Current Green Bay Volleyball and Northern Lights Alums Head to USA Tryouts
For Anna Eaton and Taylor Wolf of Green Bay Volleyball, this weekend will be a bit of a reunion, and a whole lot of top notch training and competition at the Open Tryout for USA Volleyball held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
For Wolf, the Waconia, Minnesota native and 2018 Horizon League Player of the Year she will be going in as a right side, where last year she went in as a setter.
Anna Eaton“Going into it this year it’s nice to know just how everything flows, where things are, who will be there, and how Karch Kiraly runs the tryout,” said Wolf.
Wait – What? Oh yes, Coach Kiraly, the volleyball legend himself who is the national team coach, gold medalist as a player on the indoor and beach level, and one of the most recognizable names in the volleyball world. Other collegiate coaches from across the country will be in attendance where they will be court coaches. This is like a camp for college athletes where they have to be selected through an application process and spend three days competing against some of the best in the country.
For New Prague, Minnesota native Anna Eaton, this will be here first time at the tryout and despite being a 5’10 middle, she is looking forward to the chance to learn from other players who maybe five or six inches taller than her.
“Seeing the names on the coaching staff, I am really excited to work with them and learn as much as I can. This will be a cool experience to see how other coaches coach and how other players play from different programs. Plus being a shorter middle, I want to find different ways I can get it done, learn new tactics, and bring them back to our gym,” said Eaton.
Taylor Wolf (far right), celebrating with teammates at Green BayFor Wolf and Eaton, they will be reunited with former teammates where they spent their club days at Northern Lights, one of the top clubs in the country, and a Minnesota perennial power out of Burnsville.
“I looked at the waves and I’m paired with some former teammates and I’m really excited to get back on the court with them, “ said Eaton, who will be entering her Junior year at Green Bay.
With a chance to compete and train with the best in the nation, there are some stakes at play here. Athletes are competing for a chance to play on the US Women’s and Collegiate National Teams this summer.
For Eaton and Wolf, they will taking this experience back into the gym at Green Bay, where they will be looking to keep the momentum going from a 2018 Horizon League title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think the experience from last year, you play at a much faster pace, and it’s just really fun to be able to compete against new players,” said Wolf.
Green Bay will kick off their spring tournament schedule March 9 with the Phoenix Invite at the Kress Center on the campus of UW-Green Bay.