Jumping up one spot in the top five from 4 to 3 is a considerable leap. However, when you consider Laila won a Virginia Gatorade player of the year award, that is a pretty nice accolade to add to a trophy case. She also won player of the year for Class 6 All State.

Also, you have to consider what the Metro 17 team has done this year compared to what they accomplished last year. This year they have already earned an Open bid in one of their first tournaments. Last year they could only earn a National Bid, however they took second place in Junior Nationals. This year, they have already beaten Paramount twice. Last year they could not accomplish that.

Talking to a couple coaches they uniformly agreed the biggest difference in that team is the addition of Laila Chadwick Laila Chadwick 5'8" | DS/L/OH James Madison | 2027 State #46 Nation VA . Not only does she provide a solid presence in the back row with her libero play, but she also provides a leadership role. Last year Laila played a year up on the 17s. This year she is playing her grade. It might be tough to repeat the third place finish in Open that she helped accomplish last year but don’t sell her short. She knows the road to get there. The team just needs to follow.

Laila has committed to Oklahoma.

Laila is just fun to watch. She moved onto the loaded 17T team this year where they also have Kaniyah Ball Kaniyah Ball 5'6" | DS/L Frederick | 2028 State VA playing Libero, but adding another star to that team just creates depth that is unheard of. Laila was all over the place this weekend winning the MVP award for 17 Open, covering the back court as a DS, and in another game I caught she was playing OH, where I’ve heard she plays in HS too. Got to love a back court player with good vertical. I think the new meta in VB this year is going to be back row attacking, which should be right up Laila’s alley with her hitting skills and vertical. I saw more and more teams using it this weekend when the block got thick. It’ll be fun to watch this team on the road to nationals and see if they can avenge last season’s final game, but adding Laila is a good way to start that path.

Laila was a surprise pick for Gatorade player of the year, especially when you consider all the talented seniors that were available for selection. For her high school team she hit outside. Despite her 5’7″ height she is an explosive hitter. She led Madison in kills and earned the Class 6 state player of the year for getting Madison to the semi-finals in the state championship. Laila was also voted to the first team Washington Post All Metro team.

When playing for Metro Laila plays libero. Last year while playing for Metro her libero play led the club to a third place finish in the USAV Junior National Open Division. This year she will again play for the Metro 17 team.

She ranks number 4 in our class of 2027, the highest rated libero in the class. Laila has committed to Oklahoma.