Tatum’s ability to use her athleticism to get to each and every pass, regardless of system, will be her calling card for the foreseeable future. This makes PERFECT sense, since setters will need to show athleticism, speed and accuracy in future iterations of this game. Although the Tornados might not be traveling to a ton of “out of state” tournaments this spring, her presence will definitely be felt among those she plays with—-and against.

I was supremely impressed with Tatum’s demeanor and willingness to try new situations on Sunday. FIrst off, the size helps, as she was bigger than most of the setters in attendance. Second, the solid club training was in full force—high hands, solid location and tempo, and regimented footwork—when she was on the court. I hadn’t heard much of her in previous seasons because of my inability to see Monon Select at tournaments. That being said, she’s up a full age group to the 17-1 at Monon, and should be able to hold her own with the older kids just fine. She’s also given me a really good excuse to pay attention to Monon more.