Club Team Spotlight – Alamo 16 Elite
We are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season is now coming to an end and…
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Continue ReadingWe are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season is now coming to an end and some teams have punched their ticket to USA Volleyball Junior Nationals, which will be held in Indianapolis later on this summer. Let’s take a look at a team who has had a great season so far and who we will be seeing at Nationals. Take a bow Alamo 16 Elite…you have earned it.
Alamo has always had amazing top teams that are well known nationally. This year is no exception as they have two national level teams in their 16’s age group who were dominant. Alamo 16 Elite has some amazing talent on their team that we would like to have our readers know about. They currently have an overall record of 33-19 and have had some great showing at multiple tournaments this year. They went to Salt Lake City this year and entered the American division on a mission to qualify for Nationals. They went 10-1 in matches and won the championship to earn their bid. We are proud of their success and look forward to seeing them in Indy. Even though we can write about each and every athlete that contributed to their success, I am only going to cover a few players that stood out while I was watching this season. Let’s meet a few of them.
Samantha Valadez Samantha Valadez 5'9" | S San Antonio Brandeis | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-9 Setter (HS: Brandeis/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Samantha is currently ranked as the 54th best overall prospect in the 2024 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays at Brandeis high school and also club for Alamo out of the San Antonio area. We recently profiled her when she stood out at the Sunshine Showcase and here is a refresher on what we stated, “Her court coaches were very impressed with both her defense out of the right back area and also her skill-set with setting. The length in her arms allowed her to be a threat to block while at the net. She was super consistent with delivering hittable balls to every location whether in system or not. What stood out to us was her ability to communicate on the floor with everyone throughout the entire showcase. She didn’t know all of the players on her court, but it felt like she knew them her whole career. Having a setter who can communicate on the court with her teammates and bring the best out of them is a dream come true for coaches. Miss Valadez was a joy to work with as a coach and we would recommend her to any school who wants a true leader on the court.” I have watched Sam a lot this year and she is always very upbeat and ready for competition no matter what the situation is. This kind of leadership shows very well on the court when you watch her team rally around her positive attitude. We will be watching very close as she continues to progress in the sport.
Mia Silva Mia Silva 5'9" | OH Antonian College Prep | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-9 Outside/Defensive Specialist (HS: Antonian/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Silva is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings, but is on my watch list and should be ranked when the new update comes out in a few weeks. She is a fantastic pin attacker that plays at Antonian Prep and for the nationally known Alamo volleyball program. What I love the most about Mia is her versatility. She is super athletic and gets off of the ground so fast. The bouncy left side can score at a very high clip from all over the court. She can play at the next level either as an attacker or also as a libero/defensive specialist. Her ball control in every aspect of the game is elite and she is one of the premier players on this wonderful team. She uses her fast foot speed on defense also and sets herself up in perfect defensive position every time. Stay tuned to see where she falls on the rankings.
Carly Chavez [2024] 5-7 Libero (HS: O’Connor/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Carly is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings, but showed some great skills and has entered into our watch list for our next update. She plays for O’Connor High School and also for the famed Alamo volleyball club program. We profiled her last month when she wowed us with her performance at the Sunshine Showcase and here is a little from the article, “She is a lightning quick libero who covers a lot of ground very quickly for her teams. Many coaches noted how extensive her defensive range was during our game-like drills in the showcase. Carly was giving her all and touching every ball near her zone. She did not let anything hit the floor without a valiant effort to touch it. I had many of her court coaches come up to me and tell me how good she was. When the spotlight shines on people, some have the propensity to fold under the pressure, but not Miss Chavez. She was very welcoming of the spotlight and looked very good in both individual drills and team play.” Carly impressed me greatly with her defensive range. There were not a lot of balls that dropped near her zone when I watched. Alamo’s success this season is a direct correlation to both her serve receive and defense. This young lady is able to fly all over the court and keep the ball alive for her team to stay in the rally. I love what I see from her and am eager to watch her grow in the position further.
Natalia Jackson [2024] 5-6 Setter (HS: Cornerstone Christian/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Jackson is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays high school volleyball at Cornerstone Christian High School and also club for Alamo. Natalia is a very gifted setter who runs a great 6-2 offense with her counterpart. She has very soft hands and the ball comes out of them very smoothly in each rep. There is not a location along the net that she can’t replicate over and over with precision. She moves very well across the court in tracking passes and is always able to “better the ball” to keep her hitters in-system. She has a strong frame and can push the out of system ball to the pins with ease. She is someone who I will keep my eye on as we watch her progress in the setting position. Stay tuned for more on her.
Other notable players who have been starring for this legit squad are defensive specialist/libero Adyson Perez, middle Sydnee Rodriguez, and right side Anaya Roberts. We will be highlighting these young ladies and others from this team in another article soon as they gear up for Nationals. Stay tuned for more from this wonderful team.
As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Texas Family! Don’t be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!