I'll skip the usual apology for laziness regarding updating the blog: I've actually had MANY situations that I'd like to write about, but to be honest I feel it's best to keep it in private at times, so I've been doing quite a bit of self-reflection. If you're curious feel free to msg me privately and I'll tell you all about it.
In August, I packed my car up and drove down to Georgia to begin graduate classes/assistant coaching for Mercer University, a Division I program that competes in the Atlantic Sun conference. At 25, this is probably the highest level of coaching I can get to, and I was very excited for the opportunity.
As someone who has coached junior college and Division III programs, I really was unsure of what to expect. Looking back on this last month, it was probably the opposite of what I expected (not that it's a bad thing). The first thing that blew my mind was how much heavier the administrative side is. Setting up pre-season, tape exchanges, itineraries for weekends we travel as well as other office work takes up the majority of my time, compared to my other gigs where as an assistant I was basically at practices and that was the extent of what I did. I've learned an incredible amount in the 5 weeks I've been here, and feel that when I leave the school for other ventures, I will be much more knowledgeable that I was when I arrived.
The facilities are amazing: The girls play in a huge arena, the training facilities are top notch, and the workout room has everything they need (it's a bit small for big teams like Lacrosse, but with 15 players we have no space issues). They along with every other team have their own lounge (we share ours with softball, so technically I suppose it isn't all ours), with nice couches and a projector screen to watch tv or game film. I wish these girls could come back with me on a visit to Newbury to truly appreciate how lucky they are, because there's not much "wanting" being done around here!
Classes started 2 weeks ago and I'm enjoying it - it's a lot of work, but the class sizes are small, the teachers are much more personable, and the classmates are very engaged. It's rough in the aspect of you have class once a week from 4:30-8:45 at night, but I do enjoy how that gives me more time to focus on coaching. I'd be lying if I didn't say it's tough to find a balance, but my teachers understand and I'm doing my best to find a happy medium.
The weather here is wonderful - hot and humid, and although some of the locals don't like the humidity I'll take this over snow any day. The only gripe I have with Macon is the bugs... cockroaches are generally accepted here. Creep the hell out of me. I don't think that'll be one of the things I get used to. I've only found 2 in my apartment, I caught one and launched him outside, the next one wasn't so lucky. Nor will any future ones that decide they want to free-load off of us.
I do miss home. There's no doubt about it. The people here are VERY nice, but once I get done with my obligations, all I want to do is go to my room and correspond with people back in Chicago, which is odd because I didn't feel that way at all in Boston. Perhaps it's a bunch of events that took place while I was home the last 7 months, but it'd take a hell of a job offer for me not to head back there once my time's done here.
Although I have more to write, Joe Trinsey (former college opponent who gave me a nudge to update the blog) had a good idea for me to break updates up into separate posts rather than be as long-winded as usual. I'll take his advice. Next time I'll talk a little more about what happens on the court!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Summer Recap
Although I have been terrible with the lack of updates this summer, discovering that a few of my relatives have blogs of their own and catching up on their lives has inspired me to take the time to give a cliff-notes version of how the summer has gone (their blogs have also re-inforced the fact that my blog is UGLY on the eyes - I may be contacting them for a little help on cleaning it up!). With about 2 weeks left before I begin the next chapter of my life, it's time to reflect on the last few months.
Graduate School: Although the process took MUCH longer than expected, I am officially accepted into the Masters of Collaborative Education program at Mercer University in Macon, GA! I'll serve as the Graduate Assistant for their women's volleyball team, which competes at the Division I level. I leave in two weeks, and will be beginning my duties upon arriving the first week of August. I am sad to leave Chicago yet again, but am very excited for the chance to coach this team. The coach and I share similar philosophies, the players are dedicated and are hungry to bounce back from last season, and the campus is gorgeous. I look forward to helping the team reach its goals!
Volleyball (Player): It has been the most successful season of my brief doubles career by far. Started it off with a personal-best in a pro tournament 7th place in Michigan. Took a 9th at my first EVP tournament of the season. Took 3rd in the Open division of the Volleywood tournament, and had my partner's leg not decided to cramp we may have won it the way we were playing. Won both co-ed tournaments I played, and plan on 3-peating this Sunday. The last tournament of the year for me is the Corona Wide Open on July 31st, and although the competition is going to be tough, I feel that my partner is strong and the old-school rules with the big court will cater to our playing style.
This is the first season I was able to get in the sand earlier than May, and boy did it pay off. I've been able to practice with some of Chicago's best talent, and have taken games off of players I couldn't touch the last few years. Although my quest for a blocker didn't work out at the beginning of the season, I believe I've given myself a good enough reputation where I'll have options the next sand season (getting one for my last tournament is something I'm definitely excited for!). Perhaps most exciting is the fact that I may have a sponsor that will allow me to travel and compete on the AVP tour next season, which would be a BIG step forward. Keep your fingers crossed!
Summer Clinics: I ran a ton of lessons this summer, and really enjoyed watching players progress. Last weekend I played a tournament where a few of my players made their doubles debut, and one team won their division while the other took a 3rd place. It was great to see them get some positive results from all the hard work they put in, and my only regret is that I won't get to watch them progress the next 2 years. With their work ethic, I have no doubt they'll continue to move up!
Although I was hoping for a longer post, I've got to get moving - but I have some other thoughts cluttering my mind which I'll share in the near future. Until next time...
2 last things:
1) As mentioned earlier, while I like the content I put in this blog, it could use a facelift regarding how it looks. Anyone have any experience with this that would be willing to help?
2) Most of you probably have heard the saying "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans". Obviously, things have changed a bit since I first started writing this blog. Although I'm not against the possibility, my plans for the future at the moment do not include playing indoor in Europe. That being said, I could use a new name for the blog. Suggestions are welcome :)
Graduate School: Although the process took MUCH longer than expected, I am officially accepted into the Masters of Collaborative Education program at Mercer University in Macon, GA! I'll serve as the Graduate Assistant for their women's volleyball team, which competes at the Division I level. I leave in two weeks, and will be beginning my duties upon arriving the first week of August. I am sad to leave Chicago yet again, but am very excited for the chance to coach this team. The coach and I share similar philosophies, the players are dedicated and are hungry to bounce back from last season, and the campus is gorgeous. I look forward to helping the team reach its goals!
Volleyball (Player): It has been the most successful season of my brief doubles career by far. Started it off with a personal-best in a pro tournament 7th place in Michigan. Took a 9th at my first EVP tournament of the season. Took 3rd in the Open division of the Volleywood tournament, and had my partner's leg not decided to cramp we may have won it the way we were playing. Won both co-ed tournaments I played, and plan on 3-peating this Sunday. The last tournament of the year for me is the Corona Wide Open on July 31st, and although the competition is going to be tough, I feel that my partner is strong and the old-school rules with the big court will cater to our playing style.
This is the first season I was able to get in the sand earlier than May, and boy did it pay off. I've been able to practice with some of Chicago's best talent, and have taken games off of players I couldn't touch the last few years. Although my quest for a blocker didn't work out at the beginning of the season, I believe I've given myself a good enough reputation where I'll have options the next sand season (getting one for my last tournament is something I'm definitely excited for!). Perhaps most exciting is the fact that I may have a sponsor that will allow me to travel and compete on the AVP tour next season, which would be a BIG step forward. Keep your fingers crossed!
Summer Clinics: I ran a ton of lessons this summer, and really enjoyed watching players progress. Last weekend I played a tournament where a few of my players made their doubles debut, and one team won their division while the other took a 3rd place. It was great to see them get some positive results from all the hard work they put in, and my only regret is that I won't get to watch them progress the next 2 years. With their work ethic, I have no doubt they'll continue to move up!
Although I was hoping for a longer post, I've got to get moving - but I have some other thoughts cluttering my mind which I'll share in the near future. Until next time...
2 last things:
1) As mentioned earlier, while I like the content I put in this blog, it could use a facelift regarding how it looks. Anyone have any experience with this that would be willing to help?
2) Most of you probably have heard the saying "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans". Obviously, things have changed a bit since I first started writing this blog. Although I'm not against the possibility, my plans for the future at the moment do not include playing indoor in Europe. That being said, I could use a new name for the blog. Suggestions are welcome :)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Woodenisms
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5249709 - ESPN has a lot of other great articles from people that were close to him, give it a look!
Coach, Teacher, Hero: Rest in Peace John Wooden
If I had a "Mount Rushmore" of the mentors that have helped shape me as a player, coach, and human being, the four people would be my father, John Wooden, Dave Hildebrandt (first coach at Newbury) and Bob Vilsoet (Women's coach at Harper that talked me into playing again when I was 19). Woke up at 5:45 am today to turn on ESPN for news that I had been preparing myself for since yesterday: John Wooden died of natural causes at the age of 99.
Where to even start? My father set a strong foundation for how to conduct yourself as an athlete both on and off the court, but John Wooden's books really took it to the next level for me. I remember picking up a John Wooden book for the first time in September of 2006. It took me two days to read his book about the Pyramid of Success which he created, and it completely blew my mind.
He won 10 NCAA National Championships in 12 years, but winning was never discussed. Effort was his focus, playing with class, never criticizing a fellow teammate. His quotes are timeless: "Be quick, but don't hurry" "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail", and so many more will stay with me until the day I die. Even at the age of 98, he wrote a book about mentoring, and although he talked a lot about sports figures, he also talked about how people can influence those off the court, discussing some of his mentors (President Abraham Lincoln and Mother Teresa were two of his favorites).
I never met John Wooden. E-mailed him once just to see what would happen, and received a generic response that was automated (He was in his mid 90's - I didn't take it personal). I don't like to do the "What if" thing, but I am certain of one thing: If I had never been graced with the teachings and philosophies of John Wooden, I would not be where I am today. My approach to sports (and life for that matter) completely changed after reading his books.
I have no tattoos yet, but if I was ever to get one, it would be the pyramid of success on my back, because I do my best to use this as a guidance to how to act both on and off the court.
Rest in peace John Wooden - I was blessed to stumble upon your books. The world was a better place for your contributions.
I will post links upon my return to Chicago of various Wooden clippings.
Where to even start? My father set a strong foundation for how to conduct yourself as an athlete both on and off the court, but John Wooden's books really took it to the next level for me. I remember picking up a John Wooden book for the first time in September of 2006. It took me two days to read his book about the Pyramid of Success which he created, and it completely blew my mind.
He won 10 NCAA National Championships in 12 years, but winning was never discussed. Effort was his focus, playing with class, never criticizing a fellow teammate. His quotes are timeless: "Be quick, but don't hurry" "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail", and so many more will stay with me until the day I die. Even at the age of 98, he wrote a book about mentoring, and although he talked a lot about sports figures, he also talked about how people can influence those off the court, discussing some of his mentors (President Abraham Lincoln and Mother Teresa were two of his favorites).
I never met John Wooden. E-mailed him once just to see what would happen, and received a generic response that was automated (He was in his mid 90's - I didn't take it personal). I don't like to do the "What if" thing, but I am certain of one thing: If I had never been graced with the teachings and philosophies of John Wooden, I would not be where I am today. My approach to sports (and life for that matter) completely changed after reading his books.
I have no tattoos yet, but if I was ever to get one, it would be the pyramid of success on my back, because I do my best to use this as a guidance to how to act both on and off the court.
Rest in peace John Wooden - I was blessed to stumble upon your books. The world was a better place for your contributions.
I will post links upon my return to Chicago of various Wooden clippings.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Greetings from Macon - Recap from 1st Tournament of Summer and some Words of Wisdom.
Writing this one from Georgia - enjoying a nice weekend away from the normal grind. I've been working incredibly hard on the court, and as starting on the 12th I'll have 6 straight weekends with tournaments, I figured this would be a nice calm before the storm. Looking forward to moving here in two months to begin the coaching gig!
As usual I'm terrible with updates, but I'll do my best to catch everyone up. I've been practicing every day that the weather has allowed for the last 2 months, and I can definitely see the payoff. Opened up the pro season with the MPVA event last Saturday in Grand Haven, Michigan. Although it was hard to lock in someone to play with as USAV Indoor Nationals was going on during the same weekend, I was lucky and pulled in Brett Benfield 2 days before the tournament. He's a seasoned veteran that definitely brings a lot to the table, and after a basic practice session on Thursday, we set out to Michigan to do some damage.
It wouldn't be easy. As I had no points on this tour as I've never played an MPVA event, we were seeded 22nd out of 27 teams. That gave us a 1st-round match-up against 11 seed Eli Masud/Travis Wilson, another team from Chicago. They had won an EVP event 2 years ago, and Travis partnered with former D-III opponent John Kessenich to make the AVP Muskegeon Main Draw last year, taking a game from Olympians Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb. Our work was cut out for us, but I felt they may come out flat, and it's all about who's better that match.
Before getting into details about the tournament, let me give a shout-out to the MPVA - Rick and his staff were on top of everything being organized, and kept things moving better than any sand tournament I've played in previously. I have no issue continuing to travel 3 hours each way to these tournaments knowing the quality they're going to put out (hopefully I'm not jinxing them!).
Weather was gorgeous, and we arrived early to warm-up. Travis shows up about 15 minutes before first serve, and Eli runs up about 5 minutes beforehand. Brett and I both had a feeling they weren't going to be crisp, and sure enough we were able to sideout well and serve aggressively. Brett was very effective with his skyball, and I resorted to floats as I had NO timing jump-serving in the deeper sand (Nothing in Chicago compares to this stuff - I was always early as I wasn't hanging in the air is long, and the one jumper I made all day was a waffle). We won the first game 22-20, and the second was a barnburner.
I was confident we would pull the match out the whole time, but I KNEW it at 20-20, which actually was after a point for them. Brett overpassed a ball and I moved up to about 8 feet off the net to take the TKO ball from Travis. Luckily, it hit me right in my platform, but the force of the hit shot it off the court to the right. I yelled at Brett to go after it, and he crashed into the sponsor banners while popping it back onto the court. I put it in play, and although the other team put it away, you could just tell there was no way we were losing. After both team had set-points, we put it away at 26-24.
In the round of 16 we ran into 6-seed Brendan Enright and Jason Marenette (spelling on both those names are questionable). Enright is about 6-5 with LONG arms, and Marenette had a pretty nasty jump serve. They start out serving aggressively and keeping us on our heels, and we found ourselves in a 13-9 rut. Enright proceeds to argue Brett's skyball with the refs and the legality of it, at which point we realized they were nervous and started playing better. We pulled out the 22-20 win, and kept our momentum with a 21-17 set 2 victory to make it to the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals put us against Van Rees/Sullivan, and we made their job easy. Sullivan was a BIG block that set the pace with like 4 blocks to start the game, and the only way I can describe Van Rees was like a lefty Sean Rosenthal - arguably a top 3 defender at the tournament, very explosive with his hits, and even looked a bit like Rosie! They thumped us in the first set, and although we started playing better on our side of the net the second set, we just could not seem to get points on the serve.
This sent us to the loser's bracket, where the name of the team escapes me, but they had just beaten Brian Kramer and his partner Vince to face us, where the winner would make it to 7th and lock in a check for (sit down for this one) SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. They were nice guys and a decent team, but I was shocked that Kramer hadn't beaten them. That's the beast of an all-day tournament I suppose. We disposed of them in straight sets to secure a 7th place finish and a re-match with Masud/Wilson, who were waiting all day for a chance to get revenge.
Revenge was an understatement. My serve-receive started to fall apart, they dug everything we hit, and I ended the match with the ugliest set of the day, capped off by a sky ball that found no sky (I swung a little hard, barely made contact, and it went about 10 feet in the air).
So we finished 7th out of 27, which is my best finish of my brief career playing pro events. I'm happy that we did well, but am excited to move forward with more training and get a better finish!
(Sidenote: Talked with Eli Masud after, really nice guy with a good head on his shoulders. If you follow Midwest sand volleyball, expect him to stay on top for the next 5-10 years).
One last thing before I wrap this up: Was hanging out at the apartment while the person hosting me is working and caught Bobby Knight doing a commencement speech at Trine University (apparently you can find info on it at Trine.edu). PHENOMENAL speaker. Aside from his great style, he had some great stuff that I found myself writing down so I didn't forget it. I'll share:
*The way to win is eliminating ways to lose: As someone that's always worked on the weakest part of my game, I thought this was a great way of talking about how consistency is important.
*Satisfaction is the first step towards losing.
*When you kick a tiger in the ass, you better have a plan for when he turns around: Definitely stealing that one!
*The will to prepare to win is more important than the will to win: Probably the most valuable thing I got out of his speech - and I couldn't agree more.
*See instead of look, listen instead of hear.
That's about it for now. Hit the website and see if you can find it - he had some great stories of coaching Jordan in the 84 Olympics as well!
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
As usual I'm terrible with updates, but I'll do my best to catch everyone up. I've been practicing every day that the weather has allowed for the last 2 months, and I can definitely see the payoff. Opened up the pro season with the MPVA event last Saturday in Grand Haven, Michigan. Although it was hard to lock in someone to play with as USAV Indoor Nationals was going on during the same weekend, I was lucky and pulled in Brett Benfield 2 days before the tournament. He's a seasoned veteran that definitely brings a lot to the table, and after a basic practice session on Thursday, we set out to Michigan to do some damage.
It wouldn't be easy. As I had no points on this tour as I've never played an MPVA event, we were seeded 22nd out of 27 teams. That gave us a 1st-round match-up against 11 seed Eli Masud/Travis Wilson, another team from Chicago. They had won an EVP event 2 years ago, and Travis partnered with former D-III opponent John Kessenich to make the AVP Muskegeon Main Draw last year, taking a game from Olympians Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb. Our work was cut out for us, but I felt they may come out flat, and it's all about who's better that match.
Before getting into details about the tournament, let me give a shout-out to the MPVA - Rick and his staff were on top of everything being organized, and kept things moving better than any sand tournament I've played in previously. I have no issue continuing to travel 3 hours each way to these tournaments knowing the quality they're going to put out (hopefully I'm not jinxing them!).
Weather was gorgeous, and we arrived early to warm-up. Travis shows up about 15 minutes before first serve, and Eli runs up about 5 minutes beforehand. Brett and I both had a feeling they weren't going to be crisp, and sure enough we were able to sideout well and serve aggressively. Brett was very effective with his skyball, and I resorted to floats as I had NO timing jump-serving in the deeper sand (Nothing in Chicago compares to this stuff - I was always early as I wasn't hanging in the air is long, and the one jumper I made all day was a waffle). We won the first game 22-20, and the second was a barnburner.
I was confident we would pull the match out the whole time, but I KNEW it at 20-20, which actually was after a point for them. Brett overpassed a ball and I moved up to about 8 feet off the net to take the TKO ball from Travis. Luckily, it hit me right in my platform, but the force of the hit shot it off the court to the right. I yelled at Brett to go after it, and he crashed into the sponsor banners while popping it back onto the court. I put it in play, and although the other team put it away, you could just tell there was no way we were losing. After both team had set-points, we put it away at 26-24.
In the round of 16 we ran into 6-seed Brendan Enright and Jason Marenette (spelling on both those names are questionable). Enright is about 6-5 with LONG arms, and Marenette had a pretty nasty jump serve. They start out serving aggressively and keeping us on our heels, and we found ourselves in a 13-9 rut. Enright proceeds to argue Brett's skyball with the refs and the legality of it, at which point we realized they were nervous and started playing better. We pulled out the 22-20 win, and kept our momentum with a 21-17 set 2 victory to make it to the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals put us against Van Rees/Sullivan, and we made their job easy. Sullivan was a BIG block that set the pace with like 4 blocks to start the game, and the only way I can describe Van Rees was like a lefty Sean Rosenthal - arguably a top 3 defender at the tournament, very explosive with his hits, and even looked a bit like Rosie! They thumped us in the first set, and although we started playing better on our side of the net the second set, we just could not seem to get points on the serve.
This sent us to the loser's bracket, where the name of the team escapes me, but they had just beaten Brian Kramer and his partner Vince to face us, where the winner would make it to 7th and lock in a check for (sit down for this one) SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. They were nice guys and a decent team, but I was shocked that Kramer hadn't beaten them. That's the beast of an all-day tournament I suppose. We disposed of them in straight sets to secure a 7th place finish and a re-match with Masud/Wilson, who were waiting all day for a chance to get revenge.
Revenge was an understatement. My serve-receive started to fall apart, they dug everything we hit, and I ended the match with the ugliest set of the day, capped off by a sky ball that found no sky (I swung a little hard, barely made contact, and it went about 10 feet in the air).
So we finished 7th out of 27, which is my best finish of my brief career playing pro events. I'm happy that we did well, but am excited to move forward with more training and get a better finish!
(Sidenote: Talked with Eli Masud after, really nice guy with a good head on his shoulders. If you follow Midwest sand volleyball, expect him to stay on top for the next 5-10 years).
One last thing before I wrap this up: Was hanging out at the apartment while the person hosting me is working and caught Bobby Knight doing a commencement speech at Trine University (apparently you can find info on it at Trine.edu). PHENOMENAL speaker. Aside from his great style, he had some great stuff that I found myself writing down so I didn't forget it. I'll share:
*The way to win is eliminating ways to lose: As someone that's always worked on the weakest part of my game, I thought this was a great way of talking about how consistency is important.
*Satisfaction is the first step towards losing.
*When you kick a tiger in the ass, you better have a plan for when he turns around: Definitely stealing that one!
*The will to prepare to win is more important than the will to win: Probably the most valuable thing I got out of his speech - and I couldn't agree more.
*See instead of look, listen instead of hear.
That's about it for now. Hit the website and see if you can find it - he had some great stories of coaching Jordan in the 84 Olympics as well!
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Outdoor Season!
Well, as I listen to the NET LIVE and find myself reading Amy Reichel's new blog at http://spotlightathlete-amyreichel.blogspot.com/ , I find myself inspired to update my blog. The weather's getting nice, the nets are going up all over the place, which means it's SAND SEASON!
This will be a big season for me. Every year I've made big strides forward, and I hope to make a bigger jump this season than ever before. I went from learning how to play doubles, to playing A, moving up to Pro just one year later. Although I had a 9th-place finish and won at least one match every tournament, I hope to place top-10 every tournament this year.
I've partnered up with Patrick Tagny this summer. A former setter for the Cameroon National Team, he's not too experienced with sand, but you wouldn't know it stepping onto the court with him! This is the first spring I've been back in Chicago since I started playing sand, and I've taken full advantage of it, practicing with him outdoors when the weather allows and renting the courts at North Beach on Friday nights when it didn't.
Although I won't name names as nothing's been etched in stone, quite a few potential sponsors have been met with, and if all goes accordingly to plan we'll be traveling the EVP tour outside of Chicago this season. First tournament's May 15th in Panama City, with a 2nd one in Naples on the 29th.
Part of the excitement of those tournaments is that for the first Chicago tournament, we should have accumulated enough points to not run into the top-seed in the 2nd round like I experienced all too many times last season. Who knows, with a strong first two tournaments in FL we may be able to get a top seed! Time will tell.
The big mechanics project for me this summer is the sand hands. Although I've used them VERY sparingly (probably 2-3 times a tournament last year), I've worked very hard to get them consistent enough to work into my game, and so far it's paid off. When we practice indoor I can hand-set about 80% of the passes, and depending on the wind outdoors its about 50/50. Watching the top teams last year, I felt the big thing that separated them from the rest was their ability to put up consistent sets almost every play, so that's been what I've been looking to improve.
Anyways, taking a quick cat-nap before my 1-8am shift (living the dream), but I'll try to update in the next few days.
This will be a big season for me. Every year I've made big strides forward, and I hope to make a bigger jump this season than ever before. I went from learning how to play doubles, to playing A, moving up to Pro just one year later. Although I had a 9th-place finish and won at least one match every tournament, I hope to place top-10 every tournament this year.
I've partnered up with Patrick Tagny this summer. A former setter for the Cameroon National Team, he's not too experienced with sand, but you wouldn't know it stepping onto the court with him! This is the first spring I've been back in Chicago since I started playing sand, and I've taken full advantage of it, practicing with him outdoors when the weather allows and renting the courts at North Beach on Friday nights when it didn't.
Although I won't name names as nothing's been etched in stone, quite a few potential sponsors have been met with, and if all goes accordingly to plan we'll be traveling the EVP tour outside of Chicago this season. First tournament's May 15th in Panama City, with a 2nd one in Naples on the 29th.
Part of the excitement of those tournaments is that for the first Chicago tournament, we should have accumulated enough points to not run into the top-seed in the 2nd round like I experienced all too many times last season. Who knows, with a strong first two tournaments in FL we may be able to get a top seed! Time will tell.
The big mechanics project for me this summer is the sand hands. Although I've used them VERY sparingly (probably 2-3 times a tournament last year), I've worked very hard to get them consistent enough to work into my game, and so far it's paid off. When we practice indoor I can hand-set about 80% of the passes, and depending on the wind outdoors its about 50/50. Watching the top teams last year, I felt the big thing that separated them from the rest was their ability to put up consistent sets almost every play, so that's been what I've been looking to improve.
Anyways, taking a quick cat-nap before my 1-8am shift (living the dream), but I'll try to update in the next few days.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Perspectives on Playoffs and NECVA Predictions.
I was hoping to get a few more, but given the responses I was able to get, I certainly can't complain. Volleyball in America has its flaws, but I will say this: it is second to no sport in the aspect of top-level players being approachable to the casual player. A big thanks to the Olympians that were willing to participate.
Playoffs are approaching for the men's collegiate season, and with the Division III NECVA tournament going on tomorrow, I'm sure a lot of players are anxious to get on the court! At the Division I level, the MPSF division has had an unbelievable amount of parity, to the point where no one would be surprised if a 7-8 seed ended up advancing to the second round.
March Madness just ended, and it's always nice to see what it brings out: Players rising to the occasion, others self-imploding. "Sure-things" like Kansas exiting in the 2nd round, while 5-seed Butler is a shot away from winning the National Championship. Teams can have a bulletproof regular season or barely squeak in, but once playoffs come around, anything's possible.
That being said, I was lucky enough to get in touch with a few players who have competed at the Olympic level for the Men's volleyball team. I was very pleased with their answers - although they all made it to the same level, they all had very different answers. Hope you enjoy!
(NOTE: I talked with Billings/Priddy last year when Newbury went from 16-1 to losing 10 of their next 11 and were heading to the playoffs in a bit of a slump - Hoff/Lee were spoken to this season specifically for this post).
Brook Billings
"Playoffs is a whole different story and now its time to play. This is where a player shows why they are the best. The regular season is to make it to the playoffs...but playoffs is time to play and step up."
Reid Priddy
"Well.... I am in that sort of situation right now... The important thing is to be in the moment,
all focus and concentration on the task at hand, the play right now. 16-1 is no small feat.
So in the big losing streak, which every team goes through at some point...
What can be learned. What did everyone take away from that?
Use it, learn from it and move forward. There is no real mysticism in sports. Momentum is a string of good plays often made by more than one player... So its not one GREAT play, but a series of good plays where many players contributed.... Thats it, that is momentum. No magic, just this play, and then move on to the next play, and so on. That is my two cents."
Tom Hoff
"I have the mindset where I try to do and prepare for a match in the exact same manner. I think that trying to become more mentally or physically focused during playoff time only shows that you could have "given" more. I am not saying I am perfect, but they way I mentally prepare to play a Olympic qualifying match or Olympic match or any other match, I try to replicate my same warm-up, my same thought process whether it is a match or practice.
I try to put as much pressure on myself to have quality contacts with almost every contact I make with the volleyball during a practice as in a match. Obviously not all contacts or executions of certain skills are always good but I have the mindset to be very critical of what I am doing and how it affects my team's outcome."
Me: Do you think that can be developed, or is it a mentality that some people are just born with?
"It can 100 percent be a learned trait. I try to instill it in all the guys in the gym every time we practice. Certain guys are more "wired" to be very critical of how they play the game and certain guys can just cruise through a match... I have seen great players do both, but for the most part, I strongly believe, demanding yourself to be great at all times, which includes 900am training or an Olympic match, is a terrific asset as a volleyball player trying to reach their highest potential."
David Lee
"It's the only time worth playing.. The season gets you into position to have the easiest road possible to win the championship. In my mind, it doesn't really matter where you finish as long as you're in. Once you've made it, it's anyone's game. There is a sports psych book out there called "Play Like your Life Depends on it"... I like that quote because the next few weeks during the Russian playoffs, each match I play will decide how my life on and off the court will play out in the future. If I do well? possibly re-sign and live the good life. If not, I could be searching for a job within a market where middles are not sought after and the pay would decrease a lot from my current situation. So I like to play as if each match could possibly be my last..."
Me: Since you've reached this level, do you feel as if your approach to getting ready for each match has changed, or do you feel that part of your success comes from following the same habits that brought you to this point?
"I have been searching for a long time for the right way to approach matches: Sometimes I'm overly aggressive, and sometimes I'll play with a calm confidence. I can tell you that I'm not certain which has brought me the best results, but lately I've just tried to enjoy the game and not get too caught up in the professional side of my current team. This year I've enjoyed my fan support and entertaining the crowd. There have been times here where coaches and other players can get into your head and I've learned that I'm at my best when I stay focused on what I have learned from the National Team and play my own game. I have a great feel for the flow of the game and an ability to read the opposing setter - Being able to read the game is really what has gotten me to this point in my career."
All have very different perspectives, but they all move towards the same goal. Personally, I was intrigued most by what Hoff said - playing with the same precision and intensity every moment you have on the court, so that when you get to the playoffs you're just doing the same thing you've always done. However, that's easier said that done, and as a young player like David Lee says, a lot is riding on one's performance, so I can see how it can be difficult to not put additional pressure on one's self when entering the playoffs.
Unfortunately, I've been away from the east coast, so other than heresay from others, I can't give calculated predictions on the NECVA tournament this weekend. That being said, I'll pick the winners as I see them anyways!
1st round:
Rivier > NJCU
Baruch > Naz
Vassar > D'Youville
PBU > Hunter
Endicott > Emmanuel
MIT * Newbury (Cmon Nighthawks!)
Ramapo > Stevens
New Paltz > Medaille
2nd round:
Rivier > NP
Baruch > Ramapo
Vassar > *
PBU > Endicott
Semis:
Rivier > PBU
Vassar > Baruch
Finals:
Rivier > Vassar
Thoughts from a distance: The top 4 teams are in a tier above the rest. Stevens/Newbury/Emmanuel are the strongest 10-11-12 seeds the tournament's ever had, and all three have the physical ability to make a run if they catch fire - putting it together for 3 days will be the key. PBU's teamwork is probably the best of all the teams but lack the depth of other teams. Vassar's coaches continue to have them overachieving after a huge senior class graduating last year - in my opinion they should be happier with their season than any other team. Baruch has the most talent, but I question their poise - when they hit a slump/adversity, will they push through or let tempers flare? Rivier has the most experience as well as depth, and I think Coach Kolek will make sure they don't make the same mistakes they made last year.
Good luck to all!
Playoffs are approaching for the men's collegiate season, and with the Division III NECVA tournament going on tomorrow, I'm sure a lot of players are anxious to get on the court! At the Division I level, the MPSF division has had an unbelievable amount of parity, to the point where no one would be surprised if a 7-8 seed ended up advancing to the second round.
March Madness just ended, and it's always nice to see what it brings out: Players rising to the occasion, others self-imploding. "Sure-things" like Kansas exiting in the 2nd round, while 5-seed Butler is a shot away from winning the National Championship. Teams can have a bulletproof regular season or barely squeak in, but once playoffs come around, anything's possible.
That being said, I was lucky enough to get in touch with a few players who have competed at the Olympic level for the Men's volleyball team. I was very pleased with their answers - although they all made it to the same level, they all had very different answers. Hope you enjoy!
(NOTE: I talked with Billings/Priddy last year when Newbury went from 16-1 to losing 10 of their next 11 and were heading to the playoffs in a bit of a slump - Hoff/Lee were spoken to this season specifically for this post).
Brook Billings
"Playoffs is a whole different story and now its time to play. This is where a player shows why they are the best. The regular season is to make it to the playoffs...but playoffs is time to play and step up."
Reid Priddy
"Well.... I am in that sort of situation right now... The important thing is to be in the moment,
all focus and concentration on the task at hand, the play right now. 16-1 is no small feat.
So in the big losing streak, which every team goes through at some point...
What can be learned. What did everyone take away from that?
Use it, learn from it and move forward. There is no real mysticism in sports. Momentum is a string of good plays often made by more than one player... So its not one GREAT play, but a series of good plays where many players contributed.... Thats it, that is momentum. No magic, just this play, and then move on to the next play, and so on. That is my two cents."
Tom Hoff
"I have the mindset where I try to do and prepare for a match in the exact same manner. I think that trying to become more mentally or physically focused during playoff time only shows that you could have "given" more. I am not saying I am perfect, but they way I mentally prepare to play a Olympic qualifying match or Olympic match or any other match, I try to replicate my same warm-up, my same thought process whether it is a match or practice.
I try to put as much pressure on myself to have quality contacts with almost every contact I make with the volleyball during a practice as in a match. Obviously not all contacts or executions of certain skills are always good but I have the mindset to be very critical of what I am doing and how it affects my team's outcome."
Me: Do you think that can be developed, or is it a mentality that some people are just born with?
"It can 100 percent be a learned trait. I try to instill it in all the guys in the gym every time we practice. Certain guys are more "wired" to be very critical of how they play the game and certain guys can just cruise through a match... I have seen great players do both, but for the most part, I strongly believe, demanding yourself to be great at all times, which includes 900am training or an Olympic match, is a terrific asset as a volleyball player trying to reach their highest potential."
David Lee
"It's the only time worth playing.. The season gets you into position to have the easiest road possible to win the championship. In my mind, it doesn't really matter where you finish as long as you're in. Once you've made it, it's anyone's game. There is a sports psych book out there called "Play Like your Life Depends on it"... I like that quote because the next few weeks during the Russian playoffs, each match I play will decide how my life on and off the court will play out in the future. If I do well? possibly re-sign and live the good life. If not, I could be searching for a job within a market where middles are not sought after and the pay would decrease a lot from my current situation. So I like to play as if each match could possibly be my last..."
Me: Since you've reached this level, do you feel as if your approach to getting ready for each match has changed, or do you feel that part of your success comes from following the same habits that brought you to this point?
"I have been searching for a long time for the right way to approach matches: Sometimes I'm overly aggressive, and sometimes I'll play with a calm confidence. I can tell you that I'm not certain which has brought me the best results, but lately I've just tried to enjoy the game and not get too caught up in the professional side of my current team. This year I've enjoyed my fan support and entertaining the crowd. There have been times here where coaches and other players can get into your head and I've learned that I'm at my best when I stay focused on what I have learned from the National Team and play my own game. I have a great feel for the flow of the game and an ability to read the opposing setter - Being able to read the game is really what has gotten me to this point in my career."
All have very different perspectives, but they all move towards the same goal. Personally, I was intrigued most by what Hoff said - playing with the same precision and intensity every moment you have on the court, so that when you get to the playoffs you're just doing the same thing you've always done. However, that's easier said that done, and as a young player like David Lee says, a lot is riding on one's performance, so I can see how it can be difficult to not put additional pressure on one's self when entering the playoffs.
Unfortunately, I've been away from the east coast, so other than heresay from others, I can't give calculated predictions on the NECVA tournament this weekend. That being said, I'll pick the winners as I see them anyways!
1st round:
Rivier > NJCU
Baruch > Naz
Vassar > D'Youville
PBU > Hunter
Endicott > Emmanuel
MIT * Newbury (Cmon Nighthawks!)
Ramapo > Stevens
New Paltz > Medaille
2nd round:
Rivier > NP
Baruch > Ramapo
Vassar > *
PBU > Endicott
Semis:
Rivier > PBU
Vassar > Baruch
Finals:
Rivier > Vassar
Thoughts from a distance: The top 4 teams are in a tier above the rest. Stevens/Newbury/Emmanuel are the strongest 10-11-12 seeds the tournament's ever had, and all three have the physical ability to make a run if they catch fire - putting it together for 3 days will be the key. PBU's teamwork is probably the best of all the teams but lack the depth of other teams. Vassar's coaches continue to have them overachieving after a huge senior class graduating last year - in my opinion they should be happier with their season than any other team. Baruch has the most talent, but I question their poise - when they hit a slump/adversity, will they push through or let tempers flare? Rivier has the most experience as well as depth, and I think Coach Kolek will make sure they don't make the same mistakes they made last year.
Good luck to all!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Windy City Invite Recap
Well, another tournament with the Shockers came and went, this one being arguably the largest indoor USAV tournament of the year Chicago hosts, the Windy City Invite. The Open/AA/A division had 15 teams, including a few out-of-towners such as Slamwich from Nebraska and Omega Force from Minnesota. With Lights Out, an Open level team, plus 6 of the top 15 from AA Nationals last year in attendance, anything could happen.
From the get-go, I felt better about this tournament than the first time around. My thumb had an extra week to heal, and I had taped it which really helped stabilize it. Only one block really stands out in regards to feeling it, but I shook it off and felt it didn't affect my serve receive. Speaking of serve receive, Kyle Due was ready to make his debut at libero. We snagged Chris Wright from Momentum to play opp, and I'll say right off the bat I'm bummed we can't steal him full-time. Lefty that skies, and an overall nice guy. Bob Scott wasn't there to play middle, but Kyle Masterson, a Penn State Alum, filled in quite nicely and I hope it isn't a one-time thing having him on the squad.
Our Pool consisted of Summit (2-time AA National Champs, top 5 Open team when they participated at that level), Omega Force (Minnesota team that finished 9th last year in AA for Nationals, and for the midwest sand junkies, the Bomgren brothers are on that team), Coast North (finished 6th for A last year at Nationals) and Fist It (1st year squad - didn't recognize the players but most had Lakeland/OskKosh apparel).
We started against Omega Force, and just didn't get the job done. We had a couple game points on them and didn't capitalize - probably not my best game of the day. Set 2 Tony Jachera subbed in for me and we took care of business, winning something like 21-13. As usual, Kwon distributed the ball nicely and the hitters took care of things. Having Due run the show for serve receive brought some communication we could have benefitted from last tournament.
The next game was against Summit, which in my opinion is Chicago's best team of the last decade. Jeff Sandberg ran hands, with Keith Schunzel (normally TPC's setter but a hell of a lefty outside as well) outside, Fasshauer/Desirion in the middle, and a 6-7ish opposite that supposively played at Long Beach. Their libero, Krystian Krzyzak, former standout at Loyola, is a pain in the ass to play against, simple as that.
All that being said, we went with the same lineup we finished the last match with and came out strong. I wouldn't say we were doing anything special, just controlling the ball and siding out well. On the other side of the net, Chuck (opp formerly of Marquette?) had a slow start, and was pulled within the first 10 points. Their overall flow wasn't what where it normally is for them, and we pulled out a 23-21 win. I hopped in the second set, and serve receive went well. picked up a couple digs, kept the energy up, and tooled the block to end a 22-20 victory, putting us at 3-1 and dropping Summit to 1-3 after they split with Coast North.
Flying high after the sweep, we cruised through our next 2 matches convincingly. Coast North had some guns with Andy Kownacki and Kevin Allison on the outside, but the block did a good job getting touches, we kept the ball in play, and continued to side out well. Fist It was already eliminated and didn't seem to bring much fire to our last match with them, and we went into playoffs with a 7-1 record and the top seed.
We were to play the winners of Slamwich (team from Nebraska) and the team I call Lewis Alum (I believe they're Ballsagna but I'm not sure), which features Drew Pickering, Billy Sahagian, Johnny Kessenich (fellow D-III'r/Vassar alum) running hands, as well as local beach studs Eli Masud/Tom Carioscio/Dan Buehring. Ballsagna had way more power at the net, but Slamwich dug EVERYTHING in sight, and their OH1 was terminating from all over the court. They were on fire the second half of this tournament, and had actually swept Lights Out in pool play to send them packing for the day.
So we play Slamwich in the semis, and by far played our best match. Bergles/Jachera on the outside, Due libero, Kwon running hands, Kyle M/Ollie Tan in the middle and Chris Wright banging at opp. Slamwich gets out to a 4-2 lead in set 1 and both teams begin to sideout at will. Literally, I think there was 30-40 straight sideouts before Slamwich blinked and we finally were able to re-take the lead. We closed the door with a 27-25 victory, and never looked back, winning the 2nd set somewhat convincingly to advance to the finals, which guaranteed us $500 for the day!
On the other side of the bracket, Summit had started to hit their stride. I believe they had 3 set points against them in pool play which would have eliminated them from playoffs, but they fought back, won those sets, won the play-in against Coast, then crushed Aim to Kill and McLovin to reach the finals.
The second time around we weren't so hot - coming out of the gate with shaky passing and numerous hitting errors. Although we started to pick it back up the second half of the game, Summit sided out well and they took the first set. I came in the second set, and although I didn't play terribly, I wasn't exactly a game-changer, and Summit completed the sweep to win the tournament.
Although I am able to hang at this level, it is apparent to me that if I want to improve, it's going to have to be in regards to my physical ability. Although my passing is steady and I don't hit terribly, the defense picks me up pretty easily and the block is extremely tough for me to tool. There are guys at the levels I've played before that can jump like the AA players, but it's how much they reach over on the block - in the past when the blockers got touches, I was at least getting soft blocked and our coverage was able to attempt to pick it back up. I'm not getting those opportunities as often anymore.
That being said, our team is ranked 2nd in the region for AA, and I'm excited to continue to progress as the season goes on. Our next tournament is the 14th at Prairie Stone, so if you're local, come watch the best ball Chicago has to offer!
From the get-go, I felt better about this tournament than the first time around. My thumb had an extra week to heal, and I had taped it which really helped stabilize it. Only one block really stands out in regards to feeling it, but I shook it off and felt it didn't affect my serve receive. Speaking of serve receive, Kyle Due was ready to make his debut at libero. We snagged Chris Wright from Momentum to play opp, and I'll say right off the bat I'm bummed we can't steal him full-time. Lefty that skies, and an overall nice guy. Bob Scott wasn't there to play middle, but Kyle Masterson, a Penn State Alum, filled in quite nicely and I hope it isn't a one-time thing having him on the squad.
Our Pool consisted of Summit (2-time AA National Champs, top 5 Open team when they participated at that level), Omega Force (Minnesota team that finished 9th last year in AA for Nationals, and for the midwest sand junkies, the Bomgren brothers are on that team), Coast North (finished 6th for A last year at Nationals) and Fist It (1st year squad - didn't recognize the players but most had Lakeland/OskKosh apparel).
We started against Omega Force, and just didn't get the job done. We had a couple game points on them and didn't capitalize - probably not my best game of the day. Set 2 Tony Jachera subbed in for me and we took care of business, winning something like 21-13. As usual, Kwon distributed the ball nicely and the hitters took care of things. Having Due run the show for serve receive brought some communication we could have benefitted from last tournament.
The next game was against Summit, which in my opinion is Chicago's best team of the last decade. Jeff Sandberg ran hands, with Keith Schunzel (normally TPC's setter but a hell of a lefty outside as well) outside, Fasshauer/Desirion in the middle, and a 6-7ish opposite that supposively played at Long Beach. Their libero, Krystian Krzyzak, former standout at Loyola, is a pain in the ass to play against, simple as that.
All that being said, we went with the same lineup we finished the last match with and came out strong. I wouldn't say we were doing anything special, just controlling the ball and siding out well. On the other side of the net, Chuck (opp formerly of Marquette?) had a slow start, and was pulled within the first 10 points. Their overall flow wasn't what where it normally is for them, and we pulled out a 23-21 win. I hopped in the second set, and serve receive went well. picked up a couple digs, kept the energy up, and tooled the block to end a 22-20 victory, putting us at 3-1 and dropping Summit to 1-3 after they split with Coast North.
Flying high after the sweep, we cruised through our next 2 matches convincingly. Coast North had some guns with Andy Kownacki and Kevin Allison on the outside, but the block did a good job getting touches, we kept the ball in play, and continued to side out well. Fist It was already eliminated and didn't seem to bring much fire to our last match with them, and we went into playoffs with a 7-1 record and the top seed.
We were to play the winners of Slamwich (team from Nebraska) and the team I call Lewis Alum (I believe they're Ballsagna but I'm not sure), which features Drew Pickering, Billy Sahagian, Johnny Kessenich (fellow D-III'r/Vassar alum) running hands, as well as local beach studs Eli Masud/Tom Carioscio/Dan Buehring. Ballsagna had way more power at the net, but Slamwich dug EVERYTHING in sight, and their OH1 was terminating from all over the court. They were on fire the second half of this tournament, and had actually swept Lights Out in pool play to send them packing for the day.
So we play Slamwich in the semis, and by far played our best match. Bergles/Jachera on the outside, Due libero, Kwon running hands, Kyle M/Ollie Tan in the middle and Chris Wright banging at opp. Slamwich gets out to a 4-2 lead in set 1 and both teams begin to sideout at will. Literally, I think there was 30-40 straight sideouts before Slamwich blinked and we finally were able to re-take the lead. We closed the door with a 27-25 victory, and never looked back, winning the 2nd set somewhat convincingly to advance to the finals, which guaranteed us $500 for the day!
On the other side of the bracket, Summit had started to hit their stride. I believe they had 3 set points against them in pool play which would have eliminated them from playoffs, but they fought back, won those sets, won the play-in against Coast, then crushed Aim to Kill and McLovin to reach the finals.
The second time around we weren't so hot - coming out of the gate with shaky passing and numerous hitting errors. Although we started to pick it back up the second half of the game, Summit sided out well and they took the first set. I came in the second set, and although I didn't play terribly, I wasn't exactly a game-changer, and Summit completed the sweep to win the tournament.
Although I am able to hang at this level, it is apparent to me that if I want to improve, it's going to have to be in regards to my physical ability. Although my passing is steady and I don't hit terribly, the defense picks me up pretty easily and the block is extremely tough for me to tool. There are guys at the levels I've played before that can jump like the AA players, but it's how much they reach over on the block - in the past when the blockers got touches, I was at least getting soft blocked and our coverage was able to attempt to pick it back up. I'm not getting those opportunities as often anymore.
That being said, our team is ranked 2nd in the region for AA, and I'm excited to continue to progress as the season goes on. Our next tournament is the 14th at Prairie Stone, so if you're local, come watch the best ball Chicago has to offer!
Friday, February 26, 2010
How to fix the Men's Division III All-American Voting
What? A Division III post? I know, with February winding down it's about time!
Although I don't participate as much anymore, I still view volleytalk's forum daily to get the latest gossip/rumors on the season. Recently, a thread started talking about the potential 2010 D-III All-Americans. And I still haven't quite figured out how to respond, because some of the posts have been brain-numbing. There are so many different perspectives on who should get it and who shouldn't that you aren't always going to please everyone.
One of the gripes I always heard in numerous D-III circles about is Endicott always getting All-Americans, largely skewed by the fact that coach Tim Byram is on the committee. Before all the trolls come about and tell me how the process REALLY works and how it's unfair to say that, let me finish: I am not faulting Byram for simply doing what he can to promote his players in a positive manner. He's one of seven coaches on that board. So if Dan Coleman (A good libero but played for a team that never made it past the 2nd round of NECVA's) can be a three-time All-American, the system if flawed. Statistics are important, but it needs to go much deeper than that, as they can be skewed.
No worries though, because I have a fix. I present to you "Volleyballer4life's rules to a successful All-American selection process"!
THE "BIG THREE" RULE.
Juniata, UC-Santa Cruz, and Springfield automatically each get three All-Americans, with the 1 seed heading into Molten's getting a 4th. After each season, the teams are reviewed and the committee can veto this rule for the upcoming season with 5 votes against it.
If you look at the previous years, this is not that much of a stretch. Last year, these 3 teams combined for 6 of the 20 spots. Not a bad representation. However, who here watched the replay of the National Championship? Did anyone else see Anthony Damiano from Juniata? Are you going to tell me that he really pales in comparison to Leserman/Coleman? This was the biggest snub last season. All three of these teams year in and year out have players that would start at any other Division III school they were at and make an immediate impact. I don't like the lack of parity, but I can't deny it. So until these juggernauts show any signs of slowing down, they get half of the accolades.
THE NECVA RULES
NECVA champion gets a minimum of two players. Simple enough.
Down to 8 spots or less! Here's where it gets fun.
NECVA teams must make it to the second round of the tournament to have players considered.
Let's look at the teams that would have been eliminated from last year's voting from this:
Hunter, Medaille, SUNY NP, Elms, Newbury, Emmanuel, Eastern Mennonite, MIT.
If you look at the All-Americans from last year, this rule techincally worked out anyways. The year before, there would be four violations: Witofsky/Coleman from Endicott, Pamidimukkala from MIT, and Brubaker from PBU.
I'm not saying that these players aren't all very strong - nor am I saying there weren't players from last year that weren't deserving of the thought at least - Elms and Newbury had some standout players. However, when I think of All-Americans, we can review box scores all we want, but there are intangibles to be considered.
Take Newbury's loss to Philly Bible last year. We were the higher seed, probably were deeper talent-wise, and fell apart. People were yelling at each other on the court, no one was able to take the game over, and we lost in four, although it could have easily have been a sweep. If you can't will your team to win in the first round of a 16-team tournament that doesn't include the big 3, then all-conference is about as high as you should get. Poise is something that you can't necessarily chart on paper, but it should be one of the highest priorities when choosing someone as an AA.
Sometimes, the fact that you will your team to the playoffs is even a feat though. Hence:
THE BRUBAKER CLAUSE
With the unanimous vote by the AVCA committee, ONE player from a team that does not meet the prior rules may be voted as an All-American.
There are some players that thrive on mid-level teams where you aren't sure if they'd have the same success on a top team. Brubaker is an example of a guy that would be successful in just about any program. That being said, the committee can vote someone in that meets these standards.
And finally, my favorite rule:
THE "LETS HELP EVERYONE STOP CRYING ABOUT SNUBS" ALL-AMERICAN HONNORABLE MENTION AWARD.
Although a third-team would be unnecessary, certainly it'd be nice to know who just misses the cut. There are always 5-10 guys that a lot of people bring up that should have been on the list, and most of them really are only missing one or two pieces to the puzzle. Therefore, let the committee pick 10 players that just fell short. No criteria regarding their team. This gives credit to players that had a great season individually, and perhaps it helps push them to get to the next level the following year. It also gives a little credit to their schools, and perhaps that'll help bring in a recruit that wants to help build a program from being middle-tier into a contender.
These rules really only make the committee pick 5-6 players, as well as the Honorable Mention team. Although I'd like to say Division III has enough parity to say this wouldn't work... it doesn't. Juniata and Springfield are the only two teams that have won D-III titles that haven't moved up or dropped their program. The gap is getting closer, but still has a long way to go.
Perhaps Baruch will alter that this year. Time will tell.
Although I don't participate as much anymore, I still view volleytalk's forum daily to get the latest gossip/rumors on the season. Recently, a thread started talking about the potential 2010 D-III All-Americans. And I still haven't quite figured out how to respond, because some of the posts have been brain-numbing. There are so many different perspectives on who should get it and who shouldn't that you aren't always going to please everyone.
One of the gripes I always heard in numerous D-III circles about is Endicott always getting All-Americans, largely skewed by the fact that coach Tim Byram is on the committee. Before all the trolls come about and tell me how the process REALLY works and how it's unfair to say that, let me finish: I am not faulting Byram for simply doing what he can to promote his players in a positive manner. He's one of seven coaches on that board. So if Dan Coleman (A good libero but played for a team that never made it past the 2nd round of NECVA's) can be a three-time All-American, the system if flawed. Statistics are important, but it needs to go much deeper than that, as they can be skewed.
No worries though, because I have a fix. I present to you "Volleyballer4life's rules to a successful All-American selection process"!
THE "BIG THREE" RULE.
Juniata, UC-Santa Cruz, and Springfield automatically each get three All-Americans, with the 1 seed heading into Molten's getting a 4th. After each season, the teams are reviewed and the committee can veto this rule for the upcoming season with 5 votes against it.
If you look at the previous years, this is not that much of a stretch. Last year, these 3 teams combined for 6 of the 20 spots. Not a bad representation. However, who here watched the replay of the National Championship? Did anyone else see Anthony Damiano from Juniata? Are you going to tell me that he really pales in comparison to Leserman/Coleman? This was the biggest snub last season. All three of these teams year in and year out have players that would start at any other Division III school they were at and make an immediate impact. I don't like the lack of parity, but I can't deny it. So until these juggernauts show any signs of slowing down, they get half of the accolades.
THE NECVA RULES
NECVA champion gets a minimum of two players. Simple enough.
Down to 8 spots or less! Here's where it gets fun.
NECVA teams must make it to the second round of the tournament to have players considered.
Let's look at the teams that would have been eliminated from last year's voting from this:
Hunter, Medaille, SUNY NP, Elms, Newbury, Emmanuel, Eastern Mennonite, MIT.
If you look at the All-Americans from last year, this rule techincally worked out anyways. The year before, there would be four violations: Witofsky/Coleman from Endicott, Pamidimukkala from MIT, and Brubaker from PBU.
I'm not saying that these players aren't all very strong - nor am I saying there weren't players from last year that weren't deserving of the thought at least - Elms and Newbury had some standout players. However, when I think of All-Americans, we can review box scores all we want, but there are intangibles to be considered.
Take Newbury's loss to Philly Bible last year. We were the higher seed, probably were deeper talent-wise, and fell apart. People were yelling at each other on the court, no one was able to take the game over, and we lost in four, although it could have easily have been a sweep. If you can't will your team to win in the first round of a 16-team tournament that doesn't include the big 3, then all-conference is about as high as you should get. Poise is something that you can't necessarily chart on paper, but it should be one of the highest priorities when choosing someone as an AA.
Sometimes, the fact that you will your team to the playoffs is even a feat though. Hence:
THE BRUBAKER CLAUSE
With the unanimous vote by the AVCA committee, ONE player from a team that does not meet the prior rules may be voted as an All-American.
There are some players that thrive on mid-level teams where you aren't sure if they'd have the same success on a top team. Brubaker is an example of a guy that would be successful in just about any program. That being said, the committee can vote someone in that meets these standards.
And finally, my favorite rule:
THE "LETS HELP EVERYONE STOP CRYING ABOUT SNUBS" ALL-AMERICAN HONNORABLE MENTION AWARD.
Although a third-team would be unnecessary, certainly it'd be nice to know who just misses the cut. There are always 5-10 guys that a lot of people bring up that should have been on the list, and most of them really are only missing one or two pieces to the puzzle. Therefore, let the committee pick 10 players that just fell short. No criteria regarding their team. This gives credit to players that had a great season individually, and perhaps it helps push them to get to the next level the following year. It also gives a little credit to their schools, and perhaps that'll help bring in a recruit that wants to help build a program from being middle-tier into a contender.
These rules really only make the committee pick 5-6 players, as well as the Honorable Mention team. Although I'd like to say Division III has enough parity to say this wouldn't work... it doesn't. Juniata and Springfield are the only two teams that have won D-III titles that haven't moved up or dropped their program. The gap is getting closer, but still has a long way to go.
Perhaps Baruch will alter that this year. Time will tell.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
2/20 Tourney Recap and Looking Forward
Well, my first tournament with Northside Shockers came and went and it certainly had its ups and downs. We lost a nailbiter to McLuvin 15-13 in the third for the finals, which was disappointing but I don't plan on dwelling on it. The tournament itself was incredibly balanced - 2 teams went 5-3, one went 4-4, and the last 2 went 3-5. Talk about parity! Was fun to play in.
The ups were I couldn't be happier with my team. Great players, great attitudes, and very patient with me (we'll get to that later). We played iron man (6 guys, no libero) - and I was pretty impressed with our 6'7-6'8 middles playing backrow! We certainly had our spurts where teams made runs on us, but for our first tournament of the year there's a lot to be positive about.
As for me personally, it was a tournament of ups and downs. The first match I played outside and felt pretty comfortable - a few unforced hitting errors that had me shaking my head afterwards, but overall a decent start. Afterwards, they switched me and the opposite, and I got off to a great start by having the opponent's outside (Rob Housing I believe, pretty good player out of NIU) destroy my left thumb on a block. I played through it, but my serve receive never fully recovered from it, as I was struggling to set a standard ball even while peppering.
Aside from that, my hitting just wasn't as crisp on the rightside. Kwon is the best setter I've stepped on a court with, I just need to work on taking a sharper approach as I'm sittin on the pin, while most the sets were more like back 2's. It's been awhile since I've played in a fast-tempo system, so I'm just gettin rid of the cobwebs and working on my approach. Still, I'm getting a lot of solo blocks, I should be terminating those balls. In the finals I started to connect better, and I think I'll do fine with time. However, my blocking needs to be a little stronger, which I'm sure will come with repetition.
Despite what I felt wasn't my best first impression with the team, everyone was cool and Kwon made sure to tell me not to be so hard on myself. He's a great player/coach, and I look forward to improving under his wing! It reminds me of the first season I played USAV with Bada Bing, and although I didn't start every match, I learned a lot and used that with a good off-season to move up to a go-to hitter for them the following season. Hope I can do the same for this squad!
Went to the doctor about my thumb, he said it was a pretty good sprain. Thought there might be a slight tear to the ligament/muscle, but after I did his rehab/icing for a few days, he felt like that most likely wasn't the case. The swelling's already down quite a bit, but the pain's still pretty strong. I'm testing it out at a setter's clinic I run on Thursdays tonight, and with a little tape I should have no problem this weekend.
Looking forward to this weekend - Windy City Invitational in Vernon Hills. We have an incredibly tough pool, running into Summit and Lights Out, two of the stronger Chicagoland teams. I'm very excited to play against them, Summit is a 2-time AA USAV National Champion, with a few 5th's in the Open Division. Lights Out played in Open last year as well. This tournament we're bringing 8, including a libero (my boy Kyle Due who I've always wanted to play alongside) and a lefty opposite, which hopefully opens me up for a little more outside work. Regardless, I'll play whatever position the team needs, and am fired up to have a strong second tournament with the team!
The ups were I couldn't be happier with my team. Great players, great attitudes, and very patient with me (we'll get to that later). We played iron man (6 guys, no libero) - and I was pretty impressed with our 6'7-6'8 middles playing backrow! We certainly had our spurts where teams made runs on us, but for our first tournament of the year there's a lot to be positive about.
As for me personally, it was a tournament of ups and downs. The first match I played outside and felt pretty comfortable - a few unforced hitting errors that had me shaking my head afterwards, but overall a decent start. Afterwards, they switched me and the opposite, and I got off to a great start by having the opponent's outside (Rob Housing I believe, pretty good player out of NIU) destroy my left thumb on a block. I played through it, but my serve receive never fully recovered from it, as I was struggling to set a standard ball even while peppering.
Aside from that, my hitting just wasn't as crisp on the rightside. Kwon is the best setter I've stepped on a court with, I just need to work on taking a sharper approach as I'm sittin on the pin, while most the sets were more like back 2's. It's been awhile since I've played in a fast-tempo system, so I'm just gettin rid of the cobwebs and working on my approach. Still, I'm getting a lot of solo blocks, I should be terminating those balls. In the finals I started to connect better, and I think I'll do fine with time. However, my blocking needs to be a little stronger, which I'm sure will come with repetition.
Despite what I felt wasn't my best first impression with the team, everyone was cool and Kwon made sure to tell me not to be so hard on myself. He's a great player/coach, and I look forward to improving under his wing! It reminds me of the first season I played USAV with Bada Bing, and although I didn't start every match, I learned a lot and used that with a good off-season to move up to a go-to hitter for them the following season. Hope I can do the same for this squad!
Went to the doctor about my thumb, he said it was a pretty good sprain. Thought there might be a slight tear to the ligament/muscle, but after I did his rehab/icing for a few days, he felt like that most likely wasn't the case. The swelling's already down quite a bit, but the pain's still pretty strong. I'm testing it out at a setter's clinic I run on Thursdays tonight, and with a little tape I should have no problem this weekend.
Looking forward to this weekend - Windy City Invitational in Vernon Hills. We have an incredibly tough pool, running into Summit and Lights Out, two of the stronger Chicagoland teams. I'm very excited to play against them, Summit is a 2-time AA USAV National Champion, with a few 5th's in the Open Division. Lights Out played in Open last year as well. This tournament we're bringing 8, including a libero (my boy Kyle Due who I've always wanted to play alongside) and a lefty opposite, which hopefully opens me up for a little more outside work. Regardless, I'll play whatever position the team needs, and am fired up to have a strong second tournament with the team!
Friday, February 19, 2010
A fresh start...
Well, as usual this blog comes months after my last post, but luckily I have actual things in the now to talk about, rather than simply talking about what could be!
Before we get to me, I'd just like to say that it's nice to see Newbury starting to hit its stride. After starting the season 0-3, they have won 10 of their last 11 and from the former teammates I've talked to, everyone seems to be on the same page. Credit most of that to Assistant Coach Mike Houlihan. Sounds like he came in and decided to hold players accountable for their actions, and the players have responded. Rob Mullowney was a good volleyball mind, and I'm glad to see him doing well at Wentworth, but from the few talks I had with Houlihan we had a very similar philosophy about the game, and I wish I would have had a year to play for him! Hope they can continue with their recent success!
For me as a worker - it has not been pretty in regards to finding a full-time job, but I've slowly started to find small jobs here and there - I'll do some marketing for a company about 10 hours a week, I'm running a few clinics, I am slated to start reffing at a few local leagues, and a few other potential jobs are in the mix. It's nice to finally see some progress on all the resumes that have been sent out!
The crucial part about the jobs is that it'll allow me to move closer to paying off my final bill at Newbury, which is the final piece to the puzzle in regards to me applying for Grad School. I will not name the one that I will end up at, but I have verbally committed (as well as gotten a verbal commitment from them) to be their Graduate Assistant Coach.
I visited at the end of January and could not have been happier. The coaches were great, the players said all the right things and seem self-motivated, and the facilities were gorgeous. I walked into their arena and couldn't hide my smile, as it's a long way from playing at a school that didn't even have a gym! Everyone seemed extremely polite that I met, and I think it's an opportunity of a lifetime for someone in my position.
I would serve as a First Assistant as they don't have a paid coach in place, which may intimidate others, but I welcome the role. I was lucky in my first assistant jobs that my coaches gave me more than the typical workload, and although I have plenty to learn, the coach and I share similar philosophies, and I have no doubt that she'll help me along the way when I need it. I think I can learn a lot, but also bring my experience to the table to leave the program better than it was when I first arrived. I look forward to the Challenge.
In the meantime, I've finally broken out of my off-season, and find myself back at the level I was before I took my first break in quite some time! I hopped on with Northside Shockers, one of the top AA USAV teams in the Chicagoland area. I have played with/against most of these guys in the last few years, and look forward to being a part of their squad.
I remember the first time I saw them play, when AA was having a tournament at the Sky High facility in Crystal Lake. BB had one on a separate court, but I was able to catch their games when we had breaks. It's crazy to step on the court with guys that 5 years ago you looked up to almost as role models in regards to your play. Tony Jachera was about my height, but had an absolute CANNON of an arm, and I remember watching in awe as he made smart play after smart play, helped out by great setting by Kevin Kwon as his middle Ollie Tan was drawing blocks left and right. Now? I go to work with them in our first tournament of the 2010 season tomorrow.
Although the first couple weeks back were rough in regards to conditioning, I upped the amount I was playing, and this week I played 5 days straight with virtually no fatigue. Wednesday went to a strong open gym and felt about as good as it gets. Pep on the swing, smooth passing, anticipating the hitter and filling the lanes appropriately. Gonna stay up to listen to the UCLA/CSUN match online, then get some rest for an early rise tomorrow. Co-ed games have been fun, but I'm excited to let loose some of the "killer instinct" mentality that you just can't replicate in rec leagues/open gyms.
One final update: Made a highlight video from my last season playing - follow the link to take a look. I'll let others critique the actual footage, but as for choreography, I felt it was much stronger than my other videos, if nothing else because youtube didn't compress the quality as it did previous times! Hope you enjoy!
I will try to post in the next few days with a recap of my Chicago AA debut!
Before we get to me, I'd just like to say that it's nice to see Newbury starting to hit its stride. After starting the season 0-3, they have won 10 of their last 11 and from the former teammates I've talked to, everyone seems to be on the same page. Credit most of that to Assistant Coach Mike Houlihan. Sounds like he came in and decided to hold players accountable for their actions, and the players have responded. Rob Mullowney was a good volleyball mind, and I'm glad to see him doing well at Wentworth, but from the few talks I had with Houlihan we had a very similar philosophy about the game, and I wish I would have had a year to play for him! Hope they can continue with their recent success!
For me as a worker - it has not been pretty in regards to finding a full-time job, but I've slowly started to find small jobs here and there - I'll do some marketing for a company about 10 hours a week, I'm running a few clinics, I am slated to start reffing at a few local leagues, and a few other potential jobs are in the mix. It's nice to finally see some progress on all the resumes that have been sent out!
The crucial part about the jobs is that it'll allow me to move closer to paying off my final bill at Newbury, which is the final piece to the puzzle in regards to me applying for Grad School. I will not name the one that I will end up at, but I have verbally committed (as well as gotten a verbal commitment from them) to be their Graduate Assistant Coach.
I visited at the end of January and could not have been happier. The coaches were great, the players said all the right things and seem self-motivated, and the facilities were gorgeous. I walked into their arena and couldn't hide my smile, as it's a long way from playing at a school that didn't even have a gym! Everyone seemed extremely polite that I met, and I think it's an opportunity of a lifetime for someone in my position.
I would serve as a First Assistant as they don't have a paid coach in place, which may intimidate others, but I welcome the role. I was lucky in my first assistant jobs that my coaches gave me more than the typical workload, and although I have plenty to learn, the coach and I share similar philosophies, and I have no doubt that she'll help me along the way when I need it. I think I can learn a lot, but also bring my experience to the table to leave the program better than it was when I first arrived. I look forward to the Challenge.
In the meantime, I've finally broken out of my off-season, and find myself back at the level I was before I took my first break in quite some time! I hopped on with Northside Shockers, one of the top AA USAV teams in the Chicagoland area. I have played with/against most of these guys in the last few years, and look forward to being a part of their squad.
I remember the first time I saw them play, when AA was having a tournament at the Sky High facility in Crystal Lake. BB had one on a separate court, but I was able to catch their games when we had breaks. It's crazy to step on the court with guys that 5 years ago you looked up to almost as role models in regards to your play. Tony Jachera was about my height, but had an absolute CANNON of an arm, and I remember watching in awe as he made smart play after smart play, helped out by great setting by Kevin Kwon as his middle Ollie Tan was drawing blocks left and right. Now? I go to work with them in our first tournament of the 2010 season tomorrow.
Although the first couple weeks back were rough in regards to conditioning, I upped the amount I was playing, and this week I played 5 days straight with virtually no fatigue. Wednesday went to a strong open gym and felt about as good as it gets. Pep on the swing, smooth passing, anticipating the hitter and filling the lanes appropriately. Gonna stay up to listen to the UCLA/CSUN match online, then get some rest for an early rise tomorrow. Co-ed games have been fun, but I'm excited to let loose some of the "killer instinct" mentality that you just can't replicate in rec leagues/open gyms.
One final update: Made a highlight video from my last season playing - follow the link to take a look. I'll let others critique the actual footage, but as for choreography, I felt it was much stronger than my other videos, if nothing else because youtube didn't compress the quality as it did previous times! Hope you enjoy!
I will try to post in the next few days with a recap of my Chicago AA debut!
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