Fast-rising Harper Creek volleyball recruit Cassidy Pratley has verbally committed to WMU
BATTLE CREEK - One moment you are wondering if you have what it takes to be a college athlete.
The next, you are getting multiple calls from coaches who want to give you scholarships at Division II and even Division I schools. And, it all comes at you in a matter of days.
That's how fast it happened for Harper Creek volleyball standout Cassidy Pratley.
"I was shell shocked, the offers came so fast," Pratley said. "People were telling me I would get offers, but never really took that to heart. I knew that the percentage of people getting scholarships to play volleyball isn't very big. So for all of that to happen the way it did, it was definitely crazy."
One of those early offers came from Western Michigan University. So now, Pratley, still just a junior, has verbally committed to play Division I volleyball for the Broncos.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS:
Harper Creek tops Lakeview to win first All-City volleyball title since 2015
The O-line knocking 'people on their butts' has helped Harper Creek to a big season
An Enquirer All-City selection, an all-league pick a year ago, Pratley has come a long way in a short amount of time on the recruiting trail.
"I was talking to some D-II schools, and I didn't think the D-I offers would come flying at me like that," Pratley said. "I kind of just started my recruiting process. I was only just uploading my film to coaches not too long ago. But once they saw it, it all kind of took off from there. I got three or four offers in just a week."
Pratley led the team with 478 kills and 88 blocks last year. This season, she has taken her game to another level with 610 kills, 57 blocks and 43 aces and she has helped the Beavers win the All-City Volleyball Tournament and the Interstate 8 Conference title this year. For her career, she already has 1,363 kills.
At 6 feet, Pratley shows off a good vertical jump at the net, touching 9 feet, 10 inches, and has an extremely quick arm swing, which are some of the main things college coaches are looking for.
"In the last six months, she has really come into her own," Harper Creek coach Terra King said. "She has started to get faster and get more confident.
"I always kind of thought Western or somewhere in the MAC would be a good fit for her. I am really excited for her."
Pratley saw WMU as a dream school as she grew up watching the last Harper Creek volleyball player to go to the Division I level in Charley Andrews. Andrews was a standout at WMU in volleyball after originally signing to run track at Michigan State University.
Andrews has been around the Harper Creek volleyball program as well, helping to coach Pratley when she was a freshman.
"I talked to Charley a lot about Western over the years. She always had great things to say about Western," Pratley said. "I grew up watching Charley play at Western and both of my parents went to Western, so it was kind of meant to be."
District Volleyball
The Michigan High School Athletic Association state volleyball tournament begins Monday with district tournaments starting throughout the area.
Harper Creek, an honorable mention choice in the most recent state rankings, will host a Division 1 district and will open play against Sturgis at home at 6 p.m. Monday. In the district semifinals, the Harper Creek/Sturgis winner will see Lakeview in a 6:30 p.m. match on Wednesday. In the other half of the bracket, Battle Creek Central will face Coldwater at 5 p.m. The district title game is set for 6 p.m. Friday.
Gull Lake will also host a Division 1 district and will see Portage Central in the first round at 6 p.m. Monday. Portage Northern, Loy Norrix and Kalamazoo Central are also in the district.
In Division 2, Pennfield will be at a district hosted by Otsego. Pennfield gets a bye in the first round and will play in a semifinal on Wednesday against the winner of Plainwell vs. Parchment. Otsego and Allegan will meet in the other semifinal with the championship round set for Thursday.
In another Division 2 district, Marshall will travel to Parma Western. Marshall will meet Olivet in a district semifinal on Wednesday. Charlotte will see Eaton Rapids in the first round with the winner facing host Parma Western in the other semifinal. The championship final is set for Thursday.
State-ranked St. Philip will compete in a Division 4 district at Bellevue. The No. 7 Tigers will meet Tekonsha in their district opener on Monday in the second match of a doubleheader at Bellevue. Prior to that, Battle Creek Academy will see Marshall Academy at 5:30 p.m. The St. Philip/Tekonsha winner will get Bellevue in the second round on Wednesday. In the other semifinal, Calhoun Christian will wait for the winner of Battle Creek Academy/Marshall Academy. The championship final is set for Friday.
Athens, which advanced to the state finals a year ago, will play in a Division 4 district at Mendon. The Indians, listed as an honorable mention in the current rankings, will see host Mendon in the semifinals. No. 8-ranked Colon, as well as Climax-Scotts and Burr Oak are also in the district.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Harper Creek's Pratley commits to play volleyball at Western Michigan
