Five Quick Observations With Badger Region Qualifier Pools
Pools are out for the Badger Region Qualifier this weekend at the Milwaukee Sting Center which will have pool play on Saturday and bracket and bid day on Sunday with some of the top teams in the region battling it…
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Continue ReadingPools are out for the Badger Region Qualifier this weekend at the Milwaukee Sting Center which will have pool play on Saturday and bracket and bid day on Sunday with some of the top teams in the region battling it out to earn a trip to the 18s USAV Nationals in Reno or the age groups 17 on down for USAV Nationals in Dallas. Here are some initial thoughts and reactions when taking a look at the pools and brackets for the Badger Region Qualifier.
The 18s….Yikes – Talent is DEEP!
I know for some of you reading, this is just a given, but a quick back story on nationals for 18s is that a few years ago USAV Nationals moved up the 18s Nationals to the end of April/beginning of May to end the 18s season earlier as opposed to the end of June. This was mostly to give a chance for 18s to finish their season before the flurry of May events of proms, graduations, and a lot of 18s players are finishing school and heading right to college to join their college programs right after graduation. More 18s are playing the USAV route rather than AAU which means a deeper pool of teams competing for a bid. The Milwaukee Sting 18 Black and 18 White have already locked in bids to USAV Nationals in Reno May 1-3 and will not compete this weekend, but Sting 18 Gold will be competing this weekend to snag a bid. Capital 18 Adidas also got a bid from the Northern Lights Qualifier, but this tournament is going to provide a lot of great competition as well as meaningful matches with plenty at stake, along with a chance to upgrade their bid. The two seed vs. three seed matches are going to be really tough, with only the top two teams in each pool advancing to bracket play on Sunday. If seeding plays out, here would be the two seed vs. three seed matches to keep an eye on:
Sam Gray attacking for Capital 18 NavyMotion Volleyball 18 Blue vs. Impact 18 National – Motion has a lot of power at the pin, but Impact out of the Appleton area has plenty of athleticism all around led by setter Taylor Vanden Berg who can take control of the match.
Midwest Penguins 18 Black vs. Capital 18 Navy – Capital 17 Navy is a scary team with a lot of ball control and high flying pins in Sam Gray and Sophia Lee. Sam Miller is also a strong setter who is committed to Augustana in Sioux Falls, SD.
FC Elite 18 Navy vs. Epic 18 Black – This whole pool is incredibly balanced which also includes Capital 18 Adidas and Wisconsin Premier. FC Elite 18 Navy is the two seed in this pool and coming off a strong showing at BRPL.
Every Place Matters
When it comes to advancing to bracket play on Sunday, there is plenty on the line not only to win the championship and get the bid, but there is even a difference between getting third and fourth place. For example, if a team were to win the championship and receive a “National Division” bid, they could upgrade their bid to the “Open Division” at a national qualifier. If that is the case, then their National bid would trickle down to the team who got second, and who gets second would have their American bid trickle down to the third place team. Yes, this can be extremely confusing and over the next month for the 18s this will change weekly with national qualifiers and for the rest of the age groups the final qualifier is the last weekend in April. Teams can still go to nationals without a bid and play in the Patriot Division.
The Energy Is Different When Playing For A Bid
FC Elite 17 Navy celebrating at NLQI was able to attend the full weekend of Iowa Regionals last year which almost every club in Iowa plays for USAV Nationals, and with how Iowa is set up geographically there are teams from all over the state that bring strong teams – making the Regionals extremely intense and well balanced. When it comes to the semifinal matches and eventually the championships there is a different type of energy. This isn’t just another match, there is something different when there is something on the line. With the added intensity, this provides athletes the chance to play in an atmosphere where they can perform under pressure and make an upset or two. That’s the beauty of tournament time.
Rivalries Could Meet For Key Matches
It seems like each age group, there are always teams who always seem to have great matches. In the 18s, Sting 18 Gold and Wisconsin Juniors 18-1 have always been among the top teams in the region, but I have seen the 18s from Capital and FC Elite play each other the past couple years and they always seem to have three set battles trading who wins each time. In the 17s, FC Elite and Sting Black and White make up the first three seeds. These teams are well balanced and it comes down to execution. Sting 17 Gold will not play in this event after getting a 17 Open bid from the Northern Lights Qualifier. The 16s race is wide open. Sting 16 Gold is the top seed followed by Burlington United, Sting 16 Black, and Wisconsin Premier as the four seed. However, a match up with FC Elite 16 Navy as a five seed or a Sting 16 White as a seven seed is definitely a scary matchup with both teams having a lot of firepower. The first five seeds in the 15s division are either Milwaukee Sting or FC Elite. What I like about this age group is that these teams will play in other national qualifiers and I can see them getting bids from those events as well. This is a really athletic class all around the state and I’m so excited to see them play great volleyball this weekend!
So How Do Teams Decide To Play For A USAV Nationals Bid or Go To AAU Nationals?
Well, how much time do you have to chat about this? Ha. In talking with different club directors, many of them will give you different answers for their reasoning as to which route they go for the national tournament. This even varies in different states. In some states, they honestly don’t even know what JVA or AAU Nationals are – everyone plays at USAV Nationals and if you don’t qualify, the season is done. And the same goes for other parts of the country who aren’t even aware of a USAV Nationals since they plan to go to Orlando each year for AAU Nationals. For many teams, they will go after the USAV National bid and if they are unable to get one they will head to AAU Nationals in Orlando. If teams are able to play at USAV Nationals, there is a greater chance of seeing a lot of new competition from across the country. With a heavy amount of Midwest and Wisconsin clubs heading to AAU Nationals, there is a good chance teams could end up in a pool or bracket with teams they have played frequently throughout the season. Both events have great teams, are highly recruited, and provide a positive experience for the athletes and their families.