Respect Her Game

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. This is not an official publication of any Melrose city department. 

As a student-athlete competitor, you want people to 'respect your game'. Earning respect implies having physical and mental toughness, ability, and yet often one who is less appreciated. For the Celtics, it might be a guy like Derrick White, although it's hard to be 'unappreciated' while hauling in over $20 "extra large" per season. 

The phrase that comes to mind is "get after it." In basketball it's been called the "floor polishing award" and in baseball, "dirt dog." Others refer to the quality as "hard hat" or "lunchpail guy" with analogy to physical labor. 

It varies by sport. For example, Cleveland had a shortstop Omar Vizquel, not an offensive force but dominating defensively. He won eleven Gold Gloves and is the MLB career leader in fielding percentage.

Melrose had a lot of these players through the years. Two examples include Jen Cain and Rachel Johnson. Cain played 'all-around' and was the best Melrose player never named All-State. Johnson was part of "The Great Wall" of Johnson and Kayla Wyland whose blocking helped contain outside hitters across the state. Johnson had a 'quiet' 450 career kills for MVB.

MVB 24 had an abundance of "Dirt Dog" types - the Gold Dust twins in the back, Leah Fowke, Carol Higonenq. Leah certainly isn't underappreciated with All-State honors and choosing between Maggie and Gg would be like picking your favorite child. 

That presents Carol as the "Respect Her Game" selection. Coming off a major injury that erased her 2023 season, Carol would be anyone's nominee for "Comeback Player of the Year." She was second in attacking with 148 kills and third in both digs and serve receiving. And she played with undiminished joy every second she was on the court.  

Respect her game. 

Lagniappe. Boost psychological resources. 

Renowned Sports Psychologist, Bob Rotella, says:

“When you’re having fun, you’re much more likely to feel like a talented athlete.”

Getting into a rhythm and flow can only happen when you quiet the mind.

How do you quiet your mind?

pic.twitter.com/XPb6KqgsW7

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) November 20, 2024

 

Teammates

"The greatest compliment to any player is he is a great teammate.

We can't all be great players, but we can all be great teammates"

- Jay Bilas

— Coach Mac 🏀 (@BballCoachMac) November 19, 2024

In our basketball program, players voted on the Best Teammate award. It wasn't an MVP, but rewarded teamwork as voted by teammates. 

• Make being a great teammate a high priority. 
• Be supportive and encouraging to all. 
• Help teammates when you see skills to improve (platform, footwork, arm swing, service toss). When you watch others, you learn skills for yourself. 

If someone is a great teammate, thank them. Bill Walsh said, “If you’re growing a garden, you need to pull out the weeds, but flowers will die if all you do is pick weeds. They need sunshine and water. People are the same.”

Five Ways to Become More Awesome

"If you wanted someone to fail, would you tell them what they should do better and point out their flaws?" - Ryan Holiday, MasterClass 

"Learn every day." We move ahead or fall behind. 

Gratitude. Take the 21-day Gratitude Challenge. Write down three things you're thankful for each night and review after three weeks. After three weeks, you'll feel better and be grateful it's over. 

Positivity. Be positive. Nobody earns a positive life with a negative attitude. Everyone in our office reads The Positive Dog. A Native American proverb says that each of us has a positive dog and a negative one on each shoulder. Which wins? The one you feed. Feed the positive dog. 

Jar of Awesome. MVB 24 had many memorable and some signature moments. Create your 'jaw of awesome'. 

Commonplace book. An all-purpose resource to store knowledge, wisdom, and more. Who doesn't need that? 

"A commonplace book is a central resource or depository for ideas, quotes, anecdotes, observations and information you come across during your life and didactic pursuits. The purpose of the book is to record and organize these gems for later use in your life, in your business, in your writing, speaking or whatever it is that you do."

Highlight reel. Develop a five-minute mental "highlight reel" of moments from MVB and whatever else helps you.  

Lagniappe. Skill. Strategy. Physicality. Psychology. 

Scenes from the MAVCA All-State Showcase

Great support for Leah Fowke at the All-State Showcase from both players and coaches...

 

"Youneverknow"

"You can't make old friends." - Ben Rector

"They have a word for it in English, 'Youneverknow'." - Joaquin Andujar, former MLB pitcher

 They say "it's hard to make predictions, especially about the future." Many MVB boxes are ticked - tryouts, preseason, regular season, playoffs, and some postseason awards.

The MVB 'banquet' remains ahead, a celebration of the season and preview of the next.

Before each season, observers project how it will go. The sun is going to shine, but how hot? Every season brings rain, too. Every one. 

You wonder about who will have "breakout" campaigns. Sometimes we say, "I did not see that coming." 

For sure, Carol was the 2024 breakout player...

We can't account for illness, injury, seeding, or the occasional ace off the tape or bad bounce. 

I have zero concerns, ever, about the coaching because of the competitiveness, the experience, the judgment. 

The banquet always has a few surprises. And the MVB 25 story is coming under construction. 

Lagniappe. A different look at attacker training. Remember "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" (cut shot) hitting. 

An Ecosystem for Winning

Mike Tomlin said, "You better be willing to do unique things in order to expect unique results."

"As a leader, how do I wear that responsibility? How do I create that?"

Great leaders lead through their actions.

They embrace vulnerability, trust, and openness.

(🎥@thepivot) pic.twitter.com/D5BJpTdbqF

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) November 14, 2024

Tomlin's advice applies across multiple domains. The capacity for asymmetrical thinking, thinking "out of the box," allows individuals to earn superior results. 

For example, need better footwork? Would dancing help? 

Need to learn a language? Experimental and anecdotal work exists about using microdosing for language learning. 

Mental practice has some impact on results in free throw practice, although not as good as physical practice. Could mental practice improve volleyball serve, receive, or attack? 

Lagniappe. Exercises to increase serving power. 

Two Root Beers and a Puppy

Yesterday I learned about the "2 beers and a puppy" test as a quick way to evaluate trust in relationships and I think it's pretty great. pic.twitter.com/OfjhNnbeZ2

— Taylor Poindexter (@engineering_bae) May 13, 2021

*As a qualifier, I drink almost never, FWIW.  

An older Bill Belichick said that he wanted to coach players that he wanted to coach. He was done with 'head cases' and uncommitted players. A professional wished only to coach professionals. 

Seek character and competence in relationships to reduce disappointment. It's the same in every business. In medicine, toxic masculinity dominated for decades. In business, the expression "greed is good" became classic. In politics and sports expansive ego is everywhere. "The bigger talent, the greater the insecurity." 

"2 beers and a puppy" tests collegiality and trust. Do we have to be "the smartest guy in the room" or the "loudest guy" and the "neediest guy?" Can we be trusted a puppy or someone's spouse, sibling, or child? 

In his book Gridiron Genius, Mike Lombardi shared that he had contacts at Southeastern Conference sororities to get inside information about the character of football stars. Bad reports could sink a star's prospects. 

Whom do you want on your team, "and" or "but..." Don't give anybody a reason to say "but." 

Around and About

Here's a volleyball update with some recent and newer information. 

Leah Fowke was the only Middlesex League representative on the Massachusetts Volleyball Coaches Association Division 2 All-State team. 

Winchester's Margo Kaduson was a Division 1 selection. 

Newton North and Westborough both repeated as State Champions in Division 1 and 2. Congratulations to both. 

There will be realignment among some Division 2 powers. Westborough, Billerica, and Hopkinton all advance to Division 1. Plenty of exceptional teams remain for Melrose to overcome as MVB looks to move to the upper echelon of Division 2. 

Steal from Other Sports

Coming off a World Championship, the Celtics are 'winning ugly'. Yes, they don't have everyone healthy every night. No, they're not making excuses.

John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal shares:

“It’s us versus us,” Brown said. “It’s about just being a better version of ourselves, coming to play, not going through the motions, being physical on every catch, owning your space, just not skipping over the details. I think that’s just the challenge. The details of the game make the biggest difference, the smallest things. And we’ve really gotta continue to focus on those if we want to be a good team.” 

Seldom will MVB enter a game or season with overwhelming talent as seen in 2012. It could happen again. Don't rely on that. Be focused. Be coachable. Pay attention to detail. 

Lagniappe. Fine tune your defense (with the blessing of your coaches). 

Consistency

Tom Brady said, "To be great at something, you don't need to be special. You just need to be what most people aren't - Consistent. Determined. Willing to work for it. No shortcuts."

Greatness is earned, not gifted.

It comes from consistency, hard work, and resilience. pic.twitter.com/tBcQEcOImh

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) November 6, 2024

Consistency is born of habits...the grind, the day to day, week to week hard work of improvement among skill development, strategy, physicality, and psychology.

What makes someone relentless, driven, single-minded? 

Spanx CEO and founder Sara Blakely says, "Obsess the product." 

Samuel L. Jackson teaches, "Bring the best version of yourself daily." 

Bob Woodward's desk sign, "FAA" meant "focus and act aggressively." 

It's a lot to ask young people to commit to a program of discipline. Slogans are great but never replace the work. 

Lagniappe. What the game is about. 

“This game is about supporting one another and embracing roles” - Brad Stevens

(Via @BallisPsych 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/pQZzFxoUuw

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 15, 2024

Lagniappe 2. What does entitlement get us? 

“Nothing” by Nick Saban.

If you wake up in the morning and you feel entitled, what would that get you?

Nothing.

If you think somebody owes you something, what would that get you?

Nothing.

If you lose your discipline and your work ethic, what would that get you?

Nothing.

If… pic.twitter.com/gqA1bgdRYX

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) November 16, 2024

Write Better Plus the Brick House

"Writing is easy. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway

Communicate better on and off the court to elevate your value. Part of that is writing better. Study great writers and books about writing. 

MVB has produced many elite players (19 All-State selections) and successful graduates winning in life. Hannah Brickley was recently inducted into the Trinity College Hall of Fame. 

Five ideas for improvement 

1) Read more. I'm reading "I, Alex Cross," by James Patterson and "Rhetoric" by Aristotle. Patterson says of his books, "the pages turn themselves." 

2) Study the best. Stephen King's "On Writing" describes his career arc and his beliefs about writing. Use strong verbs and fewer adverbs. Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" shares many of her concepts. MasterClass shares writing concepts from authors like Patterson, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, and others. 

3) Copy the writing of others. Benjamin Franklin undertook a printing apprenticeship to access writing to improve his. He would cut up others' writing and work to improve it as well as rewriting theirs to see if it could be improved. 

4) Write as a habit. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says our actions are votes for the person we want to become. If you want to become a better volleyball player, play a lot. To write better, write more. 

5) Access writing tools. In addition to artificial intelligence, consider AnalyzeMyWriting.com. 

 

I want to write at about an eighth grade level.

Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to your yesterday self. 

Lagniappe. Exceptional players leave their comfort zone.

 

For me, Hannah Brickley stands alone as "The Queen of Melrose Volleyball." 

A Winning State of Mind

Sean McVay said, “Winning is a habit; let’s make it ours.”

You build winning habits by committing every day to the details others overlook.
• It means competing.
• It means owning the process.
• It means never settling for average.

Winning starts with what you do. pic.twitter.com/YF2U60Bh6g

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) November 15, 2024

Winning is a state of mind, commitment to process, and the capacity to fight through in-game and in-season adversity. 

Decide on your process, write it down, and track it. 

Lagniappe. 3 person blocking drills.  

Lagniappe 2. Repost. Self-passing. 

Rampant Speculation

"Rampant speculation is my specialty." - Richard Castle in Castle

Let your imagination loose. What ideas might help MVB boost its performance? They can be conventional or unconventional. 

1) Study abroad. What training methods around the world can MVB borrow steal? 

 2) Focus on scoring more points on service. It's the only part of the game completely under control of the offense. 

• What type of serve?
• What type of toss? 
• Location, location, location. 

3) Watch more video. What worked and what didn't and why? 

4) Reading lessons. CARE - concentration ---> anticipation ---> reaction ---> execution   Better 'reading' results in better blocking. After attacking, blocking and service aces are the ways to score positive points. 

5)Training partners. Remember that "two is one and one is none." Build volleyball skills, strength and conditioning with one or more teammates. 

6) Boost mental toughness. "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." Mindfulness training helps you "mentor yourself" with improved focus, calm, less anxiety, and other benefits. Mental practice is another means to boost performance. 

7) Contractors. Hire outside expertise for a clinic on specific skills. 

Consult AI: 

Here are six ideas, a mix of conventional and unconventional, to boost scoring and reduce errors:

1. Mental Toughness and Composure Drills
   Create scenarios where players practice under simulated pressure. For instance, incorporate drills with sudden score deficits or high-stakes point situations. This builds poise and consistency in critical moments, reducing errors when tensions run high.

2. Serve Aggression and Variation Training
   Develop aggressive yet controlled serving as a competitive edge. Focus on mastering different types of serves—float, topspin, and jump serve—and on placing serves to pressure specific zones on the opposing side. Consistent aggressive serving not only scores points but forces weaker returns.

3. Offense Creativity: "Quick-Transition" Drills
   Integrate drills that require rapid transitions from defense to offense, especially after a successful block or dig. Quick attack plays—like back-row attacks or setter dumps—can catch opponents off-guard and increase scoring. Focus on running faster tempos with precise timing.

4. Data-Driven Error Analysis
   Track specific errors meticulously in practices and games, categorizing them by type (e.g., serve errors, hitting errors, positioning errors). Use video analysis to study these errors in context and identify patterns. Share individual and team insights to target areas for improvement.

5. “Sixth Sense” Blocking Practice
   Run drills focused on reading the hitter's shoulder and body position to anticipate shots, coupled with reaction-time exercises. Enhancing "reading the hitter" improves block success and lowers defensive errors by helping players better predict shot angles.

6. Visualization and Mindfulness Integration
   Incorporate short pre-practice sessions where players visualize successful plays and key actions, such as making a successful serve, block, or spike. Adding mindfulness practices can help players improve focus and stay calm under pressure, directly impacting performance consistency.

Taste and Appetite

A taste of success often stimulates the appetite for more. Even an "anonymous" player senses the scent of opportunity. 

Approach the offseason with a hunger for more - more skill, understanding, athleticism, and resilience. Use your time wisely, investing it not spending it. Become relentless. 

"Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." Ask your coaches for advice.

"What is my TODAY plan to improve TOMORROW?"

"What is needed for me to be my best at home, in school, and in other activities?" 

Lagniappe. "The differences between the person we are today and the person we become in five years are the people we meet and the books we read." Director Werner Herzog advises, "Read. Read. Read. Read. Read." 

I'm reading "Rhetoric," by Aristotle. Here's an excerpt: 

 

Advanced Copy

Excerpts from an upcoming basketball blog post on "Transparency." 

I believe in transparency. When an old guy coaches young girls is there another rational choice?

I'm not a professional coach. Although I coached in a small community (less than 30,000) for about twenty years, I was only the 'head coach' for six, two groups of 6th-8th graders, 25 players total. Two are playing NCAA D1 Women's Basketball.  

Parents were welcome at practice, pre- and post-game meetings. Few actually attended. I sent regular emails about their child's progress and areas for improvement.

From a review of Adam Grant's "Think Again"- 

"By admitting some of their imperfections out loud, managers demonstrated that they could take it—and made a public commitment to remain open to feedback. They normalized vulnerability, making their teams more comfortable opening up about their own struggles. Their employees gave more useful feedback because they knew their managers were working to grow. That motivated managers to create practices to keep the door open: they started holding “ask me anything” coffee chats, opening weekly one-on-one meetings by asking for constructive criticism, and setting up monthly team sessions where everyone shared their development goals and progress."

Few parents openly complained. Absence of public criticism doesn't mean a lack of criticism. Nor does it invalidate complaints. 

Along with transparency, I have additional beliefs:

1) In a developmental (before high school) setting, playing time should "generally" be more equal than not. I worked to get every player in twice each half. Balancing stronger players with less talented kept games more competitive, though guaranteeing nothing. 

2) Never discuss another parent's child in a discussion with parents. 

3) Anger never presents a good look. To paraphrase, "it's like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die." 

4) Use some variation of the "24 Hour Rule" or "Lincoln's Hot Letters," never signed and never sent. Allow cooler heads to prevail. 

5a) Transparency includes writing. Everyone got a packet about program philosophy and guidelines. For example, if a player can't attend for whatever reason, let me know. Investing time creating lineups that go out the window with absence is frustrating. 

5b) Nothing went to parents on stone tablets. 

6) Herb Welling, basketball savant, told me once, "if you get that generational player (which rarely happens), you have to take care of her." 

Yes, the future valedictorian, McDonald's All-America nominee didn't get treated the same as others. And I have no regrets. 

Lagniappe 2. Wisdom from an NBA and Olympic champion. Repost. 

“The biggest thing I learned in San Antonio..

.. Simple Wins Games”

Some great knowledge in here from an NBA Champ & Gold Medalist pic.twitter.com/4jZ71LQMKe

— PGC Basketball (@PGCbasketball) November 9, 2024

 

Craft Your Mindset

Embrace the mind of a champion.  

How do you react when things don’t go your way?

We have to keep teaching players how to bounce back, brush off, positive self-talk, self motivation.

It’s all good to feel a mistake, get pissed, let some emotion out, but you have to have a quick bounce back and have a… pic.twitter.com/qjVuXLtoUP

— Steve Dagostino (@DagsBasketball) November 11, 2024

Winning happens when talent, physical (skills, athleticism) and psychological (game knowledge, resilience), collide. Both are necessary; neither is sufficient.

Imagine the following situation at a camp forever ago. Free throw shooting contest, ten shots for a couple hundred kids. Celtics great Sam Jones says, "who's first?" What's the psychology? Go first, make ten. How many high school kids will make ten in a row outdoors when one miss eliminates them? None that day...

Have a winning process, physical and mental. You got this.

 

"Comment Card"

Customer satisfaction surveys litter the landscape. I asked ChatGPT for help: 

Player Satisfaction Survey

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Your feedback helps us improve and ensure a positive, supportive environment for everyone on the team.

1. Team Dynamics and Culture

• How valued do you feel as a member of the team?
  • Very valued / Somewhat valued / Neutral / Slightly valued / Not valued at all
• How comfortable do you feel expressing yourself and your ideas on the team?
  • Very comfortable / Somewhat comfortable / Neutral / Slightly comfortable / Not comfortable at all
• How would you rate the team’s commitment to building a positive, supportive environment?
  • Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor

2. Coaching and Development

• How well does the coaching staff support your growth as an athlete?
  • Extremely well / Well / Neutral / Not well / Not at all
• How clear are the coaching staff’s expectations of you and your role on the team?
  • Very clear / Somewhat clear / Neutral / Not clear / Very unclear
• How much has the coaching contributed to your improvement in skill and mindset this season?
  • A great deal / Somewhat / Neutral / Very little / Not at all

3. Personal Experience and Growth

• How has your experience on the team impacted your confidence as an athlete?
  • Very positively / Positively / Neutral / Negatively / Very negatively
• How satisfied are you with the balance of competition and personal growth?
  • Very satisfied / Somewhat satisfied / Neutral / Somewhat dissatisfied / Very dissatisfied
• How well do you feel the team culture aligns with your personal values and goals?
  • Extremely well / Well / Neutral / Poorly / Not at all

4. Overall Satisfaction

• Overall, how satisfied are you with your experience on the team this season?
  • Very satisfied / Satisfied / Neutral / Dissatisfied / Very dissatisfied
• What’s the most positive aspect of being on this team?
  • [Open-ended response]
• Is there anything you’d like to see improved?

Yes, I've watched the team since 2002 and experienced the highs and lows as parent, broadcaster, blogger, fan. Players have their own answers. 

Team Dynamics:

• MVB 24 shared an intense, brief experience blending veterans and emerging youngsters. Both deserve an abundance of credit. 

Coaching and Development:

• Another Freedom League title...one All-State player...two All-Conference players...four All-Stars...three freshman callups during the season. There's a "there" there.

Personal Experience and Growth:

• Some answers come only from inside the club. Decades ago, someone asked Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg about his team. He answered, "ask me in twenty years and I'll give you a better answer." MVB has produced a generation of players of whom we should be proud. 

Overall Satisfaction:

• Diehards might say anything less than a State Championship isn't enough. Coach Sonny Lane would say, "I'm pleased but I'm not satisfied." Disappointment differs from discouragement. Winning is hard; that's what makes it valued. 

Lagniappe. Keep the ball up.

Melrose Weekly Player of the Week

Sofia Papatsoris had a monster game in the Sweet 16 against Longmeadow, with 23 kills, a career high. That earned her Melrose Weekly News player of the week.  

Sofia had one of the great offensive outputs in MVB history and etched her name amidst some legendary Melrose attackers. 

Quick Drills at Home

Got a couple of minutes?

Attack footwork drill at home.

Jump higher. 

Wall pepper at home. 

Making the Jump

Making the jump from middle school or junior varsity volleyball has several major elements. 

1) Skill development. Skill requires repetitions in the words of Anders Ericsson "deliberate practice." It is perishable, "use it or lose it."

"They wanted to make a point about the power of education. The Polgárs homeschooled their three daughters, and as part of their education the girls started playing chess with their parents at a very young age. Their systematic training and daily practice paid off. By 2000, all three daughters had been ranked in the top ten female players in the world. The youngest, Judit, had become a grand master at age 15, breaking the previous record for the youngest person to earn that title, held by Bobby Fischer, by a month."

2) Experience. "Play a lot." Experience lifts athleticism of teammates, opponents, and pace of play. Success at the JV level helps but requires more quality and quantity. 

3) Confidence. "Confidence comes from proven success." One advantage varsity callups enjoy is both practice experience and live repetitions in games. 

Here's part of the playoff Sweet 16 box score. 

Freshmen Sadie Smith and Elise Marchais shared experience and entered the scoresheet against Longmeadow. 

Coach Scott Celli has plenty of confidence in players returning from MVB '24 and optimism about young players competing to be part of MVB '25. "Always reloading, never rebuilding."

Lagniappe. Repost. Attack with power.