Smooth athleticism, a high volleyball IQ and an innate ability to keep every pass that comes to her in-system, Evelyn is currently our #1 recruit in the class of ‘29. Her work with the NTDP this past summer put her squarely on the map with the best of the best nationally, and her skill set is improving with every watch. More of a setter than an attacker at this point in her career, Miss Shirk is getting the lion’s share of high end play through the Windy City Power League this spring—-easily the biggest power league in the Midwest.

Shirk is flat-out exciting to watch. Whether she’s setting smooth dimes to her hitters or turning around and blasting a kill from the right side, she makes everything look effortless, which is hard to do in he madness of the game. Her versatility in this age group is unmatched; her maturity is admired, and her skill set is impressive. Her left‑handed swing from the RS is powerful and lethal, and she attacks with confidence from anywhere on the court. Then she’ll pass with ease, hit with power, and set with precision, stacking highlight after highlight in a single match. Shirk is a true multi‑threat and one of those players you can’t take your eyes off.

Evelyn Shirk enters her second Triple Crown NIT with both experience and perspective. Since her school season ended, she has committed to consistent training with her personal trainer and club trainers, focusing on increasing her vertical and improving her conditioning. Mentally, she feels prepared knowing what the level of competition will be like and is focused on improving on what she did well last year. Evelyn is excited to be back at Triple Crown and proud of the growth in her game, especially as she expands her role from setter and opposite to also playing outside. Her goals include improving her overall performance, becoming more effective as a setter by drawing blockers, and continuing to bond with her team. Her advice to other athletes is thoughtful and specific, reminding them to stay focused even after tough losses, take time to watch other high-level matches, and plan meals around the game schedule to feel their best throughout the weekend.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

I am so unbelievable jealous of the folks in the Chicagoland area for getting to see Evelyn play on a regular basis. Miss Shirk is THE most athletic kid in the class of ‘29, let alone the top recruit for us here at PrepDig Indiana. Already in the pipeline for the national developmental program, Evelyn is a D1 setter through and through. Her ability to use her athleticism and speed to make each and every set perfect for her attackers sets her apart from every other setter in this class, and is the model for future setters coming out of the Midwest.

Far and away the most complete athlete in the class of ‘29, Evelyn is in the NDTP as a setter and is our top recruit for the class of ‘29. Her athleticism alone stands apart from the rest of the setters in this class, let alone the class itself. She’s also on the high end when it comes to set placement, footwork, volleyball IQ and deceptive hands. Maturity oozes from Miss Shirk, and acts as a second coach on the floor when she’s in charge. I’m looking forward to seeing her play with her 1st Alliance club this spring, as there are a couple of kids from Indiana that have turned heads recently to give me notice.

Everything she does seems effortless, and at the end of the day that’s a huge compliment. I’ve written about Shirk before and she can do anything at any position. She was doing a lot of sitting but also saw her hit and pass as well. Her sets are always on the money, her hits are powerful, she’s a lefty as well … and when she passes you can’t even tell it hits her arms, it’s so soft. She always has a smile on her face, but competes to the max as well. Only a 2029, but plays varsity, and will have a great club season and career ahead of her.

I’ve written about Shirk before. She will have a great club season and lots of people will take notice. Shirk can do it all. She has a great confidence about herself and makes teammates better. She is a setter who can also really hit the ball as well. Put her anywhere on the court and she makes your team really good. Has a great touch with her sets, a great swing on the RS as she is a lefty as well. And she passes with really good touch. Player to watch and one who will make a bunch of noise.

I realize that Evelyn was mentioned in yesterday’s article on pin attackers, but it’s worth noting that, as high-end an attacker she is, Miss Shirk was recently with the NTDP as a setter. With easily the strongest upper body among the five listed today, Evelyn can set any hitter in any situation from anywhere on the floor, hence the NTDP invite. She might be a very tough attacker as a lefty, but her future certainly looks bright in the setting department.

Already hammering away with older age groups at 1st Alliance, Evelyn is a combo right side and setter that can easily do both at the next level. Today, we’ll talk about her attacking prowess—-which includes a hammer for a left arm. Able to hit any angle presented to her, she jumps out of the gym, has athleticism for days, and is ready to hit at any time and with any set. On the block, she reads and reacts with the best of them, all while setting a strong block for her middle to close.

A lefty setter that can do it all. Evelyn first stood out to me when I saw how clean and deceptive her back sets were. She has solid footwork, strong setter hands, and did I mention she’s a lefty? Evelyn even swung from the outside for a bit during scrimmages and was effective there as well.