Inside the Minds of Sophomore Middles

The Sophomore ID Camp wasn't just about identifying standout athletes on the court. It was also about spotlighting the players who bring speed, timing, and toughness to the heart of the net. Middles are constantly switching between blocking assignments, quick attacks, and transition movement, all while being a vocal presence in the middle of the action. Their contributions may not always fill the stat sheet, but their value is undeniable.   To get a better sense of how they see the game and their role within it, I asked them a few questions to learn more about how they lead, compete, and elevate the team around them.    💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? On the court, I take on a relaxed and quiet leadership role. I usually observe both sides of the net, then help guide my teammates on where to hit or tip, how to cover, and where to set so we can score. I also keep my energy and hype level high to lift the team.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I stay calm and collected. I trust the training I've gone through and the support of my teammates. We've been working on playing clean volleyball all season, so I treat pressure moments like drills we just need to push through and complete.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on setter connection and smarter offensive decisions. My setter of two years left, so I've had to build a new rhythm with my current setter. As a middle, I usually only get set on perfect passes, so I've worked on being scrappy and strategic—tipping over the block, hitting deep to the setter, and avoiding the libero. Those adjustments have improved my game and helped my team.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They'd describe me as funny and light-hearted. Our team bond is strong, and we've gone through some intense conditioning together. That experience made us close, and now we know exactly what each person needs during tense moments. I try to be someone who brings joy, comfort, and a steady mindset. Whether someone needs a hug or tough love, I show up the way they need me to. Our team feels like a sisterhood.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I'm a huge book nerd.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? My role is to do my job as a middle and help score points for our team. I also try to lead by encouraging my teammates. I bring energy, celebrate their plays, and help them move on from mistakes.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I try to stay calm and remind myself that I'm here to have fun and stay positive. I keep cheering and bring high energy to help motivate my teammates.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been learning how to run a slide. It gives my setters another option and helps us create more ways to score.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? I think they'd describe me as funny and determined. I'm always positive and try to lift everyone up.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I'm Catholic, and I love incorporating my faith into the game of volleyball.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I try to create a positive environment with a sense of competition. Positive communication combined with holding each other to a high standard helps me push my teammates and bring out the best in everyone.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? My mindset is that every touch matters. I focus on what I can do to create a disadvantage for the opponent. To stay composed, I take a deep breath and keep my mind locked into the court and only the court.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on becoming more versatile and adding a variety of shots. I want to be able to step into any role my team may need. Having a range of offensive options keeps opponents off balance and gives our team more advantages.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They would describe me as nice and kind. I build individual connections with each teammate through jokes, handshakes, or whatever makes us feel more connected. Those bonds make our team stronger on the court.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I love taking on leadership roles and never shy away from them. I've gained a lot of experience through leadership programs and community service opportunities.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? My role as a middle blocker is huge. I'm in charge of the front row when it comes to blocking. Being the first line of defense means I'm either slowing things down with a touch or shutting them down with a block before they ever reach our back row. I elevate the players around me by constantly reminding them how amazing they are and helping them keep a "next play" mentality. This game is all about mistakes, and it comes down to who makes fewer of them.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I remind myself and my teammates to take it one point at a time. The play isn't over until the whistle blows, and the game isn't over until we reach 25 points or win by 2. That helps us stay present and focused.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on becoming more versatile in my swing when attacking the ball. I want to keep opponents guessing and make myself less predictable.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They'd probably say I'm talkative, silly, positive, affectionate, and upbeat. I bring hard work, dedication, determination, leadership, joy, inclusiveness, compassion, and humility to our team culture.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? Although Spanish is not my first language, I attended dual immersion schools from preschool through 8th grade. I'm now bilingual and bi-literate in English and Spanish.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? My role on the court is to close the block and transition quickly into my attack. Blocking and transition are key parts of my position, and they allow our team to create fast offensive plays on the other side of the net.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I stay calm and locked in. I focus on what my role is in that specific rotation and do my part to keep things moving forward.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been training to improve my reach on attacks so I can consistently hit over blockers. I've also been putting in work on my strength and conditioning to help me be more explosive.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? My coaches would say I'm outgoing and a positive teammate. I bring energy, encouragement, and always try to lift others up.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? Outside of volleyball, I love spending time with my friends and family. I enjoy meeting new people and connecting with others. I'm definitely a social person who values relationships and a strong support system.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I'm very energetic and love hyping people up when they make a good play. I'm also supportive and like to joke around with my teammates to help them relax and have fun on the court.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? My mindset is to do the best I can and focus on what I can control. I try to keep myself and my team in a good mood, no matter what's going on.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on hitting the ball harder and getting up on blocks more consistently. I'm a scrappy player, and sometimes I rely more on being scrappy than aggressive. I'm learning to push harder and challenge myself to get up, even when it feels tough.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They'd say I'm silly and funny, but also serious when I need to lock in. I bring loud, positive energy from the sidelines and have a lot of perseverance when things get hard.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I've only been playing volleyball for about two years and have played just two club seasons.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I try to encourage my teammates to play their best and stay aggressive. I bring energy and support to help everyone stay confident and engaged.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I focus on moving on to the next play and not letting mistakes get in my head. I take a deep breath after each play to reset and stay calm.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on being more aggressive with my hitting instead of tipping, and also improving my transition speed. I want to be faster and more impactful on every play.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They would describe me as energetic and positive. I try to bring good vibes to every practice and game.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I love babies.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I'm a secret weapon. When we're in trouble, I step in to deliver kills and help us gain momentum. I stay ready to respond in big moments and do what my team needs to score.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? Even if my mind gets a little rattled, I take a deep breath and refocus. I think about where I want to aim and where my teammates should target their hits or serves. Staying strategic keeps me grounded.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on perfecting my slide. It's a hit I've always struggled with, but I'm determined to make it one of my go-to attacks. I want it to be one of those kills that's hard to read and even harder to defend.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They'd probably say I'm bubbly and outgoing. I love talking and connecting with people, whether I start the conversation or they do. I bring laughter and positivity to the team, but I also ask questions that get my teammates thinking. I try to balance fun and focus.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? If someone's down, I'll always try to make them laugh and help them refocus. It's something I do for myself too. I lift my own mood first, then reset my mindset for the next few plays.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">If you enjoyed this article, please help us keep the momentum going!</h3>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/image_b3bd7c.png" alt="" class="wp-image-770392" /></figure>     ✨ Help a player get discovered — share this article using the share buttons and tag us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigca/?hl=en">PrepDigCa</a>!   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/image_ff10cb.png" alt="" class="wp-image-770394" style="width:98px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   🚀 <a href="https://prepdig.com/my-account/subscriptions/">Upgrade to a PrepDig+ Subscription</a> — exclusive rankings, in-depth analysis, and access to the full <a href="https://prepdig.com/prospect-index/">prospect index</a>.     <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Throughout August, as tryouts, preseason training, and early matches unfold, high school players enter a critical stretch of growth, leadership, and visibility. 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Thank you for making today's wins matter — one article, one player, one memory at a time.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

The Sophomore ID Camp wasn't just about identifying standout athletes on the court. It was also about spotlighting the players who bring speed, timing, and toughness to the heart of the net. Middles are constantly switching between blocking assignments, quick attacks, and transition movement, all while being a vocal presence in the middle of the action. Their contributions may not always fill the stat sheet, but their value is undeniable.