What To Watch Heading Into Badger Team Camp?
This very well could be the busiest week of volleyball in Wisconsin. With Badger Region HP Camp, UW-Milwaukee Team Camp, Waupaca Boat Ride, and Badger Team Camp – you can’t go wrong. This is definitely such a fun time of…
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Continue ReadingThis very well could be the busiest week of volleyball in Wisconsin. With Badger Region HP Camp, UW-Milwaukee Team Camp, Waupaca Boat Ride, and Badger Team Camp – you can’t go wrong. This is definitely such a fun time of year where it’s a little more laid back for the athletes and a chance for plenty of coaches to reconnect at various camps and events. Prep Dig will be apart of it all. I will be heading to the Badger Team Camp this weekend which brings in high school teams from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, and I think Missouri, I’ll be getting a team list as soon as I get there. Here is what I’ll be looking for when I head to Madison for the weekend.
Top Programs In Their State vs. Top Programs In Other States
I know there will be some programs who will be starting their quest to make some noise come late October and early November. Last year was exactly that when Champlin Park (MN) defeated Omaha Duchesne (NE) in the championship last summer. Champlin Park would win the Class AAA title in Minnesota where Duchesne would fall to Skutt Catholic out of Omaha in the state tournament, (Which Skutt Catholic is one of the top programs in the country). Champlin Park had three players in Izzy Ashburn (Wisconsin), Emma Schmidt (Northern Iowa), and Kaitlyn Weimerskirch (Illinois State). The cupboard is far from bare for the Rebels as they make a return back to the camp this weekend. Other teams I’m looking forward to seeing take the court will be Howards Grove (WI), Luxemburg-Casco (WI), West Liberty (IA), St. Thomas More (IL), Barrington (IL), Arrowhead (WI), and many more. I geek out over these matchups, the future matchups, and future teammates.
Omaha Duchense has one of the better all around teams I have seen at this camp. If you asked one of their players what position they play the best answer would be “all of them”. Really solid!
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) July 15, 2018
Opportunity For Growth – For ALL, Including Myself
Players aren’t the only ones learning at camp. The Wisconsin staff brings in college, high school, and club coaches from across the country to help out at this camp. Head Coach Kelly Sheffield will put on classroom sessions for the athletes and for the coaches. Coaches are constantly collaborating with each other picking up new drills, schemes, and training they can take back to their gym. Usually teams are coached by someone other than their coach, even though their coach will be in attendance. This is a great opportunity for the athletes to learn from someone new and hear similar concepts and training their high school coach is also teaching. As for myself? I love hearing coaches talk about training, how to mentally approach the game, and how to move the needle forward in the game of volleyball for all. I love it!
New Athletes
After a long club season, it can be so refreshing coming into a high school summer camp where the synergy is beyond electric. This is a little taste of college for a lot of these high school athletes. There is plenty of team bonding, new players put in situations they may not be accustomed to, and coaches are able to learn about their teams. There could be the athlete who has always played basketball and figured she try volleyball – and she just happens to be really good at it. There might be position changes, growth from a Freshman to Sophomore year, or just a product of a lot of hardwork in the offseason.
It’s demo team time by @BadgerVB expect an entertaining color commentary by Coach Sheffield pic.twitter.com/Z1awO7HsNe
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) July 15, 2018
The Team Demos
Throughout the camp the Wisconsin Badger players will put on various demos for the players in attendance at the camp. Athletes are able to see the sense of humor from Coach Sheffield, they can see the likes of All American athletes up close after watching them on the Big Ten Network and ESPN all season, and while they are in awe, they also see that these athletes are human, they make mistakes, but they move on and are always playing with energy. Women’s volleyball players are the role models for these high school athletes and to get a chance to see them compete and work with them is such a powerful experience for these teenagers.
Champlin Park winning Minnesota’s largest class in 2018.
The Process of Reloading
There are going to be some programs who traditionally have been strong year after year. Last year Kettle Moraine Lutheran (WI) and Champlin Park (MN) were among the final four at the tournament and a couple months later they were holding up trophies at the state tournament. Kettle Moraine Lutheran will be returning Elle Truckenbrod who is developing into a go to player as a six rotation outside which is needed after the graduation of Ari Miller who is at UW-Milwaukee. Champlin Park will be returning Hannah Prasky (Augustana), Jordan Stalpes (MN), and Sami Hilley in the front line, but will have to replace a high school All American setter in Izzy Ashburn.
*Oh how I would love to see a demo where they can assemble a Champlin Park team with current Badger players Sydney Hilley and Izzy Ashburn joined by some of the members of the current Champlin Park team.