Dakine 17 Surf - Nationals Preview: Player Takeover!

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2025 Setter [player_tooltip player_id='231726' first='Isabelle' last='Foote'] delivers 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 takes the reigns and provides insight into their teammates and the season. Our twelfth team is Dakine 17 Surf, out of the Puget Sound Region. After finishing third at the PSR Regional tournament, the team heads to Vegas and will compete in the American Division. Dakine dropped a close semi-final to eventual winners PSVBA 17 Legacy, then captured the Bid in a victory over Seattle Juniors. They will start the tournament with three matches on the 3rd and 4th of July against teams from Ohio, Texas, Vegas, and California. The team traveled to the Triple Crown Invite for a taste of the big time in the early portion of the season, then continued a tough travel schedule, playing in the USA Division in most tournaments. Strong showings at the PNQ, Salt Lake City Showdown, and the West Coast Invite prepared them for the USAV Nationals over the next four days.   2025 Setter [player_tooltip player_id='231726' first='Isabelle' last='Foote'] will introduce the team, and we asked "Issy" to answer our questions for an in-depth look at the rising senior from Tahoma High School.      From Isabelle: "Tatum is a 6-rotation OH for us. She is a tough server, plays gritty defense, and can turn the ball hard down the line to end the rally with a kill. She is a good option out of the back row, too. Tatum is a great teammate we can always count on when we need a play."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/ww1ngJSzc-s?si=luVL8j9p0C-KG1uo </div></figure>   "     From Lingli- "Izzy has been thrown many obstacles this season with injuries, but that doesn't stop her from coming into the gym and working hard. Whenever there is the chance, she'll work on blocking and hitting, taking any opportunity to polish her skills."       From Isabelle: "Breezy is a solid Libero. Her serve-receive is top-notch and one of the best. She is one of the top defenders in this state for the 2025 class of liberos. She continually passes between 2.1-2.5 every match. Bryanna is fast on defense and can pick up a ball that is being tipped or dumped. She is one of our team captains and fun to play with."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/n3fhnZUZvpc?si=apifatJkBNoMFFVZ </div></figure>   .     From Isabelle: "Sarah is an OPP and has also played middle for us. She jumps well and can crush the ball. She is fast and gets off the floor quickly. Sara works super hard along the net, always puts up a strong block, and is a great teammate."     From Isabelle: "I love Maggie; she will be a walk-on at Weber State and sadly won't travel to nationals with us because of her college camp. I have played with Maggie since U15's. She is a super solid defender and a tough server. She is also a hard worker and a great teammate. I will miss playing with Maggie so much; she is our only senior. She played OH her whole life and now has become a libero and DS."      From Isabelle: "Lola and I run the 6-2 together. She is a scrappy defender known for catching our opponents off guard with a sneaky dump from the back row. She is an incredibly fun teammate to play with. Lola has a great, upbeat attitude and will never get outworked."    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/GV7Ai5S_P1E?si=30QmcXfFR2b2MNtS </div></figure>     From Isabelle: "Grace is a go-to hitter for our team. She plays OPP for us but can play anywhere along the net. At 6'3", she is a terminator who scores in bunches. She dominates the net with her block. Grace will shut down an outside hitter, even if they are the other team's best player. She is versatile and can run the "2" gap and the quick in the middle."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/43raGBau7LU?si=ZTIge3RldcKiBmIW </div></figure>     From Isabelle: "Vanessa has played primarily DS for us this season. She will come in and hit on the outside, too. She is smart and reads the game like a book, which helps her score against tall blockers and dig up everything. She is an ace on the beach and sees the next play almost before it happens. Her serve is super tough, and she plays defense with a lot of heart."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/mxddnmlKBQI?si=9cm0IKHDSwkUlV7t </div></figure>   "     From Isabelle: "Jordan is a consistent, six rotation OH. She is a great teammate and serves a tough ball. Her defense is reliable, and she will get on the ground to get to a tough shot. Jordan does an awesome job making smart plays and being patient on offense. She is a great teammate, and I love playing with her."   "       From Isabelle: "I have played with Bridget since our U15 year, along with Tatum and Maggie. She is a steady middle who gets the job done match after match. Bridget can run quick sets or the gap and has great vision that allows her to avoid the block. She has a blazing hot serve that nobody expects from a middle. She was on a tear at Regionals. She is such a great teammate and friend!"   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/UdUVRbLmxvM?si=5Rf_syD8qnaFJKWl </div></figure>     From Isabelle: "Grace can play on either pin and has great length and power. Her arm swing is extremely heavy, and she can sense when we need a big kill. Grace has a strong, flat serve and a devastating block that frustrates hitters. She creates a lot of easy swings that we turn into good transition opportunities. She is going to be great at Seattle Pacific!"    "     From Isabella: "Giselle is one of our awesome defensive specialists. She has a positive attitude all the time, is super funny, and keeps us all light. She is scrappy, tough on defense, a precise passer, and a wonderful teammate. "        From Isabelle: "Addie plays middle blocker for our team. She is super athletic, quick off the floor, and surprises the opposing blockers with her speed. Addie has a great vertical and does an incredible job of hitting her corners and putting pressure on the opponent's defense. She is super sweet and a great person and teammate. "    <figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Foote-3.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-560307" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Foote-4.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-560308" /></figure> </figure>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Issy-2-crop-1151x756-1719951155.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-560250" style="width:478px;height:auto" /></figure>    <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Issy-1.jpg?w=678" alt="" class="wp-image-560248" style="width:333px;height:auto" /></figure>   Volleyball Honors and Accomplishments   Three-year varsity setter at Tahoma High School - Run 6-2 with [player_tooltip player_id='253254' first='Annika' last='Wright'], who played with me at KJ for two years on Kent Juniors. We grew up together in my Mom's gym at Mount Si, where we went to camp and played with her team.     Named team captain for the last four seasons of club ball. 2023-24 Prospects Making Moves: Stock Risers, Prep Dig Washington 2023-24 Ranked Top 10 Setters Class of 2025 Prep Dig 2023-24 Uncommitted Stars, Washington 2025 Ranking 2022-23 Ranked Top 10 Setters Class of 2025 Prep Dig 2022-23 Team Captain, Sudden Impact U16 2022 15 Open All-Star Team, Prep Dig, Emerald City Classic             <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/DAK-17-1-crop-2764x1815-1719951335.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-560252" style="width:770px;height:auto" /></figure>       Please tell us your GPA and any college majors you are considering. "My GPA is 3.8, and I am looking to become a teacher or possibly a physician's assistant, but I am not 100% positive yet. I am still looking at schools and undecided about where I want to play and attend college."   What do you like to do outside of volleyball?   "I like to hang out with my friends, read, and I like to chase sunsets. I love to go to Young Life and Youth Group and have fun coaching the littles in volleyball. Definitely have to get out and lay in the sun when I can. Spending time with my family is important to me and something I love to do.           What has been the best moment with the team this season(s)?   "Our best moments are our travel trips, doing fun adventures as a team, and qualifying for Nationals. We are a new team, and getting to know everyone has been awesome. We have so much fun together; there is no drama, and we enjoy competing and being around one another."   <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Foote-5.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-560309" style="width:783px;height:auto" /></figure>     How did you get started in volleyball? Any other sports?   "I grew up in my mom's gym at Mount Si High School and hung out with all her high school players for as long as I can remember. I ran around the gym, riding my scooter, and my friends and I knew every cool spot in that school. Surprisingly, I didn't start out really loving volleyball, but my U12 year playing for Kent Juniors and qualifying for nationals in our 5th-grade year was so much fun, and I got the bug. I didn't really have a position until I was U14, and our team needed a setter, and my coach asked me if I would. At first, I said no thanks, but after setter training with Paula Schwan, I enjoyed it more. We had the best time, and Paula was hilarious and made it fun. Then I started to take lessons from Tom Murphy at Sudden Impact, and our first jamboree, Caroline Meines, our coach, threw me out there in a 6-2 for a few sets and then a 5-1. After that, I fell in love with setting."   "I played every sport growing up. I played select soccer, select basketball, select fastpitch; I even competed in equestrian and was into hip-hop dance! The two sports I landed with were volleyball and softball. I juggled school work, club volleyball, and travel softball for as long as possible. I made varsity volleyball and softball my freshman year at Tahoma High School but had to make a hard decision and give up softball my sophomore year because I was running from practice to practice, and softball finally conflicted too much with my volleyball schedule."   How do you work at being the best teammate and player possible?   "I try to stay even-keeled under pressure and not be bothered when the score is tight. If I focus on knowing I have been in a pressure situation before, I can stand back there and hit my best serve at 24-24. I am ultra-competitive but positive; I want to keep my team up and feel confident when the game gets difficult. I am a good listener and lead by working hard and giving my best. Growing up with both parents as coaches, I have learned to be tough-minded and not afraid of new situations. When I was young, my mom would throw me into camps, and off I would go. I think that has helped shape me into the person and player I am today. I want to treat everyone with kindness and be conscious of other people's feelings. I love to root for my teammates and celebrate other people's successes more than my own."     PrepDig Washington on Isabelle:   Foote is a player who has grown up around the game. Bonnie Foote, her mother, coached at Mt Si High School for 22 seasons and had tremendous success. Isabelle approaches the game with passion, smarts, and a tremendous work ethic learned in all that time spent in the gym. The nuts and bolts of her setting abilities are top-notch. She plays with high, neutral hands, can push the ball pin to pin with her strength, and keeps the tempo high and dynamic with her jump setting. The Tahoma prospect is able to save balls that look headed for the net or an overpass and give her attackers a hittable ball. Foote has good strength in her hands, and overall; she is tough defensively and is not afraid to absorb a hard shot down the line if it keeps the point alive. She will hit a wicked, curving jump float at a blistering pace, and she can locate it and find a team's weak spot in serve receive. Foote is a positive force as a leader and teammate from the setter spot and will greatly benefit the college program she moves on to.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/kadCT1AKA0Y?si=BtC232kTrqOwpTM- </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">2025 Setter [player_tooltip player_id='231726' first='Isabelle' last='Foote'] Highlights</figcaption></figure>     <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Foote-6-crop-599x394-1719968131.jpg?w=598" alt="" class="wp-image-560314" style="width:828px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dakine 17 Surf</figcaption></figure>   Best of luck at Nationals to Dakine Surf 17 and coaches Jonathan Killingbeck and Kathleen Brown. Thank you, Isabelle, for participating in our Nationals Preview series!