Ready to Clock In and Work: IL Freshman Showcase Hustlers

Every team needs players who are always ready to work. From the time they lace their shoes up til they untie them and put them in their bags, they are ALL BUSINESS! You need players who will work just as hard in practice as they do in games. These players from the IL Freshman showcase displayed great work ethic, hustle, and heart while playing in the drills, free ball run, or in the scrimmages. These ladies weren't just hard workers, they had a bunch of skill as well. These players, no matter what happened on the court, were always ready for that next play.    Aria was a down-and-ready, ready to fight DS/L! She was hustling on every play. I felt like she was reading the floor well, tracking the sets, and moving into position, ready for the dig. Great reaction time; she saw some hard-hit balls and was ready. Keep an eye on Aria.     Claire moved really well out on the court. I thought she was agile, for a MB, that means watch out, and when she got a good set, she could put it down on you. I could see her running a mean slide someday, wouldn't be surprised if she already is. She seemed to have a great swing and made smart decisions on the court. Watch out for Claire.     Talk about showing up to work and having fun, this setter was all about that at the showcase. Her exuberant attitude and hustle rubbed off on her teammates. Watching her in free ball gameplay and scrimmages made her one to watch. She made all the sets. Great touch, athletic, and a great worker and teammate. Even saw some craftiness with setter dumps.     This L/DS was all over the floor, with parents in the stands even cheering her one-handed diving digs! She has a strong base and quick feet that help her make tough digs, whether covering hitters or in the back row. She passed some tough hits right to the setter on multiple occasions. I never saw her not try for a ball. Hard hat on, ready to work, she punched in to play.     This Setter caught my eye with her soft hands. When the ball was passed to her, she delivered a bunch of nice sets. She was always ready to move to the ball, whether the pass was off or right on, she anticipated and reacted well. Always had a good attitude and was ready to work. Believe she plays some hitter as well, makes sense, because she displayed good footwork on the court.     Sophia is a Lefty RS hitter who has a great swing. She was really working hard getting to her approach and then making smart decisions at the net. I saw her go right sideline and take some off to land in the middle. She definitely can get down on the ball as well. Moves like an athlete, I'm guessing, will have a great freshman year.     Leah was one of the girls from the showcase who was ready to work. I can tell she is a competitor. She has the swings as an OH, is smart, and has that volleyball player mentality. I saw her overall skill set as well, while she is an outside hitter, she can pass as well. Well-rounded player.     When I saw Madelyn, she was always working. Even if she didn't get the set, she got to her approach and was ready to go. She worked hard to get over and contest and get touches at the net. She has a nice swing and moves pretty well for a MB. Watched some video on her, and she does a nice job hitting around the block as well.     Jordan was one of those players who were always talking. Whether she was pumping up a teammate, saying "I got it" on the court, she was verbal. I saw her read and react well to tips and hard-hit balls. She was upbeat and ready to play, which, with a steady platform and good passes, made her a player who stood out at the showcase.     This girl caught my attention. She has very soft hands, whether it's a set or even defending balls over her head. A lot of her sets I saw were right on the money. She has great height for a setter and can jump set, and set dimes whether it's via backset or out of system with her platform. Saw her make smart decisions on the floor as well. She always seemed focused and ready to compete. And a laser serve that goes right above the net.      Having the ability to work hard is a skill. That wasn't something I thought about much when I was a kid playing sports. But teaching yourself to go hard and to go hard every play is important and not something every competitor has. These girls showed up to play, shook off any mistakes, fatigue, etc., and continued to keep grinding for the full 2 hours of the Freshman Showcase.

Every team needs players who are always ready to work. From the time they lace their shoes up til they untie them and put them in their bags, they are ALL BUSINESS! You need players who will work just as hard in practice as they do in games. These players from the IL Freshman showcase displayed great work ethic, hustle, and heart while playing in the drills, free ball run, or in the scrimmages. These ladies weren't just hard workers, they had a bunch of skill as well. These players, no matter what happened on the court, were always ready for that next play.