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.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
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.
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