Houston Top 250 Expo: Coach Bruno's Dream Starting Line-Up

On December 1st the Houston Top 250 Expo was hosted at [program_tooltip program_id='431308' first='Texas' last='Advantage'] Volleyball with over 100 girls in attendance. There was so much talent to watch in the gym. However, a few girls really stood out to me. I wish I could have placed these six girls together in a line-up and watched them play. I was absolutely mesmerizing watching these girls work individually, I would have love to witness them work together.   First, I will start with the most important position in a line-up. [player_tooltip player_id='727263' first='Isabel' last='Sanchez'] is one of the most elite setters I have watched. All of the coaches were in awe watching her. Every time she delivered a set you were going to hear someone yelling, “Great set!” right after.    If anyone needed a reference of what “butter sets” look like, Isabel is the girl to watch. She gets to and sends every set with such ease and poise. I love a calm, cool, and collected setter. She has strong court awareness, being able to see the blockers anIsabel is also very strong in the front row as a right side. She has sets a very strong block, consistently lining up perfectly with the hitter. She has an amazing swing as well.    Next I have my first outside hitter, [player_tooltip player_id='727358' first='Savannah' last='Goodwin']. Every time she was given the ball, it was a kill, demonstrating her incredible talent and precision on the court. Her powerful swings and strategic positioning consistently left the opposing defense scrambling to react. Savannah's ability to read the game allowed her to exploit openings, making her a formidable force.    You can tell Savannah has spent a lot of time on her hitting mechanics. She has an incredible arm swing. She is a very aggressive player. She ensures the ball gets over the net. She does whatever it takes to keep the rally going. Savannah's vertical jump is amazing. She flies in the air and positions herself way above the net. She hangs until the block falls and then takes the swing.    This middle blocker had a presence about her as soon as she walked in the gym. I knew I wanted to watch her immediately, and she was everything I thought she would be and more. Her confidence and skill on the court were truly captivating.    Lauryn is an amazing middle! When she was on the court, no one was getting a swing past her. She dominated at the net when it came to blocking. She moves very quickly to set the block. In her transition off the net, she is even faster. This speed makes her an available hitter every time. Lauryn not only has skill, but she is also a great teammate. She cheers for everyone's success, not just her own, and communicates the entire time she's on the court.    The right side is a very underrated position, often overlooked in discussions about key roles within a team. I love when I see an athlete who makes themselves a very reliable option, consistently demonstrating their skills and determination. [player_tooltip player_id='727192' first='Allison' last='Luke'] does just that, fore she is someone you can't overlook; her ability to read the game and anticipate plays makes her an invaluable asset.    Allison has one of the craziest swings I have seen from a right side. She is a very smart hitter and has great court vision. I witnessed her cut and place the ball is different open spots all over the court. I love to see a right side that is a viable option for the offense and not just there to put up a block.    I would be absolutely thrilled to have [player_tooltip player_id='727252' first='Gabriella' last='Dooley'] as my libero any day of the week! From the very first moment, she captured my attention and held it until the last second. Her incredible character and vibrant spirit shone brightly; she took the initiative to connect with everyone and willingly volunteered for every opportunity. You can't help but adore a kid who genuinely exudes determination and passion, both inside and out!    Gabriella is the type of defender any coach would want on their court. She is cheerful, talkative, and driven. Her personality and character really shines and does not go unnoticed. Her defense and passes were on point the entire expo. Her ball were going directly to target where the setter wouldn't need to take more than two sets to the ball. She also hustled for everything, never letting the ball hit the floor if she could help it.    Last, but absolutely not least, is my other outside hitter and defensive specialist, [player_tooltip player_id='254239' first='Karli' last='Glover']. She is the definition of small but mighty with her being a typically undersized hitter. However, she doesn't let that stop her at all, and that's what I admire about her the most.    Karli was one of the most versatile players at the expo. You can she has put in time developing and training every single volleyball skill. She has amazing defense and hustle, great out of system sets, and an extremely powerful swing. I saw dig some balls that should have been kills and send them directly to target. You can also hear her talking to everyone on the court at all times, even when she on the sideline. She is a true leader on and off the court and should definitely be on more radars.

On December 1st the Houston Top 250 Expo was hosted at Texas Advantage Volleyball with over 100 girls in attendance. There was so much talent to watch in the gym. However, a few girls really stood out to me. I wish I could have placed these six girls together in a line-up and watched them play. I was absolutely mesmerizing watching these girls work individually, I would have love to witness them work together.