Indiana Freshman Showcase: Top Defensive Specialists Overall

Many young defensive specialists and liberos are really good at one or two skills like communicating or passing or digging. But few at this age (class of 2028) are great in all the skills required of a DS/L. These four players stood out amongst the crowd for their ability to do ALL THE THINGS: digging, reading, talking, encouraging, passing and serving. It is going to be such a treat to watch these four volleyball players over the next four years!    Chloe is definitely holding up the Yorktown/Munciana standard in terms of sound fundamentals, hustle plays and a great ability to read the game. There is not one skill she isn't good at yet, which is crazy for an incoming freshman. She has a long reach, giving her the ability to cover a ton of ground and she is extremely disciplined on defense. Ritchie also has a nasty float serve that moves a ton and she is able to pass outside of her body with ease. However, what I loved most about her play was how she fought to stay on her feet as much as possible - you can tell she has been trained really well. Expect to hear a lot more about Chloe in the future!     There is something about the way this incoming freshman plays that just draws you in. The only words I can think of are swagger & confidence - the kind that can't be trained at this age; she just has IT. Because of her confidence, Cala makes it look easy to play the DS/L position. She covers a ton of ground on defense and is an extremely calm passer - the kind you want to be next to in serve receive. Haffner simply knows how to play the game well; she moves from base to defense EVERY TIME and always covers. This young lady never takes a play off and makes everyone around her better.     What struck me first about Hayden was her no fear approach to defense. Multiple times she stepped in to dig very hard driven balls from the left pin when she was in left back, showing me that this girl is up for a challenge! She had great energy from the very beginning and was one of the first players I noticed. From the very start of the clicini she was encouraging others, always communicating and literally going for EVERY ball. You can tell she hates when the ball hits the floor! As a passer she has a great angle outside of her body and she will follow the ball to the line every time - a coach's dream. This girl never quits!     When I look for outstanding DS's I usually look for "floor generals." The players who control the floor with both their effort and their attitude. They constantly encourage and talk to their teammates, while also leading by example with their skills. Kyla does all these things! She moves forward extremely well and often picked up tips near the 10' line from middle back. Going to the floor is no problem for Hurley, but she doesn't overdo it either. Her passing was consistent with mostly 2s and 3s in serve receive and her serving was even better. Every serve was aggressive and while I was watching she forced mostly aces or one passes from the opposing players. This girl is a DS you want to have leading a team!     What is the #1 non-negotiable quality of all defensive specialists? I believe most would argue that it is ENERGY - the winning combo of talk, hustle and skill. Stella brought energy to every court she played on because of her constant communication and encouragement of others. It didn't matter if she was in the drill or waiting in line; she was going to make sure everyone was engaged and ready. She was the energy leader on every court she was on and NEVER (I mean not once) took a play off for the entire two hours. Short knew where to be on defense, and she hustled to every single ball. This girl even shagged balls without being asked! Players like Stella who are this hungry and dialed in are definitely going places.

Many young defensive specialists and liberos are really good at one or two skills like communicating or passing or digging. But few at this age (class of 2028) are great in all the skills required of a DS/L. These four players stood out amongst the crowd for their ability to do ALL THE THINGS: digging, reading, talking, encouraging, passing and serving. It is going to be such a treat to watch these four volleyball players over the next four years!