Finding Solutions Begins by Looking Within

Some people excel at finding problems. Leaders find solutions. As players, consistency, effort, and performance under pressure make you part of the solution. 

Grow from the struggle. Tough teams believe in each other. 

Never let a loss define your worth. On the road to a state championship, the 2012 State Title team lost their final regular season match. They didn't lose again. 

Fill your mental toolbox: 

• Your IDENTITY STATEMENT says, "This is who we are." 
• Your PERFORMANCE STATEMENT adds, "this is how we play." 

Jason Selk advises a personal mental highlight reel of plays to "call up" before practice and games. Include half a dozen plays to visualize success. Don't imagine it; reimagine it because you've done it.

Examples: 

• You served into a desired zone or at a targeted player. 
• See a perfect dig, set, spike. 
• Recall a diving dig, pancake dig, or chicken wing save. 
• See the perfect block into a kill. 
• Visualize a great set to set up the perfect attack. 
• Envision a great pass off a serve receive. 

"Confidence comes from proven success." Believe.

 

Melrose notes: Upcoming schedule

Monday's match features the number three ranked team in Division 1, a great opportunity to compete against another top club. 

Initial Power Rankings Are Out

These are the only ones that matter, power rankings from MIAA. And they're interim.

Play a weak schedule and the rankings reflect it. For example, a 10-0 team is ranked 14. 

Melrose gets opportunities to make a statement with quality wins, starting next week. 

MaxPreps Rankings and Middlesex League Standings

Lots of heavy lifting ahead starting with Newton North next week. Newton North starts young players with "hitting intent" and their philosophy of "Smash." They train players to hit hard and work from there. 

 

One Size Does Not Fit All

Principles cross domains. One that plays is, "do more of what works and less of what doesn't." 

Exceptional coaches like Scott Celli practice core principles:

1. What is best for the team comes first. 

2. Put players in the best position to succeed. 

3. "Every day is player development day." There is no substitute for more skill. 

4. When things aren't going as well as desired:

• "Do it harder." 
• "Do it better." 
• "Change personnel." 
• "It ain't working; change strategy." 

5. Coaches tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Champions don't skip steps. Champions don't cut corners. 

6. To succeed in the future, look to the past. 

"Sankofa is a Ghanaian akansha symbol system--one of the eight created by Africans to communicate among each other. It literally translates to "look to the past to inform the future." This sheds light on the struggles of enslaved African peoples." 

Veteran coaches call upon experience and know how. 

Game 9: Melrose 3 Wilmington 0

Melrose traveled to Wilmington, earning a 25-20, 25-11, 25-10 win over the Wildcats. The win brings Melrose's record to 7-2.

Tomorrow the MIAA releases initial power rankings, giving teams an estimate of tournament eligibility and seeding. 

Coach Celli made lineup changes looking for more offense and potentially more comfort as the team approaches the halfway mark. With a brutal upcoming stretch, starting with D1 power Newton North, the coaches seek higher performance. The lineup is not set in stone as Chloe Gentile back to the middle changes the dynamic across the front line. 

Wilmington got off to a fast start, leading 8-4 as Melrose looked to rebound from a loss. But gradually Melrose asserted its experience and consistency. Wilmington looks to be a rising program with a lot of size and some hitting power. 

Melrose notes: Teams aspiring to go deep in the playoffs need three dynamic hitters, capable of delivering double digit kills, attack efficiency, and leadership. For example, during the State Title run in 2012, Melrose had Sarah McGowan, Jen Cain, and Rachel Johnson in those roles. 

Realignment might generate offensive 'spark' needed to trigger runs. 

Chloe Gentile looked energized returning to the middle and Manon Marchais had her best outing, especially at right side. Caroline Higonenq showed promise during her appearance. 

Gigi Albuja competed at designated server, Grace Gentile had a sparkling save in the back, and Anna Shoemaker and Leah Fowke showed flashes. 

Melrose knows it gets a level of consistency from Gia Vlajkovic, Sadie Jaggers, Ruth Breen, and Emma Desmond. But to play its best, the team will need focus, energy, and sustained aggression across the board against top teams.  

Tonight's reimagined lineup reminds everyone that "every day is Showtime" and that spots are there for the taking. 

 Lagniappe (something extra). Need the 411 on referee signals? 

Back in Action. Refocus and Re-energize.

Yesterday's match is over. Refocus and remember the strength of a winning culture of teamwork and excellence.

Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats won championships with talent, fundamental excellence, and exceptional culture.  

Jay Wright was a CULTURE King.

How?

Here are 5 quotes from Jay Wright that shed some light.👇 @vucoachjwright pic.twitter.com/BUxxx0HzL5

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) September 28, 2022

Fight for your culture every day. 

Melrose notes: Melrose gets back to business at 5:30 P.M. traveling to Wilmington. Take care of business with a Middlesex League divisional game. 

Game 8: Westborough 3 Melrose 0

Melrose dropped a straight set 15-25, 16-25, 18-25 home match to the undefeated Westborough Rangers. The loss drops Melrose to 6-2. 

When facing an undefeated team with the talents of a Player of the Year candidate like Quinn Anderson, only your "A" game has a chance.

Teams with high aspirations don't traffic in moral victories. Accepting that the visitors have an excellent team, what factors hurt Melrose? 

1. Especially early, Melrose had no answers for Westborough "cut shots," short, acutely angled balls just inside the sideline. That's credit to Westborough. 

2. Inconsistent serving cost Melrose at multiple junctures. 

3. Nonaggressive play cost Melrose as Westborough's attack had Melrose on its collective heels. Excellent teams win points by playing with force. 

4. Above all, maintain elite focus, the "next play" or "play present" mentality. Because volleyball is a game of momentum swings, even the briefest "fog of war" results in one error or unlucky break turning into a series. For example, in set two, Melrose was even at 16, lost a point at 17 and a ball struck a Melrose player out of bounds to widen the Westborough edge. That snowballed into a 9-0 run to close the set. 

"To waste time lamenting a mistake or celebrating a success is distracting...the next play mentality is about staying intensely present." 

Be solution-oriented. The game is easy from high above courtside. Overcoming adversity isn't natural. Playing from behind is tough. But to stamp out 'statement wins' or more, teams need "ultra focus" to prevent small cuts from becoming gaping, bleeding wounds. "Next play." 

Love your losses. Carry the lessons forward.

Championship Effort*

*Modified from a basketball message

Opportunity arrives at the Veterans Memorial Middle School Gym tonight in the form of the Westborough Rangers. They are undefeated and haven't lost a set. What matters is how you play. 

1. Set the bar high. Bring enthusiasm and fight to the floor every day. There is only today, being in the moment. It's your journey. 

2. "Always do your best." Our best won't always get championship results. It leaves no regrets. Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements is Tom Brady's favorite book. 

3. Give honest feedback about effort. If players want more, they must do more, give more, sacrifice more. 

4. "What's your why?" You're here to reach a standard of excellence. 

"Champions behave like champions before they’re champions." - Bill Walsh

5. Model excellence. Players see everything. What's our commitment to planning, preparation, and practice? If coaches don't give our best, why should players?  

6. "How you play reflects how you live your life." After a lackluster effort by a former group, the head coach asked me to say a few words. The girls had been pushed around and didn't respond, showing no fight. Six months later a player told me that message really got to her. 

7. Be relentless. A girl gave the most consistent effort that I've ever seen for a young player. She earned All-Scholastic efforts as both a freshman and sophomore. In Relentless, Tim S. Grover wrote, "Being relentless means demanding more of yourself than anyone else could ever demand of you, knowing that every time you stop, you can still do more. You must do more."

8. Build winning habits. In The Vision of a Champion, Anson Dorrance describes Mia Hamm, working out alone in a park, "The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when nobody else is watching.”

I had this poster printed for each of the girls.

9. Excellence isn't a sometimes habit. Excellence travels. Brad Stevens said that he never coached a great student who was a bad defender. Kayla Wyland's mother told me that the league basketball MVP was as pleasant and helpful at home as she was tough on the court.

10. Champions don't skip steps. UCONN Coach Geno Auriemma says that when competitors understand and want to do it right, they won't accept mediocre execution in practice. Champions are born in practice. 

Your Coaches Know This. Do You?

This Kara Lawson speech is worth the listen 👏

(via @DukeWBB) pic.twitter.com/F67Zj6xOFE

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 27, 2022

Maybe your coaches shared this with you. Rewatch it. 

Lives well-lived come with the cost of handling adversity. Few people have an 'anteambulo', someone to clear the path for them. 

At the Hall of Fame induction recently, Coach Serino explained the success of Frantzdy Pierrot. He always works at his game. He never tired of doing whatever it takes to become elite, to become a professional. That's how he earned the right to compete against Lionel Messi and other top footballers. 

South Carolina and USWNT Coach Dawn Staley didn't immediately prosper in college at Virginia. She realized that to earn success, she had to study as hard as she worked at basketball. 

Coach Doc Rivers remembered what his parents taught him during the Donald Sterling racism scandal with the Los Angeles Clippers. "Never allow yourself to become a victim." 

Assistant Coach Roy Williams asked Michael Jordan at UNC, "How hard are you prepared to work?" Jordan answered, "I will work as hard as any player ever at Carolina." Williams answered, "you have to work harder than that." 

Master pizza chef Chris Bianco said that when he relocated to Phoenix from New York City, he knew two things. "I could be kind and I could work as hard as any person I ever met." 

"The magic is in the work." 

Rankings

The MIAA announced that their rankings will not arrive until 30 September. 

The Maxpreps.com ratings are a "black box" and require a minimum number of games played, which is why Westborough is absent. 

The Mass High School Volleyball site has Melrose on the outside looking in. 

 

The Process Covers the Whole Package, Including the "Bruce Jenner Protocol"

Dr. Fergus Connolly is one of my favorite authors because he prioritizes process. Process and habits get results. 

Be Disciplined About Recovery

Everyone works hard. Everyone wants to lift heavy weights, run hard. That's the easy bit. It's what you do away from the field and gym that counts. How disciplined are you about this is what will separate you from everyone else. pic.twitter.com/BEpX5dlWm1

— Fergus Connolly (@Fergus_Connolly) September 25, 2022

 Care for 'the machine'. In the Navy (long ago), we learned about the "Bruce Jenner protocol" what it took to win an Olympic championship and to maximize function in patients with lung disease. 

1. Exercise. Train your body. 
2. Rest. Recover both physically and mentally. Get at least eight hours of sleep. LeBron James gets twelve. 
3. Diet. Fuel the machine. You wouldn't put garbage in a sports car. 
4. Supplements (medications). Optimize your general health. 
5. Have championship motivation. Everyone needs a reason. 

It's not enough to work hard. Recover. 

The Shape of Wins

Wins come in different shapes. They are not cookie-cutters. 

Some wins are pedestrian, expected. "You play the schedule." Once the Middlesex League was more like a petting zoo than game reserve. Now, it's different with a stable of strong clubs. 

Resilient wins taste extra-special, without a bitter aftertaste. Burlington belonged in the "resilience" column. After a disappointing 24-26 first set, Melrose roared back to capture the second 25-9. In the fourth set, Melrose trailed 2-9 before scoring thirteen consecutive points. 

Only a few wins are rivalry wins. Years ago in another sport, Melrose dominated. When asked about a rivalry, a coach answered that when one team always wins, how is that a rivalry? Rivalries can change and evolve, as Wakefield is now a bigger volleyball rival than Reading, partly because of divisional realignment.

Highly select victories are statement wins. They might represent "planting a flag" against a dominant team or "an unexpected gift at an unexpected time" as an underdog. They add value in building credibility and confidence. Melrose has a chance to achieve statement wins in the near term. 

Rarely, wins are legendary. Melrose beating Barnstable fell in that category. The sectional comeback win at Billerica last year could apply.

Winning always has value but especially against tough competition. 

What’s Inside Your Boat?

Charlie Jones covered Olympic crew, kayaking, and canoeing. He wasn't happy with the assignment. During an interview with an oarsman, Jones asked a question. The Olympian answered, "That's outside my boat." 

What matters is what's "inside your boat." Your teammates and coaches define your season...not polls, not clippings, certainly not this blog. 

Your belief in yourself and the team matters. You can never be better than your self-belief, the thousands of daily thoughts swirling in your head. 

Confidence balances arrogance and doubt. You earn the right to win. Bills coach Sean McDermott told his team years ago, "That’s what it gets back to in terms of earning the right to win. How we meet, how we talk, how we work out, how we practice when we do practice, how we play – that’s the standard we’re trying to get to every day.”

Melrose launches a string of competitive matches. Find out what's inside your boat. "In the end, I learned you really have to trust your crew."

Lessons Shared at the Hall of Fame Induction

Inductees shared at the Melrose Athletic Hall of Fame Induction. Their vivid memories were of gratitude for parents, teammates, and friends. 

Here are some reflections from the evening. 

Newly Minted Melrose Hall of Famer Colleen Hanscom

Melrose volleyball can take you places. Colleen Hanscom, one of the top setters in Melrose volleyball history with 1648 assists, was inducted last night into the Melrose Athletic Hall of Fame.

Colleen was also an outstanding point guard for the Melrose High School girls basketball team. 

Colleen with her son, Mo. 

Colleen's acceptance speech got the biggest applause. "Brevity is the soul of wit." 

 

Birds on the Wing

"We cannot be what we cannot see." - Ann Kim, James Beard Award winning chef, 2019

See yourselves bringing energy, skill, and teamwork to the court every day. See what you can be. 

Be excited not nervous against every opponent. Why not!

 

Hitting with Intent

Sadie Jaggers delivers a bomb, video courtesy of the Vlajkovic family

Standards of Performance - Print and Save?

"Be professional." Former coach and general manager Bill Walsh developed systems to promote professionalism throughout the 49ers organization. He believed everyone from the guys striping the field to the players on the field needed excellence and accountability. Promoting high standards earned San Francisco a Super Bowl title in just three seasons. 

The 'Standard of Performance' translates across domains to school, work, and extracurricular activities. Here are his first seven standards. 

Bill Walsh’s Standard of Performance:

1. Exhibit a ferocious and intelligently applied work ethic directed toward continual improvement.
2. Demonstrate respect for each person in the organization and the work he or she does.
3. Be deeply committed to learning and teaching which means increasing our own expertise.
4. Be fair.
5. Demonstrate character.
6. Honor the direct connection between details and improvement.
7. Relentlessly seek improvement.

Break these down into digestible bits. Work hard. Be respectful. Take care of the details. Teach and learn to be your 'best self' every day. Sound advice for every decade.  

What's the bottom line? Develop systems to give yourself the best chance to succeed. For example, what system promotes better learning?

- Pomodoro technique, study 25 minutes on and 5 minutes off

- Spaced repetition. Don't put all your eggs in one study session?

- Self-testing. What did you learn from a lesson, a chapter, a book? 

The principles apply broadly. 

Melrose notes: Melrose athletes are among the Maxpreps.com leaders in the Commonwealth. 

Keep Calm and Carry On - Poll Axe

The power rankings out next week have some meaning, a mix of winning percentage, margin of victory, and strength of schedule. Last year they worked well, setting up the epic quarterfinal match at Billerica.

The goal of higher ranking isn't ranking for its own sake, but home court advantage and facing weaker early opponents. 

The updated Boston Globe poll is out, flawed by omission and lacking newest results. 

Why? Nowhere among the leaders are two top five teams, Middlesex League Liberty Division heavyweight Winchester and the annual dragon to be slayed in Westborough. 

Also, Ipswich wiped out Lynnfield yesterday. There's serious doubt as to whether Lynnfield belongs above Needham, for example. 

Many top teams will have losses, because they assume a challenging schedule, hardening them for the post-season. 

Botton line is that polls are fun, generate content if not context, and give teams something to shoot for and to shoot at. 

Inside the Numbers

Beating the better teams demands "possession enders." Strong teams get kills, force errors, and pressure teams on the serve. 

Melrose reduced its service errors and piled up nearly forty kills. 

Game 7: Melrose 3 Burlington 1

Melrose's chief Freedom Division competitor, Burlington, came in looking to steal a win. And they captured the first set 26-24 with hefty blocking. But Melrose rebounded to sweep the final three 25-9, 25-16, and 25-14.

Among the highlights were a lengthy service run by Ava McSorley in set four. The Red Devils sped out to a 9-2 edge before Melrose counterattacked while Ava served to 15-9. The team seized a 19-11 lead en route to victory.

The win brings Melrose to 6-1 and 6-0 in Middlesex League play. Burlington drops to 5-2 and 4-2 in the ML12. 

Melrose notes: Next week brings an entirely different challenge with the Westborough Rangers in on a Wednesday bringing their uber-talented squad. Westborough eliminated Melrose in the State semis last season before falling to Hopkinton in the finals. 

In addition, fans expect release of the MIAA and MaxPreps rankings by Monday. That allows a better view of potential postseason partners.  

The Wisdom of Don Meyer

Most of you have never heard of Don Meyer, former basketball coach at Northern State. At one time he held the record for men's basketball coaching wins. He won the ESPY "Jimmy V Award" for courage. He used to have a spot on his website where you could ask a question and he was always generous with his answers. 

Here are a few points worth noting:

1. Coach Meyer kept three notebooks, one for basketball, one for general knowledge, and one for appreciation for his wife, that he gave her at the end of each year.

2. He had many sayings, like there are three phases in coaching - blind enthusiasm, sophisticated complexity, and mature simplicity.

3. He had few rules: 

-Everybody takes notes.

-Everybody says "please" and "thank you".

-Everybody picks up trash. 

4. He was a big believer in "servant leadership." 

5. The relevant quote for today, "It doesn't matter who you play; it matters how you play." 

Some teams waste energy overthinking the opponent and underestimate the importance of doing what you do well. Invest time and energy doing more of what works and less of what doesn't. 

And a story

Trust Building

Getting on the court demands trust. It's not 'rec ball'. High performance earns trust. 

Trust underpins all relationships. It's hard to build and easy to damage. We know it when we feel it. But defining, measuring, and developing trust is tough. 

Trust exposes vulnerability. "Trust is a confident engagement with the unknown." Risk tolerance differs among people. Esther Perel says that microrisks including sharing something private about ourselves or others or asking for something.  

Rebuilding trust is a subset. The violation of trust generates different responses, "how did you think I would respond?" People want others to "show up" for them, to have their back. 

Coaches only put people on the field that they can trust. Players only want to play next to teammates they can trust. And you earn that trust, every single day, by being on time, working hard, knowing what to do, and doing everything else it takes to win.
Bill Belichick pic.twitter.com/t1tEuwuHhy

— Rob Oviatt (@RobOviatt1) September 16, 2022

So, the question is, "how can I earn the coaches' trust?"

• Listen and be fully engaged. That includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Play hard. 
• Play together. Be a good teammate whatever your role. 
• Develop consistency (skill) through extra repetitions.

Burlington is up today. 

Burlington opponents:

Looking Back

The 2012 State Champion volleyball team was inducted into the Melrose High School Hall of Fame a few years ago. 

Good things happen with commitment, determination, talent, team play, and luck. 

The 2022 Inductees enter this Saturday. 

Inked

The Boston Globe shares a one-liner. 

Melrose has multiple familiar faces among the State leaders. In team sports, team effort allows individuals to put up numbers. 

Progress

Success tracks execution and Melrose executed better in multiple areas against Wakefield.

The defense played at a higher level and the passing improved. 

Wakefield's defense was competitive but their offense didn't generate much firepower. 

Melrose-Wakefield statistics (via Maxpreps.com)

Melrose Notes: Winchester shutout Arlington to remain deadlocked for first in the ML12. 

Melrose gets another ML test Thursday facing Burlington, a perennial rival in the Freedom Division. The winner will have a leg up on the path to a Division title. 

ML12 Standings, from Maxpreps.com 

Game 6: Melrose 3 Wakefield 0

Melrose opened the second quarter of the season with a straight set 25-15, 25-5, 25-9 win at Wakefield. The game was never in doubt. 

The win extends Melrose's streak to five and leaves them tied for first in the Middlesex League (5-0) with a 5-1 record overall. 

Melrose hosts Burlington Thursday in a battle for the top spot in the Freedom Division.

Notes: Future Melrose opponent Newton North swept top-ranked, defending State Champion Needham. 

Melrose High School is off to a fast start in The Boston Globe All-Sports competition, checking in at number five among thirty-nine schools in their division. 

Season Resumes at Wakefield Tuesday

 Melrose looks to extend its four-game win streak traveling to Wakefield Tuesday to square off against alumna Kayla Wyland's club. 

Wakefield has played Melrose tough over the past couple of seasons. 

Yesterday, Burlington beat Wayland 3-2 and Watertown topped Matignon 3-0 in non-league play. 

The only poll that ultimately matters comes at the end of the season. But performance matters for playoff seeding, including home court advantage. Mass High School Volleyball provides their rankings. 

Study the Process

Put process first and results follow.  

Remember the John Wooden process:

EDIRx5

E = explanation

D = demonstration

I = imitation

R = repetition

Study the run up and swing

Suggestions:

• Watch full screen (not on a cell phone)
• First note the general process.
• Note the hitting intent.
• Run it back multiple times, stopping and starting. 
• Where does the approach start (behind the ten-foot line)
• Note the footwork.
• See how she uses the back armswing to gain power
• Note the explosive attack and swing (volume up). 
• Consider using cell phone or YouTube video to study your attack.
• You can be a "big hitter," too.  

To improve your attack, study your process. Practice the run up without a set, then fire a tennis ball, then time with sets. Coaches value athletic explosion. Explosive athletes get the job done. 

Coaches Have Favorites.

 You want to be a coach's favorite? Here's the answer. 

The biggest complaint I get from players about coaches is that they have favorites…

Here is 10 different ways to help you become a coaches favorite! 🙌

Did I miss any? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/uSdyw1FKy3

— Shane Hennen (@Hennen_Workouts) September 12, 2022

 

Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain

The Chemical Health policy is clear. Alcohol or other substance violations result in extended suspensions. Here's why, from the basketball blog. 

“But there’s nothing else to do” or “everyone else does it.”

Alcohol has powerful depressant effects, initially decreasing inhibitions. Alcohol damages many organs, including the esophagus and stomach (gastritis), pancreas, liver (fat deposition, inflammation, eventually scarring/cirrhosis), heart (high blood pressure, rhythm disturbances, muscle damage), nerve (damage), and brain (cognition).

The adolescent brain suffers numerous toxicities from alcohol. The New York Times shares classic information about teen alcohol risks. Aside from impaired judgment and driving risks, teen alcohol use predisposes to alcoholism and impairs brain centers responsible for learning, memory, and spatial relationships.

Peer pressure often overrules both prohibitions and common sense, even despite athletic suspensions.

But why should student-athletes particularly care? A single night’s alcohol use hurts 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.

Teen girls are at even higher risk.  Sports require both coordination and complex spatial processing. Studies showed decreased brain activity in relevant areas (by brain imaging with functional MRI).

Alcohol use by teen athletes compromises central (brain) and peripheral (muscle and organ) function, some of which can be irreversible. Alcohol use shows selfishness as athletes hurt themselves and teammates. High performance demands exceptional behaviors, high commitment, and discipline.

Coaches fear losing players and underachievement by impaired players. This weekend former Melrose Athletic Director Sonny Lane gets inducted into the Melrose Hall of Fame. Coach Lane feels his greatest contribution as AD was developing the Chemical Health policy. He made a special contribution to volleyball, hiring Coach Scott Celli. 

Maybe you think, "I won't get caught." In the Social Media era, people are all too willing to drop a dime on you. You will get caught, hurting yourself, your family, and your team. You're either all in for the team or you're not.