Volleyball 101

Top terms I believe every volleyball player needs to know and understand.  

• In System: The setter gets the ball in target. He or she is setting from target which allows a team to run a full offense.
• Out of System: The setter gets the ball NOT in target. This forces the setter to set limited options. This can also cause a easier ball to defend from hitters. 
• The Corners: When a coach refers to "put the ball in a corner" he or she means to hit, push, or pass the ball to deep spot 1 (right side) and deep spot 2 (left side). Getting the ball to this spot can cause a team to get out of system or give up the point.
• Seam: The seam can be used in two different ways. The first way is with blockers. When a team is blocking with two or three blockers, a seam is created between the blockers bodies. The space in between the blockers is what is called the seam. The second use of the word in volleyball is for serve receive. The space between the passers is referred to as the seam. Putting the ball in the seam means serving the ball in between the two passers so there is confusion as to who gets the ball. 
• The Pins: The antennas. 
• Read Blocking: Read blocking means the blockers are allow to set their block based on their read of the hitter. 
• Set Blocking: The block is set based on what the coach has told the blockers. It is pre-set and not changed by where the hitter moves.
• The BIC: A back row attack that goes over the middle front hitter. The set is tight to slightly in front of the ten foot line to allow the hitter to hit the ball close to the front row.

These are just a few terms. As I see the need for this list to grow I will add to it. 

#ccvc #volleyball #setsinthecity #volleyball101 #girlsvolleyball #boysvolleyball #volleyballterms 

Getting stronger

I have been a gym rat since I was 12 years old. I love being in a gym and I love working out.  I have always been strong and from a very young age I knew I was strong. Going to the gym a few times a week as been apart of my life since I was 18 years old and working with a trainer. In college I worked out and even took classes in it.  Since starting out coaching I have noticed that most athletes don't have a proper workout routine and most players don't see the need in making their athlete get stronger. I am not sure why not. Everyone can be stronger. No one to my knowledge as ever said "I would do some much better in sports or life if I was weaker." That is crazy to think about! You may not want to sell tickets to your "gun show" but being stronger is always better. Shoulders and arms are a key element that I feel gets overlooked. Basic arm and shoulder workouts can be simple. Push Ups.

I watched last night young male athletes who are in good shape struggle with push ups. They were different kinds of push ups but they struggled through them. The trainer went push up for push up with them but the 10 years plus young males still struggled. The one athlete who is in weight training in high school sited that his problem was he ran a lot during weight training but the truth is he just wasn't very strong. This isn't okay.  We need to bring back strong! I encourage you to do some push ups today! Be stronger!

100 wins

February 13th, 2017 could be a record setting day for women's sports and really sports in general. The University of Connecticut is women's basketball team goes for 100 straight wins in NCAA D1 basketball.

   What an amazing feat. As a coach I am always happy with back to back wins but to think about 100 in row! Wow. This record didn't happen over night. UCONN just didn't win 99 games in a row in one week or even month. We are talking since 2014 they have been working hard to get these wins. UCONN has graduated players, added new players, and are playing in big games or normal games. 

The coach is one thing that has remained the same. Coach Geno has become one of the best coaches in the sport of basketball if not the best. If he coached men he would be the all time greatest coach of basketball. Sadly, he coaches women therefore may people say he doesn't have competition he would have if coaching men.  That just sounds like sour grapes to me. He has played within the same rules and guidelines that all other teams both male an female have in the NCAA. 100 wins. Just take time to count to 100! Even that takes time. If UCONN wins tonight they will have won 4000 minutes of basketball.  Let that set in. Good luck tonight UCONN!