Fearless Leaders Shine at Champions Cup

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Athletes from across the state competed at the Champions Cup, and leaders emerged in every age group. Some showed it in their play, and others were more vocal, but all of them made a huge impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='840723' first='Mya' last='Hertlein'] - [program_tooltip program_id='428662' first='Wisconsin' last='Ice'] 16 Purple</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mya led by example on the court. She was a setter for [program_tooltip program_id='428662' first='Wisconsin' last='Ice'] and set in all six rotations. She had a great eye for the court and wasn't afraid to turn and swing on the second ball when she was in the front row. I saw her take a swing on one ball, burying it deep in the corner, taking the other team completely by surprise. Her heads-up thinking and ability to deliver consistently showed her leadership skills throughout the tournament. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Macy Kaiser - [program_tooltip program_id='557038' first='Milwaukee' last='Juniors'] 15 Elite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Macy was a reliable and dominant right side who utilized every point she was on the court. She was a go-to hitter and had a versatile range of shots, including a line shot that opponents found nearly impossible to return. She was an energizer and a reliable point-earner for her team. I was impressed with her aggressiveness on the right side. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='739903' first='Emma' last='Swan'] - Heat 15 Flame</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emma was one of the grittiest and most fearless athletes on the court. She played libero for Heat out of the middle back and defended corner to corner with speed and explosiveness. Some of her digs were next-level impressive. Emma's leadership was based on passion and determination. She didn't let a ball drop without all-out effort, and she was never caught unaware. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Molly Salentine - [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] Flyers 16 Navy </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Molly impressed me with her focused yet positive energy on the court. She was a setter for FC and was so good at staying locked in during the match. Her ability to perform well, lead by example, and stay disciplined while remaining positive and energetic takes hard work, especially when juggling the entire offense for the team. Molly caught my eye during several matches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Emilia Verplancke - I AM 16 White</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emilia was a 6-rotation pin for I AM and did so well in that role. With her athleticism, confidence, and consistent delivery across every skill, Emilia did an awesome job leading by example. She regularly got multiple touches in a play and read the flow of the game really well. She was reliable yet aggressive and was well-rounded in all of her skills. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='807605' first='Caleigh' last='Schnettler'] - [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 15 Blue</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caleigh did so many awesome things on the court. She was unfazed when it came to pressure from the service line, putting in line-drive servers that seemed to drop out of the air. She regularly went on serving runs. As a setter, she made quick choices and wasn't afraid to be aggressive, like feeding the middle from further back on the court. Caleigh did a great job setting the pace of play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->