A Dandy Dozen from Class of 2029 Who Impress

Rankings will not come out for the 2029s until close to the high school season. However, the time when many top Division I College coaches begin tracking the elite players usually begins at the 14 year age group, or just before high school. A lot can happen with skill level in the next four years, but for the most part growth has settled. For parents this is also a good opportunity to begin establishing profiles to tout skill level and accomplishments. At the Prep Dig showcases many of the college coaches there recommend creating a profile at the University Athlete website. It is free for players, unless you want to add some bells and whistles. Many college coaches track players using this site.   When touting skill levels providing block jump and approach jump is important for many college coaches. For top Division I schools a middle should bring an approach jump of at least 10 feet or higher while an outside should reach at least 9'9" or above. This begins the age where physical training starts to become as important as skills training. Accomplishments can include any first team District, all tournament team or all state selections. Even listing any opportunities to act as team captain shows leadership qualities.   Below are some of the 2029 players who have stood out early this club season. They are listed alphabetically.   [player_tooltip player_id='752416' first='Mallory' last='Beeson'] ([program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']) RS/Middle - She played right side for East Coast in the matches I watched. Her offensive opportunities in those matches were limited but she recorded a number of good blocks. She stands 5'10" so she brings solid height to the floor. The team also did well in the Mid Atlantic Power League (MAPL) finishing in 14th place while playing against older teams. Mallory will be an interesting player to keep an eye on.   [player_tooltip player_id='750047' first='Caroline' last='Conroy'] (Metro) middle - At 6'3" she brings some good height for the position. She also took some pretty good swings at the ball when given a set. Normally, players at this height find the game awkward as they struggle with their constantly expanding length. The coordinated movements take time when maximizing a jump while also executing a good swing path to the ball. Caroline seems to have a good start to that skill set already. Her transition movements to put herself in a position to attack after the block also seem fluid for her age.    In the past, when you showed up at try outs standing 6'0" most coaches would assign you a middle blocking position. Elliot displayed the athleticism and quickness to convince coaches she could play outside.   She creates good extension on her swing when she reaches for the ball. I did not see her a lot when passing or playing defense, but she moved well on the court.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] ranks as one of the top teams in the Region. They recently competed in Triple Crown and MAPL.     At the Capitol Hill Classic she won the best setter award. Considering her 6'0" height that should grab some looks. If you watched her hitting warmups at MAPL it would not surprise you if she also won the best hitter award as well. Every time they set her on the right side she put the ball away.   Carolyn can set a 5/1 or a 6/2. If setting a 6/2 she brings the offensive game to be a force on the right side. I have yet to see her set a 5/1 but her ability to rise above the net would create issues for defenses. Definitely a difference maker in her age group.   Metro 14 currently ranks 16th nationally.    [player_tooltip player_id='756340' first='Erin' last='Moir'] (American) left side - American has been doing good in a trio of local open tournaments. They recently finished second to Liberty Elite in a recent tournament. Erin stood out as the primary offensive weapon for American. While she only stands 5'9" she can bring pretty good velocity on the ball when she takes a hack at it. She also showed a good bullet serve that brought good downward trajectory when flying over the net. A couple more inches in growth would give her a good future on the left side.   [player_tooltip player_id='748513' first='Scarlett' last='Netherton'] (Maryland Juniors) right side - While she only stands 5'9" she puts the ball down pretty hard when set. At the 14 age level Scarlett does not have to deal with many imposing blocks at the net. She brings good hops to bury the ball to the floor. She normally does not play any back row, rotating out for the setter. So far Maryland Juniors has won the 15 Open at National Harbor, won the Volley by the James and earned the first Chesapeake Bid by finishing third in the USA Division at the Sunshine Qualifier. They rank 17th nationally.   [player_tooltip player_id='754674' first='Clark' last='Rodney'] (MOCO) libero/defensive specialist - Clark probably stands all of 5'3". She played defensive specialist. It was impressive how quickly she moved in the back row while displaying excellent anticipation. The hustle she also showed was phenomenal. In addition to her back row defense, she also took some pretty aggressive swings at the ball when set in the back row, despite her 5'3" height. Perhaps that was why they used her as a defensive specialist as opposed to the libero. It is not often I see a player at her position with such intensity and enthusiasm, especially at the 14 age level.   [player_tooltip player_id='750050' first='Raquel' last='Telly'] (Metro) left side - Her older sister Alexa plays for Metro at the 16 age level. At the Capitol Hill Classic Raquel won the MVP award while leading Metro to a first place finish. They defeated Maryland Juniors in three. Raquel first earned Prep Dig recognition for her left side play at MAPL. Raquel already reaches 9'7" in her approach jump and appears slightly taller than her 5'7" listed height. The first real test for Metro will come in the Chesapeake Regionals at the end of this month. After that Metro plays in a couple National qualifiers.    Maryland Juniors has a potent one-two punch on the left side with Sierra and [player_tooltip player_id='622282' first='Emerson' last='Wolfe']. Emerson belongs to the class of 2028. Sierra stands out as a physically strong player who can really find the floor fast with her hits. Even at her age she displays pretty good technique when attacking the ball. She also brings the athleticism and quickness to play all six rotations.   With Emerson under the weather at National Harbor Sierra stood out as the top offensive player on the team. It will be fun to watch as her volleyball career unfolds.     It is tough to evaluate liberos at the 14 age level. The hitting and serving lack the strength of the older players. One skill to note is the quickness she shows in the back row when playing defense. She also communicates well. Harper played for the team last year when they took third place in the Junior Nationals playing in the USA Division.   With all the talent on this team it becomes difficult to really focus on the libero. You notice her more for her steady play and anonymity when the offense purrs.    [player_tooltip player_id='752412' first='Alexa' last='Whitfield'] ([program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']) right side -While she identifies as a right side in her profile she played middle in the matches I watched. She teamed with [player_tooltip player_id='752416' first='Mallory' last='Beeson'] (listed above) to form a great wall at the net. I did not get to see a lot of offensive opportunities from her hitting middle but she participated in a number of strong blocks.   [player_tooltip player_id='753073' first='Aniston' last='Williams'] (Maryland Juniors) middle - For her age she is already quite adept at running quick tempo sets in the middle. That success opens up the opportunities for the pin hitters to thrive. She also won the best blocker award at the Capitol Hill Classic. A player to watch as she develops in the middle.

Rankings will not come out for the 2029s until close to the high school season. However, the time when many top Division I College coaches begin tracking the elite players usually begins at the 14 year age group, or just before high school. A lot can happen with skill level in the next four years, but for the most part growth has settled. For parents this is also a good opportunity to begin establishing profiles to tout skill level and accomplishments. At the Prep Dig showcases many of the college coaches there recommend creating a profile at the University Athlete website. It is free for players, unless you want to add some bells and whistles. Many college coaches track players using this site.