The Evolution of Sting 16 White – The Process of Improvement
This story can probably be copied across various teams and clubs across the country, but I feel like the Milwaukee Sting 16 White team’s story of finishing in the final four of the 16 Club Division at AAU Nationals is one to be celebrated and others can relate to. So much progress can be made in such a relatively short time (given the right work ethic and pieces to put together), and for this squad, their success is not measured with the trophy they most recently won, but in the overall improvement as individuals and as a team that will provide them with so much confidence heading into their Junior year of high school. This is what club volleyball can do, bring out the best in a group that can only be a launch into something much bigger than one would think.
I’ll hit the rewind button to maybe January of 2018, I first started writing for Prep Dig Wisconsin and saw this team play at the Winter Classic in Milwaukee. Not all the players from Sting 16 White are on this particular team, but there was a strong core of them together such as Aspen Jankowski, Janelle Stuempfig, Lindsay Krznarich, and Monica LaFleur (I apologize if I’m missing anyone). This was probably their first tournament – a starting point. I saw them again at the JVA Jamboree in Milwaukee a month later, a huge improvement in their overall game, the confidence was starting to show. A team coached by Terri Little, the Burlington head coach coming off a state title, showing them the fundamentals, how things are done right, and how to flat out compete. Another month after, they made a run in the Badger Region Championships and the team I first saw in January was unrecognizable. Stuempfig is jump setting every ball, while Jankowski isn’t just hitting the ball hard from the pin, but was finding the opening on the court and scoring a ton of points.
Sting 16 White at Northern Lights QualifierFast forward with new teams starting competition in January of 2019, Milwaukee Sting had the makings of a really solid 16s group with all three of their national teams. However, 16 White had some players on the brink of a breakout. The team would have Mackenzie Leach coming in being the libero, the outside/ds would now be a big time go to defensive player. Elle Truckenbrod, who is a three sport standout for Kettle Moraine Lutheran and coming off a state runner up campaign as a Sophomore as well as earning honorable mention all state honors would be on the roster. Sammie Seib, the crafty outside was coming off a D4 state title for Catholic Central was added to the mix. There would also be Martina McGrath out of Hartford who was on a Silver team the year before, the 6’2 right side was improving at a rapid rate.
The team that was kind of a sleeper was adding some big time players to the group that would make a big difference, but how would that mix with the players who were already established from the year before? Players playing different positions, maybe not even playing much at all, and learning how to sacrifice time for the betterment of the team? After all in club volleyball, if everything were easy, where would the growth be? There were probably times this past season where it was tough learning the tendencies of new players and finding their role on the team, but again through those difficult times is where the steps of improvement are gained.
Seeing this squad at the Northern Lights Qualifier in April, they were right there to being one of the top teams in the 16 USA Division, four spots away from qualifying for USA Nationals. Mackenzie Leach was developing into a libero who commanded the backrow, she owned every ball her way. Monica LaFleur, who has only really been playing volleyball for a couple years after being in competitive swimming was flying in the middle and getting a touch on everything. This team was beginning to gel, give them another month before nationals and they would be on the verge of making a big run in Orlando.
Sting 16 White would start out 9-1 in the AAU National Tournament, with their only loss coming to Inside Out from Michigan. They dominated their challenge match to get into the Gold bracket and hold off an Epic United team out of Indiana with a 15-13 win in the third set of the first round and then defeat Northern Lights out of Minnesota to earn their way to the semifinals. A tough Montana Select team would have the upperhand in the semifinals, defeating Sting 16 White in two sets. However, a third place finish, a season of improvement, and a huge boost of confidence heading into their high school season among all the skills of volleyball, of life throughout the season was won throughout the entire season.
Janelle Stuempfig and Mackenzie Leach earn All American honors at AAU Nationals.I know not every club team has a fairy tale ending. Not every season meets the expectations of everyone. Not all improvement in volleyball is linear, it’s not easy, and can be quite frustrating. The peaks and valleys can sometimes can be pretty drastic from each other. For this Sting 16 White team, as much as I’ve seen some of these individuals play in high school and the club circuit, the type of players they were a year and a half ago to where they are now is what is so great about sports, about being on a team, and working through something that is hard. The growth these athletes have made is something special. A trophy is just a perk to the hard work put in. For the athletes transitioning from the club to high school teams, the offseason is short, take advantage of the workouts, the extra time with the team, the coaches, and keeping working for the improvement moving in the right direction, even if it isn’t a perfect, predictable, or easy.