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.
