Free Article of the Week

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Sullivan Lell. *** There are those whose path to the volleyball is shaped and molded from a young age. For them, it’s only a matter of time before they begin club and find themselves fully immersed in the sport. Then they are players like Sullivan Lell, a 3-star L/DS from the Class of 2027. The road she traveled was not straight. In fact, she wasn’t even sure volleyball was the sport she wanted to continue on with. Growing up playing soccer and basketball, Lell thought she would be playing the latter long term if nothing else. She dabbled in a rec league for volleyball. Going into middle school, she kept at it playing both basketball and volleyball. Then as she was on the brink of beginning high school, it was decision time. Basketball or volleyball? “It was a very hard decision,” she said. “I played school basketball in eighth grade and I was asked back to the same club for AAU. I went back-and-forth on it. I played basketball for the longest time.” In picking volleyball, she stopped playing basketball altogether. One thing she took with her from the hardwood though was her competitiveness. “Playing basketball made me competitive,” Lell said. “I didn’t like losing. That made me very competitive and I carried that into volleyball.” Lell joined Alabama Performance for her first club season at 12s. She opened as a libero but with one of the setters unable to play on Sundays Lell had to step in to fill that role. Although she didn’t like it as much as playing defense, it did allow her to see the game in a different way. “It was a great learning experience,” she said. “It did help me learn how to pass better with my hands.” Sell and her Alabama Performance 15 teammates have been practicing since November and are in preparation for the season-ending tournament at AAU nationals in a couple of weeks. A year ago, the squad took the gold medal in 14 Spirit. “I love traveling to Orlando,” Lell said. “It’s a fun city. The energy is always high there.” Away from volleyball Lell has recently become a wake boarding enthusiast. She hasn’t quite progressed to doing tricks but she’s working toward it. “We actually got a boat last summer and we went almost all of summer,” she said. “It’s really fun. I want to learn how to do a 360. I’m going to get there.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Lell about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Lell: Outside of volleyball I look up to my mom a lot. She’s hard working and sets a good example. Inside of volleyball I look up to my coaches. They have all helped me through the years. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Lell: I would definitely go to the lake and hang out with my family. My grandma’s house is there. I love spending time with her and to be able to surf and jet ski and stuff like that. Do you have a favorite volleyball memory or story to share? Lell: Last year winning our division at AAU nationals was a really cool experience with the team. We had so much fun during that time. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Lell: Yes, but it’s more of a habit. When our team goes through at the net to say good luck to the other team, we always get in the same order and my teammate behind me is always my middle. We always turn around and give each other high fives before every game. What is something that makes you laugh a lot and why? Lell: My older sister, Elizabeth, is the funniest person ever. Whenever I’m with her I’m always laughing. We are close in age so we spend a lot of time together. When not at a tournament, what’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? Lell: It’s either going to the lake or staying home, sleeping in and hanging out with friends. What is something you wish you had more time to do and why? Lell: I really like playing pickleball. I would love to do it more and get better at it. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Lell: It would be either that I do wake surfing or that I’m young for my grade. I don’t turn 15 until May 29. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why? Lell: I’ve been to the Bahamas twice for spring break. It’s so pretty. If I had to pick somewhere else it would be Greece or Italy. They both seem really pretty too. But, the Bahamas is my all-time favorite vacation spot. What is something you love learning about and why? Lell: In school I actually take Spanish and I would love to take it all the way through high school. Being fluent would be fun and useful. What’s your favorite number and why? Lell: It’s definitely three. I have always loved three. Growing up my basketball number was three and it has just stuck.

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Olivia Branum. *** A simple invitation changed everything. Olivia Branum was involved in soccer for a long time. She played basketball for a while too. She tried her hand at tennis and tumbling but she didn’t like any of them enough to see herself sticking with any of those sports. Then around age 10 she attended a volleyball camp with a friend and she really liked it. “My friend just invited me and said I think we should try this,” Branum said. “I had no idea what it was about. I didn’t think I would like it. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know anything. By the end of the camp I did learn how to serve the ball over the net. That’s all I could really do.” It quickly led to private lessons and Branum making the 1s team at her first club tryout. Currently, Branum – now a 5-11, 3-star setter from the Class of 2026 – is part of the OP2 16-1 Elite squad which recently qualified for 16 Open at the Lone Star Classic. OP2 was essentially a victory away from earning its spot two weeks earlier at Show Me, an event OP2 upset highly-ranked Boiler Jrs 16 Gold at on Day 2. However, OP2 lost its first outing on Day 3 in a three-team pool and wound up tied for fifth instead. Given how difficult the field was going to be at Lone Star, it appeared a golden opportunity had come and gone at Show Me. Yet, that wasn’t the case. OP2 sprung another huge upset on Day 2 in Dallas, upending highly-ranked TAV 16 Black and once more making the gold pools. Based on trickle down, OP2 was assured of a bid before playing its last match of its three-team pool. “At Show Me, with playing high-level teams, everyone is neck-and-neck,” Branum said. “We are a very competitive team and after that tournament I think we realized how good we are and how far we have come and we still weren’t playing our best. We just couldn’t quite finish it. “It’s tough coming from Oklahoma. There are not a lot of teams representing at the Open level. We are one of the first teams playing at this level. I wish we were competing at Open since we were a lot younger so we would be more used to it. I think we are doing really well this year. We accomplished our goal of qualifying and I hope we do even better at nationals.” While Branum has been running a 5-1 in club since her 13s season, her role on her Westmoore high school team is different. There, she sets and hits. This past fall she finished second overall in kills with 202. She missed a bit of time though and actually led the team in kills per set at 2.3. It was the same with setting. Though she finished second with 406 assists, she led the roster with 4.7 per set. She was also second in aces with 51. “I enjoy getting to hit,” she said. “I like to do it for school ball. I don’t know if it’s something I’d get to do in club ball ever again.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Branum about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Branum: Outside of volleyball I really look up to my older sister. She is 22 and she is super-driven. She graduated college early. She’s a really, really good role model for life. She helps me with volleyball and my social media. She has her own life and her own job but she still finds time to help me out with things like my videos. She comes to my tournaments and I’m appreciative of that. Inside of volleyball, I look up to college setters like Bergen Reilly or Ella Swindle who were freshmen running 5-1s at huge schools. They work super hard and are great role models. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Branum: I would probably go to the beach. Not that I get to go all the time, but I would go surfing and play beach volleyball. Do you have a favorite volleyball memory or story to share? Branum: Anytime we have qualified for nationals it’s been a great experience. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Branum: I actually don’t, but my mom she is super superstitious with volleyball. If she is videoing one of my games and we are doing bad she’ll stop. Or if someone leaves for like the restroom and we are playing well while they are gone, she’ll tell them to go back away. She is superstitious but I don’t focus or think about anything like that. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Branum: I can’t go a day without talking or texting my best friends or my family and spending time with them. What is something that makes you laugh a lot and why? Branum: I love the show The Office. It makes me laugh a lot. I’ve probably watched it 15 times all the way through. It always makes me laugh and puts me in a good mood. When not at a tournament, what’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? Branum: It’s definitely hanging out with my friends and family. I like to sleep in because on tournament weekends I have to get up so early. I like to hang out and have sleepovers. We do have practices

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: McKinley Moser. *** Growing up, McKinley Moser played basketball and soccer. However, being from Nebraska and attending Cornhuskers matches since she was young, there was another sport tugging at her heart. “It was a tough decision but ultimately I really liked volleyball and I knew what it was going to be like,” said Moser, a 4-star setter from the Class of 2027. “When I started playing I really liked that it was a team sport and you can’t win by yourself. I really like that you and your teammates put in so much work together and that you can’t do anything without them.” It wasn’t until last season during her 14s year that Moser focused primarily on setting. Early on during club she trained in every position. She hit on both the left and right sides and “for a while that’s all I wanted to do.” “One of the coaches guided me in the setting direction because they said I had good hands,” Moser said. “I was definitely hesitant at first. I think it was mainly because setting is a lot of responsibility and I didn’t know if I was ready for all of that.” It paid immediate dividends. A year ago VCNebraska 14 Elite became the first team from the club to earn an Open bid. “Last year I learned how to be a good leader,” Moser said. “I struggled with making mistakes and moving on. Mistakes are going to come, but learning from them and helping win the next point really helped.” Moser followed that success by playing on varsity her freshman season at Waverly. The Vikings finished the year reaching the Class B state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Skutt Catholic. However, it was an adjustment for Moser, who went from a full-time player for club to taking on a defensive specialist role during high school. “I learned to work hard and always support your teammates,” she said. “Sometimes you might not be first string or the starting setter, but you can help the team in as many ways as you can.” Heading into her 15s season and coming off an Open appearance last summer, Moser and company set higher goals this go around. Among them was placing in the Top 5 at every qualifier they attend. VCNebraska 15 Elite started off strong by finishing fifth place at the Sunshine Classic, though it wasn’t quite high enough to get a bid. That changed a couple weeks later when the squad took third at the Mideast Qualifier and ensured another trip to Open this summer. The team recently competed at Show Me, where it stayed on track with its goals by producing another third-place performance. “Blake Rawlins started coaching us last year for 14s and he’s really helped the team and the club,” Moser said. “Our last qualifier was Show Me and now we are hoping to get in the gym as much as possible and continue to work hard. Hopefully, we can finish in the Top 10 at Nationals.” When Moser isn’t playing volleyball she’s often watching it. Among the things she enjoys along with baking and hanging out with friends is staying on top of what’s happening at the collegiate level. “I watch as many games as I can,” she said. “I know all the players on every roster. I really enjoying watching volleyball.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Moser about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Moser: Outside of volleyball my role model is my brother, Drew. He constantly shows me what hard work and determination looks like. He is a back-to-back state wrestling champion. Inside of volleyball is Nicklin Hames. She’s constantly overcome adversity like her height. She’s one of my biggest role models and to have her as a club coach and to be able to get to learn from her has been a dream. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Moser: I would travel or go on a trip with my family because it creates so many long-lasting memories. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Moser: I would want to learn to do a backflip. I used to do gymnastics when I was younger. It would be a cool trick to know how to do. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Moser: Yes I do. I always have to straighten my hair and wear a low ponytail. I also wear a certain knee pad on each knee. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Moser: Something I can’t go a day without is my family. They are my biggest supports and they do so much for me. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Moser: I would say my Shepadoodle, Murphy. He’s so cute and funny and never fails to make me laugh. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Moser: One of my favorite ways to have fun is hanging out with my friends and just peppering or playing volleyball or watching college volleyball on TV with them. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Moser: Outside of volleyball I’m passionate about school and academics. I always strive for success in both school and volleyball. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Moser: I have been to fascinating places like countries in Africa, South America and Europe. If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Evie Pool. *** When it comes to volleyball, the family ties run deep for Evie Pool. With her parents having played and an older brother she watched compete as she was growing up, it all led to her wanting to play too. She started on a local recreation team in third grade and eventually moved to club volleyball for her 12s season. “I started playing on the right side just for that 12s year and the next year I switched to playing middle,” Pool said. “I feel like in the middle you can impact the game in different ways even though you don’t play in the back row. You get the opportunity to swing, plus blocking and serving so you can be a fundamental part of your team.” Currently a freshman at Woodcrest Christian and part of Forza1 15 One, Pool stands 6-2 and is a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2027. She carries a GPA well north of 4.0 and spends her free time painting. “I am really artistic,” she said. “I love painting with my mom. She’s taught me a lot. Painting helps me relax. I can’t even remember when I started. I feel like since I was old enough to hold a paint brush.” Even though Pool shared she didn’t see much court time her first club season, she was still enamored by the sport for other reasons. She was excited to be part of the team and meeting new friends and developing those relationships. Eventually, her skill level began to increase. “I think the summer after my 12s year really getting into the gym a lot with my dad,” Pool said. “We did one-on-one lessons and were putting in a lot of work. That was a drastic jump for me.” This past fall, Pool played on the outside for her high school team. Though she said she still prefers to play in the middle, she did enjoy being part of the outside duo with her current club teammate and another freshman Lauren Green. “That was a big, fun part of high school for me,” Pool said. As for club, Forza is gearing up in hopes of earning another USAV Open bid this spring. The group qualified for Open last summer, finishing tied for 11th. Coming off a 41st-place showing in Triple Crown in February, Pool and company are hoping their recent showing during SCVA regional play has the team on the right trajectory. Forza1 upset the region’s top-ranked club in Tstreet 15 Asics earlier this month. Tstreet is currently ranked No. 8 in Vballrecruiter’s 15s Top 50 National Rankings for March. Forza1 currently sits at No. 34. Both clubs are heading to Las Vegas this coming weekend for the SCVA Red Rock Rave. ““I feel like our last tournament we did really well,” Pool said. “We took second in SCVA after beating Tstreet. We have been trying to beat them for two years now. That was a big step for us. It showed how much potential we have. We had such high energy and everyone was playing really well. It showed how well we are capable of playing. It made us excited for the rest of the year.” Pool made it clear her development in volleyball and beating a team like Tstreet wouldn’t come without those around her. “I wanted to say how much my team has impacted me and I wouldn’t be anywhere I am without them,” she said. “They make me so much better. Volleyball wouldn’t be the same without them. Also, the coaches have had a real impact too.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Pool about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Pool: I really look up to Andi Jackson, who plays middle blocker for Nebraska. She is such a strong presence on the court and plays at such a high level. Even though she’s a freshman, she had a leadership role and impacts the game a lot and I look up to her for that. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Pool: I think I would want to spend the day in Greece. It seems so beautiful and I like to travel a lot. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Pool: I would like to learn how to sculpt and create pottery. Stuff like that would be fun and relax me and it would be a cool skill to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Pool: I don’t really have any superstitions, but my team in the huddle on the court right before every match one of our setters taps each person’s foot in the circle. It’s a thing we do every single match. It’s our ritual to lead us into the game. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Pool: My family and friends because they bring a lot of joy to my life. They make each task throughout the day more enjoyable having people like that by your side. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Pool: I love when I get to go to Forza with my dad and he takes me on the court and we just play on the court for like an hour. That always makes my day better. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Pool: I love just playing with my teammates. I also love going to the beach and just hanging out with my

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Nejari Crooks. *** With parents who represented and played volleyball internationally for Jamaica, Nejari Crooks seemed destined to one day pick up the sport and begin to leave her own mark. It wasn’t until she was nine did she venture into volleyball, spending her time instead swimming and doing CrossFit. Though her parents were immersed in volleyball, Crooks didn’t view it as she would inevitably wind up playing herself. “I didn’t think about it like that,” she said. “I just started playing one day and that was it really.” Among the aspects of volleyball that she enjoys is making friends and developing close relationships with them. She also likes the team component and having to work together in order to succeed. “You have to know each other really well to accomplish what you want to and that’s something that drew me in,” Crooks said. Crooks – a 6-0, 4-star Class of 2027 recruit who touches over 10-feet – started off as a setter/right side and has remained in the same role for both club and high school. She said she doesn’t have a preference between hitting and setting and that she has fun doing both. “I like setting because you get to control the team and set up your hitters,” she said. “With hitting, I like that you get to put the ball down for your setter.” When it comes to club, Crooks has been playing up multiple age groups since she started. Currently, she’s a freshman on Triad Elite 18 National out of North Carolina. She spent this past fall as a ninth-grader on the Wesleyan Christian Academy varsity squad. The Trojans reached the semifinals of the NCISAA 4A state playoffs before falling to eventual champion Cannon. Crooks had a monster season. She finished second in kills with 235. She averaged 3.1 per set while hitting .385. She also dished out 325 assists, averaging 4.3 per set. She led the team in aces with 99 while finishing third in digs. She twice recorded a season-high 27 kills. Her season-best was also 27 assists. Her best outing featured 27 kills and 23 assists in a five-set loss to Oak Grove in mid-September. Looking ahead, Crooks has her sights set on playing in Division 1 and beyond that the Olympics. Off the court, she still does CrossFit and likes to read because “it calms me a lot.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Crooks about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Crooks: Inside and outside of volleyball it’s my family. Both my parents played volleyball at a really high level internationally for Jamaica. They’ve been involved in the sport their whole lives. They are really encouraging and set good examples of being hard working. It helps me a lot when it comes to volleyball. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Crooks: I would go to Jamaica so I could spend time with my grandma. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Crooks: I would probably learn a new language. Right now, I’m learning Spanish and French and I want to learn another one. I would like to communicate with more people and build more relationships. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what are they? Crooks: I don’t really have any superstitions. I do like to listen to my favorite playlist right before playing. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Crooks: Something that I can’t live without is my family because they encourage me throughout the day and bring me so much joy. We are very close-knit and make each other happy. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Crooks: I would say my German Shepard. He is 9-years-old. He makes me really happy. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Crooks: One of my favorite ways to have fun is I like to play volleyball with my friends or go to the gym with them to work out together. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Crooks: Outside of volleyball, I’m passionate about learning so I can grow my intelligence and knowledge and be able to share it with others. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Crooks: Something that surprises people every time is when I tell them I have six dogs and 20 chickens. My dad and I mostly take care of them. If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would it be and why? Crooks: If I could live anywhere I would go back to Jamaica. All my family is Jamaican. My grandma lives there and I don’t get to see her a lot. What’s your favorite food or foods? Crooks: My favorite food is my mom’s cooking. I think her best is her jerk chicken. It’s absolutely perfect. She makes a secret sauce with the perfect amount of spiciness. What’s your favorite number and why? Crooks: My favorite number is number 4 because when my parents played that was their number. I like to continue the tradition. Also, in elementary school with the seating chart I was number 4, so it is my lucky number.

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Lowe Long. *** In a roundabout way, Lowe Long danced her way into volleyball. Growing up, our latest Player of the Week performed ballet before getting into competitive dancing. Those competitions took Long – a 3-star recruit from the Class of 2028 – on the road, where she sometimes ended up performing in the same venues that happened to be hosting volleyball tournaments. “We would be on breaks and would just be walking around,” Long said. “We would watch volleyball sometimes. My mom asked me one time if it ever interested me. I have four generations of volleyball in my family. My great grandpa, my aunts, my cousins and brother all played. There’s a history in my family. Watching it, it seemed interesting.” After years of dancing, Long decided to move on. She joined Tri-State Elite for her 11s season. At that time, she was one of the tallest on the team so she naturally started off as a middle blocker. She eventually switched to being a pin. She is currently an outside hitter on Tri-State Elite 14 Blue. One element of volleyball that drew her to the sport was the team atmosphere. She loved watching how excited everyone seemed to be and all the celebrating. “It sounds cheesy, but it’s in my blood,” she said. “It seemed like something I should be doing. It interested me a lot.” Moving on from dance to volleyball was an easy decision for Long. During Covid, she was forced to do Zoom calls and practice dancing in her kitchen. “It wasn’t working for me,” she said. “I wasn’t looking forward to the Zoom calls or driving to dance anymore. I said goodbye to it and never thought about it again. Plus, having to do all the makeup and my hair, it was all getting on my nerves, so it was like ‘Okay, we are done.’” To date, Tri-State Elite 14 Blue has had two Mideast Power League weekends, as well as competing at both Central Zone and Triple Crown. The team finished ninth at the former and 51st at the latter. It was the first time Long had competed at the prestigious Triple Crown event. “I heard many things about it,” she said. “It was so cool. There were a lot of college coaches and you are there turning around and seeing them watching. I also saw friends I made at The Red Hat Games and got to watch them play. It was also fun to see teams from other states I haven’t seen before.” The season continues on this coming weekend for Tri-State Elite 14 Blue with Bluegrass in Louisville. As for life outside of volleyball, living in Ohio one extracurricular activity that seems unlikely to get involved in is surfing. However, her parents used to live in California and her dad would surf with his friends in Los Angeles. Long said it seemed like a fun thing to learn so on family vacations it was something her and her twin brother tried. “We caught onto it very quickly,” she said. “It’s something I can do in another state that I can’t do in Ohio. When we travel to California and Florida we go surfing. It’s very fun for my brother and I.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Long about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Long: I look up to my parents because they set a great example. They teach me all I need to know about life and help me through anything I need help with. My grandparents are also big role models. They have a lot of experiences and they help me so much too. They are very supportive of my choices I make in life. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Long: I would probably want to go to Hawaii and go to see all the beaches. I would love to go see the mountains and all the different plants. I would love seeing all the cool places that we don’t have in Ohio. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Long: I would want to get good at cooking because it’s something you can share your love for someone else is by cooking a nice meal. Or learning how to bake pastries and stuff like that. It seems fun. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Long: When I’m up at the net, I either have a Kendra Scott necklace or a necklace with an L and it has to be in the center and even on both sides. My jersey needs to fit right and I tighten my ponytail. I always have these two tiny pieces of hair that have to be in the front of my ear and I touch my earrings. All when I’m up at the net. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Long: It’s my family because they are my emotional, mental and physical support and back up when you need them. They help me get through the day. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Long: Getting to see my friends at school and talking with everyone and catching up with everyone what they did last night or talking about stuff we want to do in the future. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Long: I love spending time with my friends and going to the park or just hanging out with them at

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Halle Thompson. *** After 10 years in competitive cheer, Halle Thompson was ready for a change. As she said, “there are only so many levels and I needed something else to do. Volleyball just happened to be there.” Thompson – a 6-0, 5-star outside from the Class of 2026 – wasn’t totally unfamiliar with the sport. Her older sister, Fallon, was getting into her recruiting years when Thompson began playing around 11 years old. Fallon is currently at Gonzaga and Thompson has fond memories of watching her sister growing up. “I was at all of her tournaments doing flips on the sidelines,” Thompson said. “I was her biggest cheerleader. I loved watching her. I did developmental (volleyball) for a month or two then I made the top 11s team. One of my biggest reasons for playing was watching my sister all those years and watching her team and her progress. I didn’t think about playing in college for volleyball until these past two or three years.” One thing Thompson – who has a twin brother, Cullen, – didn’t anticipate is how much of an escape volleyball would offer and how much she would embrace it. Beyond the competitiveness the sport offers and the camaraderie it brings, she never thought it would provide her with so much joy. “I think what drew me into volleyball is the amount of serotonin it brings me,” Thompson said. “Whenever I’m down or in a sluggish mood, if I played volleyball, or practiced or was just in the backyard with my sister it was such a distraction from anything I was thinking about. Most of all, it’s so fun. It’s literally the only thing I do really. I really enjoy it and meeting new people and creating the relationships out of state. It’s super exciting.” Along with her pure athleticism, Thompson has been experiencing a recent run of success in both club and high school. Playing with Hou Skyline 15 Royal last summer, the team captured the 15 Open bronze medal at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships. “It was kind of a new team last year and I was proud of how we finished against teams that had been together since they were 12,” she said. “To finish third was a better outcome than I thought at the beginning of the season. That was amazing. I was stoked for that.” That led her into her sophomore season at Grand Oaks. The program had never been past the second round of the state playoffs, but with two additional 5-star recruits in the mix in senior middle Jaela Auguste (Florida) and junior outside Samara Coleman (Pitt) the expectations were high. Grand Oaks suffered what turned out to be its only loss of the season to Prestonwood Christian in the semifinals of Volleypalooza in August. From there, Thompson and company ran off 24 consecutive victories. It included winning 60 straight sets at one point until dropping the second frame against Sachse in the regional semifinals. “It was definitely an unspoken pressure,” Thompson said. “We wouldn’t bring up the rankings or how we haven’t lost a set. You could feel the pressure building and we hadn’t dropped a set until Sasche. Losing that set it was a humungous pressure lifted off our shoulders and it prepared us for our next matches.” The state championship season was in peril, however, after Grand Oaks fell behind two sets to none in the state semis against Prosper. It featured losing the second set 25-12. “We got kicked in the face and we needed to wake up,” Thompson said. “We had never gone to five sets and it was super nerve-wracking knowing we had to take it to five when it mattered the most. We had 11 graduating seniors and even though I was younger, as a six-rotation outside I knew I had a leadership role. The wheels were coming loose and so I brought out the screwdriver and started turning the screws back on. That we pulled that out I still can’t believe it happened to this day. At that point, no one was stopping us. I can’t believe it to this second. Winning state was surreal.” Thompson finished the season with a team-leading 525 kills, averaging 4.1 per set. She was also first in aces, third in digs and fourth in blocks. Since then, she’s turned her focus to club, where she’s suiting up for Hou Skyline 16 Royal. The group recently finished 11th at the Triple Crown NIT. “This season has been trial and error,” Thompson said. “We added a new libero and middle. Both Blaire (Thiebaud) and Lacy (Tinnell) got hurt and they were out. Triple Crown was our first competition with everyone back. We finished in the same place last year at Triple Crown. It’s not the outcome we wanted but it’s good to know we are not peaking too early. I would rather get 11th here than at nationals.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Thompson about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Thompson: I love this question. My role model is definitely my sister. She’s a constant source of inspiration. She’s guided me through a lot of things. Her resilience and facing challenges. She had an injury right before her recruiting season. She moved clubs. Her resilience and unwavering support and encouragement taught me so many valuable lessons that I don’t think anyone else could have taught me. She’s far away right now going to Gonzaga so that’s hard but spring break is coming up. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Brooke Harwood. *** Last year was a breakout season for our latest Player of the Week. Brooke Harwood – a 6-3, Class of 2026 middle blocker and 5-star recruit – made the switch to play club for Arizona Storm 15 Thunder. It was her first taste of the high-level volleyball that is played on the national stage. By season’s end, she was a stalwart in the middle and helped Arizona Storm to the USAV 15 Open bronze medal. “Last year we knew going in needing to play our hardest every game,” she said. “We saw just how good we can be believing in ourselves and not underestimating anyone. We want to see how far we can go this season and what we can do. We have so much skill and we are already so close. We can really push each other. We need to just not underestimate any teams and focus on playing our best.” When it comes to athletics, volleyball’s been the primary sport for Harwood. She started in a rec league when she was 9 and moved onto club volleyball, where she played for two clubs prior before moving to Storm last year. “I decided to take volleyball more serious and wanted to go even further,” she said. “I wanted to go to a club to help me more with recruiting and being at a higher competitive level, so I went to Storm. The players there are amazing and so are the coaches.” While Harwood plays middle for Storm, during her high school season at Eastmark she is a right side. Her school team didn’t really have anyone to play the position so she was eager to step up. Even though it does help with her development and growth, she still prefers to play in the middle. “I feel like that is a more dominate position and I can do more there,” she said. “I feel more confident in that position because I know more about that position. I’m still learning how to run more plays so I can do even more. Then there are those moments when you get a big block and get those hype moments with your team.” Harwood and her Storm teammates are coming off their first major test of the season having competed in the Triple Crown NIT this past weekend in Kansas City. The team finished tied for seventh in the 16s and was in contention on the final day before falling to eventual runner-up Mintonette Sports m.61 in the quarterfinals. “We know how to push each other,” Harwood said. “We are just getting started. We know how well we can play.” In her spare time, Harwood enjoys spending time with her friends and family and traveling to warm-weather locations like California, Florida and Mexico. She also loves to read as well as bake. “I like cooking but I prefer baking because I love making treats and new stuff for my family,” she said. As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Harwood about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Harwood: My role model is my parents. I look up to them for the way they work hard for our family. Every day they inspire me to work hard. They set an amazing example in supporting each other. I think about how I can do that with my family and friends and teammates in my life. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Hardwood: If I could choose anything to do I would probably spend the day with my friends on the lake because I love going out when it’s really warm and sunny. We can go out on a boat to the lake and just have fun. We can take rafts to pull on the boat and have food and drinks. I love going out having fun with friends and blasting music. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Harwood: The skill I would probably most like to learn is to know how to do sign language. I think it would be nice to be able to sign with people who can’t hear and learn to communicate with them. It would be a fun skill to have and a fun thing to do. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Harwood: I have a superstition that I always have to have the same pepper partner before games. I have the same person every game for every tournament. Another thing I do is I always hit the ball three times before I serve. If I have more time, then I will do it three more times. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Harwood: I feel I can’t go a day without music. I always listen to music in the car or when I’m bored or just needing something to do. I love to listen to country or some fun hyped music. It’s fun to sing along with and listen to with friends. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Harwood: Something that instantly makes me smile is my dog Murphy. He always makes me smile. He’s always doing something really funny. He always has the energy to play and is always jumping on me. He makes me laugh. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Harwood: I love spending time with friends and trying new things with them. We could be going anywhere as long as it’s with them.