Emma is a star in the making and really showing out this season at the 15 open level. A team that already has a bid, and is now in the gold bracket finals of this tournament just shows how good this team is. Emma stands out on this team with how impressive of a offensive force she is, she even at the open level has the most impressive vertical out there and will terminate balls over, through, and around blocks. She is also smart enough to take what the defense gives her and can go off speed when it is open. She also does a fantastic job making life hard for the pins on the other team by being such a physical presence with her block. She doesn’t give a lot of room to hit around her and gets so many good touches on the ball even if it isn’t a block. Overall a game changer and someone who will do well to lead her team to double bid today!

“For me, this camp really reinforced how important adapting to change is in volleyball. With different attackers, different sets, and different blockers, I had to adjust quickly to be successful. That’s something that doesn’t always show on film, the unexpected moments in a match and who steps up to make the difference while bringing their team with them.”

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Emma Brayer Emma Brayer 6'0" | RS Sandra Day O'Connor | 2029 State AZ enters as one of the younger athletes in the field but carries herself with clear confidence in her preparation. She is looking forward to competing alongside athletes who share the same ambition while proving she can deliver physically and mentally. “I’m prepared for challenges and hardship but I know that my training has been worth it,” she said, reflecting a maturity that extends beyond her class year. Emma views the invitation as timely affirmation from coaches who identified potential and expects to meet that expectation head-on. If she could bring someone to share the experience, she would choose Jaelyn Kangas, a teammate who balances accountability with joy and consistently raises the collective energy of the group.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Emma is one of the top pin hitters in the class of 2029, and has demonstrated that week in and week out with her stellar game play but she impressed us even more with her game play this past month.

Emma is a physical right-side attacker with a college-ready frame who showed clear offensive value throughout January. She is a reliable option in out-of-system situations, especially on broken plays and transition swings. She does not shy away in those moments and attacks with pace and confidence, showing the ability to score both through the block and off the hands. Blocks are non existent for her as she is comfortable swinging against set blocks and does not shy away from high-pressure moments late in sets.

One thing we like is we saw her blocking took a noticeable step forward this month. She really lines up well against left-side attackers, closes inside hands with great discipline, and presses over the net rather than reaching. That is a big difference we see in her over other blockers her age is the ability to press over the net and really take away that space from other pin hitters. She is also improving in her reads as a play is going on, resulting in more controlled touches even when not recording stuff blocks.

Emma is already a standout based on her game play normally, but she really is taking off and demonstrating why she is one of the best players in her class, shall we say one of the best in AZ? Few more months like that and we will have to have that conversation!