First Impressions from An “Outsider” at #PDStockUpMOKC

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll always embrace being the "outsider."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For those who haven't seen me around the Prep Dig Circuit yet, it's nice to meet you. My home base is Nebraska, where I'm constantly tuned into the club and high school happenings around the Cornhusker State. But I'm always eager to hop around the Midwest during our showcase gauntlet, and Saturday's event in Kansas City completed a trifecta. After stops in Iowa and Nebraska, I was ready to check out the emerging stars of Kansas and Missouri. The trip was well worth it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We'll have plenty of nitty-gritty details on all the top performers from Saturday's event. First, though, I wanted to take a step back and discuss some impressions and observations. Being the outsider allowed me to enter [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last='']'s gym with an open mind and zero preconceived notions, so I learned a lot through this Stock Up Showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's share some of those thoughts here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1819795129408065682","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1819795129408065682 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Club Variety</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's something I noticed before ever stepping into the gym: the entry list had a ton of clubs represented.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some regions on the USAV map are known for their "mega-clubs" that seem to swallow up all the talent in an area. Our Stock Up Showcase entry list shows a wide variety of club options, and that bodes well for the future of the Heart of America and beyond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, we still had the usual suspects always at the forefront of the national conversation. MAVS KC, [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'], [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''], and [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] have all become names I expect to see when I travel to national qualifiers, particularly in the Great Plains. HP STL and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] have carried that banner in the Gateway Region, and many St. Louis-area athletes made the cross-state trip to Saturday's showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The list keeps growing. [program_tooltip program_id='515466' first='Pohaku' last=''] has fielded several Open-level squads lately, and the KC-area club brought several athletes we'll discuss in our features. [program_tooltip program_id='432164' first='Fight' last='Club'] is another group that has gained steam in recent club seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shockwave athletes impressed me, too. This was especially true in the Class of 2028, giving the Wichita club a foundation to build around in future campaigns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While we're branching out to Wichita, let's mention a few more clubs rooted closer to central Kansas. Topeka Saints brought some emerging underclassmen worth following in the prep scene. Likewise, we've witnessed the rise of Central Kansas Rampage out of the Great Bend area. Our talent map is not isolated to the large metros.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":584666,"width":"432px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/IMG_3237.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-584666" style="width:432px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Passing drills at Saturday's Missouri/Kansas Stock Up Showcase.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Missouri is seeing a similar trend. 417 Juniors has hauled in some GJNC bids lately, and the southwest Missouri group had several commuters to the Stock Up Showcase. [program_tooltip program_id='428820' first='Team' last='Momentum'] and Invasion were also major contributors to the Show Me State entry list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Youth Movement</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027s and 2028s comprised a large portion of the Stock Up Showcase field--and they came to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've been fortunate to gather plenty of comparison data on these underclassmen. My summer Circuit journey started in Des Moines, Iowa, on the final day of May. This was my introduction to the Class of 2028, in addition to the massive field of talented 2027s that enrolled. That event set a high bar, but we were determined to clear that hurdle in my home territory. Nebraska had two separate showcases last month. 2027s were part of the Stock Up Showcase, while 2028s had their own outing in the Freshman Showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kansas City kept elevating my perception of what these classes are capable of. Saturday's event featured an astonishing amount of skill, athleticism, and physicality from players in the twilight of their prep careers. Perhaps this trend goes hand-in-hand with our previous point on the growing club landscape around the Midwest. A larger club footprint means more competitive opportunities for young athletes, allowing us to harness as much volleyball talent as possible. It's a virtuous cycle that was demonstrated through this Kansas City outing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The eagerness of these underclassmen to find competitive venues will pay off--either this fall or soon after.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Competitive Spirit</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kansas City's Stock Up Showcase had some of the best energy I've seen (or felt, perhaps?) from any event on the Prep Dig Circuit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maybe it's just the standard brand of KC/MO hospitality. Whatever the reason, I'm incredibly gratified to see what this event has become as I enter my fifth year at Prep Dig. We can easily hone in on the growing numbers and participation, but the evolution into a positive, cooperative environment is what excited me most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, this last point echoes Jeremy Deckard's remarks as we closed out Saturday's action. We had some high school and club teammates sprinkled throughout the entry list, but showcases almost always make athletes adapt to unfamiliar teammates. Kansas City's athletes did that and went a step further.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1819775578108760193","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1819775578108760193 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->