Setters Who Shined at SoCal Up Next Showcase Vol 6

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.    Beat the ball to the spot. That is the job for a setter standing 5'2" and [player_tooltip player_id='852044' first='Natalia' last='Agustin'] does it better than most players her age regardless of height. Her first step at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase was already committed before other setters in the gym had finished processing where the pass was going and she arrived ready to deliver rather than scrambling to recover. I always look for those setters who have the fastest first step off of the net when tracking the pass down and they almost always have a leg up on the competition. This is what I saw when I watched the individual positional drills. The accuracy she produced under that kind of self-imposed urgency was the quality I kept pointing to in my evaluation throughout the day. A poor pass did not rattle her. An unfamiliar hitter did not slow her down. She competed through every moment of the event with a toughness and attitude that made the class of 2031 label look like an understatement.     Sold-out gym. Players from across Southern California. competitive pressure from the first point of the day to the last. None of it seemed to register as a problem for [player_tooltip player_id='967169' first='Sophia' last='Koletes'] at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase. The setting she produced throughout the event showed a feel for the position that goes beyond what can be developed in a drill environment. She processed the floor ahead of the ball, kept her mechanics intact under pace that was challenging other players, and delivered sets with a location and repeatability that gave her hitters genuine confidence on every approach. The composure she showed was the quality that I noted most when her name came up and it is the kind of quality that tends to produce very good players over a long development timeline.     The block on the other side of the net was in the wrong spot with uncomfortable regularity when [player_tooltip player_id='942467' first='Shanelle' last='Raine Caldoza'] had the ball in her hands at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase. That is not an accident. She reads the defense before she releases and she acts on what she sees with a quickness and precision that makes her difficult to key on despite the height the position typically demands. That kind of court vision can be taught, but it is likely that she was born with it and is working on perfecting it with hard work. I absolutely loved that she competed with both urgency and no fear when I watched. She led with a vocal confidence that never dipped throughout the entire event and the players around her were better for having her in the system.    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.