Volleyball Headlines for November 30, 2009

At this point there are favorites, challengers and long shots and everyone has their gaze locked upon the target on the #1 team's back. They all want to be the one to take down Goliath and none of them have anything to lose.

Life as the favorite can be very beneficial; you get the best seed, the easiest first round match-up, the most TV time and you carry with you the intimidation factor that can break an opponent before you even play the game.

But it can also be a team's undoing. That target on your back gets bigger and bigger as you rack up the wins. Read more...

Life as the Favorite originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 09:23:59.

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We make decisions using the best criteria we can come up with and take into account their current skill level, enthusiasm, attitude and potential for growth. Some cuts seem obvious - the player is just too short, too uncoordinated or too far behind the other players in skill level. But when you think about it, weren't we all once? Didn't we all start somewhere?

Is it fair to make decisions that could put an end to a child's interest in the sport at such a young age when we could begin to cultivate a lifetime of participation with just a little bit of encouragement?

John Kessel's recent blog says we should just let the young kids play, pointing out that it takes time for talent to develop.

He makes some great points about a junior high program in which 100 kids tried out. They ended up letting them all play on several teams with different skill levels. When they got to high school, half of the players that made the team were the very kids that would've been cut back in junior high if only the top players were allowed to compete. Tough to argue with that.

Of course, not all programs have the coaches or the wherewithal to do what that program did, but it is a story worth keeping in mind when the time comes for tough decisions.

If the growth of the sport is our objective, it makes sense to cast a wide net, especially in the formative years. When it comes down to it, no matter how good we think we are at pinpointing potential, we have to leave room for the late-blooming surprise.

Cuts and the Lifetime Sport originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 10:27:57.

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My concerns when I first heard the news were two-fold: that it could have a negative effect on indoor volleyball and whether it was really necessary considering that U.S. beach teams continue to win in its absence. Both those concerns were adequately put to the test in a recent analysis.

The article takes note of the differences between the games and the players that she based on statistics from top indoor players and top beach players. Turns out there are some major differences. According to the stats, successful beach players are shorter, have different skills and are less likely to have been indoor All-Americans.

The point being that the majority of players who will switch to sand will not take away from the elite indoor pool. The stats are compelling. On height - 58% of top FIVB and 40% of top AVP beach players are under 6 feet tall while only 25% of AVCA D-I All Americans were under 6 feet and 40% were over 6'2" tall.

Read more...

Analysis of an Athlete: Sand vs. Indoor originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 00:20:32.

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It looks like the resolution to honor UCI's championship was pulled from consideration by a California senator as payback in a Republican vs. Democrat/SoCal vs. NorCal water dispute.

The reporting on this story is questionable because it is based on hearsay and an uncorroborated conversation. But if this is true, this Democrat has really crossed the line and an innocent volleyball team is paying for something that has absolutely nothing to do with them.

If this is just an exaggeration or a half truth disguised as news that the Republican propaganda machine put forward to make Democrats look bad, then shame on them for that blatant misuse of power.

The disturbing part is that either way this story is totally believable. Has it really come to this? Have we devolved so far into partisan politics that our innocent collegiate sports teams need to pay the price?

This kind of ridiculousness is becoming much too commonplace on both sides. The idea that our politicians lack the maturity to make even the most benign of gestures due to spite is frightening. So too is the rhetoric that currently passes for "news." Frightening, yet all too credible.

UCI VB Snubbed originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:51:35.

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Washington beat Stanford in three to remain #1 in the Pac-10 while Stanford fell from #5 to #7.

Two top teams will be tested this week. #4 Washington takes on #6 UCLA, now in second place in the Pac-10 and only one game behind the Huskies. #1 Penn State will take on #5 Illinois.

NCAA Coaches Poll Week 11 originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 21:46:01.

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I've noticed that whenever I go to a volleyball game with other players and coaches, we always choose to sit on the end line. When I go with my friends who are new to the sport, they always want to sit along the sideline.

As Holly noted on the broadcast, the end line is the best seat in the house. There is a reason why all the scouting video cameras reside there. No one has a better view than the players themselves. From the end line, you can watch the game just as the players see it.

You can see how the play develops, watch where the hitters are going, see if there is a hole in the block and see how the defense is setting up. From the end line you can see why the players make the choices they make and what they are faced with.

So the next time you're at a game, watch it as a student of the game and not just a spectator. Sit at the end line and you will have a better view than the coaches, the announcers and even the television viewing audience.

Best Seat in the House originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 09:53:08.

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Being the predominant revenue producer certainly should have its perks, but it has always struck me as insane that many football programs spend money to put all 60 guys up in a hotel even when playing at home. The Knight Commission listed this as one of the suggested cuts and I think it is about time.

The Knight Commission is a panel of educators, administrators and athletic directors and has no power to inact changes, but they can put pressure on the NCAA to implement some of these cuts.

Balancing the books will very likely mean that entire sports will get cut as well. It always scares me when I hear this because men's volleyball could very well see some programs disappear in the near future. With so few programs and scholarships left for men's volleyball, more cuts could devastate the sport. Here's hoping they keep the scissors aimed at the behemoth that is college football.

Trim Football, Save Volleyball originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 22:45:34.

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When they put her on the bench and a less skilled player is in her spot, the team wins. The coach thinks it is ridiculous not to play her best player and so do the player's parents. What's a coach to do?

This is an unusual situation to be sure. But I would have to say that you must go with the line up that wins games. Your best starting six on paper is not always the best starting six in reality. Don't underestimate chemistry and other 'x' factors that may make the difference between winning and losing.

As a coach, your job is to win games as much as you possibly can. If you don't, you could soon be relieved of your duties. You should do what it takes to get the W, even if that means benching your best player.

There's a lesson in this for the player as well. Volleyball is a team sport. If you're the team's best player, it is not enough for you to just concern yourself with your own stats. Your job is to bring your team up to your level and make everyone around you better. Until this player can do that, she should remain on the bench.

To Win or Not to Win originally appeared on About.com Volleyball on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 23:52:54.

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