Mid-Season Check-In: Gritty Athletes to Watch

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gritty athletes are hard to come by. They can dig deep when their team is struggling and can be relied on to make even the toughest plays. Their teammates look to them as leaders. Gritty athletes can change an entire team dynamic and these athletes have huge impacts on their respective teams.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ellie Doucette and Skye McDermott - Capital 16 Navy - Class of 2023</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is hard to find truly gritty athletes and even harder to find multiple on one team. But this pair of setters have an incredible amount of grit. Ellie is not afraid to take risks with her sets. She is confident on the court and knows who to set in tough situations. She also has a powerful serve and makes smart plays. She is strong on defense and is a key athlete on this team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Skye is a huge energizer on the court. She makes great plays and never gives up on the ball. Her energy and grit alone make great plays happen. In addition to her awesome decision-making skills and ability to make plays on every ball, she is also a solid all-around athlete with a competitive serve, great sets, and a smart, powerful swing.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pria Joseph- FDL Fusion 15 Purple - Class of 2024</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is an athlete you want on your team. She is gritty 6 rotation outside and puts full-out effort into every single play. She is dynamite on defense. A ball never hits the ground without her body next to it. She also has solid shots in the front row and is a reliable athlete in all six rotations. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gillian Koning - Capital 15 Adidas - Class of 2024</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gillian is a six rotation outside who really adds a lot of value to this talented team. She has a powerful swing and mixes up her shots well. Gillian really excels in serve receive and defense. She has a great platform and a fast reaction time which makes her very successful in the back row. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-105280 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Isabella-Grace1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="91933" first="Isabella" last="Grace"] - Impact 16 National - Class of 2023</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Isabella has great control and uses it to her advantage. As a 6 rotation outside she has a lot of opportunities to touch the ball, and she doesn't take a single one for granted. Her serve receive is incredibly consistent. Isabella has solid power and great shots in the front row. She sees the court very well and makes effective plays to earn her team points. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tayja Cornell - 1W Bay 18 Mizuno - Class of 2022</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tayja is the definition of gritty. She is a huge talker on the court and works incredibly hard to set her teammates up for success. Tayja is playing up a year in club on a competitive team that has a lot of veteran players on it. She adds fire and energy to this team and gives everything she has on every point. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="80821" first="Maria" last="Serb"] - RVA G18 Navy - Class of 2021</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maria is simply impressive. She has a textbook platform and a very high volleyball IQ. She plays as a 6 rotation outside but could be an incredible libero as well. She sees the court very well and has great shots. Her team utilizes her hitting in both the front and back row. On defense, she reads opponents well and seems to react to the ball before it is even hit. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-105255 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Claire-Luoma-e1605563391145-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="122523" first="Claire" last="Luoma"] - Sting 15 Gold - Class of 2024</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Claire is as gritty as they come. She is a phenom in the back row and protects the backcourt with everything she has. Claire is an energizer who makes big plays and competes at an incredibly high level. She is one of the top liberos to watch in her class and is a very well-rounded athlete in the back row including having a tough serve, consistent serve receive, and explosive defense. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="91897" first="Ava" last="Clinton-Ragonese"] - [program_tooltip program_id='431537' first='Midwest' last='Penguins'] 16 Black - Class of 2023</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ava is a setter who packs a punch when she plays. She is gritty and will do just about anything to keep the ball alive. She plays great defense out of right-back and is fast to the ball. Ava is not afraid to set against the grain or take risks. She is a huge energizer on the court and never gives up on a ball. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="82908" first="Katherine" last="Lockwood"] - Sting 16 Black - Class of 2023</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Katherine is a go-to athlete on this team. She is a solid 6 rotation pin who adds value to the game every time she touches the ball. Katherine is powerful on the outside and uses a mixture of power and smart shots to earn points for her team. She is great in transition and a dynamic defender as well.</span></p>