Setters Who Shined at SoCal Up Next Showcase Vol 1

Prep Dig Up Next Showcases have been sweeping the nation. These events are aimed at helping middle school players understand what it takes to attend a showcase for the first time and also learn new skills in their respective positions. We held our SoCal Up Next Showcase at the Momentous Sports Center on August 29th and it did not disappoint. These events always bring together athletes from across the state looking to compete in front of college coaches while being evaluated by Prep Dig scouts and court coaches. There were tons of awesome players that we evaluated from their awesome production. Showcases like this continue to provide a valuable platform for athletes to be seen, tested, and recognized for their individual performance and intangibles. Let's take a closer look at three setters who shined bright at the SoCal Up Next showcase.    Ava came to the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase at Momentous Sports Center and gave court coaches a clear picture of a setter who has been taught to play the position the right way. Her footwork was efficient and she stopped her feet before release consistently, which is the mechanical discipline that separates setters who are accurate from those who are streaky under pressure. The ball came off her hands with a softness and smoothness that gave her hitters clean looks rather than sets they had to adjust to at the last second. She connected with players from across Southern California she had never shared a court with before and built trust within the system quickly by being predictably good on every contact. The vocal leadership she brought throughout the day kept the offense organized and her teammates responded to it without being asked. We will definitely be watching her progress moving forward.     Standing 6'0" in the class of 2031 at the setter position is a profile that does not need much explanation to generate attention, but what Miss Kuchibhotla did at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase gave evaluators something far more interesting than a frame to discuss. The release point she generates from that height creates a deception problem for blockers that technique alone cannot solve and she is already using it with an intentionality that suggests she understands exactly what the advantage is. Her sets had consistent location and her mechanics held up well without the breakdown that taller setters sometimes experience when the game speeds up around them. She led with confidence and communicated in a way that made the players around her feel like the system was in good hands from the very first point. Every college coach in the country will be wanting to know her name in a few years. Until then, we will be watching very closely.     What separated Ainsley from the setter group at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase was not one specific skill. It was the decision-making behind every skill she used. She read the block throughout every competitive scrimmage and varied her set location based on what the defense was showing her rather than running the same call every time the pass was clean. Her footwork kept her ahead of the play and she stopped her feet before contact with a consistency that gave her sets real accuracy rather than general direction. The fact that her hands looked like mirror images of each other tell me that she has been coached to focus on her mechanics. After watching her perform for the entire session, I have her listed on my short list of setters to watch in the next few years. I strongly suggest you also keep an eye on her.    As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>. You can also DM me in Instagram and X by searching @CoachMikeDZ. Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family! Don't be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!

Prep Dig Up Next Showcases have been sweeping the nation. These events are aimed at helping middle school players understand what it takes to attend a showcase for the first time and also learn new skills in their respective positions. We held our SoCal Up Next Showcase at the Momentous Sports Center on August 29^th and it did not disappoint. These events always bring together athletes from across the state looking to compete in front of college coaches while being evaluated by Prep Dig scouts and court coaches. There were tons of awesome players that we evaluated from their awesome production. Showcases like this continue to provide a valuable platform for athletes to be seen, tested, and recognized for their individual performance and intangibles. Let's take a closer look at three setters who shined bright at the SoCal Up Next showcase.