, allowing her to hit very efficiently; as her vertical increases look for her to be even more of an efficient weapon, especially on the slide which she runs really well for this age.     Kara is one of the better blocking middles I have seen in this age group. Her height, mixed with her ability to really drive and take big steps when blocking, will continue to make her an intimidating force at the net. Schubert communicates with her other blockers so well; as she reads the setter, she is in constant communication with her teammates, a skill that usually develops later. Lastly, she always had excellent court presence, with positive leadership whether her team was up or down.     What stood out the most from Angelina was her ability to hit the quick one ball so well. Not only does she really get up high to swing on quick sets in front, but she is able to hit both the power and cut back shots very accurately, as well as hit deep corners effectively. She uses her big jump to put up a solid, imposing block and she works hard to transition every time, which is the starting point of every great middle.     Muncy is one of those players who was built to play middle; with long arms that can reach over and around the block when hitting, she is able to hit very efficiently. She especially excelled at hitting cut back on the quick one ball, which she hit near the ten-foot line several times. Her long frame also allows her to put up a solid block, especially against other middles where she can wreak havoc. Lastly, her very calm court presence is a great attribute to have in a teammate when playing at such a young age.

Playing middle blocker at such a young age can be a big challenge both physically and mentally. There are so many moving parts and really not a lot of "glory." So, when girls at this age do it well by working hard all match, whether they get the ball much or not, they deserve to be noticed! That unselfish drive will be what takes them to the next level. Without further ado, here are my top MBs in the 14 Open division at the Gauntlet.