Playing Up: Middles Up An Age Group

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want a subscription to PrepDig? Use code Kyp30 for 30% off of your annual subscription! And don't forget to follow @KypPDIN on X for all of your Indiana high school and club volleyball news!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our final edition to the “Playing Up” series fixes the spotlight squarely on the athletes playing up an age group in the middle blocking position. Easily the least heralded of all positions here in Indiana, the four middles listed below have gone above and beyond their expectations during this club season, and should have more recruiting eyes on them as the season completes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["586739"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a1da8aab629a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">More of a strong-and-silent type of middle, Kenley has upper body strength for days and can defend from pin to pin with some of the best middles in this class. All action without the flair, Miss Mitchell is a solid and strong M2 for the next level that plays for Circle's 18 Black squad. Highly coachable and with a relentless motor, Kenley will fill someone's middle blocking position group and make that group better simply because of her presence and unending stamina.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["502098"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a1da8aab6325"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Currently listed on TI's 17.1 squad, Caroline has spent time on BOTH her home team and the 18.1 roster during this spring. In short, Caroline dominates the middle during 17s play and holds her own very nicely with the bigger and older middles in the 18s division. Her length is her strength, and she maximizes her attack touch with uber-long arms that can make some blockers look irrelevant. On defense, Miss Wilmering is more than capable of defending from pin to pin, and uses long strides to get to each and every pin blocker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["789191"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a1dabe165ff0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It's one thing to be playing up an age group for a solid 18s team, like the two middles listed above. It's COMPLETELY another to be playing up an age group for the Samurai, easily the top 18s team in the state of Indiana. Ja'Maria's sheer athleticism draws recruiting eyes to her court, and can make even the average fan envy her speed and jumping ability. The training she's receiving with some of the best recruits Indiana has to offer, while playing a strictly open-level national schedule, puts Miss Jackson squarely in the middle of the “top available middles” conversation for her graduating class. Her athleticism alone should be earning her a ton of recruiting views, let alone her volleyball acuity and coachability.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Madison White","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Fort Wayne Snider","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Empowered","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a1dabe166292"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Big and physical, Madison is listed as a middle for her high school team, but can play any of the front row positions on her club squad, the 17 Black at Empowered in Fort Wayne. Her upper body strength, coupled with a high and heavy snap, makes her extremely tough to dig, and she abuses weak-handed blocks because of her upper body strength. She knows the game, knows her abilities, and is a diamond-in-the-rough middle that will surprise recruiters looking for that strong, raw and athletic middle in their fall of 2028 recruiting class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->