August 29, 2010

A Positive Weekend of Growth

As outsiders (people more focused on results rather than the process of progression) may look at this past weekend as a disappointment due to the match record finishing up 0-4 to start the season. Those of us that are a part of the program and were fortunate enough to watch the weekend of play got to see a team really find their rhythm together during the second day and gain more confidence then any win over lesser competition could ever give. I am extremely happy with the effort, supportiveness, and leadership from everyone on our roster this weekend. The mental toughness that was shown from one day to the next was outstanding and a great foreshadow for the remainder of the season.

We scheduled this weekend to be tough and to see where we could potentially fit in with the national spotlight. 3 of the 4 teams we faced were either in the NAIA Top 25 or receiving votes to get in the Top 25 list. The 4th team has been a 30 win team 3 of the 4 years and formerly in the Top 25. We found out that we can play at a higher intensity level on a consistent basis and can potentially beat some very good teams within the national spotlight.

Our first match on Friday was against Indiana Wesleyan. We came out in the very first set and made great runs of points in the early part of the game and had the momentum for a vast majority of the set. Near the end of that set we faced one of the top jump topspin servers in the tournament and we struggled to keep her serve controlled to run efficient offense. We finished that set losing 22-25 and had 4 more total errors than IWU, the difference in the set. We talked about the difference in errors during the break and I think it changed our mentality in a way were not looking for. We came out in the next 2 sets playing timid and not wanting to make mistakes and our aggressive nature suffered. For the first match of the season and the first time playing against outside competition, we found out right away that we have two different speeds of play and that we don't want to be in the second one ever again. We are better when we play aggressive and fast.

Our second match on Friday was against #17 Bellevue. After watching them struggle against a Top 10 team right before our first match we had a sense of confidence that we could compete with them and potentially steal a set. However, Bellevue decided to make sure that they didn't have the same performance they had in their first match and played out of their minds defensively. We threw everything we could at them from different attack angles to different types of shots and they just dug every ball possible. We had some bright moments with some runs of points on our side that came from solid defense and good team play. When it was all said an done Bellevue flexed their muscles and proved why they were the #17 team in the nation.

Heading into the second day we may have been a little shell-shocked still from the finish of day 1. We played Jamestown first and came out sluggish. We forgot that there always need to be a certain thought process going on as we are on the court. Everything was chaotic and in complete panic for the first 2 sets of the match. During the break between the 2nd and 3rd set, we talked a lot about getting ourselves mentally reorganized and getting back to our aggressive style of simple play. The 3rd set was a complete 180* style of play from the previous matches outside of the very first set of the tournament against IWU. We played with wonderful communication and with PURPOSE. We stuck with our plan of correct positioning defensively and with a smooth offensive rhythm. We took the 3rd set to give the match a different feel and the 4th set was a battle until they went on one last solid serving and blocking run of about 5-6 points to finish off the match. We came out of this particular match learning so much about ourselves and finding the understanding of what level of energy it takes to compete at the national level.

The first 3 matches were tough matches and probably the greatest learning lessons for our team. We had to see that just going through the motions and not having a specific purpose for our movements and decisions would be detrimental to our potential success. I must say that this team full of fast learners.

Our 4th match was against a very powerful swinging, nearly every swing was as full power as they could swing, in Black Hills State. We played with PRIDE, PASSION, & PURPOSE from the very first serve of the game. Our challenges from the first 3 matches completely paid off for this match. We had a simple defensive plan and found ways to be balanced offensively and keep BHSU confused as to where we would attack and what pace we would attack. We held a 2-1 set lead heading into the 4th set, it was a battle and a back and forth set with each teaming sharing the momentum at least 4-5 times. They stole the 4th set from us (potentially due to a major scoring discrepancy in the first part of the set) and heading into the 5th set the match was up in the air. No team had a distinct advantage or the momentum. It was a great chance for us to get our first match win of the season. However, BHSU had a crucial 2 point run at 12-10 to push them to match point. We had our own 2 point run to get close but couldn't complete a block or dig against their top attacker for match point. We played wonderfully and actually gained more than just what a win could have given us.

I am going into this next week of practice feeling confident about our next tournament and upcoming matches. We have proven to ourselves that we can play consistently at the highest level of energy and focus. The season now truly starts with a complete understanding that each day we will get closer to being the high quality team we talk about being. It won't be easy but it will be worth all of the hard training and adversity that will challenge us everyday.

Great job ladies, the record to this point doesn't show what we truly accomplished. Our process will pay off, I think it will this upcoming weekend.

- Coach V

August 27, 2010

The First Weekend is Here

It is finally here, the time to play against outside competition. We have an exciting weekend ahead of us. We will put ourselves to the test this weekend by playing 3 of 4 teams that are currently either ranked in the NAIA Top 25 or receiving votes to get in. Our goal is to be in the position of one of these teams. No better time than now to see where we fit in.

Not much else to say or really to prepare for. The time we have all been waiting for us here. Roll up your sleeves, put on your hard hat, and bring your lunch pail. IT IS TIME TO DO WORK!!!!!!!!

- Coach V

August 18, 2010

5 Days In and Looking Good

Five days in and about 15 sessions (6-8 practices and 5-7 conditioning sessions) in I must say that we are ahead of schedule than the original plan. It is great to have the ball control of every player on the team to be at a level that will always keep a drill going to its maximum potential and not have to start over after the 2nd contact. Great job ladies, stay with the focus on all of the footwork we have taught and continually trained. It only makes it easier to be successful when you do it correctly, consistently.

Our primary defensive system has been put in and the initial stages of our offense is coming around. It is awesome to not have the feeling of needing to rebuild the team roster or teach every player the systems of play. The third season of a coaching staff is a season where we can see the hard work for those that have been with the program for that long start to sink in and pay off. Our returners are taking the leadership roles we expect from them with motivation and helping to teach the insights and strategies of our offenses and defenses to our newcomers. It has been wonderful to see the amount of teaching and learning going on every single session.

Our teams have not been divided up into JV and Varsity at this time and we most likely won't know for sure of those roster spots until after our inter-squad scrimmage on Sunday night. There are a lot of starting and roster spots open and each one has some great competition by many different players. Along with this competition the comraderie, support and positive atmosphere by the players towards each other has really helped everyone reach higher levels of play each practice.

We still have some work to do and with still more than a week of practices before our first Varsity competition we feel good where we are right now but have the understanding that there is still a mountain to climb to reach our goals.

5 days down and 4 to go of Preseason practices. We are on the verge of great things and we have not even started yet.


GO TIGERS!!!!

- Coach V

August 15, 2010

The First Day Has Come And Gone

Some would say it went by fast and other say it was the longest day of their lives. I think that is about normal for most first days of practices (3 sessions a day). However the FUN has only just begun. It is on the the next day where we build on the technical skills from the previous day. It is a pattern over the next week that will build excellent habits in work ethic, physical toughness, and most importantly mental toughness.

Team support was high during the first day and the energy level was at it's peak as well. Now the challenge for the rest of the week, can we sustain the focus, energy, and high spirits for the rest of the week? We will soon find out. STAY TUNED!

- Coach V

August 5, 2010

Just Around The Corner

Alright who is just pumped up beyond belief about the start of a new season. This goes for all of you, even you recruits, that are starting up with preseason in short amount of time. The anticipation of seeing what has paid off from the training, lifting and conditioning from the spring to the summer sessions. All of it coming to one pinnacle of time that all of the players are on the same page mentally, emotionally, and physically to play at a level teams only dream about.

As I have daydreamed (way too often) this about this upcoming season and smile knowing that this will be the first season that we do not have to have a full overhaul of new systems of play and players into the system. This gets to be the first season where we get to just "GO" from the very beginning with preparing to play in our system rather than taking many days to teach our system. It is definitely the cliche but "the sky is the limit" for us and this 2010 season. The aspirations and expectations are and will remain high all season. We have a lot of athletes that have the drive and just enough chip on their shoulder to make things happen.

This 2010 will have a lot of meanings to many different people. For me I am envisioning that 3, 5, 10 years down the road we will all be able to look back and say, "that 2010 team was the true start to this DYNASTY"

-Coach V