Friday, August 31, 2018
Solid Start
Melrose hosted a mature North Andover team in the sweltering MVMMS Gym and gained valuable experience and exceeded expectations one week into the preseason.
Additionally, Melrose missed the veteran presence of Emma Randolph and Mary Kate Mahoney, two key contributors on last year's State Finalists.
Coach Scott Celli substituted liberally and newcomers Sofia Centrella, Leah Heafey, and Autumn Whalen got valuable experience on the outside and setter respectively.
Nicole Abbott sported the white libero jersey and got heavy duty in the heat. Junior Erin Torpey was solid both offensively and defensively, showing her experience.
Returnees Grace Davis, Marie Maher, and Claire Albuja got good looks on the outside and defending.
Sophomore Kiki Kiernan and freshman Whalen both played competitively as they battle to assume the setter position.
Melrose showed strength in the middle as sophomores Emily Hudson and Sam Dewey looked comfortable and confident both hitting and blocking.
The defensive coverage and communication looked ahead of schedule. Relatively few balls fell in without aggressive defensive play.
Melrose returns to practice tomorrow as they prepare to host Sunday's first local PlayDay against strong area teams (9:00-3:00).
Lady Raider Notes: Former longtime assistant Steve Wall returned in a different role, working the game flawlessly as a Massachusetts volleyball official.
Additionally, Melrose missed the veteran presence of Emma Randolph and Mary Kate Mahoney, two key contributors on last year's State Finalists.
Coach Scott Celli substituted liberally and newcomers Sofia Centrella, Leah Heafey, and Autumn Whalen got valuable experience on the outside and setter respectively.
Nicole Abbott sported the white libero jersey and got heavy duty in the heat. Junior Erin Torpey was solid both offensively and defensively, showing her experience.
Returnees Grace Davis, Marie Maher, and Claire Albuja got good looks on the outside and defending.
Sophomore Kiki Kiernan and freshman Whalen both played competitively as they battle to assume the setter position.
Melrose showed strength in the middle as sophomores Emily Hudson and Sam Dewey looked comfortable and confident both hitting and blocking.
The defensive coverage and communication looked ahead of schedule. Relatively few balls fell in without aggressive defensive play.
Melrose returns to practice tomorrow as they prepare to host Sunday's first local PlayDay against strong area teams (9:00-3:00).
Lady Raider Notes: Former longtime assistant Steve Wall returned in a different role, working the game flawlessly as a Massachusetts volleyball official.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Scrimmage Today Versus North Andover
Melrose moves from education to the execution phase as they seek to the successor to Division 2 Player of the Year Lily Fitzgerald and replace 539 kills from four graduated seniors.
North Andover went 12-7 in 2017 and brings an experienced roster featuring six seniors and the remainder juniors.
The Knights have achieved consistent success during the tenure of Coach Veronica Schaefer.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Lagniappe
Most readers aren't familiar with the concept of LAGNIAPPE. Lagniappe is something extra and often unexpected. Exceptional individuals, players, and teams bring lagniappe to their process.
I've written about it here.
Maybe you're not satisfied with your role. "Do more to become more; become more to do more." If you don't know how, ask your coaches how you can improve to add more value to the team.
Lagniappe:
In my basketball blog, I often provide lagniappe in addition to the daily message. Today's blog is called, "In Search of Kryptonite." What's your Kryptonite? Is it complacency ("I'm good enough"), conceit ("I'm already an All-League player"), compromise ("I don't have to put in extra work.")
7 minute to clear your mind.
I've written about it here.
Maybe you're not satisfied with your role. "Do more to become more; become more to do more." If you don't know how, ask your coaches how you can improve to add more value to the team.
Lagniappe:
In my basketball blog, I often provide lagniappe in addition to the daily message. Today's blog is called, "In Search of Kryptonite." What's your Kryptonite? Is it complacency ("I'm good enough"), conceit ("I'm already an All-League player"), compromise ("I don't have to put in extra work.")
7 minute to clear your mind.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Agenda Free: Be A Great Teammate
Everyone can't be the star, but everyone can be a great teammate. Alan Williams addresses this in his book Teammates Matter. Williams was a walk-on for Wake Forest basketball and played 59 minutes in four years, earning respect as a player and great teammate.
Melrose volleyball earned its reputation as a "legacy program," one of the most consistent teams in Massachusetts. The Lady Raiders won the State Championship in 2012 and earned eight Division 2 North sectional championships. They reached the state finals four times. The team earned the MIAA Coaches’ Sportsmanship Award in 2004.
Coaches Celli, Schmitt, and O'Neill have an introductory meeting to set expectations and review school rules. Participation fees make their job more difficult, as fees help to defray expenses, but don't assure playing time.
The coaches explain how players contribute, through practice, exemplary attitude, and improving both themselves and teammates. Many reserve players would have big roles on other Middlesex League teams. The coaches inform the players that they earn playing time according to their progress. The rotation is dynamic according to performance. Not everyone plays as much as they would like. The shared goal is having a championship team, playing at its full potential. Understandably, players and parents can find this difficult.
Although many players have earned recognition locally and some statewide, few accomplished more than a girl who played more than a decade ago - being a great teammate. She wasn’t the star; she often played late in games after the outcome had been decided. She worked hard to become her best. She knew she wouldn’t play during the big moments, watching younger, less experienced but talented teammates.
She accepted this as a great teammate, valued being part of the team and contributed however she could. Her best friend, Marianne Foley, became an All-Scholastic, while she cheered and supported the team. Both shared the moment of becoming Melrose's first Division II North volleyball champions, a team that went 22-2 and came within a point of going to the state championship, losing to the ultimate champions, Marlboro. And everyone knew that Danielle Burke was a great teammate, a part of Melrose volleyball history.
Melrose volleyball earned its reputation as a "legacy program," one of the most consistent teams in Massachusetts. The Lady Raiders won the State Championship in 2012 and earned eight Division 2 North sectional championships. They reached the state finals four times. The team earned the MIAA Coaches’ Sportsmanship Award in 2004.
Making a competitive team is hard. Local girls learn volleyball skills earlier each year, and scrap for the chance to enter the program. The competition doesn’t end with team selection. Girls sacrifice time and are held accountable to a different standard of behavior than some peers.
The coaches explain how players contribute, through practice, exemplary attitude, and improving both themselves and teammates. Many reserve players would have big roles on other Middlesex League teams. The coaches inform the players that they earn playing time according to their progress. The rotation is dynamic according to performance. Not everyone plays as much as they would like. The shared goal is having a championship team, playing at its full potential. Understandably, players and parents can find this difficult.
“The race doesn’t always go to the swiftest or the battle to the strongest, but it pays to bet that way.”
She accepted this as a great teammate, valued being part of the team and contributed however she could. Her best friend, Marianne Foley, became an All-Scholastic, while she cheered and supported the team. Both shared the moment of becoming Melrose's first Division II North volleyball champions, a team that went 22-2 and came within a point of going to the state championship, losing to the ultimate champions, Marlboro. And everyone knew that Danielle Burke was a great teammate, a part of Melrose volleyball history.
Monday, August 27, 2018
First Half Schedule*
The overall level of play within the Middlesex League continues to improve. It's never easy.
Here's the first half schedule (from Maxpreps.com, a good resource)
Four of the first seven matches are 'road' games, including the first three against Middlesex League Liberty Division opposition.
*Times are subject to change. Coach Celli prefers that Varsity matches follow JV matches. There is no consensus among Middlesex League athletic directors, so Varsity away matches sometimes start at 4:00.
Lady Raider Notes:
Melrose volleyball has a new Twitter presence.
The MHS Athletic department has its own Twitter feed.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Mindfulness for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Your coaches share tools that help you become your better version.
Here are two additional tools that may help:
Background about the science of mindfulness (above)...
Free UCLA link to guided meditations...
Here are two additional tools that may help:
Background about the science of mindfulness (above)...
Free UCLA link to guided meditations...
Yeah, but. What about hard performance measures? Students had better grades and better standardized test scores.
Mindfulness is for softies?
Like gold medal-winning Olympians...and NBA stars...
First Look
Preseason volleyball training proceeds at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School gymnasium. Melrose returns a blend of experience and youth.
Coach Scott Celli (Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Class of 2011) is pleased at the early cohesiveness of the group.
A week from today, Melrose hosts its first playdate (Sunday, September 2nd) with top area teams coming for preseason scrimmages.
Click images to enlarge.
The Lady Raiders return ten players from last season's State Finalist club.
Coach Scott Celli (Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Class of 2011) is pleased at the early cohesiveness of the group.
A week from today, Melrose hosts its first playdate (Sunday, September 2nd) with top area teams coming for preseason scrimmages.
Click images to enlarge.
The Lady Raiders return ten players from last season's State Finalist club.
In front of net (left to right), Sam Dewey, Mary Kate Mahoney, Sofia Centrella
Behind the net (left to right), Kiki Kiernan, Assistant Coach Ryan Schmitt, Grace Davis
Freshman Autumn Whelan competes for time as a setter for the Lady Raiders.
At the Net:
From Maxpreps.com
Saturday, August 25, 2018
I've Made the Team. What Now?
Each team writes a narrative - a three month journey through tryouts, preseason, regular season, and for the fortunate, the postseason.
I feel lucky to have coached (in another sport), ten of the thirteen members of Melrose Volleyball 2018. How do you keep and raise success? The magic is in the work.
It starts with MINDSET. You probably know Carol Dweck's book, "Mindset" where she studied young people and found willingness to grow, to work, and to be resilient in failure, outperformed those who simply performed well.
In Kevin Eastman's new book, Why the Best Are the Best, he discusses twelve performance standards of the Boston Celtics. One is NEVER HAVE A BAD PRACTICE. Great practice means punctuality, getting enough rest, eating right, taking care of both mind and body (stretching, ice, tape, whatever you need). It means having URGENCY, also known as being here now, playing present, being in the moment, making the NEXT PLAY. The last play is history.
Tim Ferriss wrote Tools of Titans. What do the most successful people do? They build routines (rituals, habits) that lay the foundation for their daily action. They invest their time; they don't spend it. Over EIGHTY percent practice mindfulness, which brings mental clarity, reduces stress hormones, increases brain density in learning and memory centers, and cuts anxiety and depression. Really. Meng Tan explores this in Search Inside Yourself.
It doesn't take a long time. It requires persistence.
Congratulations on earning a spot on the team. Now find ways to excel in your role, to grow, and to become a great teammate. "Make the big time where you are." Write a terrific story.
I feel lucky to have coached (in another sport), ten of the thirteen members of Melrose Volleyball 2018. How do you keep and raise success? The magic is in the work.
It starts with MINDSET. You probably know Carol Dweck's book, "Mindset" where she studied young people and found willingness to grow, to work, and to be resilient in failure, outperformed those who simply performed well.
In Kevin Eastman's new book, Why the Best Are the Best, he discusses twelve performance standards of the Boston Celtics. One is NEVER HAVE A BAD PRACTICE. Great practice means punctuality, getting enough rest, eating right, taking care of both mind and body (stretching, ice, tape, whatever you need). It means having URGENCY, also known as being here now, playing present, being in the moment, making the NEXT PLAY. The last play is history.
Tim Ferriss wrote Tools of Titans. What do the most successful people do? They build routines (rituals, habits) that lay the foundation for their daily action. They invest their time; they don't spend it. Over EIGHTY percent practice mindfulness, which brings mental clarity, reduces stress hormones, increases brain density in learning and memory centers, and cuts anxiety and depression. Really. Meng Tan explores this in Search Inside Yourself.
It doesn't take a long time. It requires persistence.
Congratulations on earning a spot on the team. Now find ways to excel in your role, to grow, and to become a great teammate. "Make the big time where you are." Write a terrific story.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Melrose Volleyball 2018 Roster
Maxpreps.com is a valuable resource for information about Melrose High School sports. The 2018 volleyball roster (as of today) posted tonight.
Seniors: None
Juniors: Seven
Sophomores: Five
Freshmen: One
Ten players return from last season's state finalist team.
Seniors: None
Juniors: Seven
Sophomores: Five
Freshmen: One
Ten players return from last season's state finalist team.
Sunday, August 05, 2018
Volleyball Season Is Coming!
Coach Scott Celli announced the preseason schedule for Melrose Volleyball.
Thursday, August 30
Scrimmage vs North Andover
4:30
@Melrose
Sunday, September 2
Melrose Playdate
9:00 to 3:00
Teams: Melrose, Arlington Catholic, Winchester, Danvers, Bishop Fenwick, Marblehead
Each team will play 8 25 minute scrimmages
Thursday, August 30
Scrimmage vs North Andover
4:30
@Melrose
Sunday, September 2
Melrose Playdate
9:00 to 3:00
Teams: Melrose, Arlington Catholic, Winchester, Danvers, Bishop Fenwick, Marblehead
Each team will play 8 25 minute scrimmages