Highlights:
Adriana with a career-high 25 kills, Amelie 11, Elise 9, and Sabrina 8
Gen with 20 service points and Melrose with 60/100 service points
Anna with 24 digs and Danni 14
Sadie with 42 assists and Anna with 6
Anna with 24 serve receives and Gen 17
A lot of players had career games statistically.
At thirteen, my mother, a problem drinker, offered me alcohol. Fortunately, I never got too interested.
Alcohol impairs alertness, judgment, sleep, athletic performance, recovery, and more.
If you say, "but there's nothing else to do," you're deceiving yourself. You either invest your time or you spend it. Don't cheat yourself, your teammates, or the team.
Here's the repost, "Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain."
An excerpt:
But why should student-athletes particularly care? A single night’s alcohol use impairs hydration (alcohol is a diuretic), muscle recovery, healing, and can cause memory deficits for three days. Alcohol damages sleep. It limits absorption of key vitamins. It decreases endurance.
Two games into the season aren't a lot of data points. Nonetheless, use what we have.
Three standards:
Focus, aggressiveness, and consistency push execution. F->A->C->E
Hit Dogs
Mo Vaughn (Red Sox) was the "Hit Dog." I'm a believer that it takes three consistent attackers to register a deep playoff run. Long time fans know that Melrose had three attackers with >= 200 kills in only one season. 2005. There are definite candidates for three hitters.
Block Heads
You can't have too much blocking. The blocking improved with some key block kills from Sabrina "Air" McArt and Amelie Johnson. The success of the season pivots on playing "with force" both at the net and on the service line.
Power Lefty
MVB has been looking for a power lefthander for a long time - the Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson, or Steve Carlton. Kayla Wyland was more of a finesse lefty. Amelie Johnson has a chance to fill that slot.
Service, Please
After two matches and seven sets, Sadie Smith has 68 assists, 9.7 per set. It won't get easier. Sadie has also built on 'attack mode' with a number of setter dumps and attacks on the second ball.
No Quiet, Please
Audible court conversations are key and this is vital, especially for defensive organization.
Defense Never Rests
The defense "stole" several points from the Devils last night. It's important to transition back to aggressive offense so that strong teams don't "hit back in the mouth."
A Work in Progress
MVB is. We all are. Think about the "Galton Board" and its distribution of possible outcomes when considering a season.
Welcome Back
MVB needs everyone to put out the fire. Ella is a big loss. We'll see about her prognosis. Meanwhile, some game reps for Alisa only help as she is one of the top passers on the team and the "pass, set, hit" mantra matters mightily. Coach Scott Celli is practicing load management with several players.
Patience and Not
Be patient for game reps and hungry for practice reps. "Repetitions make reputations." Challenge the starters to be better and work to earn more opportunities while doing so.
It's a long season and as you've seen so far, health and injury take their toll. Stay ready.
*Adapted from my basketball blog
Why does she add value? "She's a connector." Invest in yourself to influence subordinates, peers, and superiors. Master "Magic Words."
Don't "Reach out" to players; reach them.
Nouns versus verbs
Words matter. Which appeals to you?
Success versus failure
Avoid failure words. I taught players, "can't" and "try" are failure words. "Show me you can and you will."
Ask more and better questions
People feel engagement when we ask questions. Questions signal that we are listening and interested. Stanford researchers found that "the more questions asked, the better the first impression they had on dates."
Coach Chuck Daly said, "I'm a salesman." As coaches and teachers, we're selling our competence, character, and program. We're selling belief.
In our post-game analysis: remember the "Big Four,"
Make it emotional
Most coaches know the story of Rudy Ruettiger, an iconic figure who made it onto the football field at Notre Dame.
In "Teammates Matter," Alan Williams shares how when a new basketball coach came to Wake Forest, Williams had to try out again as a walk-on to earn a spot on the team. His teammates all came to the tryout to support his efforts. Being great teammates is a choice.
Be concrete
People respond to clarity and specificity. Expectations and role definition are essential. If we say, "our best defensive player" will start, then follow through on commitment. Players and assistants want and need to know where they stand. You never forget when a coach tells you, "You're going to start because you're in our best five" or "You're the starting pitcher in our season opener."
Lagniappe. Study five keys from Jonah Berger's Magic Words - AI (edited)
People respond strongly when actions connect to who they are, not just what they do.
Example:
“Please recycle” vs
“Please be a recycler.”
When behavior reinforces identity, people are more likely to follow through.
Principle:
Frame actions as identity choices, not just tasks.
Questions prompt people to mentally simulate behavior.
Example:
“Will you vote?”
“Do you plan to vote tomorrow?”
Research shows that asking questions increases follow-through because people feel internal pressure to remain consistent.
Principle:
Questions activate self-persuasion.
Even simple explanations increase compliance.
Classic example:
“May I cut in line?”
vs
“May I cut in line because I’m in a rush?”
Adding a reason—even a modest one—makes requests more persuasive.
Principle:
People comply more when actions are justified with reasons.
Language that highlights what people can do works better than language that stresses limitations.
Example:
“Don’t smoke” vs
“You can stay healthy by not smoking.”
This shifts attention from prohibition to positive agency.
Principle:
Highlight opportunity rather than constraint.
Language that signals progress motivates continued effort.
Example:
“You’ve completed 7 of 10 workouts.”
“You’re almost there.”
This principle taps into the psychological idea that visible progress increases persistence.
Principle:
People work harder when they can see themselves moving forward.
The core insight is simple but powerful:
Small changes in wording can change behavior.
For coaches, teachers, and leaders this shows up in:
motivating athletes
giving feedback
framing expectations
building identity within teams.
“First rule of coaching - do no harm.” - my friend Oscar https://t.co/9zNmMCMYpJ
— Brian McCormick, PhD (@brianmccormick) March 6, 2026
Lagniappe 3. "Life's a fight."
Ebullient - an SAT-type word (or at least Reader's Digest Word Power)
Ebullient originates from the Latin verb ebullire, meaning "to boil over" or "to bubble out," derived from the prefix ex- (out) and bullire (to bubble or boil).
Melrose put forth an ebullient response in the second game of the season at Burlington.
Synonyms: enthusiasm, high spirits, or infectious energy, joyful and more...
Melrose traveled to always competitive Burlington and notched its first ML12 win with a 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20 win. The win evens Melrose's record at 1-1 for the young season.
Over the past six seasons in the ML12, Burlington has finished 3-3-4-3-3-3, a perennial upper first division club. They don't beat themselves and force you to score on them.
It wasn't easy. Burlington has some strong servers and persistent defense and they are always especially tough at home.
Melrose won the first set behind the exceptional hitting of junior Elise Marchais, who probably had at least seven kills. It was a team confidence builder as Melrose earned points down the stretch.
Burlington responded in set two as Melrose wrestled with inconsistency primarily off serve receive. Melrose had their chances but Burlington fired home two late aces to secure the set.
In the third set Melrose blazed to 15-3 and 21-9 edges before a late Burlington service run narrowed the gap. Set three was the Adriana Set as Adriana Santoriello lit up the scoresheet. Sophomore Alisa Dautovic, a superior defender and passer, also returned to action after injury.
The fourth set was closer than advertised as Burlington held a 14-10 edge into a Melrose timeout. A confluence of forces - hitting by Adriana and sophomore Amelie Johnson, blocking by Sabrina McArt and stellar setting by Sadie Smith powered the offense.
The back line of Anna Burns, Gen Overlan, Danni DiGiorgio, Adriana/Alisa all played solid defense, especially in the decisive stanza.
Maggie Shoemaker saw fulltime action as a middle and solidly served as well.
With an early season "must win," Coach Scott Celli shortened the rotation a bit as Melrose "put out the fire."
Melrose Volleyball Notes:
Three Up
It might be unfair to limit it to three as it was a team victory.
1) Adriana Santoriello - had a career-best 26 kills, played all-around until she got a defensive break from Alisa, and was "feeling it" offensively, appropriately calling for the ball outside.
2) Amelie Johnson - the sophomore southpaw had her career game - attacking, blocking, and defending. I'd estimate her for at least 13 kills, a heavy load for a young player with limited varsity experience.
3) Elise Marchais/Sadie Smith - Elise carried the team in the opening frame and Sadie must have had over 40 assists with a yeoman performance. Hopefully, she got a post-game pumpkin cookie.
Today's win threw up a roadblock against a possible 0-2 start, beat a solid team, and boosts the team's confidence in their ability to close out sets.
Keep it simple and execute. Have fun.
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.
Always quickly read through the directions first.
Choose wisely. Most of you don't need to do anything different. You're already on a great path and can stay on it.
Words may surprise you. Make and initial list and revise it. Rework it, print and save, and follow.
Warren Buffett advises the 25-5 method. Make a list of priorities and then narrow down to what works for you.
Here's a takeoff.
Pat Summitt pass out sent to Sally Jenkins pic.twitter.com/tJkyMjKcPH
— Bob Starkey (@CoachBobStarkey) June 28, 2026
Sample size matters.
Kills:
Attack efficiency = (Kills - Errors)/Attempts
Serving:
Digging:
Setting:
Receiving:
If there were one message the game sent it was the need to score more positive points, always important against quality opponents who give away fewer points.
MIKE LEACH ON EMBRACING HARD
— Jamy Bechler (@jamybechler) September 8, 2026
"Nothing is really fun unless it's hard ...
You're pushing yourself. All of a sudden you're making great plays.
You're doing things that you've never done before...
Never hope that it's easy."
~ via @WSUCougarFB and @DrewMaddox pic.twitter.com/mCpHfDgpai
Differentiate winning.
What does that mean?
All winning is not equal. A signature win over a high quality opponent "feels different."
Don't strive to win at all times.
What does that mean?
In a relationship, the need to win all the time degrades the relationship. How did our need to win affect the other person in the relationship?
Don't feel compelled to win a conversation.
The last word might become literally the last word. Think of the other.
Honor rationality. Think about the Four Agreements. The first is "Be impeccable with your word" - to others and to ourselves. Saying, "You're wrong" fails compared with, "I am feeling sad about this."
Judge less. Think about the "Fundamental Attribution Error." That means we tend to judge actions by different standards. We judge ourselves by intent and others' actions imposing "character." For example, "I was late because of the traffic. She was late because she didn't care about the meeting."
How did we make the other person feel? Reflect (the noblest way) on the "Firefighter" video. On a team, "We have to do this together" because one person cannot put out the fire.
Years ago we lost a middle school game. Lenore Ivers, one of our top players, apologized to the team. "I lost the game." Bella Federico put her arm around her and said, "We win as a team and we lose as a team." That's what I remember most about that season.
Lagniappe. "The first robin doesn't make a spring."
Don't mistake a data point for a trend.
Don't let one performance become an identity.
New evidence should change your estimate, not erase your history.
"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.
Student-athletes attend school to learn. Learn to organize and to invest your time, to study, retain information that you have to know, and how to think better - conventionally and unconventionally - and to present your thoughts.
Tests are one metric that provide feedback on both your process and the teacher.
Games are like that, too. Teams and individuals find out what worked, what didn't, and what improvements are needed.
Former Celtics Assistant Kevin Eastman recommended four 'changes' when feedback is available:
Maintain aggressiveness every point. "Play harder for longer." Some players have a knack for superior focus.
Block better. Read it, get to the block better, press the block, and stiffen the block. Some of the blocks were soft, some late. There could be other adjustments coming.
Gia told Sadie Jaggers years ago, "Focus on making a good pass not a perfect one." The passing will improve. Sadie Smith put on a lot of steps yesterday.
Improve hitting decisions. Vision. Decision. Execution. Hitting decisions improved during the match.
A lot of good things happened. "Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater." A lot of players played as though their 'careers' depended on it.
MVB doesn't traffic in excuses. Get back on the horse.
Lagniappe. A coach's job is to tell you what you need to hear when you need to hear it. That may be "opposite the moment."
This is so freaking good
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) September 6, 2026
Never heard it put like this
“My job is to be opposite the moment” pic.twitter.com/a5IWqXazB7
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.
*Adapted from my basketball blog
In volleyball, the truth shows up faster. There’s no hiding and every possession is a point. Every touch matters.
Which translates: You don’t need a long evaluation period to see who helps you win.
In warm-ups, a lot of players look like “players.”
clean arm swing
good size
smooth passing in partner drills
They pass the eye test. But volleyball is not a warm-up sport. It’s a decision and discipline sport under pressure.
The Real Game: Error Management
In basketball, I preach, “Turnovers kill dreams.”
In volleyball: Unforced errors kill sets.
The missed serve. The overpass. The late block read. Ball watching. They are patterns.
Every roster has them. Players who hit hard… but out of bounds. Who pass… but not when it matters. Who can block… but are late to the spot.
And volleyball rewards stability and consistency.
Before a player can be great, she must be non-destructive. Can she serve in consistently, keep the ball in play under pressure, make the early and correct read?
Because in volleyball: A neutral touch is often a winning touch.
One good swing isn't enough. One great pass isn't. The question is: can you do it again, and again, and again? Consistency is not a trait. It’s a habit.
The best players don’t always look like the best players.
They look like: the passer who delivers a good or better every time, the middle who closes the block on time, every time, and the setter who gives hitters predictable tempo.
They simplify the game and add value.
Blocking exposes everything: focus, discipline, reading the game.
A great athlete who doesn’t read hitters is a frog. A slightly less athletic player who sees the set early, closes hands over the net, and takes away the angle, she's the princess.
Because: blocking is less about jumping than about timing and decision-making.
Trust is earned in layers. First time, can you execute your assignment? Next can you do it under pressure? Late set, can you do it when it matters?
Lineups should evolve the same way.
The Hidden Advantage
Teams that win consistently don’t just have talent.
They have fewer unforced errors, more predictable execution, players who make the right play.
Over time, that differentiates. Relentlessly.
You don’t need six stars. You need six you can trust. Because in volleyball: the team that makes the fewest mistakes, and repeats the right habits, wins.
Most players are frogs. That’s not an indictment. Evaluate honestly and reward consistency. Discover the ones who steady the game. And those are the ones who win it. The princesses leave a mark.
Lagniappe. Hitting your target.
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.
Melrose traveled to Reading, one of the preseason ML12 favorites and came away on the short end of a 24-26, 23-25, 24-26 defeat.
Coach Scott Celli noted that he was "pleased but not satisfied."
Reading had solid hitting power and good defense and maintained credibility from its preseason #19 ranking.
Confucius has been credited with the following:
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is bitterest.”
Chalk today's match up to experience.
Melrose had its chances and couldn't make enough plays down the stretch to earn a set win.
Melrose did a lot of good things - mostly maintaining aggressiveness, played solid defense, and largely served well.
Three up
Adriana Santoriello played solid volleyball from an all-six status as she filled her usual outside slot and defended well.
Sadie Smith had a challenging day running down serve receives against dynamic Reading serves. She delivered a trio of kills off of second ball attacks.
Maggie Shoemaker, a senior, came in during the third set and served well and gave a good accounting for herself.
Melrose played highly competitive volleyball against a top ML team. I'm not a big fan of "good loss" but that's a reasonable facsimile.
Melrose Notes:
Amelie Johnson had a starting RS position with Ella Friedlaender recovering from illness. With the score 23-24 in the third, Amelie delivered a big kill to send the set to extra points.
Lorena Contin got her first varsity start as a middle. The sophomore comes from the same group that went to the Indianapolis Volleyball Nationals.
Melrose traveled well, including some alumni parents such as Ryan Wenzel (Sabine) and Gary and Leah Fowke (Leah).
Melrose has several players recovering from injury or illness in addition to Ella - Alisa Dautovic and Leila Kiggundu.
Melrose returns to play on Thursday with a road match at Burlington.
You will always remember your first varsity game and the first game of a season, especially a league game.
Peak experience, end experience, and emotional experience shape memory.
The sophomores will remember the improbable comeback at Belmont last year. What I remember most is Adriana, Alisa, and Danni giggling in the back row between sets. Compete with joy.
Reading's Hawkes Field House leaves more basketball than volleyball memories for me. Melrose volleyball played Reading at a different venue when my daughters played. The intensity was high and the ceilings low.
MVB-Reading contests are always competitive. I expect nothing less today.
Summary: (from "Mad River" by John Sandford)
"Pretty good job on the press conference. Sincere yet uninformative."
Lagniappe. Nothing even remotely new re: Melrose-Reading volleyball.
Libero magic from J-Mac
It wasn't about the scoreboard.
It wasn't about the minutes.
It wasn't about the coaching.
It was about the quality of the effort, the sacrifice, the grit and the teamwork that the girls showed.
Telling a Story
Each day gives everyone a chance to tell their story.
We don't control all the plot, or the characters, or the dialogue.
But we control a lot - how we prepare, how we bring energy, and how we share the stage.
Make no mistake; winning is wonderful. But for 12-14 year-olds, it can't be everything. That’s not you.
The Volleyball Experience
Why is coming together as a team so tough?
It's hard to bring a group together with individual agendas.
It's hard for the girls to see the "experience of team."
And it's up to us as coaches to be faithful to that story.
Lagniappe. Opening Day. Savor the memory.
View on Threads
Give the game what it needs. Sometimes, you won't have every club in the bag - your serve is a bit off, your passing is at 80 percent instead of 90, or your sets are tight. It happens.
You have to give the game what you have - enthusiasm, communication, awareness, and the parts of your game that are working.
Keep your head up. Stay fully engaged. Energize. Have the character to impact the game because you can.
Lagniappe. Sometimes doing well starts with stopping the unhelpful.
Major cheat code for life: Every pattern in your life repeats until you learn the lesson. The moment you choose differently, the loop ends and growth begins.
— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) September 4, 2026
Close the loop. Find ways to show that you "heard and understand." That earns trust.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski reminded players, "Next play." In the Navy, "Aye aye, Sir" means I understand and am "on it."
Every player on the roster has the capacity to impact teammates and to impact winning. Trust is the avenue that you must navigate.
