Kind of like picking out fruit

When selecting a travel team for your child what should you look for?

A question I get asked a lot of times just reworded. Volleyball is my thing so I always get parents asking me to tell them about my club or my favorite way it's worded... "so what do ya'll do?" I am in the south so we get the "ya'll" thrown in there. I am never sure how to answer this question. The sales rep inside me wants to give an answer fitted to who I am talking to but the coach in me wants to tell them about all the smart hard work we put in to volleyball. I end up giving the parent a general overview of what my club does and gives to the athletes.  The reason for that kind of answer is parents don't know or don't know how to phrase what they are looking for in travel sports teams.

Recently I learned about the joys of cooking with bananas.  I knew about banana bread or banana pudding (again, I am in the south) and like everyone else I knew about just eating them! For the three ways I just listed to use bananas for cooking or eating, all require a ripe to very ripe banana; therefore, when going banana shopping you would look for the ripest ones the store offered. What about soup? Banana fries?  There is a whole world of dishes that require green bananas and would require you selecting the greenest bananas the store had to offer. If you didn't find the kind of banana's you wanted at one store you would simply switch stores till you found what you wanted or made a compromise.

Bananas are a easy metaphor for us to see. When picking out a travel team you have to know what end product you want to make. You don't pick up green bananas and make banana pudding with them.  If you want your child to be a great shooter in basketball then you have 1. ID that is what you want. 2. Find a team that has coaches that focus on shooting. 3. Will allow your child the chance to get to shoot. 4. Alumni or teams that scored a lot of points. 5. Will take your child.

Figure out what you are looking for in a club. Ask your child what he or she wants to do with the sport. If they are just wanting to be a team and have friends... don't waste $$$ on that. Look for cheaper clubs.  If your child wants to be the next Mad Bum (MLB pitcher) then you better find a team that has good pitching coaches. Don't just ask directors or coaches what they do in general terms. Ask particular questions and have reasons for asking. Picking a travel team is kind of like picking a fruit. You don't pick the rotten ones and you know what you want to do with it when you buy it.

Blaming the wrong people

"Our coach just sucks"

Many parents get upset when their team isn't winning. They get mad at the coach for not winning. The coach gets blamed for not pushing the players harder and sometimes for pushing the players to hard. He or she gets undercut and verbally chewed out by frustrated parents in shadows or in the bleachers. The coach maybe can't focus on the right fundamentals or maybe doesn't know the game... I will even agree that the coach might play favorites the whole time BUT why be mad at them? If club, you are paying to be there so after the season ends move on to another club. In school, go to the AD or administration.  The school administration is who hired the coach in the first place right? The coach maybe doing the best job he or she can do. There is no point to be angry at the coach. Demand better from the AD. Chances are all he or she does is hid from anything that might make them uncomfortable or look like work. You don't like the coaching choice and you complained then pull your daughter. Vote with your feet. Let the school know that you don't need them or care what the heck happens the program. I know most of you won't do that.  "My daughter just likes playing" will be the defense for allowing her to play on a team that you think the coach is a moron. Complaining to kid about it doesn't help either. The only people who can help you in the time of frustration is the AD and administration. 

Here is the key to all that I am saying. The school thought that who ever they hired to be the coach was good enough for your kid. They didn't go find a good coach. They found a warm body to do it. They most likely didn't care much about what knowledge of the sport the person hired had or how they would man the helm of the program. They wanted someone to do the job. So don't be mad at the coach you are convinced of can't spell libero much less knows what one is. Go voice your anger on the people who made a poor choice. Remember, they would never hire a high school football coach who was a volleyball player in middle school. Let that sink in. 

Just not impressed

This fall, I have been officiating middle and high school volleyball. This has given me a great chance to see players from all over the area. Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, Iredell, Burke, and Caldwell Counties in NC have I been in. So far... I am not impressed. The most impressive team I have seen all year was a middle school team who was spot jump serving. They crushed the little team they were playing but I truly believe they would beat ALL the high school teams I have seen this year. Here is why I have not been impressed overall. Let me state up front that there are good players on teams but I am addressing the WHOLE team not being impressive.

        Reason 1. Clubs: I watch familiar faces in warm-ups and I know these girls play club. I know they have played for years yet these players are still struggling with the basics. Passing, serving, talking, and moving their feet. Serves should always be made. If you aren't up by 5 plus then you better not be serving the ball out or in the net. There is never excuse NOT to talk while playing however I see team after team chalked full of club players that will not talk. I say that the clubs these girls play for are a reason the teams aren't impressive because they should have taught these skills. 

         Reason 2. Coaches: There was one coach I dealt with as an official that if I could have thrown a rule book at I would have. Sadly, in high school the coaches just aren't the best in every school. Big reason in that is schools don't want to pay these coaches anything and they expect them to deal with tons of drama.... that is another blog for another day.... Coaches are allowing players to be lazy. They maybe don't have the best players but they can make their players hustle to the ball. Allowing players to be lazy to the ball is going to give you poor results.

          Reason 3. A mix of players: Players that haven't sold out to volleyball enough to play all year are always on a high school roster. Nothing wrong with that except most of these players who add in are called upon to be key roles in starters. These girls might be great athletes but they don't have fine tuned volleyball skills. Sloppy play as in net calls, carries, two hits, or four hits can happen more offend with players who don't play yearly vs ones who play do play yearly. This goes back to the coaches and they have to get all players on the same page to prevent sloppy play.

I gave three reasons why I am not impressed with teams this year. I hope we can all work to bring about better volleyball next season and that starts now. 

Motivation Monday: Blocking Tools

Attention hitters! As school season kicks into high gear and play is underway. Here is a good tip for getting kills when you are facing a big block. Tooling the block is when the set is trapped inside the hitter has nothing left to do but get blocked or use the block.  Check it out!

Click on the AVCA Tooling the Block below to watch about how to complete this task.

AVCA Tooling the Block

Happy hitting

Work hard. Work together

Did you see it?

The Olympics have come to a close just like they have for 1000's of years. There were tears for victory and tears for defeat. Some athletes were injured and some set world records. The fastest man to ever live proved himself for the 3rd time leaving his footprint on all of sports. Another Micheal through his name in the ring of all time great "Micheal"s and to the tune of 21 gold medals. A child abandoned by her parents and saved by her grandparents showed us all that size doesn't matter and hard work does. Who the world picked as the top women's soccer team lost their breathe when the ball like water slipped in to the back of the net. The rebirth of the dream team had moments of a nightmare but closed the deal. Bikers biked and runners ran but did you see any of that? Fighters fought and jumpers leaped but did anyone see that?

Did you see any of that? 
According to ratings... No... no you didn't. I believe we witnessed the greatest athletic display under the sun but very few watched. If you didn't get to watch for whatever the reason maybe I encourage you to google some finishes and enjoy the show! 

Work Hard and Work Together

Do you have the heart?

Last year I met  Carolina Costagrande who is a member of the Italian national women's volleyball team. She shared her story with the players I was with and myself. She was born in Argentina and moved to Italy to pursue her career in volleyball and have a better life. She explained that she at a young age knew she had to move away from her family and friends to be the best she could be in volleyball. If you didn't know, Italy is one of the strongest countries in volleyball and as a lot of professional options in the sport. 
          Carolina Costagrande added about how she had to get out of what was easy for her. She had to push herself out of her comfort zone and step out on her on. There were lonely times and bad days she added. Days that she wanted to quit and go home however she knew that to be the best she could be in the sport she had to press on. She had the heart for it. The heart to step out on her own and to be great. 
          Do you have heart to step out and be great? Do you have the heart to leave your comfort zone and do what it takes for you to be great? Most of you don't. Some of you will think you do. Only a few of you will. No one wants to be uncomfortable and don't want to fail. As the saying goes, "no risk no reward" is very true in a lot of areas. Take the risk to get the reward...Risk by putting yourself in a place to fulfill your dreams. That maybe the risk of feeling uncomfortable and maybe it is fear of failure. 

         Do you have the heart for greatness? Do you have what it takes to be the best you can be? 

By the numbers

In 2015, a study found that 1787 colleges and universities sponsored varsity volleyball teams. These teams have an avg roster size of 15 players per team. That is 26915 players playing in the 2015 season. In high school, there were 432,176 players playing for varsity and JV volleyball in the US. The chances of a high school volleyball player playing in college comes to 5.9%.  That means 94.1% do not play at the college level. 

Most high school varsity rosters have 10 players. That means by the numbers 1/2 a player will play in college. Now, we both know a half a player can't play but you get the idea. This doesn't include club players that don't play in high school. 

Three things come to mind after looking at these numbers. 

1. How important is it to play for a good club? VERY! If you want to make the 5.9% you need to make sure you are getting the best coaching, the best matches, the best training, and being pushed to the next level. The local up the street club may not cut it. 

2. The sport is more than just playing. It is about learning life skills. Learning how to work in a team is key to life. We are social beings and we all have to work in teams at some point. It is key to work with coaches that are going to teach their players how to be leaders. Teaches them how to be good people through the sport. 

3. You have to work very hard to make the cut. There is no sitting back and just waiting on things to happen.... Do it yourself or no one else will! 

For more information check out the site below! 

You can also contact me: Coach Hannah

http://www.scholarshipstats.com/volleyball.htm

Pre-School season tips!

Summer is coming to an end for volleyball players. 2nd weekend in July means August is coming quickly! The last three weeks are very important to get ready for school season. High school season will start in the middle of august so time is short! As someone who has coached middle school and high school teams I know that it is so important to have your players ready even before the first morning of tryouts! Here are a few tips to help get you ready!

1. Get in shape! As coaches we know you have a life. Vacation happens and its hot. Laying around can happen and sometimes does! That is okay but get in shape! Start jumping and running! 

2. Eat healthy. Nothing any worse than eating junk food all the time. Food is fuel. The food you eat becomes your body. Think about it. The best players aren't eating nothing but cheese puffs! 

3. Lot's of water. July and August are hot months. You can't drink enough water during these times. 

4. Practice and camp. Maybe you didn't get signed up for a camp but you can practice! Practice like there is no tomorrow so to speak. Work on your passing. Ball handling is everything. 

5. Weight train. Start working your muscles. You need to be as strong as possible. Get in a gym! 

6. Attend open gyms. Your school will host open gyms and you need to be there! No excuses. 

7. Mentally prepare yourself. Get your mind right and your body will follow.

8. Set goals! Big goals and small goals! All goals need to be wrote down and posted where you can see them!  

These steps will help you be ready for school season. Time is passing quickly and now is the time to be ready! Go get them!

Work hard. Work Together!  

For more information

What can you do!

Since I first discovered this quote 10 years ago as a budding college athlete, it has been one of the best quotes to me. Maybe, I was struggling with the skills I couldn't perform as well as others or maybe I was trying to motivate myself to keep working hard on what I was good at but regardless I fell in love with this quote.  Let's look at it together!

                                 Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do.

Wow! What powerful words. "Don't let what you can't do" There will always be something we can't do. There are things I can never do. As an athlete height is very important.  I will never be 6"4'... I can pretend. I can wear heels, I can even stretch out as much as possible yet at night when I go to sleep... I am still 5"9'. I can't change that. 

"stop you from doing what you can do" I maybe wasn't the tallest girl on the floor but I was strong. I knew I was strong. I knew that pound for pound I was stronger than any other player I would face. I gave up the height at the net but bless God I was going to push the ball through your block (as a hitter). 

What are you letting hold you back? What can't you do that you are so focused on that you forget all the good things you can do? Maybe you are very fast, smart, hard working, tall, short, strong, quick, and whatever else you could be!  Whatever you can do.... again... WHATEVER YOU CAN DO do it! Don't let what you can't do hold you back! 

Be great today! Be your best today! Do what you can do and work on what you can't do!

For more information contact

Happy 4th July

Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July. Impedance is bought not given freely. The price is high yet men and women haven willingly given their lives for the freedom we as Americans enjoy. I am blessed and honored to be American. To have the right to pursue happiness in anyway I see fit is something some people can't have. Be grateful for freedom. Be thankful for those who bought it for you!

 

Who are you lying too?

Kids are the best at trying to lie. They give some crazy story that everyone knows isn't true. Such as I didn't steal the last cookie but they have cookie still around their mouths and on their shirt. Adults lie too and they are just as bad of lies as little kids most of the time. I always question if people think I am that foolish to believe their lies. I mean the truth always comes out one way or another. What is worst than kids or adults lying to you is you lying to you. We all do it to a point but we shouldn't. I always say the truth hurts sometimes. I recall a player I once had. She was good enough to make the team but was not starter level. Her teammates didn't really trust her and I didn't either. I only played her when we were winning by a lot and the game was heavy in our favor. Her parents (like great parents) always told her she was the best and she didn't need to change anything. They added it was just me not liking her that kept her from playing. I offered extra practices and she wouldn't show. One time she sort of talked to me after a practice what she needed to work on. I told her she needed more experience which she didn't want to hear. Remember, I offered extra practices to her and she didn't take them.  She had a awful season though we did very well as a team. She played a little and in big games. The point is she believed the lie that she was good enough and didn't need extra work. Had she worked extra the trust would have come and she would have felt more apart. She lied to herself. Who are you lying to today? What is it that you need to have a come to Jesus meeting with yourself over! The truth does hurt sometimes so maybe you don't want to admit it but I hope we ca all get our lives together and stop the lies. Worst than lying to your coach is lying to yourself... even if you parents or close friends agree. Be honest with you. 

Play hard. Play together.  

For more info Contact Coach Hannah 

More volleyball info at

Must win at home

Who has been watching the NBA playoffs? I sure have. It seems home court advantage is a very big an advantage! The point spreads have been record breaking  with the home team winning by a large amount. Good for the home teams I think and here is why. When you are at home you have the upper hand. Not only did you now have to travel but you get play on the court you have played on all year. You know where the slick spots are on the floor and you know about the lighting. There are no court surprises.  You have the fans on your side too!  The yelling and being rude goes to the other team not you. Winning at home also keeps fans. No one wants to come watch a team lose. Winning at home is a must have. You have to dig deep and make it happen. Show heart and win at home! 

Work hard. Play hard. 

Tip Tuesday #11

Supporting each other. Stop! Think back to something that was important to you and someone who you thought a lot about showed up. It could be a game, play, spelling bee, or event you had but regardless someone (not your normal people) showed up. That was a great moment. What if we did that more? It might sound crazy to get out of your bubble and think of someone besides yourself.... We are all busy people but I charge you with the duty of making someones day or night. Go watch a game, play, or see that spelling bee. Support someone you normally don't get too. It's nice for everyone. Think of it as paying it forward too!

Work Hard. Work Together.

Carolina Crush Volleyball Club

For more information contact Coach Hannah

#TipTuesday part 10

Tip Tuesday: Hitting Harder

This is the best video I have found on the internet that talks about hitting. Give it a listen and learn how to hit harder!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Cu3SWVcSo

Play Hard. Play Together!

Monday Monday

Monday is the time we wake up hopeful about the week or dreading the week. I have found in my experience that dreading the week doesn't make it any better. I have found that normally the dread building up to the week or the day in the week can be worse than what I was dreading. Being hopeful is way more fun. It is better for the body too. Stress ages you as well as causes lot's of other heath problems.  Be less stressed and have the heart of the champion this Monday. Go into this week a warrior. You may have training to do or you may have an off week but go hard at it!

Play Hard. Play Together.

#TipTuesday Part 6

#TipTuesday

We all know that the quarterback is the leader for the offense of the football team. We know the goalie is the leader of the defense in soccer. We know that the point guard is the leader of the basketball team offense and sometimes defense. I recently watched a youth chamber music competition at Davidson University. The music was all great! I was impressed with all four groups that performed. What surprised me was how into the music they all were. I watched as almost in a trance watching the four member groups play in perfect sync with each other. I couldn't help but notice that first chair violin was the leader. All the rest of the musicians bowed their head to the first chair and followed what he or she did. There was a clear leader.

Leaders. In volleyball it should be the setter and libero. The setter is first chair violin player. He or she runs the whole offense and the rest of the team should be watching for their commands. The libero comes in to leadership when the setter takes first ball or the defense is out of sorts. Learn who your leader is. If it is you then step and be a great leader. If you aren't the leader then find out who is.

Work hard. Work together.


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Coming to a close

Talking more about rest today and the focus on emotional rest. Long hard seasons that seem to never end can take a toll on the coaches and athletes emotionally. Coaches end up being frustrated and feel useless. Athletes don't want to be there and are struggling with their own beat up ego. It is a hard place to be in. Here are a few things to think about and put into play during the hard seasons.

Tip #1: Wins and losses aren't going to define you as a person. In fact, most college coaches say they don't recruit based on wins and losses but rather how the athlete plays in each game. Coaches are going to look and see the cards you are playing verses what you are up again.

Tip #2: Take 5-10 minutes to drink a glass of water  alone. During this time allow your brain to rest from the drama and stress. Think about that water and get your mind focused on what you can change.

    You can't change your coach, the teammates you play, the times you play, and your teammates.

Tip #3: Let it go.  Normally, hard seasons result in parent and player drama... YES, parents you are normally the worst to stir up drama on a team. As a player or coach, just let it go. You can't change players who refuse to listen. You can't change how your team plays during the game. You have to let that go.... You have to play your best and not worry about the others. Stay out of the drama because some people won't let things die down.

Tip #4:  Give it to God. The old saying that goes "Let go. Let God."  is great to remember. Give your hurt, frustration, and pain to God. In fact, go vent to God. Let it all out and not pick it up again.

Tip #5: It't not your fault and it is your fault. Sounds conflicting I know. You aren't the whole team. You can't lose the whole game. If you had a bad attitude and if you stopped caring then yes... it is your fault! Forgive yourself and promise to do better and be a better teammate. Forgive those teammates and coaches you felt let you down.

Rest is important and dealing with a hard season is the worst. You aren't defined by this. I encourage you rest and get your mind right!

#TipTuesday part 5

Your #tiptuesday for today is on hitting hard. I recently got to watch some very talented 13s in Florida play and they had serving and hitting down. They still struggled with the basics of defense and moving to the ball in passing, however, they could hit a set up ball! I got to thinking how does one go about teaching a kid to hit and hit hard. I discovered that fear and timing must be to the two biggest factors.

Fear. Not fear of death or punishment if the hit is out but fear they can't do it. Most girls sadly aren't taught to be aggressive so hitting a ball hard isn't going to come natural. The fear of not looking good comes in but mostly fear of not being successful. It's easier to be safe and than go big or go home.

Timing. While fear is harder to fix timing isn't! Timing of the toss when serving and timing of set when hitting. Once the timing is got down (which comes from lots of good foot work, tosses, and reps on reps) hitting hard is easy! There is something magical about a player with good timing. They seem to float into the ball and then crush it.

If you aren't hitting the ball hard you should first check your heart. Make sure you are giving it your best. Once you get rid of any fear then move on to timing. Your timing has to be right in order for you to get a good swing in. This goes for serving or hitting.

Hit hard today!

Work hard. Work together!

Rest

There comes a point for every volleyball player that he or she needs to rest. Not just for the body but for the mind as well. If you have had a great season or if you had a bad one resting is still needed!
For those of you that had a great season you need rest because that winning "High" will fade and you will be left tired. After all you have been working hard and going hard! The rush will end and you will need to rest your mind. For those who had a bad season where you were frustrated and you didn't get what you had hoped for and even worked for. You body is tired but your mind is wore down. You need rest.


No matter what kind of season you wanted or you had resting is important! Take a few days to weeks off. Do something that is silly and not in your sport. Go have some fun and rest your brain and your body!

Work hard. Work together!

#TipTuesday: Basics of being a female athlete

A few things female athletes aren't told about working out, being sweaty, and cleaning their game / practice gear. In this blog I will give you some pointers on how to smell your best, know your body, and still get the best out of your performance on the court.

Soap:  We all know that taking the proper amount of baths or showers is important after being sweaty, hot, and gross yet no one talks about the soap part. I love a good shower gel! One of those that when I lather up I feel like I am not only beautiful but on a tropical island. As nice as those smell, they don't cut it for getting rid of body odor and oils that are released when you sweat a lot. The normal shower gels do clean your skin but don't hold up well against hard working woman smell. The point is you need something that won't just mask the scent but get you clean, fresh, and on to the next match!  

     What to use: Please take skin allergies into care when selecting which soap to use. You don't want a rash. If you want to use a shower gel make sure you get one that has exfoliates. This will allow you to get the oil from your sweat off your skin and the smell as well. Bar soap and wash cloth is what I recommend the most. Lather up that wash cloth and get going!

Deodorant:  If you are being strong like a man then you need a man's deodorant.... There is no other way to say it than go get a deodorant designed for a man. You can wear this only when you play sports or work out if you want but you will need it for long tournament days or hard workouts. The cute pink sparkly deodorant you wear now isn't going to hold back the body odor for that long. It wasn't designed for you to be active with it.  Watch some teams at the next tournament of high school age girls or college you will notice them using all men's deodorant.... The reason it simply works better. 

       What to use: You don't have to smell like your grandfather or your boyfriend unless you want too. I find a scent that is fresh and appealing to you. It doesn't have to be name brand either. The one I use body heat regulated so when my degrees increase it works harder. 

Chafing: Chaffing is not just for fat girls... Yes, I said it. If your legs touch at all like 97% of all peoples do then running and jumping in shorts is probably going to get you chaffed. Long tournament days can result in chaffing between your legs and sometimes butt checks. 

         What to use: Baby powder is a great start. You can also use body glide that is sold at sports stores. Some lotions work too but you are going to want thick lotion!  The big key is not staying in those shorts or only those shorts all day... get some pants on. Give your legs a break from the friction.  If you are having butt check chaffing issues try not wearing anything with your spandex (don't freak out mom's and dad's... those shorts were made not to have any on under them) and don't wear a thong either. Use the baby powder and the lotions to get you in less pain. 

Sports bras and BO: After you have worn that lucky bra about three months in can start getting a smell that washing isn't getting out. You might think your deodorant is failing you but really it is the bra.... Over time sweating heavy amounts and getting all your oils on an under garment can build up and washing it won't remove the smell. Don't worry. You didn't just start smelling bad or anything. You just have BO (like everyone else) and your sports bra is caught up in it!

          What to use: Vinegar. Soak that sucker in some white or apple cider vinegar over night.  Focus on the area right under your arm pits. It may be more yellow or brownish in that area too.  Once you have soaked just wash as normal.  That weird to bad smell is gone!

Shoes and socks: There is a simple rule of life. Don't wear shoes without socks. Your feet will smell awful. Your shoes will smell awful.  Your volleyball shoes collect sweat yet always get thrown in bags and locked up till the next time they are needed. I know from experience I have put on wet shoes from the last practice like 3 days ago..... Your shoes need to air out and dry. Never wear socks twice after a game or practice (unless your coach tells you to on his or her superstitions). Your feet sweat and your legs sweat. That sweat goes to your socks. 

             What to use: WASH your socks and let your shoes air out! 

Knee pads and ankle braces: More things that are smelly if not given time to dry out! Ankle braces never get washed. Most athletes just take off their ankle braces and knee pads, throw them in their bag and are done. Knee pads maybe one of the most foul odors to ever enter the nose... ankle braces aren't as bad because they have a sock between them and skin. 

            What to use: Vinegar.  Again with the vinegar but this stuff does work!  Soak your knee pads and ankle braces in white or apple cider mixed with water. Let soak 1 hour to 24 hours. Raise and wash. If you can dry them outside in sunshine that is the best. If not just allow them to air dry. 

I hope you have found these tips helpful. Share with a friend if you did!  

The power of passing

Pass the ball!



There is nothing and I do mean nothing worse than a player who thinks they don't have to pass the ball. Passing isn't easy by no means but trust me.... if you think you don't need to do it then you will spend a lot of time on the bench.

Passing is the foundation to the sport of volleyball. Look at the game for a second. Everything is set up based one the pass. The setter has the job to better the ball but the passer has to give the setter something to work with! There is no such thing as a player who doesn't get to pass in the game anymore. Those days are over and gone. All players are expected to pass.

Work on passing daily. I can't think of any player I have ever worked with that couldn't use 100-400 passing reps a day. Imagine how good your passing game would be if you worked that hard on passing? Use your legs and learning to turn your platform is key. The more reps you get the more you will have control of the ball  which will equal you setting your self and your team up to run a better offense! That means more kills!

What to do?

If you can't go out and pass with someone every working on putting the ball to a target then you can wall pass. Take tape and make 2x4 box on a solid wall. Get on one knee and hips, shoulders, and platform facing the box start passing. It will be hard at first but the goal is to make the ball go into the box over and over again.
If you can get a hand from someone go out and pass. Focus on dropping your butt and bending your knees. Lock your elbows out and DON'T SWING YOUR ARMS TO MAKE THE PASS. Use your legs! Work on getting your body behind the ball. Move those feet too! Last thing is follow the ball to your arms and the ball to target!

Passing is hard work but it is a huge part of the game. If you can't pass... You can't really play the game. I encourage you to pass everyday. Go work your butt off and get good at passing! Next will be serve receive followed by defense!
Work hard. Work together.

Learn more at

Contact Coach Reynolds

Tip Tuesday

#tiptuesday Blocks for outsides

Setting the block can be hard to do for players. If you know you are giving up line then an arms length from the antenna is about all you need unless the outside you are trying to stop has a wicked cut.  If you are trying to force the outside into the middle then you have to cut off line. That means you have to put your right hand on her hitting hand. You also need to give a little less than the ball away from the antenna. If the hitter hits into the antenna, it is out. Remember strong hands and thumbs together! Talk to your middles too! Reading is a big part of set blocks. Work hard. Work together!

#CCVC #Volleyball #CarolinaCrushVolleyballClub
#hitting #blocking
#settingtheblock
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Be great

Go be great today.
Enjoy life today.
Have fun and explore today.
Don't be the normal you today.
Go run or skip today.
Smile today.
Watch a movie you've never seen today.
Be kind today.
Show love to others today!
Laugh harder at something silly today.
Compete harder today. Don't quit today.
Be more focused today.
Be a leader today.
Be a good leader today.
Be respectful today. 
Don't judge others today.
Stand up for what is right today.
Fight for something important to you today.
Be your best today.
Live your dream today.
Take me time today.
Go dream today.
Be great today!

Teammate or Family?

The term "Fam" is so over used right now by American teenagers. They all think their friends are close like family rather they are or not. It is simply a cultural thing and what they have heard others say. The term "Fam" (short for family) can be used when speaking about teammates.  Not all teams that I have been on have been close like family. I played on a basketball team where I thought all my teammates could go get lost... I didn't like them and would never think of them as family. Most of the teams I have been on were like family. The one that sticks out the most to me was my senior year volleyball team. We were good and all got along. It was a labor of love to get along sometimes but we made it work. There were a few practices that some teammates and I would go get ice cream. We would ride around in my car and just be teenage girls! It was fun made so closer. I still keep in touch with most of those teammates and know what they are up too. Those teammates became like family. 

 

Coaches and teammates play a role in this culture. Some coaches just can't get players to be warm and loving but they can give them the chance to be. Giving the chance for a bond like family to take place is key for strong teams. It is really hard for girls to want to work hard and win for the girl beside her unless she feels some kind of bond with her. It is the coaches job to give the players the chance create these bonds.  

  Teammates play a role in this culture because they are the culture!  Being accepting and kind to teammates is the key to making strong relationships. Being the teammate that invites the whole team over not just one or two members of the team is great start or going to grab food before a practice. This helps create a family. 

At some point teammates become family and that is the best part. When you can't tell who is related and who isn't is the best!  If you feel like a teammate and not family it might be time to work on that! 

Work hard. Work together.

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The power of being in shape

A lot of people think sports should just be playing the sport and whatever you get out of doing just that will get you in shape. It doesn't work that way. If you want to be a good to great volleyball player Then start running. Work on your sprints. You might amaze yourself with how much better you will start playing. Playing faster better teams require speed to win. You can't sit on your butt all day and night thinking you will just be the best. Laziness is real and easy to fall victim to; nevertheless, to be the best it takes a lot of doing. So get up. Step up your game and get in shape. Your game will step up once you do.

Stretching: Can't put a band-aid on a muscle

My freshman year of college I strained / had a tear in my hamstring. I went from volleyball to basketball with zero down time. During the first scrimmage of the season in lay up lines I went up and there it happened.... Feels like a bad cramp if you have never strained or tore a muscle. It was an injury that nagged me all season. It drove me nuts because my teammates though I was just faking after a month went by and I was in the same boat of pain. I had the trainers give me exercises to do and lots of stretching. I even had to ride a bike twenty minutes before I started warm-ups to be extra warm.
     After an altercation with a teammate (we ran our mouths to each other) in practice the coach explained to me that it was hard for the other girls to understand I was really hurting and not faking. He said that if I was in a boot like for ankle they would never question my injury but because their was not a sign visibly of injury it seemed to the untrained mind I was faking being hurt.  There was no band-aid to put on it.
 There are no band-aids for muscle injuries. We can't treat a sore or injured muscle like we would a broke arm.  There are no casts for strained groins and there are no boots for tore biceps.  Understand how muscles work and be supportive of the muscle injury players.  After all who are we to judge who is hurt and who isn't. It is not our bodies!

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Stretching tip:  Quads 
The most overuse injury reported in volleyball athletes is patellar tendonitis or “jumper’s knee.” Jumping from a crouched position to block or spike a ball causes your quadriceps to contract and puts stress on your knees. Stretch your quads daily!

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The devil is in the details

Do you want to get better as a player? Then work on the details.

You can't tell me you are doing everything you can do to get better and be the best player you can be. Setters are my favorite players when it comes to working the details. The reason is you can set the ball inside, work on footwork, and set up markers to set the ball into without hurting the house! If you are getting called for 2 hits and struggling with getting the ball out or back.... Well are you working the details? Are you practicing at home? If you aren't don't complain when you are making a choice to not be better. Hitters, work on your wrist snap and footwork.. How is your blocking footwork? Passers are you watching film and working your platform?

You can always work to get faster and jump higher... The devil is in the details. You have to keep working to be better. Waiting won't work but wanting and working will!

Play hard. Play together.

Get angry

Battle ropes. Have you heard of these or used them? They are thick heavy ropes that are used in workouts. You grab them and move them which works your shoulders and arms. The best way is to stay in a very athletic position (like a squat). The ropes weigh about 40-50ibs each. These ropes can beat you down if you let them. You have to get angry with them and slam them into the ground. These are my favorite thing to do in the gym. Why? Because you have to get angry. You have to get pissed off and throw the rope. As I said these can beat you down if you let them. You have to engage your beast mode and slam those ropes! Just like volleyball sometimes just doing it doesn't work. You have to get angry and ignite the fire in your belly to get the best out. Get angry when you are being beat down and do something about it. Engage your play and have enough... that means you don't quit but go make a difference!  Get angry and take back your game. Own it just like you can own those ropes.

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Winning: More than Talent

We are in the heart of club volleyball season as we enter the first weekend of February. Most all club teams are playing this weekend. Some in regional tournaments and some in two day format. There can only be one winning team per age group this weekend. Odds may not be in your favor. Winning is more than just talent. You may have a stacked team and you may only have one or two good players.  Winning is more than medals at the end of the tournament. Winning can be measured in how much you got better and well you performed. Ask yourself, did I support my team? Did I bring my best to my team (on the floor and on the sideline)? Did I pull my weight? If yes to any of those or all then you are a winner. Talent is great and I believe that everyone should push to be the very best that they can be. I also believe in winning small victories and looking for the winning moments along the way. I wish everyone the best of luck and I hope you win. Win the tournament if you can and if not win the personal battles of growth and development.  Have a heart of a champion and do your best!

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Shut up and Listen

Coach Parish was the head volleyball coach at a small local college where I went to summer camp. This camp was in the 3rd week of June in a gym build before the luxuries of A/C. Needless to say it was hot and to make matters worse for me my home A/C went out that week too. The NBA finals were being played that well too! I remember sitting on a warm gym floor pouring sweat before the warm ups started and coach Parish asked the question who was watching the NBA? A few girls raised their hands but I wasn't one of them. I barely knew the finals were being played and never watched the NBA. Coach Parish gave the group a confused look and asked why more of us hadn't watched the finals; Before anyone could answer she added that it was very important for us young athletes to watch championship teams play even if it wasn't our sport.... We could learn from top athletes because the work ethic was the same she added. As I grew up I learned what she said to be true. I have learned that watching boxers focus before a fight or football players game mange can all be helpful to me! All champion level athletes have something they can teach us about being the best! It might be how they got there or how they train. Maybe it is their mental game or being blessed. Sometimes we have to shut up and listen to what these athletes say and even listen to their actions. I encourage you to shut up and listen. In the words of coach Parish, "Watch all champion games!" It is good for you.

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Finding team leaders

There is a great saying that I quote all the time and that is, “When the real leader speaks everyone shuts up and listens.” I have never seen this fail. I have always seen it come to pass. There is always one player that the rest of the team listens to. Let’s take a quick quiz and see what you think.

1. _____________ is one of the most competitive players on the team.

What name popped in your head to fill in that blank?

     2.  ______________ leads through encouragement and energy.

What name do you think should be in that blank?  

     3.  ______________ puts the team first in all decisions and actions.

That is a hard one…. we are work through selfish desires but who comes to mind when you read that question?

     4.  ______________ leads by example in practice, in weights, on the road, and in the classroom.

We all know that teammate…. Maybe it is you. That is okay to put.

That was a quick four question quiz that can give you some hints to who the real leader is on your team. The reason teammates listen to that one teammate when she or he speaks is because of the actions that back it up. If you are the leader on the team, great! Keep that up. If you are not a team leader then support your leader. That not only will make you a better teammate but leader as well.  

Keep working hard and work together!

Be loud and be Proud!

Volleyball players are always told to talk and be loud. No one ever really says why. The reason they are told to be loud and talk is because no one can read your mind and you can't read theirs. If two players are going for the same ball and no one calls it, what happens? They crash into each other and more times than not, the pass, hit, or set isn't completed. This can increase the risk of injury among players and your scoring chances go down. Talking and being loud also helps connect you to your teammates. The more you talk on the floor the more like minded you all are. For example, you will all know what play you’re running on a free ball. Talking helps you in defense too. Saying what you see is not a bad thing. If you are on the front row you have a much better view of what play the other team is running and can see what hit the hitters are wanting to make. If you are blocking right front and you see the hitter go up to tip... You clearly can see what she is going to do. So you can alert your back defender to move in, or you can step off and cover. Talking also helps you scare the other team. The non-stop chatter will make teams uncomfortable if they don't talk much. Coaches say talk for a reason. It only helps you be the best player and team you can be! Go out and start talking more and more!

Be the G.O.A.T

It is slightly embarrassing that it took me until two months ago to figure out what G.O.A.T. meant. For those who don't know, it means Greatest Of All Time. I'm not sure anyone can really be the greatest of all time. I can't imagine how anyone would figure this. We can look to Einstein, Michelangelo, Churchill, Mozart, Dickens, Gretzky, Jordan, and Jobs as men who at one time were arguably the G.O.A.T. of their time. Yet, they didn't stay there. Someone else came along and built on their ideas, foraging what was the greatest with something new. Being the greatest is a very subjective thing. What I may like in a player, you may not.  You might not be a good fit on every team and in every level. All you can do is be the G.O.A.T. The greatest of all time that you can be. You should work hard and do your best. Work hard and never give up.

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After tournament care

Those long hard and fun tournaments can leave you tired and sore. There are lots of ways to recover but if you can't lay around all day you will need another way to get back to 100%.
1. Diet. Chances are you didn't eat that great or enough. Make sure you get some good protein and fresh veggies. Lay off some carbs and sugars. Take time to sit and eat. Taking your time gives you a chance to rest and refuel.
2. Water. No way you drank enough during play. It it was cold you lost a lot of hydration just by walking outside. Drink lots of water. Your muscles need water to function correctly. All the water helps refresh you too. Think like a flower that is lacking water. Add water to the flower and it perks up and begins to flourish again. You are like that flower.
3. Ice and Heat. If you need ice on your knees or shoulders then get it! You want to make all injuries feel better by reducing swelling. Ice first. Once you get home, take a nice warm bath or shower. If bath, use epsion salt. Soaking will help relieve tension and soreness from the muscle. If you take a shower make sure it's warm, and stand under the water for an extra minute. This helps your muscles warm up and release some soreness. Note on the salts, all floor burn will sting if you take a bath. Re-ice if you need to for joints.
4. A good night sleep. Staying up all night night happen but shouldn't. Go lay down if you can't sleep. Enjoy just relaxing. Laying on your back with your feet up air against a wall. That helps the body feel refreshed.

These four steps will help you recover quicker and have you back ready to play!

No one got time for that!

If I see another player okay with not being the best I may scream. I don't understand what goes through girls minds when they want to play sports but then complain and not give their best when the coach asks them to work hard!  If you are going to waste the time to be at practice, workouts, and games then why not put forth effort to the be the best? Maybe I am old school and maybe I am too intense but I don't understand why an athlete doesn't want to be the best. It takes a lot of work and time to be the best but look at the reward! Be the best you can be. Not one has time for you to be just getting by. Dream of more and be more!  

Throw back Thursday

If you want a good #tbt remember why you started your mission. Think of why you wanted to play. Remeber that reason and use it for fuel. Never give up and push through.

Liar liar pants on fire

A coach knows when you are being lazy. A coach knows when you lie. A coach knows when you're cheating in a drill. I've had many players who have played these cards. I've had players come late into practice without excuses. I make them run the traditional 10 laps that every late player runs. I always watch my players, to keep them accountable. But there have been players that skip laps and act like they've done nothing wrong. Even after confronting them, they deny any wrongdoing. I have made sure to set all my players straight with the rules.

Pro tip for all players: If your coach asks you if you did whatever task, you better tell the truth because they already know.  

A coach knows when you lie. No matter how slick you think you are it is better to not lie in practice. If you are a lazier player, the coach will watch you in conditioning. If you do lie and you get busted please don’t accuse the coach of being wrong… that is asking for trouble!  A coach knows. Don’t lie. Do what you should and give your best. Lying and being lazy isn’t your best. Do better today and from here out!  

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