Showcase Standouts – Defensive Specialists

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As volleyball continues to grow by leaps and bounds nationally, Oklahoma is no exception.&nbsp; There are more teams, more players, and more talent than ever.&nbsp; We have seen this growth as we add new high school programs every year, and the club scene has exploded over the last 5 years.&nbsp; The depth of the talent pool was evident at the Stock-Up Showcase on Saturday.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='995483' first='Ella' last='Tyler'] – Sophomore, DS/L, Charge OKC, Christian Heritage Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our Avoli award winner from the Showcase- and for good reason.&nbsp; Ella displayed the vocal leadership that every team and coach wants from their defensive captain.&nbsp; She not only excelled at calling the ball and communicating what she anticipated from the opposing team's offense- but also helped to put her defensive teammates in the right position to be able to make plays.&nbsp; Her Charge 15 American team made an incredible run to winning the OKRVA Regional Championship over Virago 15 Elite in the finals- and Ella was a big reason why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='939430' first='Emily' last='Marshall'] – Freshman, DS/L/OH, Virago, Bixby High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What stood out most about Emily was how comfortable she looked at the Showcase, despite being part of one of the younger classes (2030) to be represented.&nbsp; Although she projects as a DS/L as her career progresses, she spent this past club season as a 6 rotation outside hitter for Virago 14 Elite.&nbsp; As one of their key players- she rarely left the court- and that dose of experience, having played in multiple qualifiers and eventually at AAU Nationals has really served her well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='899739' first='Brooklyn' last='Pumphrey'] – Sophomore, DS/L, Peak, Oklahoma Christian School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having been featured on several occasions, Brooklyn is a name you're familiar with.&nbsp; She continues to impress with your steady and consistent serve receive, and high-level defense.&nbsp; She does a great job of tracking the ball all the way into her platform and creating the perfect angle to get the pass on target.&nbsp; Oklahoma Christian School, as always, is loaded with top tier talent again this year and is primed for a potential state title run with new head coach Will Etheridge at the helm.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='934892' first='Kinley' last='Wolfe'] – Freshman, DS/L, Charge Tulsa, Broken Arrow High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've had the opportunity to watch Kinley play a few times this season and every time come away impressed.&nbsp; As another class of 2030, she never looked out of place on the court with the older classes.&nbsp; She established herself as one of the best performers on her club team this year- consistently keeping them in games with her defensive presence.&nbsp; Her competitive drive is evident in the way she plays- always attacking the ball with her feet, both on serve receive and defense.&nbsp; She also possesses an excellent jump float serve- which she's able to deliver with speed.&nbsp; Broken Arrow has consistently produced top level defensive players over the last few years, and it looks like they have another coming up in Wolfe.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='741499' first='Hayden' last='Alexander'] – Junior, DS/L, Charge Tulsa, Broken Arrow High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Showcase was the first opportunity I had to observe and evaluate Hayden's game- but there were a few that stood out amongst the ds/l prospects.&nbsp; Most of all was her upper body strength and her ability to use her hands- both in digging and in serve receive.&nbsp; As serving becomes more and more aggressive, overhand serve receive in the women's game is becoming rare.&nbsp; Hayden showed the ability to use her hands to pass some tough float serves.&nbsp; Being able to play the ball overhead is a really valuable skill, as it significantly increases her serve receive and defensive range.&nbsp; Broken Arrow High School is loaded with talented defensive players at the varsity level- so it will be interesting to see this upcoming school season, where Hayden is able to break into the lineup and contribute.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->