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.
Monday, April 19, 2010
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!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Jumpstarting the Blog!
I apologize for the delay in updates. It has been an whirlwind of a semester, wrapping up my academic career and getting a taste of what the real world (which is extremely dark and scary) has to offer. I suppose the easiest way to do this is to do an interview... with myself! Feel free to shoot me any additional questions, and I will answer them in future blogs. I am going to do my best to start posting more frequently now that things are stabilizing.
Where have you been???
Well, the last 3 months I've been wrapping up my bachelor's degree in Sports Management, and although the workload has not been too hectic, a few personal issues have ended up taking up A LOT of my time. On top of that, planning for life after graduation has certainly taken up a lot of time as well.
Have you been playing volleyball?
Yes and no. I've played once to twice a week. I helped out the women's volleyball team here at the school once a week, and played in a Wednesday night league. I did a few adult tournaments as well, and when the weather was warmer I'd play grass with the guys here. I didn't play as much as I'd like to, but I suppose I could have used a bit of a break.
So what's the plan after graduation - are you Europe-bound?
Sadly, with the economy being as it is I will not be attempting to go overseas right away. My student loans simply amount to too much, and although the majority of people that go overseas get paid, stories like all-time digs leader Tony Ker getting screwed over is enough to keep me from going until I at least take care of all my private loans. Regardless of whether or not I get paid, the loan companies will still expect to collect, and as I have people who graciously co-signed my loans I owe it to them to take the safe route and make sure I'm able to re-pay my debt.
That being said, there are two routes: Graduate school and work. I consider myself very well networked in the Chicago area, but find that most job opportunities through these measures have only pulled up jobs that I probably could have gotten without the degree - at wages that will not cover all the bills, or at best make the minimum payments for my loans. One or two interviews this Thanksgiving break may prove to be different, but nothing's etched in stone. With any luck, I'll get a call or two next week, and begin work immediately once arriving home.
Although I hadn't thought too much about it previously, I decided to e-mail every Division I women's volleyball coach that had a graduate assistant on their staff, simply asking for information on applying for the position. I was pleased to hear back from four coaches in the span of 48 hours, which is a nice change of pace from getting very little feedback while looking for jobs. Although the locations aren't exactly ideal ( I would like to be closer to home to be with family, specifically the 5-year old brother ), I really liked what a few of the coaches had to say, and feel that unless a really good job opportunity comes up, I will be enrolling in graduate school in the fall, working towards my MBA and hopefully helping a Division I program to become better than it was when I first got there!
Does this mean that you're giving up on playing overseas?
I have come to terms that I will be going overseas for the experience and not the pay. If I can stay in shape, continue to work hard, work my debt down and get a small nest-egg to cover my loan payments for x amount of months that I could play overseas, I would love to go over there and break even once in the next year or two. In the meantime, I will play A/AA USAV indoor ball, and continue to work towards playing 'professionally' (although if you read Hans Stolfus' blog, you realize there are only about 8-10 males that actually make a living playing sand full-time).
So what should we expect from this blog now that your collegiate career is over?
There are plenty of things I want to cover:
- Interviews with professional players
- In-season updates from various D-III players
- Personal updates
- Any news in the volleyball community and my thoughts on them
I still take requests. Despite heading back to Chicago, I do want to keep tabs on the Newbury program, and intend to keep in touch with the players to get the latest on what's going on. So if you have any suggestions, let me know and I'll see what I can do!
It's been a long break, but looking forward to writing on a regular basis again!
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