Saturday October 27th proves to be a great day for volleyball. There are some intriguing match ups and unfortunately a few blunders where teams should be facing in later rounds instead of so early. I guess at the end of the day you have to beat everyone to be the champ anyway.
Class AAAAA
Bracket A is a toss up. McEachern vs. North Cobb is an interesting first round matchup. North Cobb has had a huge turn around from last season and I look for them to move on the second round to face Chattahoochee. The Cougars played some inspired volleyball at the Area tournament and if they can continue that level of play they have a good chance of avenging an earlier loss to North Cobb. Union Grove was a surprise last year so I look for them to face Kell in the second round. Kell has had some big wins this year and if there ball control allows them to get the ball to the middle then they will move on to face Chattahoochee in the round of eight.
Player Watch List: MB-Ashley Neff (North Cobb), MB Amanda Jones (Kell), OH Virginia Hogan (Chattahoochee), Do everything player in Katherine Schilling (McEachern), OH Makeda Moore (McEachern), OH Lindsay Craft (Chattahoochee)
Bracket B is wide open. If Lassiter can get passed an early test with Parkview and a tough match with Etowah in the second round they could very well find themselves back in the final four. Lassiter's setting has improved and they play scrappy defense with a solid serve receive. I look for Milton to come out of the top half of the bracket to face Lassiter or Etowah in the round of eight. Lassiter/Etowah match should be a dandy. Youth vs. Veterans. Who wants it the most?
Player Watch List: OH-Hannah Reinke (Lassiter), MB Taylor Montgomery (Lassiter), OH Cate Howard (Milton), OH Erin Michael (Milton)
Bracket C could very well be a no brainer. Kennesaw Mountain will come out of that bracket to reach the final four. South Forsyth could give the Mustangs a match, but ultimately should get the Mustangs nice and woken up to play the winner of Norcross/Walton. This match should be a good one to watch. Can Hannah Nelson of Norcross rally the troops to victory over a scrappy defense of Walton.
Player Watch List: MB Lauren Hutchinson (Ken. Mtn.), OH Hannah Nelson (Norcross), S Grace Hoyt(S.Forsyth), MB Kensey Williams (S.Forsyth), OH Sarah Schneider (Walton), S Beyza Kilic (Walton), Nickki Hannon (Grayson)
Bracket D is the bracket of disaster. Northview and Pope should face one another at some point in the final four but will have to settle for a huge match in the round of 8. Both of these teams have a cake walk to the round of 8 and that match should be one of the states best this season. Both teams have strong arms on the outside, but rely heavily on the play of their middle hitters. The x-factor of this match very well could be the play of Superstar Freshman Mary Hoey. The match however could ride on the balance of tough serving vs. ball control. Northview will jump serve and serve tough. If they can limit serving errors and force Pope to play out of system they should come out on top. If Pope can control their serve reception then the match may very well come down to that x-factor.
Player Watch List: MB Courtney Fletcher (Northview), S Allie Schliesman (Northview), Lib Kari Bardis (Northview), OH Gaby Smiley (Northview), S Maggie Hoey (Pope), X-Factor (Mary Hoey), MB Elise Cashman(Pope), OH Stephanie Post (Harrison), OH Olivia Day (Mill Creek)
Class AAAA
Bracket A could see St. Pius reaching the final four if they can get past an athletic Jonesboro team and an up and coming Greenbrier program.
Bracket B will lead Star's Mill back to the final four and most likely playing Dacula in the round of 8.
Bracket C Should be a cake walk for McIntosh who has been playing stellar volleyball down the stretch.
Bracket D will undoubtedly prove to have Woodward meet Marist in the round of 8. You know the depth of volleyball is growing or either GHSA wants to make sure other schools get to experience the final four and finals. The Woodward/Marist match up should be full of fireworks as they normally are. No love lost here and the story continues. Only time will tell the story of this next battle. Can Marist's scrappy defense control the powerful arms of Woodward?
Player Watch List: DS Lisa Carlson, Nicole Choi, Lindsay Regruto (Marist), OH/MB Whitney and Paige Weiland (Marist), Opp Mariah Woodson (Woodward), MB Alexis Woodson (Woodward), S Mallory Noland (Woodward), S/Opp Mary Chaudoin (Star's Mill), MB Alexis Shaffer (Star's Mill), MB Kylee Marx-Booth (St. Pius), OH Lia Scott (St. Pius), OH Michelle Barnes (St. Pius), OH Leah Moyer (McIntosh), S Kendall Wilde (McIntosh), MB Elysse Chubb (McIntosh)
Class AAA
Bracket A has Columbus with a straight shot at the final four. They will have a minor speed bump in Riverwood in the second round, but should cruise on through.
Bracket B will match the unknown of St. Vincents vs. the athleticism of Harris County. The winner of this match should meet Oconee County in the round of 8.
Bracket C should lead Westminster to yet another final four appearance. They will meet Chamblee in the round of 8, but the depth of Westminster should prove to be to much for Chamblee.
Bracket D will lead us to a huge meeting between Sandy Creek and Blessed Trinity. Coach Stephens always has his girls ready and they play very hard, but I love to watch Sandy Creek and they may just have one to many weapons for BT. If the Creek can stop the outside hitting of BT they should be able to move on to the final four which ensures us of a new champion. Again this should be a match awaiting us in the final four, but I'll take good volleyball where I can get it.
Player Watch List: OH Jessica McAlvaney (BT), Starting 6 and Lib at Sandy Creek, S Meg Buker (Westminster), MB Alexandra Durkee (Westminster), Opp Tindal Sewell (Westminster), OH Terraka Walker (Columbus), OH Taylor Buckner (Columbus), S Kristen Fleming (Columbus), OH Chandler Armbrester (Harris County), OH Angelica Crump (Chamblee)
Class AA/A
Bracket A gives Wesleyan yet another quick path to the State Final Four. They will go to Savannah to play Mount Pisgah who is only 10 minutes away from Wesleyan. How odd is that to drive 5 hours to play a team from 10 minutes away. Wesleyan will have a minor speed bump in Savannah Christian who plays scrappy defense with great ball control. Could be a good early wake up call for the Wolves.
Bracket B should find Lovett reaching the final four although they have a scrappy Savannah Country Day to play in round 2 and most likely an athletic Decatur team in the round of 8. Lions be careful against Country Day as they are the host team which is always tough.
Bracket C has Holy Innocents waltzing to the final four. However Landmark could provide the surprise if Holy Innocents doesn't have an answer for Monique Mead.
Bracket D provides and interesting first round match up between Creekview and GAC. Creekview is an up and coming new program and could push GAC in round 1. GAC should move on and dance to the beat of the final four.
Player Watch List: OH Erica Price (Holy Innocents), OH Hallye Jerkins (Buford), MB Meg Yanda (Holy Innocents), MB's Betsy Smith and Anne Marie Armstrong (Wesleyan), S Maggie Smith (Wesleyan), OH Kelsey Melito (Lovett), Lib Mary Gallagher (Lovett), OH Sarah Kelley (Walker), OH Lauren Ford (Decatur), OH Amanda Komisarow (GAC)
Well if you read this far you may be as exhausted as I am. I am looking forward to seeing some great volleyball, good players making great plays, and I always enjoy the upsets (even if that makes me wrong in these predictions/preview). Have a great tournament everybody and good luck.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Gwinnett County ummmmm!!
10-6-2007
Being a fellow Gwinnetian I am a little disturbed at the state of volleyball in our fair county. I guess I don't help matters seeing as though most of the training I do consists of Cobb County and Fulton County Kids. Anyway my time at the Gwinnett County Championships was good but a little like watching paint dry. I was able to talk to a lot of people and do what I like doing the most which is talking volleyball. Everyone already knows about Wesleyan and then there is GAC, Norcross, followed by Dacula, Parkview, and Mill Creek. My question is what happened to the talent that used to be in Gwinnett. The athletes still have to be there as the softball, soccer, and basketball teams all rank among the best in the state. How can they rebuild and climb back into the mix?
1. The high school coaches have to get the kids in middle school to start playing volleyball. There needs to be a feeder program at each school. That would be step one.
2. The next step is get your kids to play club. If Suwanee is not an option then find somewhere else even if you have to drive a little to get there. The best players in the county are all playing club.
Senior OH Hannah Nelson (Norcross)
Junior OH Audrey Hipple (Parkview)
Senior OH Olivia Day (Mill Creek)
Senior MB Betsy Smith (Wesleyan)
Junior MB Anne Marie Armstrong (Wesleyan)
Junior OH Hallye Jerkins (Buford)
Sophamore Libero Courtney Weider (Dacula)
Sophamore OH Amanda Komisarow (GAC)
Senior OH August Rhea(Norcross)
Sophamore Setter Rachel Monteagudo (Norcross)
Junior Setter Megan Carnell(North Gwinnett)
Freshman Setter Maggie Smith(Wesleyan)
Sophamore OH Haley Collins (Wesleyan)
3. Get better coaches in the high schools. While there are some good coaches Gwinnett County needs to seek out better coaching. I know a lot of spots go to the football and basketball coaches, but getting qualified volleyball coaches is a must to turn the tide around.
Being a fellow Gwinnetian I am a little disturbed at the state of volleyball in our fair county. I guess I don't help matters seeing as though most of the training I do consists of Cobb County and Fulton County Kids. Anyway my time at the Gwinnett County Championships was good but a little like watching paint dry. I was able to talk to a lot of people and do what I like doing the most which is talking volleyball. Everyone already knows about Wesleyan and then there is GAC, Norcross, followed by Dacula, Parkview, and Mill Creek. My question is what happened to the talent that used to be in Gwinnett. The athletes still have to be there as the softball, soccer, and basketball teams all rank among the best in the state. How can they rebuild and climb back into the mix?
1. The high school coaches have to get the kids in middle school to start playing volleyball. There needs to be a feeder program at each school. That would be step one.
2. The next step is get your kids to play club. If Suwanee is not an option then find somewhere else even if you have to drive a little to get there. The best players in the county are all playing club.
Senior OH Hannah Nelson (Norcross)
Junior OH Audrey Hipple (Parkview)
Senior OH Olivia Day (Mill Creek)
Senior MB Betsy Smith (Wesleyan)
Junior MB Anne Marie Armstrong (Wesleyan)
Junior OH Hallye Jerkins (Buford)
Sophamore Libero Courtney Weider (Dacula)
Sophamore OH Amanda Komisarow (GAC)
Senior OH August Rhea(Norcross)
Sophamore Setter Rachel Monteagudo (Norcross)
Junior Setter Megan Carnell(North Gwinnett)
Freshman Setter Maggie Smith(Wesleyan)
Sophamore OH Haley Collins (Wesleyan)
3. Get better coaches in the high schools. While there are some good coaches Gwinnett County needs to seek out better coaching. I know a lot of spots go to the football and basketball coaches, but getting qualified volleyball coaches is a must to turn the tide around.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A Good Few Days
10-3-2007
Saturday I spent my time at the Cobb County Tournament. I saw Walker get blown out by Lassiter. What a difference a year makes. Walker has some scrappy players and a solid Outside Hitter in Sarah Kelley, but losing some tremendous seniors and their starting setter definitely hurts. Coach Dan Clotfelter does a good job and will surely have the program back up to speed soon. I have seen his middle school play and he has some good potential in that group. Lassiter is much improved from earlier in the season. The setter has learned to set the ball higher for 6'5" Middle Blocker Taylor Montgomery. While Taylor isn't overpowering she hits at a steep angle that is tough to defend. The Trojans also receive a boost from Junior OH Hannah Reinke. Hannah is one of those girls that every team needs. She does all the little things that go unnoticed by most. She is also pretty steady and has a good head for the game.
The surprise of the day was Kell defeating Pope. Pope has to pick up there ball control if they are gonna go to the finals this year. Kell played inspired volleyball. They have good middle hitters who terminate plays and they play very scrappy defense.
I also saw Kennesaw Mountain play Walton. My first chance to see Walton. I was a little disturbed at the Walton pre game warm up. I wasn't sure if I was at a volleyball match, a cheerleading contest, or a who can scream MINE the loudest contest!!! Anyway Walton was scrappy in game one and forced Kennesaw to play a lot of balls until they made mistakes. Kennesaw looked sloppy in game one but turned it up in game two where they spanked Walton. Game one tells me early exit from state playoffs. Game two tells me final four. Which team shows up I guess we will see.
The remainder of the day took me to training. I love working with kids and helping them get better and achieve their goals.
Tuesday took me to Norcross to see Sandy Creek, Mill Creek, and the host Norcross. I was very impressed with the Blue Devils of Norcross. Senior Outside Hannah Nelson is very good. She played solid defense, passed well out of serve receive, and can terminate in front and back row attempts. She needs to be a little more consistent out of system and with her serve. Setter Rachel Monteagudo did a great job. She has good instincts and when she doesn't Hannah tells her what to do!!!
Mill Creek struggled most of the night. They had good play from outside hitter Olivia Day. She has a good arm and hits a good high ball.
Sandy Creek is as good as advertised although missing a couple of starters. They were able to grind out wins in both matches despite being down 2 players. The Haney kid might be the most explosive player in the state, however she struggles on out of system sets.
Well I'm still working on some of my lists. They will be out soon. If you have any recommendations please pass them my way. See you in the gym.
Saturday I spent my time at the Cobb County Tournament. I saw Walker get blown out by Lassiter. What a difference a year makes. Walker has some scrappy players and a solid Outside Hitter in Sarah Kelley, but losing some tremendous seniors and their starting setter definitely hurts. Coach Dan Clotfelter does a good job and will surely have the program back up to speed soon. I have seen his middle school play and he has some good potential in that group. Lassiter is much improved from earlier in the season. The setter has learned to set the ball higher for 6'5" Middle Blocker Taylor Montgomery. While Taylor isn't overpowering she hits at a steep angle that is tough to defend. The Trojans also receive a boost from Junior OH Hannah Reinke. Hannah is one of those girls that every team needs. She does all the little things that go unnoticed by most. She is also pretty steady and has a good head for the game.
The surprise of the day was Kell defeating Pope. Pope has to pick up there ball control if they are gonna go to the finals this year. Kell played inspired volleyball. They have good middle hitters who terminate plays and they play very scrappy defense.
I also saw Kennesaw Mountain play Walton. My first chance to see Walton. I was a little disturbed at the Walton pre game warm up. I wasn't sure if I was at a volleyball match, a cheerleading contest, or a who can scream MINE the loudest contest!!! Anyway Walton was scrappy in game one and forced Kennesaw to play a lot of balls until they made mistakes. Kennesaw looked sloppy in game one but turned it up in game two where they spanked Walton. Game one tells me early exit from state playoffs. Game two tells me final four. Which team shows up I guess we will see.
The remainder of the day took me to training. I love working with kids and helping them get better and achieve their goals.
Tuesday took me to Norcross to see Sandy Creek, Mill Creek, and the host Norcross. I was very impressed with the Blue Devils of Norcross. Senior Outside Hannah Nelson is very good. She played solid defense, passed well out of serve receive, and can terminate in front and back row attempts. She needs to be a little more consistent out of system and with her serve. Setter Rachel Monteagudo did a great job. She has good instincts and when she doesn't Hannah tells her what to do!!!
Mill Creek struggled most of the night. They had good play from outside hitter Olivia Day. She has a good arm and hits a good high ball.
Sandy Creek is as good as advertised although missing a couple of starters. They were able to grind out wins in both matches despite being down 2 players. The Haney kid might be the most explosive player in the state, however she struggles on out of system sets.
Well I'm still working on some of my lists. They will be out soon. If you have any recommendations please pass them my way. See you in the gym.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Kennesaw Review
9-23-2007
I was asked in the comments as to what I thought about Kennesaw Mountain and if they can hang with the big dogs, so to speak! For better or worse this is my opinion.
I think opponents should try and score a lot of points while the setter Kaylee McGrew is front row. When right side Mariah Booth gets on the front she and Lauren Hutchinson put up a big block and have the ability to shut down most hitters on the high school level. I think this will definitely work in their favor against Northview as the Titan outsides are not very tall and will have a tough time hitting through or around that big block.
However the game is and always will be about ball control. Kennesaw Mountain will have to get better in this area to compete at the highest levels. I do believe they will make the final four and perhaps the finals in the 5-AAAAA State Tournament.
I also think that someone other than Lauren Hutchinson will have to put balls away for them to beat the best. Most of the top teams in the state have big solid middles and they will make life tough for the UGA bound middle hitter. If outsides Meghan Weller and Sami Lane step up and play well they will be able to compete very well with the best in the state. Another option for the Mustangs is to find a way to let senior middle Kristen White use her power. She has a great arm but is sometimes hand cuffed in the middle. Find a way to let her take a full swing and she could punish some opponents.
The two biggest opponents for them in 5AAAAA will be Pope and Northview. They match up well with Pope and the similar styles of play will help them there. Both teams serve fairly safe, run most of their offense out of the middle, and play pretty scrappy defense. Against Northview it is a different story. Northview serves aggressively and runs a very balanced offense. If they are serving well and Kennesaw is having trouble in serve receive then it could be a long night. If Kennesaw can push thru and force Northview to make mistakes then the match could go there way. Well I guess that is about all I have to say. That is purely my opinion and I reckon I will see how right or wrong I am come tourney time. Have a great week everybody.
I was asked in the comments as to what I thought about Kennesaw Mountain and if they can hang with the big dogs, so to speak! For better or worse this is my opinion.
I think opponents should try and score a lot of points while the setter Kaylee McGrew is front row. When right side Mariah Booth gets on the front she and Lauren Hutchinson put up a big block and have the ability to shut down most hitters on the high school level. I think this will definitely work in their favor against Northview as the Titan outsides are not very tall and will have a tough time hitting through or around that big block.
However the game is and always will be about ball control. Kennesaw Mountain will have to get better in this area to compete at the highest levels. I do believe they will make the final four and perhaps the finals in the 5-AAAAA State Tournament.
I also think that someone other than Lauren Hutchinson will have to put balls away for them to beat the best. Most of the top teams in the state have big solid middles and they will make life tough for the UGA bound middle hitter. If outsides Meghan Weller and Sami Lane step up and play well they will be able to compete very well with the best in the state. Another option for the Mustangs is to find a way to let senior middle Kristen White use her power. She has a great arm but is sometimes hand cuffed in the middle. Find a way to let her take a full swing and she could punish some opponents.
The two biggest opponents for them in 5AAAAA will be Pope and Northview. They match up well with Pope and the similar styles of play will help them there. Both teams serve fairly safe, run most of their offense out of the middle, and play pretty scrappy defense. Against Northview it is a different story. Northview serves aggressively and runs a very balanced offense. If they are serving well and Kennesaw is having trouble in serve receive then it could be a long night. If Kennesaw can push thru and force Northview to make mistakes then the match could go there way. Well I guess that is about all I have to say. That is purely my opinion and I reckon I will see how right or wrong I am come tourney time. Have a great week everybody.
What A Day
9-22-2007
Today I traveled to Woodward for a middle school play day. Then on to a JV play day at St. Pius followed by a trip to Roswell for a Varsity Play day. Busy, busy, busy, but tons of fun.
I started the day at Woodward. It is always fun to see the youngins play for the pure enjoyment of the game. They get so excited seemingly on every play. Where does that go as the girls get older? I guess that is another topic for another day though!! I really enjoyed watching the matches and see the St. Pius has a good future if they can get all of those girls to stay there. Marist and Wesleyan were tough and will with out a doubt reload. Harrison's junior team was very strong and they were transitioning and getting swings on almost every ball. Keep up the good work ladies.
The JV play day was surprisingly good. You never really know what your going to get when you go to a JV event in Georgia. There is some good young talent out there as Woodward, Wesleyan, Lassiter, and Columbus played very well. I have to tip the cap to Coach Fleming at Columbus. She has built quite a program and by the looks of things will maintain that for quite sometime.
The Varsity play day at Roswell was tons of fun. While I spent most of my time speaking to parents I was able to catch a few matches. One of the main reasons for attending was to see Kennesaw Mountain. My first opportunity of the year to see them play. Unfortunately the first match was a waste of time for both myself and KMHS as the rolled over Westlake. It is hard to see how good a team they are in a match like that. The second match was a little tougher as they faced Chattahoochee. Kennesaw struggled in game one especially on serve receive. They were able to pull the game out 25-23 which proved to me that they can win even when they aren't playing well. They woke up or Chattahoochee tired in the second game as Kennesaw rolled 25-12. Kennesaw puts up a big block on the outside with middle Lauren Hutchinson and Right side Mariah Booth. This big block disturbed the outsides of Chattahoochee and it was all down hill from there for the Cougars.
It was a great day in the gym. I saw the good, bad, and the ugly as well as talked to many parents, players, and coaches about all sorts of subjects. I love to talk volleyball, life, etc.. so if you see me come up and chat!!!
Today I traveled to Woodward for a middle school play day. Then on to a JV play day at St. Pius followed by a trip to Roswell for a Varsity Play day. Busy, busy, busy, but tons of fun.
I started the day at Woodward. It is always fun to see the youngins play for the pure enjoyment of the game. They get so excited seemingly on every play. Where does that go as the girls get older? I guess that is another topic for another day though!! I really enjoyed watching the matches and see the St. Pius has a good future if they can get all of those girls to stay there. Marist and Wesleyan were tough and will with out a doubt reload. Harrison's junior team was very strong and they were transitioning and getting swings on almost every ball. Keep up the good work ladies.
The JV play day was surprisingly good. You never really know what your going to get when you go to a JV event in Georgia. There is some good young talent out there as Woodward, Wesleyan, Lassiter, and Columbus played very well. I have to tip the cap to Coach Fleming at Columbus. She has built quite a program and by the looks of things will maintain that for quite sometime.
The Varsity play day at Roswell was tons of fun. While I spent most of my time speaking to parents I was able to catch a few matches. One of the main reasons for attending was to see Kennesaw Mountain. My first opportunity of the year to see them play. Unfortunately the first match was a waste of time for both myself and KMHS as the rolled over Westlake. It is hard to see how good a team they are in a match like that. The second match was a little tougher as they faced Chattahoochee. Kennesaw struggled in game one especially on serve receive. They were able to pull the game out 25-23 which proved to me that they can win even when they aren't playing well. They woke up or Chattahoochee tired in the second game as Kennesaw rolled 25-12. Kennesaw puts up a big block on the outside with middle Lauren Hutchinson and Right side Mariah Booth. This big block disturbed the outsides of Chattahoochee and it was all down hill from there for the Cougars.
It was a great day in the gym. I saw the good, bad, and the ugly as well as talked to many parents, players, and coaches about all sorts of subjects. I love to talk volleyball, life, etc.. so if you see me come up and chat!!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Top 5 Setters
9-21-2007
1. Allie Schliesman - Senior - Northview HS. She is without question the best in the state. She has great footwork and her speed may be unmatched by other setters. She makes bad passes into almost perfect sets. She has accuracy and is very consistent. She plays within the flow of the game and in talking to her coach she runs a very balanced offense. She makes that team go.
2. Maggie Hoey - Senior - Pope HS. Maggie is a phenomenal setter. I like her decision making most of all. She runs a good mix both out of serve receive and in transition. She blocks well on the front row and has solid footwork on out of system plays.
3. Mallory Noland - Senior - Woodward Academy. Mallory is quietly doing her thing down there at Woodward. While she has plenty of options and such athletic hitters that they make every set look great; Mallory is consistent, accurate, and runs a good mix in transition. Many setters may struggle with all the options she has to work with, but Mallory has a great demeanor and does a great job for the War Eagles.
4. Meg Buker - Junior - Westminster School. Meg is a good young setter. I think there is definitely a drop off between the top three and the rest of the field. However Meg Buker does a great job off set pieces and as she improves her postures for deception while also improving her footwork she could find herself at the top of the list next year. The one thing I really like about Meg is her hands and she always seems to give her hitters a chance to take good swings.
5. Grace Hoyt - Senior - South Forsyth. Grace is a great all around player. Probably one of the best all around players in the state. Grace can hit, pass, she serves well, she puts up a good block, and oh yeah she has great hands too. He hands are her biggest asset, but what keeps her from topping this list is her mobility. When the pass is on she may be the best, but volleyball is a random game and you have to be able to set out of system balls on consistent level.
Honorable Mention includes Mary Chaudoin a senior at Stars Mill, Rachel Truxillo a senior at Marist, and Kristen Fleming a freshman at Columbus. Mary Chaudoin could easily be number one as well. She has size, incredible hands, and she is a very smart player as well. However the fact that she only sets for 3 rotations keeps me from putting her in the top five. Rachel Truxillo is very good and keeps Marist in a lot of games. Kristen Fleming is the best young setter in the state. If she grows a little and/or improves her vertical she could be big time.
Well that is it. Time to get some shut eye for a fun but long day tomorrow.
1. Allie Schliesman - Senior - Northview HS. She is without question the best in the state. She has great footwork and her speed may be unmatched by other setters. She makes bad passes into almost perfect sets. She has accuracy and is very consistent. She plays within the flow of the game and in talking to her coach she runs a very balanced offense. She makes that team go.
2. Maggie Hoey - Senior - Pope HS. Maggie is a phenomenal setter. I like her decision making most of all. She runs a good mix both out of serve receive and in transition. She blocks well on the front row and has solid footwork on out of system plays.
3. Mallory Noland - Senior - Woodward Academy. Mallory is quietly doing her thing down there at Woodward. While she has plenty of options and such athletic hitters that they make every set look great; Mallory is consistent, accurate, and runs a good mix in transition. Many setters may struggle with all the options she has to work with, but Mallory has a great demeanor and does a great job for the War Eagles.
4. Meg Buker - Junior - Westminster School. Meg is a good young setter. I think there is definitely a drop off between the top three and the rest of the field. However Meg Buker does a great job off set pieces and as she improves her postures for deception while also improving her footwork she could find herself at the top of the list next year. The one thing I really like about Meg is her hands and she always seems to give her hitters a chance to take good swings.
5. Grace Hoyt - Senior - South Forsyth. Grace is a great all around player. Probably one of the best all around players in the state. Grace can hit, pass, she serves well, she puts up a good block, and oh yeah she has great hands too. He hands are her biggest asset, but what keeps her from topping this list is her mobility. When the pass is on she may be the best, but volleyball is a random game and you have to be able to set out of system balls on consistent level.
Honorable Mention includes Mary Chaudoin a senior at Stars Mill, Rachel Truxillo a senior at Marist, and Kristen Fleming a freshman at Columbus. Mary Chaudoin could easily be number one as well. She has size, incredible hands, and she is a very smart player as well. However the fact that she only sets for 3 rotations keeps me from putting her in the top five. Rachel Truxillo is very good and keeps Marist in a lot of games. Kristen Fleming is the best young setter in the state. If she grows a little and/or improves her vertical she could be big time.
Well that is it. Time to get some shut eye for a fun but long day tomorrow.
Wesleyan on a Skid!
9-20-2007
Tonight I made two stops. First I went and saw Centennial play North Forsyth. My reason for attending the match was to see if the rumors I had been hearing about were correct or not. The rumor is that Centennial is better and starting to work themselves out of the dungeon and that North Forsyth is pretty good and will only get better. I have to say while both programs have a ways to go they are definitely both on the rise. Both teams are fairly young and as they gain more experience and play more games and play against better competition they will undoubtedly continue there improvement.
My second stop had me travel to Pope High School. What I didn't expect was to see Wesleyan go 0-2 for the night. The bright side of the night was watching Pope as it was my first chance of the season to see them play. They have a good mix of Senior to Freshman and the Freshies definitely hold their own. For you college coaches that view my blog keep an eye on Fr. Mary Hoey and Fr. Sarah Morris. These girls can flat out play. I also enjoyed watching the senior leadership of setter Maggie Hoey and MB Elise Cashman.
Surprise of the night was watching Chattahoochee down Wesleyan. I didn't expect the middles from the Cougars to be able to control Betsy Smith and Anne Marie from Wesleyan. Wesleyan on a current 3 match skid extending from this past weekends block party is struggling to find there ball control. The other thing I noticed is that since practically every set goes to either Betsy or Anne Marie the other girls seem to take plays off or be surprised and not ready when they are set. With the talent Wesleyan has I fully expect they will find a more balanced offense and hopefully improve there ball control.
One of the most impressive parts of the evening was watching Chattahoochee. They came off a big high beating Wesleyan and then had to play Pope who had great ball control all evening long. Pope while they are not overpowering from the serving stripe or at the net the one thing they do well is play mistake free volleyball. They have very few serving errors, they don't hit a lot of balls out, and they dig and pass well in serve receive. Chattahoochee had solid performances out of both outside hitters in Senior Virginia Hogan and Sophomore Lindsey Craft. Hogan had a huge swing from the right side down the line at 21-19 against Wesleyan. Without that swing they may have lost that game as Anne Marie and her tough Jump Spike Serve was up next. Lindsey Craft played well and had a great mix of shots plus one facial that received a big OOOOH from the crowd. The biggest surprise of the night was Chattahoochee middles roofing Betsy in two consecutive rallies. The surprise is that Betsy stands over 6ft and the opposing middle was only 5'9" at best.
Check back this weekend as it is a busy one. I will be at Woodward, Wesleyan, St. Pius, and Roswell at some point throughout the day.
Tonight I made two stops. First I went and saw Centennial play North Forsyth. My reason for attending the match was to see if the rumors I had been hearing about were correct or not. The rumor is that Centennial is better and starting to work themselves out of the dungeon and that North Forsyth is pretty good and will only get better. I have to say while both programs have a ways to go they are definitely both on the rise. Both teams are fairly young and as they gain more experience and play more games and play against better competition they will undoubtedly continue there improvement.
My second stop had me travel to Pope High School. What I didn't expect was to see Wesleyan go 0-2 for the night. The bright side of the night was watching Pope as it was my first chance of the season to see them play. They have a good mix of Senior to Freshman and the Freshies definitely hold their own. For you college coaches that view my blog keep an eye on Fr. Mary Hoey and Fr. Sarah Morris. These girls can flat out play. I also enjoyed watching the senior leadership of setter Maggie Hoey and MB Elise Cashman.
Surprise of the night was watching Chattahoochee down Wesleyan. I didn't expect the middles from the Cougars to be able to control Betsy Smith and Anne Marie from Wesleyan. Wesleyan on a current 3 match skid extending from this past weekends block party is struggling to find there ball control. The other thing I noticed is that since practically every set goes to either Betsy or Anne Marie the other girls seem to take plays off or be surprised and not ready when they are set. With the talent Wesleyan has I fully expect they will find a more balanced offense and hopefully improve there ball control.
One of the most impressive parts of the evening was watching Chattahoochee. They came off a big high beating Wesleyan and then had to play Pope who had great ball control all evening long. Pope while they are not overpowering from the serving stripe or at the net the one thing they do well is play mistake free volleyball. They have very few serving errors, they don't hit a lot of balls out, and they dig and pass well in serve receive. Chattahoochee had solid performances out of both outside hitters in Senior Virginia Hogan and Sophomore Lindsey Craft. Hogan had a huge swing from the right side down the line at 21-19 against Wesleyan. Without that swing they may have lost that game as Anne Marie and her tough Jump Spike Serve was up next. Lindsey Craft played well and had a great mix of shots plus one facial that received a big OOOOH from the crowd. The biggest surprise of the night was Chattahoochee middles roofing Betsy in two consecutive rallies. The surprise is that Betsy stands over 6ft and the opposing middle was only 5'9" at best.
Check back this weekend as it is a busy one. I will be at Woodward, Wesleyan, St. Pius, and Roswell at some point throughout the day.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Top 5 Defensive Specialists or Libero
Mid Season Libero Report
Thus far this season I have seen quite a bit of volleyball. One thing I enjoy is comparing players to other players in the specified position. As my travels take me to gyms all around I have been looking to see who is the best player or players in our state. Today lets talk about our "doing the dirty work girls" the Libero or Defensive Specialist.
1. Tomoka Matsuyama - UGA Commit - Senior at Marietta High School. Now you may argue that Tomoka should not be first as she is playing setter for her high school. However she is just to good to not be number 1. Some girls can play defense and some can pass in serve receive, but she does both very well and is the most consistent of the group. Tomoka also tops the list for always working herself into the right position and using excellent floor skills when needed.
2. Lisa Carlson - Georgia Tech Commit - Senior at Marist High School. I have ranked Lisa below Tomoka because she is not quite as good defensively. However Lisa has some of the best ball control on serve receive in the country. These two make it a tough choice to determine one - two that is for sure.
3. Kari Bardis - Arizona Commit - Senior at Northview High School. There is no question that she is good maybe even great, but the weak link right now is in her defense. Kari is exceptional on serve receive and she is a good leader on the back line for the Titans.
4. Kristen Chrismer - Uncommitted - Senior at Westminster. This girl put on a show at the Block Party this weekend. Passing well both defensively and on serve receive. She could make someones back line at the next level very good.
5. Nicole Choi - Uncomitted - Junior at Marist. This girl is ridiculous on the defensive end of the ball. With improvement on serve receive she could easily move up the list. It also works to her advantage to top the list next year as those ahead of her graduate this year.
Well that is my list and I am sticking to it. It it purely my opinion and you take that for what it is worth. Honorable mention on my list is Mary Gallagher of Lovett. She is senior and very fun to watch. She just down right gets after it. Stay tuned for further position lists and eventually my best all around players.
Thus far this season I have seen quite a bit of volleyball. One thing I enjoy is comparing players to other players in the specified position. As my travels take me to gyms all around I have been looking to see who is the best player or players in our state. Today lets talk about our "doing the dirty work girls" the Libero or Defensive Specialist.
1. Tomoka Matsuyama - UGA Commit - Senior at Marietta High School. Now you may argue that Tomoka should not be first as she is playing setter for her high school. However she is just to good to not be number 1. Some girls can play defense and some can pass in serve receive, but she does both very well and is the most consistent of the group. Tomoka also tops the list for always working herself into the right position and using excellent floor skills when needed.
2. Lisa Carlson - Georgia Tech Commit - Senior at Marist High School. I have ranked Lisa below Tomoka because she is not quite as good defensively. However Lisa has some of the best ball control on serve receive in the country. These two make it a tough choice to determine one - two that is for sure.
3. Kari Bardis - Arizona Commit - Senior at Northview High School. There is no question that she is good maybe even great, but the weak link right now is in her defense. Kari is exceptional on serve receive and she is a good leader on the back line for the Titans.
4. Kristen Chrismer - Uncommitted - Senior at Westminster. This girl put on a show at the Block Party this weekend. Passing well both defensively and on serve receive. She could make someones back line at the next level very good.
5. Nicole Choi - Uncomitted - Junior at Marist. This girl is ridiculous on the defensive end of the ball. With improvement on serve receive she could easily move up the list. It also works to her advantage to top the list next year as those ahead of her graduate this year.
Well that is my list and I am sticking to it. It it purely my opinion and you take that for what it is worth. Honorable mention on my list is Mary Gallagher of Lovett. She is senior and very fun to watch. She just down right gets after it. Stay tuned for further position lists and eventually my best all around players.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
What a Day
9-15-2007
What a great day. I started off with a flag football scrimmage. Following the scrimmage I got cleaned up and headed to Collins Hill to catch some of the Classic. Unfortunately I arrived during lunch break!! No volleyball but I did get to talk to a former player in Alanna Kirkland of Roswell. It is always a treat to catch up with old players and there families. After talking to several players about club I moved on to Lovett to catch more of the Block Party.
What a difference a day makes. Northview was bounced early in a loss to Hoover High out of Birmingham Alabama. Hoover struggled on Friday night, but played much tougher this Saturday afternoon. With Northview eliminated the tournament is up for grabs. Well maybe I will see how this all plays out, but I have to go train some players.
Today I trained 3 of the top freshman in the state right now. Libero Maelyn Divinski, MB Ashley Gialenios, and OH Katie Potts. These girls continue to develop and have set high goals. They will undoubtedly reach these goals as they are gym rats. Great day of training and back to Lovett I go.
I was able to get back in time to see Marist bounce out Wesleyan and reach the Silver Championship. Must be a descent tournament when that happens. Marist faced Sandy Creek and went on to win the Silver. Westminster faced out of state foe St. Paul's out of Mobile, Alabama. Has Georgia indeed caught Alabama? Is this match going to show us? Westminster went on to win in 3. The match was sloppy early. Was it nerves? I think so, because as the teams settled in I was fortunate to see some good volleyball. Dig after dig and big swing after big swing and with one big flex of muscle Westminster went on to win 18-16 in the 3rd.
Time to rest. No wait must go play with my son. Looking forward to that so come back later for the top players list.
What a great day. I started off with a flag football scrimmage. Following the scrimmage I got cleaned up and headed to Collins Hill to catch some of the Classic. Unfortunately I arrived during lunch break!! No volleyball but I did get to talk to a former player in Alanna Kirkland of Roswell. It is always a treat to catch up with old players and there families. After talking to several players about club I moved on to Lovett to catch more of the Block Party.
What a difference a day makes. Northview was bounced early in a loss to Hoover High out of Birmingham Alabama. Hoover struggled on Friday night, but played much tougher this Saturday afternoon. With Northview eliminated the tournament is up for grabs. Well maybe I will see how this all plays out, but I have to go train some players.
Today I trained 3 of the top freshman in the state right now. Libero Maelyn Divinski, MB Ashley Gialenios, and OH Katie Potts. These girls continue to develop and have set high goals. They will undoubtedly reach these goals as they are gym rats. Great day of training and back to Lovett I go.
I was able to get back in time to see Marist bounce out Wesleyan and reach the Silver Championship. Must be a descent tournament when that happens. Marist faced Sandy Creek and went on to win the Silver. Westminster faced out of state foe St. Paul's out of Mobile, Alabama. Has Georgia indeed caught Alabama? Is this match going to show us? Westminster went on to win in 3. The match was sloppy early. Was it nerves? I think so, because as the teams settled in I was fortunate to see some good volleyball. Dig after dig and big swing after big swing and with one big flex of muscle Westminster went on to win 18-16 in the 3rd.
Time to rest. No wait must go play with my son. Looking forward to that so come back later for the top players list.
Volleyball Overload - Heaven?
9-14-2007
Its Friday night and time for some High School Football! No Wait! Its the weekend of September 14 & 15 and that means a lot of high school volleyball tournaments. This fine evening I traveled to Lovett School to take in the Block Party Invitational. In my opinion probably the best competition you will find in the three tournaments this weekend was here at Lovett. The tournament continues to draw in out of town teams from Alabama, Florida, and even Tennessee. It was easy to see as stated in an earlier article that Georgia has closed the gap considerably to our bordering state schools.
Day 1 Rundown-
Wesleyan did there usual Anne Marie or Betsy which dose of medicine do you want thing! They downed Hoover with there eyes closed, but caught McGill Toolen at the wrong time. You never want to face a good team like that after they lose a match just prior to playing you. This just in! Anne Marie Armstrong can pass and play defense too.
Northview OH MY GOSH! They have improved and are back to full strength plus one. I think the tough competition at the Assumption Tourney in Louisville has lit a fire under these girls to get better. They looked much more crisp and fluid this evening. Getting Junior MB Lauren Busing doesn't hurt either. However the story of the night was Freshmen Outside Gaby Smiley. While the team is undoubtedly good she made them even better. A kill from the outside is one of the top things you can do in volleyball, so it is critical to have a player that make plays for you on the outside. Gaby Smiley is the best freshman in the state bar none!!!!!!!!
Decatur is scrappy. Harrison is still down, but slightly improved from the Marist Playday a few weeks ago. North Springs misses the Lynne Malloy fire as they played fairly uninspired. Holy Innocents is Holy Innocents. Ruth does a great job with her team every year and boy does Senior Outside Erica Price have a cannon or what! Milton is scrappy and they play just as hard as Coach Schaffer coaches. Marist had some out of character bad ball control today, but I'm sure will rebound and play better tomorrow. North Cobb was surprisingly better this year. Chamblee is athletic, but not quite back to the level of a few years ago. Eagles Landing is scrappy and plays really good defense. Woodward is big and athletic and looked good on both pins.
The unfortunate misses were that I didn't get to see Lovett (one of my favorites to watch) play, nor did I see Sandy Springs or Westminster. There is always today right.
Stay tuned for a recap of the weekends top performers and coming soon is my first report on the best players in our state. The categories will be by position, best players overall ranking, and a breakdown by graduating class.
Its Friday night and time for some High School Football! No Wait! Its the weekend of September 14 & 15 and that means a lot of high school volleyball tournaments. This fine evening I traveled to Lovett School to take in the Block Party Invitational. In my opinion probably the best competition you will find in the three tournaments this weekend was here at Lovett. The tournament continues to draw in out of town teams from Alabama, Florida, and even Tennessee. It was easy to see as stated in an earlier article that Georgia has closed the gap considerably to our bordering state schools.
Day 1 Rundown-
Wesleyan did there usual Anne Marie or Betsy which dose of medicine do you want thing! They downed Hoover with there eyes closed, but caught McGill Toolen at the wrong time. You never want to face a good team like that after they lose a match just prior to playing you. This just in! Anne Marie Armstrong can pass and play defense too.
Northview OH MY GOSH! They have improved and are back to full strength plus one. I think the tough competition at the Assumption Tourney in Louisville has lit a fire under these girls to get better. They looked much more crisp and fluid this evening. Getting Junior MB Lauren Busing doesn't hurt either. However the story of the night was Freshmen Outside Gaby Smiley. While the team is undoubtedly good she made them even better. A kill from the outside is one of the top things you can do in volleyball, so it is critical to have a player that make plays for you on the outside. Gaby Smiley is the best freshman in the state bar none!!!!!!!!
Decatur is scrappy. Harrison is still down, but slightly improved from the Marist Playday a few weeks ago. North Springs misses the Lynne Malloy fire as they played fairly uninspired. Holy Innocents is Holy Innocents. Ruth does a great job with her team every year and boy does Senior Outside Erica Price have a cannon or what! Milton is scrappy and they play just as hard as Coach Schaffer coaches. Marist had some out of character bad ball control today, but I'm sure will rebound and play better tomorrow. North Cobb was surprisingly better this year. Chamblee is athletic, but not quite back to the level of a few years ago. Eagles Landing is scrappy and plays really good defense. Woodward is big and athletic and looked good on both pins.
The unfortunate misses were that I didn't get to see Lovett (one of my favorites to watch) play, nor did I see Sandy Springs or Westminster. There is always today right.
Stay tuned for a recap of the weekends top performers and coming soon is my first report on the best players in our state. The categories will be by position, best players overall ranking, and a breakdown by graduating class.
Tickled Pink!!!!
9-12-2007
I traveled this fine Wednesday night to Oglethorpe College to see them take on LaGrange College. My reason for attending the match was two fold. First to see a former player of mine in Sophomore Outside Sarah Newland. The second was to see the level of local NCAA Div. III programs.
As I watched the match I know my eyes swelled with pride as I watched Sarah make perfect digs, incredible serve reception, and hit harder than I have ever seen her hit. Now if the coach will only let her loose on her jump serve and the transformation of Ms. Newland will be complete. See Sarah as with several other girls trained with me all summer long developing and refining techniques and adding new skills to there game. They also were given the opportunity to be put through one of the toughest workouts you will find anywhere in order to be in phenomenal shape for the grueling college season.
As for the volleyball it self it was much like a very good high school match just played at a little faster pace. Oglethorpe may have set the back row more than they set the front row. While there ball control was not very good they still set the back row on good passes as well. Not sure what that was about, because it wasn't like they a go to hitter back there. LaGrange had good ball control in part because of Sarah Newland as well as great play from there Libero. As there setter learns how to make decisions they will get better.
Anyway I can't express to you in words how much I enjoy watching former/current players play, especially at the next level. Have a great weekend everyone.
I traveled this fine Wednesday night to Oglethorpe College to see them take on LaGrange College. My reason for attending the match was two fold. First to see a former player of mine in Sophomore Outside Sarah Newland. The second was to see the level of local NCAA Div. III programs.
As I watched the match I know my eyes swelled with pride as I watched Sarah make perfect digs, incredible serve reception, and hit harder than I have ever seen her hit. Now if the coach will only let her loose on her jump serve and the transformation of Ms. Newland will be complete. See Sarah as with several other girls trained with me all summer long developing and refining techniques and adding new skills to there game. They also were given the opportunity to be put through one of the toughest workouts you will find anywhere in order to be in phenomenal shape for the grueling college season.
As for the volleyball it self it was much like a very good high school match just played at a little faster pace. Oglethorpe may have set the back row more than they set the front row. While there ball control was not very good they still set the back row on good passes as well. Not sure what that was about, because it wasn't like they a go to hitter back there. LaGrange had good ball control in part because of Sarah Newland as well as great play from there Libero. As there setter learns how to make decisions they will get better.
Anyway I can't express to you in words how much I enjoy watching former/current players play, especially at the next level. Have a great weekend everyone.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
St. Pius Play day
9-8-2007
This Saturday morning took me to St. Pius to watch several teams. While I was in the gym only briefly I was able to see several talented kids and teams.
Columbus is extremely athletic and Senior OH Terraka Walker is absolutely increddible. She has a nice jump float and paints the line very well. She can hit from back row and has solid ball control to match. She is a must watch for volleyball enthusiasts. Columbus has great ball control and a solid young freshman setter Kristen Fleming. Also impressive is Junior OH Taylor Buckner. She is only 5'5" but plays much bigger.
Chattahoochee struggled during the day, but received good play from OH Lindsey Craft and FR. OH Eileen Hogan filled in nicely in her older sisters absence on a college visit.
Etowah look solid with good senior leadership. They have size, athletic ability, and decent ball control.
The host team St. Pius is loaded with good athletic and talented kids. If they can find some chemistry and develop an attitude of determination they will be a tough outting for anyone in the state.
Off to training. Have a great weekend.
This Saturday morning took me to St. Pius to watch several teams. While I was in the gym only briefly I was able to see several talented kids and teams.
Columbus is extremely athletic and Senior OH Terraka Walker is absolutely increddible. She has a nice jump float and paints the line very well. She can hit from back row and has solid ball control to match. She is a must watch for volleyball enthusiasts. Columbus has great ball control and a solid young freshman setter Kristen Fleming. Also impressive is Junior OH Taylor Buckner. She is only 5'5" but plays much bigger.
Chattahoochee struggled during the day, but received good play from OH Lindsey Craft and FR. OH Eileen Hogan filled in nicely in her older sisters absence on a college visit.
Etowah look solid with good senior leadership. They have size, athletic ability, and decent ball control.
The host team St. Pius is loaded with good athletic and talented kids. If they can find some chemistry and develop an attitude of determination they will be a tough outting for anyone in the state.
Off to training. Have a great weekend.
Fun TImes in the Gym
9-7-2007
I spent the evening watching Georgia vs. Georgia Tech at O'keefe gymnasium. What a great atmosphere! Possibly the best atmoshphere for college volleyball in the country. The gym was electric and there was very good volleyball being played on the floor. While I am a Tech fan at heart I believe coach McCartney will potentially overtake Tech in the next year or so. I was very impressed with the improvement that UGA has made in such a short time from earlier this Spring.
By the way if you have a chance to see Maria Taylor for UGA play then by all means please do so. That girl is incredible. It was a lot of fun to see Maria Taylor of UGA and Telissa Kellogg of Tech go back and forth just ripping balls at each other. As the match went on the teams began to settle in and go to the go to players and it was a fun event to watch.
As always there are surprises when I am in the gym. Tonight I was fortunate to see a girl that helped get started in volleyball. Kelsey Burkett of Milton High School is now playing DS for UGA. It was a blast to see her get playing time and compete at that level. Another surprise was the opportunity to sit with Tomoka Matsuyama of Marietta High School. She is a senior setter for the Blue Devils, but plays libero at the club level. She recently verbally committed to UGA. Again Coach McCartney will slowly develop into a very good program at UGA especially with recruits like Tomoka. I can't wait to see her in this match next year.
My only other comments on tonights viewing is that it is hard for me to watch these teams pass so tight to the net. UGA passed 3 consecutive balls over the net and went from up 2 to down 1. Later in the match Tech returned the favor by going from up 6 to only up 1 due to poor ball control. Why give up these points? Someone please explain if you can!!!
I spent the evening watching Georgia vs. Georgia Tech at O'keefe gymnasium. What a great atmosphere! Possibly the best atmoshphere for college volleyball in the country. The gym was electric and there was very good volleyball being played on the floor. While I am a Tech fan at heart I believe coach McCartney will potentially overtake Tech in the next year or so. I was very impressed with the improvement that UGA has made in such a short time from earlier this Spring.
By the way if you have a chance to see Maria Taylor for UGA play then by all means please do so. That girl is incredible. It was a lot of fun to see Maria Taylor of UGA and Telissa Kellogg of Tech go back and forth just ripping balls at each other. As the match went on the teams began to settle in and go to the go to players and it was a fun event to watch.
As always there are surprises when I am in the gym. Tonight I was fortunate to see a girl that helped get started in volleyball. Kelsey Burkett of Milton High School is now playing DS for UGA. It was a blast to see her get playing time and compete at that level. Another surprise was the opportunity to sit with Tomoka Matsuyama of Marietta High School. She is a senior setter for the Blue Devils, but plays libero at the club level. She recently verbally committed to UGA. Again Coach McCartney will slowly develop into a very good program at UGA especially with recruits like Tomoka. I can't wait to see her in this match next year.
My only other comments on tonights viewing is that it is hard for me to watch these teams pass so tight to the net. UGA passed 3 consecutive balls over the net and went from up 2 to down 1. Later in the match Tech returned the favor by going from up 6 to only up 1 due to poor ball control. Why give up these points? Someone please explain if you can!!!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Why They Play The Games
9-6-2007
My travels on this fine Thursday took me to Hebron Christian Academy. Why HCA you ask? It is close to the house and I like to see the teams nobody really knows about. Tonight was one of those nights that you say to your self, "So that is why they play the games." By the looks of the three teams (Buford, HCA, and Atlanta International) it would be not far fetched to say that Buford would have their way. Buford was led by junior OH - Hallye Jerkins a very powerful outside hitter who used various shots and serves to keep the opponents off balance. The one noticeable thing about Hallye is that she is just as dangerous, if not more so from the back row than the front row. She is really able to let her arm go from the back row and that makes her tough to play.
As for the matches themselves Atlanta International is very scrappy and they just never let the ball hit the floor. There game is to make you play until you make a mistake. That strategy played big dividends as the Eagles swept both HCA and Buford in 2 games a piece.
Buford tried the power game but was not successful. They lost to the Eagles as previously mentioned and struggled against HCA. Buford must get better at serve receive in order to use their powerful arms to their advantage.
HCA is much improved from last season. They have some good young talent and with the right development could continue to build a solid program.
Overall the night was good as I saw several good young players. The quote of the night however was from two dads that obviously spend very little time around volleyball. The turned to one another and said, 'This isn't much of a spectator sport, because with this few people everyone knows you are the one yelling at the referee. What fun can we have if we can't yell at the ref." It's amazing what ya hear sometimes. Have a great weekend everybody.
My travels on this fine Thursday took me to Hebron Christian Academy. Why HCA you ask? It is close to the house and I like to see the teams nobody really knows about. Tonight was one of those nights that you say to your self, "So that is why they play the games." By the looks of the three teams (Buford, HCA, and Atlanta International) it would be not far fetched to say that Buford would have their way. Buford was led by junior OH - Hallye Jerkins a very powerful outside hitter who used various shots and serves to keep the opponents off balance. The one noticeable thing about Hallye is that she is just as dangerous, if not more so from the back row than the front row. She is really able to let her arm go from the back row and that makes her tough to play.
As for the matches themselves Atlanta International is very scrappy and they just never let the ball hit the floor. There game is to make you play until you make a mistake. That strategy played big dividends as the Eagles swept both HCA and Buford in 2 games a piece.
Buford tried the power game but was not successful. They lost to the Eagles as previously mentioned and struggled against HCA. Buford must get better at serve receive in order to use their powerful arms to their advantage.
HCA is much improved from last season. They have some good young talent and with the right development could continue to build a solid program.
Overall the night was good as I saw several good young players. The quote of the night however was from two dads that obviously spend very little time around volleyball. The turned to one another and said, 'This isn't much of a spectator sport, because with this few people everyone knows you are the one yelling at the referee. What fun can we have if we can't yell at the ref." It's amazing what ya hear sometimes. Have a great weekend everybody.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
GEEEZ LOUISE!
8-28-2007
Tonight I visited Kennesaw State University to see the Owls take on Georgia Southern. The title of this post comes from the number of over passes in this match. I didn't keep count and if I did I would have lost count due to the sheer number of constant over passing. Why must coaches have their teams pass so tight to the net? You can get the same results at 2 to 3 feet off the net and help limit your over passing. Between the two teams I estimate (low end) that over 20 points were lost in a 4 game match due to the over passing. As for the match it was competitive although I think Georgia Southern took them a little lighter than they should have. KSU will still struggle, but is much improved from last season.
The main reason for my trip was to see a former player Lindsey O'Connor. She is a true freshman and received a good bit of playing time in tonight's match. Lindsey is a hard worker and the best thing about the night other than watching her play was that after the match she wasted no time in telling me that she wants to work hard next summer so she can start in 2008. High School players please take note as Lindsey was seen late in the recruiting period (April) and was asked to walk - on for this season. She accepted the invitation, worked hard all summer with me and on her own, and she now receives playing time as a freshmen walk on. That is impressive and I commend and respect Lindsey for her work ethic.
As for GSU, setter Mae Chabra was stellar. She is a work horse and runs a good offense for Coach Nicole McCray. The one thing I noticed about Chabra was that she understands how and when to feed the hot hitter. She understands match-ups and keeps the opposing defense off balance.
An unexpected but wonderful surprise was running into George Walton Academy's Ashley Weinbarg. A junior libero for George Walton was in attendance just for the sheer purpose of watching some volleyball. This is a great lesson for young volleyball players. I love to see young players at matches watching volleyball. She definitely has a passion and love for the game. She will make some college coach very happy as she is obviously a student of the game.
By the way GSU took the match in 4. Have a great week.
Tonight I visited Kennesaw State University to see the Owls take on Georgia Southern. The title of this post comes from the number of over passes in this match. I didn't keep count and if I did I would have lost count due to the sheer number of constant over passing. Why must coaches have their teams pass so tight to the net? You can get the same results at 2 to 3 feet off the net and help limit your over passing. Between the two teams I estimate (low end) that over 20 points were lost in a 4 game match due to the over passing. As for the match it was competitive although I think Georgia Southern took them a little lighter than they should have. KSU will still struggle, but is much improved from last season.
The main reason for my trip was to see a former player Lindsey O'Connor. She is a true freshman and received a good bit of playing time in tonight's match. Lindsey is a hard worker and the best thing about the night other than watching her play was that after the match she wasted no time in telling me that she wants to work hard next summer so she can start in 2008. High School players please take note as Lindsey was seen late in the recruiting period (April) and was asked to walk - on for this season. She accepted the invitation, worked hard all summer with me and on her own, and she now receives playing time as a freshmen walk on. That is impressive and I commend and respect Lindsey for her work ethic.
As for GSU, setter Mae Chabra was stellar. She is a work horse and runs a good offense for Coach Nicole McCray. The one thing I noticed about Chabra was that she understands how and when to feed the hot hitter. She understands match-ups and keeps the opposing defense off balance.
An unexpected but wonderful surprise was running into George Walton Academy's Ashley Weinbarg. A junior libero for George Walton was in attendance just for the sheer purpose of watching some volleyball. This is a great lesson for young volleyball players. I love to see young players at matches watching volleyball. She definitely has a passion and love for the game. She will make some college coach very happy as she is obviously a student of the game.
By the way GSU took the match in 4. Have a great week.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Deeper Yes! Better I'm Not Sure.
8-26-2007
On a rainy Sunday afternoon with the family napping and myself having no life I thought about volleyball in Georgia, what I saw yesterday, and what I have seen over the past few years. There is no doubt as I spoke to Weslyans skipper Ted Russell that the volleyball pool in Georgia is definitely getting deeper. No longer is it just Wesleyan, Woodward, Marist, Westminster, and the token 5A team that are good. We now have programs like McIntosh, St. Pius, Sandy Creek, Star's Mill, Blessed Trinity, Lovett, Northview, and quite a few more that have great coaches, great athletes (young and old), and are proving to be solid year in and year out.
As for the second part of the title I am not so sure that we are better. Georgia teams have held there own in out of state matches with teams from Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida. However holding our own and consistently winning are two different things. I have noticed that the ball control in Georgia is still pretty discouraging and the players are not advancing to the skills possessed by the best in the country. My estimated maybe educated guess is that less than 10% of the players in Georgia are jump serving or even know how. Most of our hitters cannot tool a block or understand shot making and our setters send up flares with where they are setting the ball and it is usually to tight and inconsistent.
This post is not to discourage or be critical, but hopefully challenge our coaches, players, and clubs to seek out the best ways to execute skills and learn how to teach or perform it. To challenge our volleyball community to work together, share ideas, and help the inexperienced get better. We need more coaches that are willing to learn their craft and when they think they have learned it all continue to learn some more. It is about helping the kids improve their ability on the court and accomplish their goals, to develop character, and create a love and passion for a game that can be played for a lifetime.
I thank everyone who has helped volleyball to advance in Georgia and I am excited about the future of our state in this sport. I love to talk volleyball and find ways to get better so feel free to comment, send me an email, give me a call, or talk to me when you see me out and about. I leave our state with these two quotes:
"Its not enough to be good if you have the ability to be better."
- Marv Dunphy
"I was born with an ability, with music in me, that is all. No special credit was due me. The only credit we claim is for the use we make of the talent we are given. That is why I urge young musicians: Don't be vain because you happen to have talent. You are not responsible for that; it was not of your doing. What you do with your talent is what matters. You must cherish this gift. Do not demean or waste what you have been given. Work, work constantly, and nourish it."
- Pablo Casals
Thanks for reading. Have a blessed day.
On a rainy Sunday afternoon with the family napping and myself having no life I thought about volleyball in Georgia, what I saw yesterday, and what I have seen over the past few years. There is no doubt as I spoke to Weslyans skipper Ted Russell that the volleyball pool in Georgia is definitely getting deeper. No longer is it just Wesleyan, Woodward, Marist, Westminster, and the token 5A team that are good. We now have programs like McIntosh, St. Pius, Sandy Creek, Star's Mill, Blessed Trinity, Lovett, Northview, and quite a few more that have great coaches, great athletes (young and old), and are proving to be solid year in and year out.
As for the second part of the title I am not so sure that we are better. Georgia teams have held there own in out of state matches with teams from Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida. However holding our own and consistently winning are two different things. I have noticed that the ball control in Georgia is still pretty discouraging and the players are not advancing to the skills possessed by the best in the country. My estimated maybe educated guess is that less than 10% of the players in Georgia are jump serving or even know how. Most of our hitters cannot tool a block or understand shot making and our setters send up flares with where they are setting the ball and it is usually to tight and inconsistent.
This post is not to discourage or be critical, but hopefully challenge our coaches, players, and clubs to seek out the best ways to execute skills and learn how to teach or perform it. To challenge our volleyball community to work together, share ideas, and help the inexperienced get better. We need more coaches that are willing to learn their craft and when they think they have learned it all continue to learn some more. It is about helping the kids improve their ability on the court and accomplish their goals, to develop character, and create a love and passion for a game that can be played for a lifetime.
I thank everyone who has helped volleyball to advance in Georgia and I am excited about the future of our state in this sport. I love to talk volleyball and find ways to get better so feel free to comment, send me an email, give me a call, or talk to me when you see me out and about. I leave our state with these two quotes:
"Its not enough to be good if you have the ability to be better."
- Marv Dunphy
"I was born with an ability, with music in me, that is all. No special credit was due me. The only credit we claim is for the use we make of the talent we are given. That is why I urge young musicians: Don't be vain because you happen to have talent. You are not responsible for that; it was not of your doing. What you do with your talent is what matters. You must cherish this gift. Do not demean or waste what you have been given. Work, work constantly, and nourish it."
- Pablo Casals
Thanks for reading. Have a blessed day.
The Saturday Wrap Up
8-25-2007
My volleyball travels this fine Saturday took me to a middle school play day at St. Pius and a Varsity play day at Marist. The one thing I noticed is that the talent pool in Georgia is getting deeper with each passing year.
At St. Pius I had the privilege of viewing the host St. Pius as well as Marist, Walker, Blessed Trinity, and Landmark Christians middle school teams. Marist played well showing there program wide trademark ball control game. St Pius is loaded with tall, athletic, and talented players. Landmark has several good raw athletes. Walker will definitely re-load as theses young ladies rise to the varsity level in the next couple of years. Blessed Trinity is also poised to continue its dominance with some very good play out of its middle school team.
As I traveled to Marist I was excited to see the level of some of this years top teams. I was with out a doubt not disappointed. One of the best matches all day was Marist and Lovett. This one was a barn burner, no literally it felt like the gym was on fire as it had no air condition!! All that money and no air condition, am I the only one confused? I guess if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. The match went back and forth with Marist edging out Lovett in 3. Stellar play from both sides including a hitting battle between Marists Junior Middle Whitney Weiland and Lovets Sophomore Outside Kelsey Melito. Both were dropping bombs but Whitney and Marist won out with great ball control and superior placement of shots.
Top Performers in Saturday's play day were Wesleyan middles Senior Betsy Smith and Junior Ann Marie Armstrong. Nobody had an answer for those two all day. The scary part is Ann Marie is probably only about 50 to 60% as good as she could be (I'm begging you come see me please)!!! The list for me also includes sophomore outside Kelsey Melito who's conditioning was the only thing that slowed her down and Mary Grace Gallagher was stellar on the back row. Senior Standout Mary Chaudoin was phenomenal in her role as setter and right side hitter as well as her running mates senior middle Alexis Shaffer and senior setter/opp Chrissy Culp. Marist who should be in down year with what they lost has the slack being picked up by senior and Georgia Tech bound Lisa Carlson serving tough and passing great along with help from senior Rachel Truxillo making nice decisions from the setters position. Taking full advantage for Marist was middles Whitney Weiland (Junior) and Jennifer Niedzwiecki (senior). Rounding out the list was Blessed Trinity's senior outside hitter Jessica McAlvany who had a phenomenal day attacking all areas of the court. Notable performances by BT's Jonni Mahr who held her own in the middle all day, junior outside Hannah Reinke had a nice day filling the former Hannah (Lawings) shoes for Lassiter as well as solid ball control out of sophomore libero Melissa Woodall. Finishing the list was junior setter Meg Buker who executed well for Westminster.
My volleyball travels this fine Saturday took me to a middle school play day at St. Pius and a Varsity play day at Marist. The one thing I noticed is that the talent pool in Georgia is getting deeper with each passing year.
At St. Pius I had the privilege of viewing the host St. Pius as well as Marist, Walker, Blessed Trinity, and Landmark Christians middle school teams. Marist played well showing there program wide trademark ball control game. St Pius is loaded with tall, athletic, and talented players. Landmark has several good raw athletes. Walker will definitely re-load as theses young ladies rise to the varsity level in the next couple of years. Blessed Trinity is also poised to continue its dominance with some very good play out of its middle school team.
As I traveled to Marist I was excited to see the level of some of this years top teams. I was with out a doubt not disappointed. One of the best matches all day was Marist and Lovett. This one was a barn burner, no literally it felt like the gym was on fire as it had no air condition!! All that money and no air condition, am I the only one confused? I guess if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. The match went back and forth with Marist edging out Lovett in 3. Stellar play from both sides including a hitting battle between Marists Junior Middle Whitney Weiland and Lovets Sophomore Outside Kelsey Melito. Both were dropping bombs but Whitney and Marist won out with great ball control and superior placement of shots.
Top Performers in Saturday's play day were Wesleyan middles Senior Betsy Smith and Junior Ann Marie Armstrong. Nobody had an answer for those two all day. The scary part is Ann Marie is probably only about 50 to 60% as good as she could be (I'm begging you come see me please)!!! The list for me also includes sophomore outside Kelsey Melito who's conditioning was the only thing that slowed her down and Mary Grace Gallagher was stellar on the back row. Senior Standout Mary Chaudoin was phenomenal in her role as setter and right side hitter as well as her running mates senior middle Alexis Shaffer and senior setter/opp Chrissy Culp. Marist who should be in down year with what they lost has the slack being picked up by senior and Georgia Tech bound Lisa Carlson serving tough and passing great along with help from senior Rachel Truxillo making nice decisions from the setters position. Taking full advantage for Marist was middles Whitney Weiland (Junior) and Jennifer Niedzwiecki (senior). Rounding out the list was Blessed Trinity's senior outside hitter Jessica McAlvany who had a phenomenal day attacking all areas of the court. Notable performances by BT's Jonni Mahr who held her own in the middle all day, junior outside Hannah Reinke had a nice day filling the former Hannah (Lawings) shoes for Lassiter as well as solid ball control out of sophomore libero Melissa Woodall. Finishing the list was junior setter Meg Buker who executed well for Westminster.
Friday, August 24, 2007
You Got Served!!
8-23-2007
My volleyball travels took me to Peachtree Ridge High School last night to watch a region 6-AAAAA matchup between Northview and Chattahoochee. In past years of watching some of the best high school teams in the southeast Georgia volleyball has never done much jump serving. Last night is a sign that times are changing as both Northview and Chattahoochee were consistently jump float serving in every rotation. If you are in the path of one of these teams I would be ready as Northview has four girls in middle blockers Lauren Busing and Courtney Fletcher as well as outside hitter Ashley Veach and setter Allie Schliesman who are more than capable of putting up long streaks from the back line. On the flip side you are not gonna get off very easy with Chattahoochee either as both outside hitters Virginia Hogan and Lindsey Craft as well as right side Erinn Manby and middle blocker Ellie Mentonelli are also equally as lethal from the serving stripe.
On the other hand not to forget the host team in Peachtree Ridge received a strong performance from senior middle blocker Molly Wolfe. She held her own against two of the top middle blockers in the Southeast in Northview's Lauren Busing and Courtney Fletcher. She came up with several big blocks and had a few nice kills on the front line.
One of the biggest pleasures of the night was seeing the work of two phenomenal setters in Northviews Allie Schliesman and Chattahoochee's Emily Reiser. Schliesman dazzled as her speed and agility allowed her to turn bad passes into almost perfect sets. She set from her knees, from the side, from tight to the net and each ball came out beautifully. I can safely say Allie Schliesman is the best setter in our state this year. On the opposite side of the setters dual is Emily Reiser who held her own and had a nice night of turning bad passes into solid sets for her hitters. Emily also had a nice mix of setting her hitters and dumping to keep Northview guessing. She had an incredible push to Northviews back corner to terminate a long rally.
Other top performers included sophomore Outside hitter Lindsey Craft. She may be short in stature but the girl has lots of pop and is very explosive. She can make all the shots and can use the whole court. As she gains more experience she could be one of the state's top performers from the outside. Junior Right Side Erinn Manby and Freshmen Outside Hitter Eileen Hogan both had good performances getting several kills against PTR. From the Northview side of the ball all the usual suspects were up for the challenge with solid performances from the middle in Senior Courtney Fletcher and Junior Lauren Busing. Junior outside hitter Ashley Veach also had a nice night from the outside and serving stripe.
Stay tuned for this weekend as I travel to Marist Playday, Woodward Playday, and a middle school playday at St. Pius.
My volleyball travels took me to Peachtree Ridge High School last night to watch a region 6-AAAAA matchup between Northview and Chattahoochee. In past years of watching some of the best high school teams in the southeast Georgia volleyball has never done much jump serving. Last night is a sign that times are changing as both Northview and Chattahoochee were consistently jump float serving in every rotation. If you are in the path of one of these teams I would be ready as Northview has four girls in middle blockers Lauren Busing and Courtney Fletcher as well as outside hitter Ashley Veach and setter Allie Schliesman who are more than capable of putting up long streaks from the back line. On the flip side you are not gonna get off very easy with Chattahoochee either as both outside hitters Virginia Hogan and Lindsey Craft as well as right side Erinn Manby and middle blocker Ellie Mentonelli are also equally as lethal from the serving stripe.
On the other hand not to forget the host team in Peachtree Ridge received a strong performance from senior middle blocker Molly Wolfe. She held her own against two of the top middle blockers in the Southeast in Northview's Lauren Busing and Courtney Fletcher. She came up with several big blocks and had a few nice kills on the front line.
One of the biggest pleasures of the night was seeing the work of two phenomenal setters in Northviews Allie Schliesman and Chattahoochee's Emily Reiser. Schliesman dazzled as her speed and agility allowed her to turn bad passes into almost perfect sets. She set from her knees, from the side, from tight to the net and each ball came out beautifully. I can safely say Allie Schliesman is the best setter in our state this year. On the opposite side of the setters dual is Emily Reiser who held her own and had a nice night of turning bad passes into solid sets for her hitters. Emily also had a nice mix of setting her hitters and dumping to keep Northview guessing. She had an incredible push to Northviews back corner to terminate a long rally.
Other top performers included sophomore Outside hitter Lindsey Craft. She may be short in stature but the girl has lots of pop and is very explosive. She can make all the shots and can use the whole court. As she gains more experience she could be one of the state's top performers from the outside. Junior Right Side Erinn Manby and Freshmen Outside Hitter Eileen Hogan both had good performances getting several kills against PTR. From the Northview side of the ball all the usual suspects were up for the challenge with solid performances from the middle in Senior Courtney Fletcher and Junior Lauren Busing. Junior outside hitter Ashley Veach also had a nice night from the outside and serving stripe.
Stay tuned for this weekend as I travel to Marist Playday, Woodward Playday, and a middle school playday at St. Pius.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Good Raw Talent
8-21-2007
My week began tonight at the Lovett School where I watched a tri-match between McEachern, Fellowship Christian, and the host team Lovett.
Lovett is very well coached, very talented, and has good senior leadership. That combination makes for a tough outting for any team in the state. Precision was the word of the night for Lovett as libero Mary Grace Gallagher passed nails to setter Mary Allen Langford who set perfect peaches for Outside Hitter Kelsey Melito who terminated everything brought her way.
McEachern has a ton of raw talent. I look for them to get better each night out and be very competitive by seasons end. Led by Senior OH - Makeda Moore who had several great swings during the night and Senior S/Opp - Katherine Schilling who is playing out of position but is holding her own doing a little bit of everything for this McEachern team. Schilling had a solid all around performance with several kills, assists when setting, a couple of blocks, and passed well in serve receive.
Fellowship Christian is young and scrappy. While still adjusting to GHSA they played hard and forced both McEachern and Lovett to play several long rallies. They have solid ball control which is key in building a good program.
All in all the night belonged to Lovett winning easily in both matches. I was very impressed with the ball control and discipline of Lovett. They will go far in A/AA this year and have the makings to push Wesleyan to the limit.
My week began tonight at the Lovett School where I watched a tri-match between McEachern, Fellowship Christian, and the host team Lovett.
Lovett is very well coached, very talented, and has good senior leadership. That combination makes for a tough outting for any team in the state. Precision was the word of the night for Lovett as libero Mary Grace Gallagher passed nails to setter Mary Allen Langford who set perfect peaches for Outside Hitter Kelsey Melito who terminated everything brought her way.
McEachern has a ton of raw talent. I look for them to get better each night out and be very competitive by seasons end. Led by Senior OH - Makeda Moore who had several great swings during the night and Senior S/Opp - Katherine Schilling who is playing out of position but is holding her own doing a little bit of everything for this McEachern team. Schilling had a solid all around performance with several kills, assists when setting, a couple of blocks, and passed well in serve receive.
Fellowship Christian is young and scrappy. While still adjusting to GHSA they played hard and forced both McEachern and Lovett to play several long rallies. They have solid ball control which is key in building a good program.
All in all the night belonged to Lovett winning easily in both matches. I was very impressed with the ball control and discipline of Lovett. They will go far in A/AA this year and have the makings to push Wesleyan to the limit.
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