Deck the Court: 16's Rising Stars

As the holiday season closes in, we see promising players all over the state! These girls will surely come out with a bang in the upcoming tournaments! The games will be tight and competitive, and the girls will be better than ever. We have seen how hard each team has been working in the preseason and look forward to following these girls as the club season progresses. Let's take a look at the rising stars currently on our radar!    Maddux Bandy is an intelligent setter with impressive court awareness. Her coaches trust her with a quick offensive system that often catches defenses off guards. Maddux uses her speed and IQ to her advantage when running plays off the net. Frequently she will be placed with a pass on the 10-foot line and she makes sure to switch up her out-of-system setting options. She runs the BIC attack (quick back-row), 3's with her middles, and in good taste- a flip back to the right side. She reads what the defense on the other side is doing and adjusts her offense accordingly. Maddux's versatility and creativity make her a dynamic setter who keeps opponents guessing. Her ability to remain calm under pressure allows her to consistently deliver precise sets.     [player_tooltip player_id='752610' first='Parker' last='Wilson'] is a standout libero who recently moved to the position. Prior, Parker was a setter which gives her an edge on ball control issues. In serve-receive, she moves her feet well, attempting to take everything midline. She keeps her body low and her arms high to keep the ball out in front of her- allowing her to angle her platform to the setter. She tracks the ball to her platform using her eyes and never loses sight of the ball. Parker is scrappy on defense, unwilling to let a ball land on the ground without her also on the ground. She will chase down any shanked balls and then return to base quickly ready for the next play. Parker also comes out with an aggressive serve. She keeps the ball flat and low on the tape allowing her serve to dive in front of passes and also soar into corners. Parker's transition from setter to libero has enhanced her court vision, enabling her to anticipate plays and position herself strategically to make game-changing moves.     Afton Holden is a smart attacker with a heavy arm. Although undersized, she swings like a big dog. Afton has a unique swing, using more of her wrists to turn balls and locate open spots on the court. She keeps her hips squared to cross-court rather than turning her body when trying to swing down the line. She is a difficult attacker to read. Afton is good on both sides of the court, allowing her to switch to the MAC attack seamlessly. She led her team with some tough jump float serves that targeted opposing teams' weaker passers. Afton is also strategic with her court placement, tipping, and roll-shotting at tasteful moments. Her ability to mix power with finesse makes her a threat, consistently keeping defenses off balance and creating scoring opportunities for her team.     Alexandria Picotte is a scrappy vocal leader for her club team this year. In watching Alexandria, I noticed how encouraging and precise she was in her gameplay. As a libero, she goes above and beyond the normal leadership roles. Outside of that, Alexandria doubles as an almost setter for her team. Her out-of-system setting is so pristine and makes you forget the actual setter did not take the ball. Alexandria is quick on her feet, staying on her toes in both defense and serve-receive. To round her out as a player, she had a nasty float serve that bends right in front of passers and forced them to move up. As soon as they move up, she sends a ball deep corner hitting them high and forcing them to scoot back again. Alexandria could play the short-long game all day as a server. We can't wait to see how the 2025 club season shapes up for her and her team!    Stay tuned for more articles on Oklahoma's finest volleyballers! If you have anyone that you think we should keep an eye out for, please e-mail me at abisnailjoy@gmail.com. To help these athletes get exposure, please repost and share this article on your social media as well as with family and friends.

As the holiday season closes in, we see promising players all over the state! These girls will surely come out with a bang in the upcoming tournaments! The games will be tight and competitive, and the girls will be better than ever. We have seen how hard each team has been working in the preseason and look forward to following these girls as the club season progresses. Let's take a look at the rising stars currently on our radar!