The Future is Here Vol. 2
We spend a lot of time watching the older age groups because it is high powered offense versus solid defense. It is years of volleyball training showing off on the court. Well, the youngsters deserve some attention too. A lot of…
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Continue ReadingWe spend a lot of time watching the older age groups because it is high powered offense versus solid defense. It is years of volleyball training showing off on the court. Well, the youngsters deserve some attention too. A lot of the 2023 class in our rankings can already play at the Varsity level or Open club level at such a young age. They are gifted athletes and you will know their names soon. Our “Future” series of articles will highlight a lot of these up and comers who will definitely be in the spotlight for every major program soon. Without further ado, here is Volume II’s crop of 2023 players to watch for.
Isabella Breeden Isabella Breeden 5'9" | S Westlake | 2023 State TX [2023] 5-9 Setter (HS: Austin Westlake/Club: Austin Skyline)
Isabella Breeden Isabella Breeden 5'9" | S Westlake | 2023 State TX comes in ranked as the number 7 ranked prospect in the 2023 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She has excellent hands who find their location multiple times in a row for her dynamic Austin Skyline hitters. Her team is one of the top teams in the 15’sage group and she is a big reason why. Pinpoint accuracy is something that all setters strive for. This young lady is capable of setting like that already at a young age. While there is not a lot of super flash with her setting, it is extremely consistent. The main reason that she is ranked so high on our list has to do with her overall volleyball ability. She is also a primary weapon in their offensive attack on the Right Side. This lengthy lefty can already bang with the best of them. She scores at a high clip and hits the ball with authority. Isa also is a primary passer in their serve receive options as well. She has a bright volleyball future ahead of her as we only see her improving down the road. Take note of her name as soon as you can.
Mackenzie Plante Mackenzie Plante 6'0" | OH Dripping Springs | 2023 State TX [2023] 6-0 Outside (HS: Lake Travis/Club: Austin Performance)
Now we move to the left side to mix things up a bit and stay well rounded in our coverage of players all over the court. This brings us to a special one in Miss Plante. She comes in ranked as the 10thbest prospect in the state according to our Prep Dig Rankings. Watch her hit a ball once on the left side and you will see why. I hope her opponents have life insurance because her swing is lethal to say the least. She is a true six-rotation player who has great ball control in serve-receive for her scary good Austin Performance club team. She has every shot imaginable from the left side but her main weapon that is almost unstoppable has to be her line shot. While most youngsters are still developing their ability to turn their body in mid-air to hit line, Mackenzie excels at it already. And its not just her ability to hit it that is astounding, it’s the power in which she does it with. She has a CANNON for an arm. I’m excited to see how much she improves in the sport and will bring my popcorn to watch this kid swing for the next couple of years.
Harper Cooper Harper Cooper 5'9" | S Parish Episcopal | 2023 State TX [2023] 5-10 Setter/Right Side (HS: Parish Episcopal/Club: Madfrog)
Harper comes in ranked as the number 12 ranked prospect in the 2023 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. Check out her arm swing if you are able to see it, as it is lightning quick. She is a kill waiting to happen for her athletic Madfrog team. They like to go against flow and set her on the right in an out of system play and she scores very efficiently at it. With a fast arm like that, she will only get better as the years go on. She is also very quick off of the ground with her approach. She has excellent ball control with her attack as her hand contact is second to none. She can place the ball wherever she wants to. The same can be said for Miss Cooper as the main reason for her high ranking is her ability to play all over the court. She also sets for her amazing Madfrog team. She is very poised as a setter and has excellent ball control. Her athleticism allows her to touch any ball on the court. She will be a force for a long time in this game.
Lyric Berry [2023] 6-1 Middle/Right Side (HS: Bishop Lynch/Club: Madfrog)
Lyric is the 18thranked prospect in the State and plays with the above mentioned Harper Cooper Harper Cooper 5'9" | S Parish Episcopal | 2023 State TX on the same club team. She is one of the recipients of those sets we mentioned. Lyric owns the net on both offense and defense. She commands the attention of the opposing team. She is a shut down middle whose extremely long arms press over and seal the net perfectly. Offensively she has tons of power, which helps her score at will in the middle. Those long arms allow her to hit on top of the ball and it meets the ten foot line regularly. She is able to hit balls along the net at almost every quick location both in front of the setter and behind. We will be seeing her for a long time on our prospect list. I look forward to seeing her progress in the middle.
Stay tuned to my next highlight article of more 2023 youngsters who are tearing the court up already. If you know of any good prospects I should cover, please send me an email at nov8vb@yahoo.com.