Sophomore ID Camp: Real Defensive Specialists, Real Talk

The Sophomore ID Camp wasn't just about identifying standout athletes on the court. It was also about spotlighting the players who do the gritty work that often goes unnoticed. Defensive Specialists may only be on the court for a few rotations, but their impact is anything but limited. Whether it's nailing serve receive, picking up tips, or bringing energy on and off the bench, these athletes are strategic weapons in tight matches.   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? I describe myself as a light that radiates on everyone. It doesn't hurt to be kind, offer a smile, or lift someone up. If a teammate makes a mistake, I want to reassure them so they don't doubt themselves on the next ball. Doubt can affect how someone plays, and I want to help prevent that.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I take a deep breath and remind myself that the only person who can tell me what I can or can't do is me.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on being more stable and making specific adjustments to the ball. Once those habits are engrained, everything becomes easier in the long run.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? I'm a hard worker who puts in time outside of club and high school to reach my goals. I also bring a consistently positive attitude and a smile wherever I go.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? If I'm in a tough situation and don't get the ball, I don't give up. I stay positive and go after it again.   ~ 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 DS is to make sure every pass gets to the setter so we can create opportunities to score. I elevate my teammates by bringing a joyful attitude to the court. I'm always hyped, jumping around, and helping my teammates match my energy.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? My mindset is to forget the last play and focus on the next one. I try to improve on every mistake by staying locked into what's ahead.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I'm constantly working on my defense and getting my feet to the ball because defense wins games.   🌟 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 describe me as someone who is focused and goal oriented. I don't let mistakes bring me down. I always bring a positive attitude and give 100 percent effort.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I speak three languages: English, Spanish, and Hebrew. I'm currently learning my fourth, French.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? As my team's captain, I'm always focused on encouraging my teammates to stay in the moment. I try to bring a positive and uplifting energy every time I step on the court.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? One of my mentors once told me, “Always be in your shoes.” To me, that means don't worry about where the ball is or what just happened. Stay grounded in the moment and focus on the next play.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on improving my communication and reading the game better, especially through playing beach volleyball.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? I'm always positive. I know I can't control other people's opinions, but I can control how I respond. I focus on what I can do with what I have and try to make the most of every opportunity.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I used to be a competitive gymnast.   ~ 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 a chance to communicate with my teammates, build them up, and help the game flow. I see myself as a player who brings focus and energy to the court. Staying engaged and alert is one of my top priorities, so I'm always giving my teammates encouragement and helping them keep their eyes on the prize. I remind them to stay present and focus on the point we're in and the one coming next.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? My mindset can vary depending on who we're playing or how the team has performed in recent games. I always remind myself that I'm a strong asset and there is a reason I'm on the court. I want opponents to serve or hit at me because I trust my skill set. I also remind myself that I'm not alone. My teammates are there to support me, and we're in it together.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on setting. I'm still new to the position, but I'm very observant and my court awareness helps me build confidence. I've been moved to setter in a few games, which made me nervous at first. It also reminded me that my coach sees the effort I've been putting in and believes in my growth.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? Off the court, I love to laugh. I'm always making jokes and trying to make others smile. If my coaches could only say one thing about me, I think it would be that I will always crack a joke or two, usually at their expense.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I won a chess tournament when I was around 11. I used to play a lot and I still have my trophy today.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I radiate leadership by celebrating every point, no matter how big or small. I truly believe energy can shift a game, even against a team that may be mechanically stronger. It's so much fun hyping each other up over the little things. I also make sure there's clear communication about what plays we're running and who's where. It helps everyone feel more comfortable and builds trust.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I focus on my breathing and where my body is in the moment. I take time to notice how different parts of my body feel, which helps ground me. Breathing is really important to me because it keeps my mind calm in chaotic situations.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on staying open in serve receive and not getting jammed. Specifically, I'm focused on taking balls off my midline, since that's where I tend to get in the most trouble.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? My coaches and teammates would describe me as positive and reassuring. I'm loud, energetic, and always trying to bring a good vibe whether I'm on or off the court. When our team gets fired up, we're tough to slow down.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I've been voted team captain on almost every team I've been a part of. It's something I take pride in because it shows how coaches and teammates see me.   ~ 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 really energetic and always hyping my teammates up. I constantly celebrate them, sometimes with some pretty odd celebrations, and make sure they know they're doing well. I also have a "next play" mentality and help my teammates move on from mistakes and focus on what comes next.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I remind myself to trust my training. I don't need to do anything more than what I already know how to do. I stay focused on my next job and what my role is in that moment.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on taking more court in serve receive and building confidence in my ability to do that consistently.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? I think my teammates would describe me as positive, funny, and honest. I love to joke around, but I also know how to read the room and focus when it matters. I bring a lot of fun to our team culture, but I also know how to lock in without sounding rude or controlling.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I've been playing volleyball since I was seven years old and knew even back then that I wanted to play in college. A fun fact is that I was actually an outside hitter for two to three seasons.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? As a libero, my role is to lead through execution and communication. I elevate my teammates by encouraging them and staying consistent with both my play and my voice. That reliability helps others focus on their own roles, knowing they can count on me.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I like to mentally run through my cues for each skill. For example, when serving, I focus on my toss, my eyesight, and my contact. On defense, I remind myself about footwork and positioning. I stay composed by not taking things personally or getting overly emotional. I care about winning and I put in the work, but I don't let mistakes control me. I use controlled frustration as fuel to push myself toward better results.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on communicating more. Volleyball is a team sport, and being a good player is only part of it. If the team can't communicate, it's hard to get solid results.   🌟 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 would describe me as stable and neutral. I stay calm even when I make mistakes and can usually help settle others down too. I don't take things personally, and I'm empathetic with my words. If talking doesn't help, I use my play to lighten the load by taking more space and covering seams. I'm also cheerful. Even if I'm tired, I'm always in a good mood and ready to hype someone up for a great play.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? Soccer was my first sport. I started playing at age four and was an attacking striker.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? I would describe my role on the court as explosive, high-energy, fast, and smart. I try to bring all of those qualities at once. When a teammate makes a mistake, I help by calming them down, reminding them to shake it off, and letting them know we've got the next point.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I focus on calming myself down and finding my confidence. I stay in a positive mindset and take deep breaths before the play to stay grounded.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on passing to my right side. When I'm in area 6 during serve receive, I usually take balls to my left. I want to train my right-side passing more so I can be more consistent.   🌟 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 sometimes calm. I'm not totally sure what they think, but I hope it's positive. I don't like being around negativity. I focus on staying calm and creating a positive environment.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? I'd rather be working out and training than hanging out at a party.   ~ 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 incredibly important. I'm in charge of the back row and everything that happens defensively. I'm known as the best passer on my team and one of the most aggressive. I elevate my teammates by bringing high energy and constantly hyping them up when they make great plays. I try to keep the energy positive so it rubs off on everyone and helps us all compete at the highest level.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I always remind myself to keep a strong mindset. That helps me stay focused and play my game. I also try to have fun in those moments because it takes away the anxiety. I like proving myself wrong by doing something amazing to shift momentum and get my team hyped. I want my teammates to feel less stress and more joy in those big moments.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on living by the mindset “Just Go.” It's a phrase that really matters to me as a libero. I've seen elite liberos embrace that mentality, and it pushes me to get uncomfortable and reach for more. It helps me compete harder, react faster, and challenge myself to keep growing.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They would probably describe me as energetic and supportive. I love having fun and bringing positive energy to the team even off the court. If my teammates ever need help or advice, I'm always there to support them and offer what I can.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? As a pretty short libero, I constantly push my limits and get creative with how I go after balls. I love proving that size doesn't define effort.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     💡 How would you describe your role on the court, and what do you do to elevate the players around you? My job is to take initiative and go for every ball. I run the back row defense and make sure nothing drops without full effort. I also focus on making my teammates' roles easier by bringing energy and motivation to the court.   🧠 In high-pressure moments, what's your mindset and how do you stay composed? I stay calm and play every point like it's just another point. I stay disciplined, focused, and do my part. I also remind my team to keep playing consistently and with confidence.   💪🏽 What's something specific you've been working to add to your game this season, and why? I've been working on developing a more powerful, flatter serve. I want to rack up more aces and feel confident every time I go back to serve. I've already seen big improvement this season and plan to keep building on that progress.   🌟 Off the court, how would your coaches and teammates describe you, and what personal qualities do you bring to a team culture? They would say I'm hard-working, aggressive, dedicated, and passionate. I always give 101 percent and never slack off. I bring energy, positivity, and strong skills to the team.   💥 What's a fun fact about you that you'd want college coaches to know? 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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 do the gritty work that often goes unnoticed. Defensive Specialists may only be on the court for a few rotations, but their impact is anything but limited. Whether it's nailing serve receive, picking up tips, or bringing energy on and off the bench, these athletes are strategic weapons in tight matches.