2030 Freshmen Who Turned One Coaching Tip Into a New Level

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/">Use code Coachable247 for 30% off. Subscribe to follow these freshmen as their game keeps evolving this fall.</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Growth in volleyball rarely comes from a single dramatic moment, it comes from one small piece of advice landing at exactly the right time and changing how an athlete sees the game from that point forward. These eight Class of 2030 freshmen each point to one specific lesson that unlocked something in their play, not because something was broken, but because they were ready to build on it. Here's what clicked, and how they're using it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1007036"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cda9f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emma Gross loves being loud on the court, and she says communicating and cheering on her teammates during games is what gives her confidence and gets her excited to compete. She's moving clubs this season, and during her freshman year she's enjoyed the new set of teammates, the different competition, and the new community that comes with it. A coaching tip about turning her hips during her hitting approach solved a fundamental she'd been chasing for a while, and it's become a piece of technique she now relies on. Gross has big plans for her development this season, private lessons and work with an athletic trainer to build her vertical and overall explosiveness, and a summer at the USC Advanced Camp only sharpened her focus, seeing the coaching and culture up close made her want a Division I or high Division II program even more. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["957430"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cdb4f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gemma Heckendorf brings a level of positivity to the court that she says never changes, whether she's the best player out there or not, she's always going to be the loudest and most upbeat. One memory from her very first pre-tryout clinic in 12s still shapes her game today, a silent drill followed by a coach explaining just how important it is to be loud, open, and encouraging on a volleyball court, and communication has been central to how she plays ever since. During her freshman season, Heckendorf has enjoyed playing alongside her school friends who aren't on her club team, something that makes this season feel especially meaningful, and she stays motivated by looking back at how far she's come since last season, or even last month. Her goals include representing her high school program well and continuing to improve, and she's looking for a college with strong academics, a competitive team, and a great culture where she can keep growing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["787889"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cdbe3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jaycie Schnake leads with determination, both her own and her team's, and she takes pride in helping her teammates work through problems on the court. During her freshman year, she's enjoyed meeting new people and learning to play at a higher level, and her motivation carries a personal note, she gets to play with her sister while her dad coaches the team. A coaching tip about arm swing speed changed her approach at the net, she was told that speed matters more than raw strength, and she's been swinging faster ever since. Schnake's goals reach high, a state championship and a Division I college down the road, and she leads her teammates by pushing them toward their highest level and staying in constant conversation with them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["786628"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cdc7b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kennedy Turner wants coaches to notice her serve receive and the accuracy of her spikes, but just as much, her passion for the game and how she keeps her team motivated between points. She earned her spot on varsity, and during her freshman season she's competing at a high level across different age groups, learning from more experienced teammates and adjusting to a faster tempo. A conversation with her private coach reshaped her mentality entirely, she was told she was athletic enough to simply trust her natural ability and her timing, and that trust translated directly into more power and more accuracy on her spikes. Turner's goals include getting her hands on every ball in the back row and hitting past every block she faces, and she's picturing herself at a smaller university with a family feel, an HBCU included, where she can balance being a student and an athlete well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["966115"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cdd0d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lyla-Mae Ramirez has grown into a physically and mentally strong competitor, crediting the teams and coaches around her with helping her build confidence after a period of overthinking on the court. She wants coaches to be drawn in by her energy, her dedication, and her competitiveness, someone they can rely on. A piece of coaching feedback reframed how she sees her role entirely, learning that her attitude reflects directly onto her team's attitude pushed her to keep her own energy high so she could keep everyone else energized too. Ramirez's goal for her freshman season is to prove to her coaches, her school, her team, and herself that she belongs, and while she hasn't settled on a specific college program yet, she's picturing a team that believes in her and helps her grow, possibly somewhere in SoCal, and she's planning to visit camps around the country to find the right fit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1006291"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cdda0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quinn Scherlacher brings versatility to the court, comfortable playing multiple positions, and her blocking footwork is quick enough to stand out. During her freshman year, she's enjoyed playing with new teammates and continues working to improve. A tip from a coach at the Cal Poly camp reshaped how she thinks about her position entirely, being told that a good middle has to be able to score in transition gave her a clear focus point during her season. Scherlacher's goal is to keep getting better and adjust to a faster pace against older competition, and while she hasn't settled on a college path yet, camps at UCSB and Cal Poly this summer gave her a lot to think about. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["891945"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a860590cde2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stella McKinney wants coaches to notice her energy, her positive presence, and her confidence on the court at Mater Dei. As a taller freshman, a small technical adjustment, a hop before digging, has made her quicker to react to balls, especially ones she has to dive for. During her freshman season, McKinney has enjoyed tournaments and home games, and she's motivated most by her teammates. Her goal is to be a big presence on the court during a season playing alongside older girls, and she's set her sights on a Division I program with strong academics. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">If You Enjoyed This Article, Help Us Keep the Momentum Going</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🔥 Athletes</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take time to explore the player profiles featured in this article. Look at how one piece of feedback reshaped each of these freshmen's games, a footwork cue, a mentality shift, a technical fix that clicked at the right moment. If you're working on your own game right now, this is not the time to compare your timeline to theirs. It's time to look at what's transferable, the specific adjustment that changed things for them, and start applying your own version of it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">📣 Club Coaches &amp; Directors</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Celebrate the athletes from your program who were featured, and use this list as a real conversation starter with your younger players. These are freshmen who took one piece of coaching and ran with it, turning a single note into a lasting habit. Use their stories as a coaching tool to show your athletes what it looks like to actually apply feedback rather than just hear it. Keep your club updated with the <a href="https://prepdig.com/california/clubs/club-programs/">California Club Program Database</a> and stay connected to every opportunity we create for exposure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🎯 College Coaches</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These profiles represent incoming Class of 2030 freshmen already showing real coachability, the ability to take one piece of feedback and translate it into a lasting improvement. It's early, but that trait, applying instruction quickly and consistently, is one of the clearest predictors of long-term development. <a href="https://prepdig.com/college-subscribe/">Use a Premium College Subscription</a> to start building a book on this class as their games continue to evolve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🙏 Parents &amp; Supporters</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is one of the most exciting stretches in your athlete's journey, the very beginning of it. Thank you for supporting her through it. Take a moment to appreciate how far one piece of coaching has already taken her game. Share this article, look through the featured profiles together, and use it as a conversation about where her game is headed next, not as a measure of where she stands against anyone else.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🚀 <strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/my-account/subscriptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upgrade to a PrepDig+ Subscription</a></strong><br>Access exclusive rankings, deeper analysis, and the full Prospect Index to follow every athlete's journey.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://prepdig.com/events" data-type="link" data-id="prepdig.com/events">N<strong>eed More Exposure? Attend a PrepDig Showcase</strong></a></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Use Code: MichelleBamford10 for $10 off on all Showcases</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our showcases are designed for athletes who want to take ownership of their recruiting journey and better understand how visibility, evaluation, and opportunity work together. These events offer more than competition. They provide athletes with a chance to learn how exposure works, compete in front of evaluators, build confidence, and gain valuable insight into what coaches are looking for at each stage of development.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whether your goal is to improve communication, showcase your skills, earn recognition, receive meaningful evaluation, or simply learn how to stand out in a competitive environment, each showcase is built to help athletes grow both on and off the court. If you're ready to invest in your development, tell your story, and put yourself on the radar, <a href="https://prepdig.com/all-events/?type=Showcase" id="https://prepdig.com/all-events/?type=Showcase"><strong>registration is open</strong></a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":false},"id":1014117,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"custom"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/2436/register/prep-dig-vegas-showcase"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/08/image_d44281.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1014117"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":false},"id":1023459,"width":"355px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.7607768620605846","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"custom"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/2508/register/prep-dig-exposure-tour-norcal"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/08/image_d759b6.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1023459" style="aspect-ratio:0.7607768620605846;width:355px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":false},"id":1023460,"width":"362px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"0.738161635305266","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"custom"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/2509/register/prep-dig-exposure-tour-socal"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/08/image_784f29.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1023460" style="aspect-ratio:0.738161635305266;width:362px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thank you for making today's wins matter — one article, one player, one memory at a time.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->