Johanna Lawleris placing emphasis on making smarter volleyball decisions.

Rather than focusing solely on power, Johanna is focused on her court awareness and ability to place the ball where defenders are not. She believes that becoming more intentional with her attacks has helped her make fewer errors while creating better opportunities for her team to score.

Confidence has also become easier to maintain because of the trust she has in the people around her.

Johanna shared that support from teammates and encouragement from the bench help her stay composed during pressure situations. Knowing everyone is working toward the same goal allows her to focus on the next ball instead of worrying about mistakes.

This season, her coach challenged her to improve her energy and effort on the court. Johanna responded by becoming more intentional about bringing energy to every match and learning to believe in herself more consistently.

As summer approaches, she is looking forward to attending the University of Georgia Volleyball Camp, T Street Volleyball Coaches Camp, and other college camp opportunities. Along the way, she plans to continue working on her vertical jump and becoming a more physical attacker while maintaining the court awareness that has become an important part of her game.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Johanna Lawler is direct, and confident, which honestly fits her game. She talked about intensity, focus, accuracy, and continuing to swing. No extra noise. The 2029 middle blocker takes pride in hitting between .350 and .400 while still finding ways to score with both pace and touch. Whether it is finding a seam, dropping a tip, or making a quick adjustment at the net, Lawler points toward a player who understands efficiency matters just as much as power.

When matches tighten, her reset is simple, take a breath, communicate quickly with the setter, and move on. That kind of emotional control often gets overlooked in younger middles. Off the court, her involvement in school activities, FFA, and school spirit suggests someone who enjoys being part of something bigger than herself. Coaches looking for confidence without drama may like what they hear here.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Johanna Lawler is a stud that all college coaches need to be looking at now even as only a freshman. This class of 2029 middle blocker from Hilmar High School and Rage Volleyball Club, is one of the most physically striking prospects in her entire class nationally and the film makes a convincing case that the skill set is developing at the same rate as the frame. Standing at 6’4″ as a freshman, she has already established herself as a known name in Northern California volleyball circles, serving as a key contributor on a Hilmar program that won back-to-back NorCal regional championships and competed in the CIF State Division V tournament. The contact point she creates at the net is genuinely unlike anything most hitters she faces have ever had to deal with, and she has already shown the ability to move her attacks to multiple areas of the court rather than simply trusting her height to do the damage for her. Miss Lawler is one of the more exciting young prospects in the country and the programs that get to her early are going to feel very good about that decision. Please help us congratulate her on earning Top Performer honors at this showcase event. 

Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA brings versatility to the front row through her ability to attack from multiple routes and create scoring angles as a hitter. Her offensive approach shows an understanding of how to vary tempo and placement, allowing her to remain productive across different sets and situations. Lawler is currently working to increase her vertical and overall explosiveness, incorporating jump workouts and box training to elevate her physical presence at the net. Her goal centers on developing consistency while continuing to improve across all areas of her game. Away from volleyball, Lawler spends time raising a market lamb and even built the pen with her father, a project that reflects both work ethic and hands-on discipline.

Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA ‘s progression shows in her offensive versatility as a middle. She references hitting spots and reading blockers to become less predictable. That adjustment moves her from being a location-dependent attacker to one who can manipulate the block and create scoring angles with intention.

She is pairing that growth with physical development. Johanna has added two weekly sports performance sessions to increase her vertical and is already seeing measurable improvement. The combination of block-reading development and vertical training points toward expanding her scoring ceiling.

When asked what she wants coaches to understand beyond the stat sheet, she answered:

The brevity of that answer still reveals mindset. She centers her identity around competitiveness and positive influence, two qualities that sustain middles through long rallies and transition-heavy systems.

Off the court, Johanna is building leadership through FFA, managing responsibility through a lamb project, and serving in her church’s children’s program. Those commitments reinforce accountability and follow-through outside volleyball.

Arianne Paulson is a player who has impacted Johanna this season. She points to Arianne’s ability to lift others up and her comeback from injury. Johanna’s focus on resilience and encouragement highlights what she values in competitive spaces, steadiness and belief through adversity.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Click to view Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA

Johanna stood out in San Mateo as a consistent force at the net, noting how her blocking and attacking from the middle forced opposing teams to adjust their offense. She took pride in her timing on overpass kills and her ability to deliver both blocks and terminal swings in key moments. Her primary technical focus moving forward is continuing to “press on the block” to become even more effective defensively. Outside of volleyball, Johanna is actively involved in FFA, recently acquiring two lambs and placing 9th in the sectional speaking contest for the FFA Creed.

Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA will compete next at Power League #1 on February 7 in Roseville.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Lawler is a 6’3” middle with a huge presence at the net. She showcased a ton of physicality and versatility on the court. She has a heavy swing that launches attacks that defenders find difficult to handle. She further complicates things defenders in that she can hit not only from the middle, but also from the pins and has a wide array of shots to go with it from cross court, to line, to off speed. Lawler’s height, range, and versatility make her a middle with a ton of potential as she continues to grow her game.

Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA is a 6’4 freshman with a consistency she already recognizes as her strongest tool. Her impact grew throughout the match and she delivered a clutch ace to close the first set 26 to 24. She knows when to swing and when to tip and she adjusts cleanly on the block. She finished with 5 kills on .625 hitting and earned 7.5 points.

She shared that State taught her “it is fun and you need to work hard to get there.” Her moment came when she earned the kill that put Hilmar at championship point. Off the court she is active in FFA and will be showing lambs this year, a detail that reflects her discipline and responsibility. ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Johanna Lawler Johanna Lawler 6'4" | MB/RS Hilmar | 2029 State CA ‘s size and hitting ability are matched by her sharp court awareness and high volleyball IQ. She uses her understanding of the game to position herself effectively, both at the net and in the back row. This offseason, she has been focused on improving her back-row defense, knowing that being a complete player makes her more valuable at the next level. Described as intense, focused, and accurate, Johanna also brings unique personality to the court, from her fluency in Spanish to her world record for largest shoe size in her age group. Hilmar will rely on her ability to terminate at the net and contribute defensively to keep them competitive in every match. ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247