Jack Clark, the Cal rugby coach, is one of the finest coaches in the world. Study him.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Melrose - Frontier Statistics
Good teams have good statistics. And long matches produce more points, more kills, more assists, and more defensive statistics.
Sadie Jaggers had a career high in kills, eclipsing her previous high set last year against Frontier.
Leah Fowke had 39 assists and four kills. The 5'9" junior has the potential to expand kills via selective attack of second balls and setter dumps.
The breadth and height of the dig and serve receive numbers was impressive.
The serving percentage was over 85 percent, not spectacular but not as limited as it seemed.
Noteworthy is Watertown nearing .500, Woburn carrying a five game winning streak, and Wakefield at 6-2. The ML12 is 14-8 in non-league games.
Again, Coach Scott Celli's observation about rising parity reinforces the need for physical and mental preparation for every game.
Melrose continues to grow team and individual play. The six game winning streak reflects improved play.
Melrose - Frontier Highlights from MHS-TV (Part 1 - Sets 1 - 3)
So many highlights, so little time. Video from MHS-TV edited with YouTubetrimmer.
Set 1:
Melrose rescues the point twice with Manon Marchais and Grace Gentile sacrificing the body.
More great defense and Sofia Papatsoris finishes.
Melrose wins the set on a violation as the attacker's foot goes under the net across the center line (injury risk).
Set 2:
A pair of great sets by Leah Fowke earn Melrose a point.
Manon Marchais had her best game of the season with strong decision-making and execution.
Melrose and Sabine Wenzel staved off set point late with this smash.
Set 3:
Setter Leah Fowke did it all including four big kills.
Great defense from Grace and Sofia.
Sabine used her length and timing to earn ten blocks.
Sadie Jaggers uses the block as a tool for one of her TWENTY kills.
Having fought off three set points, Melrose takes control at the net with Sabine getting a stuff block and an intimidation point.
Game 8: Melrose 3 Frontier 2
Breathless. Melrose hosted Frontier and survived a 26-24, 23-25, 27-25, 24-26, 15-6 five set donnybrook over the top-ranked D4 power. The win raises Melrose's record to 7-1 and breaks the non-league win drought suffered last season.
Melrose had a decisive edge at the net with Sadie Jaggers, Sabine Wenzel, and Sofia Papatsoris blocking and altering Frontier attacks. And Frontier dominated with powerful serves from multiple sources.
There were too many highlights to summarize quickly, so I will share video highlights in a subsequent post.
It's a signature win for many of the younger Melrose players. Meanwhile, Coach Scott Celli sees opportunity to clean up a lot of technical errors.
I want to see the video before saying more, but the play of Gigi Albuja and Leah Fowke get lost in the noise. Also, in a big game, senior Manon Marchais stepped up her game.
Volleyball notes: The MIAA rankings had powerful predictive value and that narrowly proved true today.
Average
Anyone can be average. #DailyWisdom via @BallIsPsych pic.twitter.com/MyHGOtITsN
— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) September 30, 2023
None of you are average.
- Average can't earn a spot on the team.
- Average can't get time on the floor.
- Average can't win league crowns.
- Average can't win sectional titles.
But you're not here because of past history. You're here to write your own.
Why Do We Play?
Compete. Some of my fondest memories coaching aren't victories, but seeing our girls give great effort against superior teams. Be worthy competitors at all times. We lost to Andover (some of those girls played on a State Champion last year) by four. The Andover parents told the girls they competed hardest of any team they played. That's memorable.
Connect. You write your story. Clarify to everyone watching that you know your intended destination. Get people on board with you.
Ultrashort Video on Attack Mechanics
Ultrashort video reviewing attack footwork into arm swing. Great players have great fundamentals - footwork, balance, maneuvering speed.
There is no "muscle memory." It's myelin memory as nerve conduction pathways in the brain get reinforced with insulating myelin.
Start with the footwork.
Review the arm setup.
Combine and attack.
You don't need a court or a ball to practice these.
Friday, September 29, 2023
Long-Term Keys to Success
"Do more of what works and do less of what doesn't."
Keys for Melrose:
1) Player development. Where you are is not where you are going.
2) Block the outside hitter. Excellent teams all bring the rain from the outside. Nobody stops excellent players, but they work to contain them with anticipation, footwork and quickness to the block, and aggressiveness.
3 Develop attack versatility (Three dynamic hitters key deep playoff runs).
4) Serve consistently. Review the service training videos. Have a plan. Toss consistently, make good contact, focus.
5) Cross the red line. When you cross the red line onto the court, engage fully. "Next play."
Melrose - Frontier Preview
The Melrose - Frontier rivalry has developed into a productive one for both teams.
Frontier arrives 6-2, top-ranked in MIAA Division 4 rankings. Last season Frontier won a hard-fought match in South Deerfield, 3-2.
The MaxPreps.com Match History tab shows that Melrose holds a slight edge in the series that dates to 2016. There was no match during the COVID 2020 season.
Coaches Scott Celli and Sean McDonald have a lot in common. Both operate legacy programs and have coached both girls and boys. Both are in the Massachusetts Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Both believe in "anyone, anytime, anywhere" playing tough opponents like Westborough.
Carolyn Deane leads the team in both kills and digs/set. Olivia Machon has a potent serve with 31 aces and Aliana Pierce is their quarterback at setter.
Expect a highly competitive match between two of the more consistent Massachusetts programs during the past twenty years.
Gametime: 3 PM Saturday afternoon
POWER RANKINGS released. Melrose at Three
The initial MIAA power rankings are out. They reflect winning margins and strength of schedule
Melrose checks in at #3 in Division 2. Burlington (10), Woburn (13) and Reading (17) are ML12 notables in D2. Wakefield (5) is outperforming in D3.
The importance of power rankings are playoff seeding. The higher ranked team is home seed for the first three rounds of the rounds of 32. The Final Four are played at neutral sites.
There is a long way to go. Focus on bringing the best version of yourself to play every match.
Maxpreps Updated Statistics
State statistics have nuances.
Volume statistics like kills, assists, and digs depend on games played, sets played, and statistics/set.
For example, Leah Fowke is 23rd in assists, but 13th in a combination of total assists and assists/set. Within Division 2, she is 9th but 5th if ranked by assists and assists/set.
Sadie Jaggers is 29th in kills and Grace Gentile is 40th in digs.
Maxpreps.com rankings through early 9/28/23.
Frontier Saturday
Frontier has an awesome website. Too much information to capture and keep fully up to date. They have more championships than probably fit on their template. But study some valuable pieces.
Carving Your Legacy - Tips on Craft and Mindset
Winning is hard. That's what makes it valuable.
Pressure is a privilege. Many players on weaker teams never play meaningful games and pivotal points. Former golfing great Lee Trevino said, "pressure is playing a five dollar Nassau with two dollars in your pocket."
Legacy is what we leave behind. I've used the Chinese word for crisis wrong as is common. "Crisis" is not danger plus opportunity but more like danger plus "change point" or "inflection point."
That's where Melrose volleyball 2023 is in the season, approaching a turning point, facing high quality opponents. All the top teams play a challenging nonleague schedule. "Iron sharpens iron."
Coaches want our teams to reflect our philosophy - preparation, skilled execution, aggressiveness, caution at the right times, mental toughness, resilience. You can't take a big swing when off-balance or out of position. That's lack of discipline. Just as in tennis, there's a time to go for an ace and second service.
Here's a digression to three quotes from the classic, "The Inner Game of Tennis" -
Someday you will look back at your volleyball career, you legacy as among the best days of your lives. For now, focus on bringing the best version of yourself to your family, school, and to whatever you do.
Lagniappe. I am not a volleyball expert. So STUDY the video. Think about it.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Quality First
Seek excellence not validation. Entrepreneur Sara Blakely preaches, "obsess the product." The players are the product.
Dave Smart is among the finest coaches anywhere. A key Smart concept is, "every day is player development day." NBA legend Kevin Durant owns a similar philosophy, waking and asking, "how can I get better today?"
Be intentional with specific growth plans daily.
- Build your body to become stronger and more explosive.
- Watch video of your technique...your footwork, platform, passing, and arm swing.
- Refine technique that applies to your position.
- Practice mindfulness to become more resilient.
Quality preparation
- Players, maintain your notebook. After every practice and game write out three things done well and one to improve upon.
- Maintain and revise a drill book.
- Maintain and edit your playbook.
- Have a teaching file of clips.
- Consider maintaining a blog.
- Develop practice schedules using all of the above.
Quality teaching
- Be specific.
- Get and give feedback as a check of learning.
- Mentor within the team.
- Concept dependent - spacing, player and ball movement, finishing
- Track errors by type and cause (decision or execution problem)
- Don't confuse aggressive play with reckless play.
- Develop 'possession enders' (setting, digging, attacking)
- Track shot quality (no 'shot turnovers').
- "The quality of the pass relates to the quality of the shot"- Pete Carril
Quality defensive possessions
- Excellent defense starts with blocking to help the back row.
- Have an attitude of keeping the ball in play.
- Contest shots without committing net errors.
- No missed assignments (coverage).
- Talk. The ball cannot hit the floor.
- "Same page" mentality (e.g. coverage, setter choices)
Lagniappe. Service tips. Struggling? Adjust toss, stance, and focus.
Stat Line and More
As expected statistics were mixed.
Sadie Jaggers (15) had a strong hitting game outside and Sabine Wenzel (13) worked her short game to hit over and around blocks.
Leah Fowke added another 28 assists.
On the downside, Melrose had an 83.5 percent serving percentage which will not beat stronger clubs.
Around the league, Woburn handed Belmont its first Liberty Division defeat 3-1 and Wakefield defeated Burlington.
Coach Celli's observation about more parity rings true.
It would be great if every team had live stream capabilities allowing fans to see more action and players to showcase their skills in more venues.
Game 7: Melrose 3 Wilmington 1
Melrose defeated Wilmington 21-25, 25-10, 25-12, 25-7 to raise their record to 6-1. Since 2007, Melrose raised its record to 27-0 versus Wilmington and Wilmington last won a set in 2018.
Coming off an emotional win at Burlington, Melrose faced a trap game, with potential for overconfidence. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened with service problems and lackluster play as they fell behind 9-17. A closing 12-8 rally was not enough to prevent the Wildcats from sinking their claws into Melrose.
Whatever Coach Scott Celli said or collective smelling salts did, Melrose responded to the wake-up call in the second set.
Maggie Turner led off serving the second set and Sadie Jaggers delivered a kill to start the set right.
Wilmington had no answers.
In set three, Melrose leading 21-9, Sofia Papatsoris is called in the net.
She looks baffled by the call. Go to the original feed at 1:15:02 and set the playback speed to 0.25. I'm not banging on the officials, but it appears that the attacker strikes the tape on her follow-through. The officiating did not impact the outcome.
Papatsoris gets redemption on point 36 with a stuff block. I thought she was the most effective I have seen her this season.
The fourth set was all Melrose. With Melrose leading 22-6, sophomore middle Sabine Wenzel finishes a short ball in the middle.
Melrose Notes: Melrose goes back in action Saturday against Frontier, the defending Division 5 State Champion. A 3:00 start should allow for a big Saturday crowd.
Sabine Notches Boston Globe PoW Recognition
Sophomore Sabine Wenzel gets a shout out for her 20 kill performance against Freedom Division power Burlington.
Maxpreps.com Division 2 Rankings
It's pointless to worry about rankings relative to Sierra Canyon or other national powers. Perhaps the Maxpreps.com rankings relative to your peers is illustrative.
Four Middlesex League teams show up in their top twenty based upon record and 'strength of schedule'. Don't sleep on Billerica from the tough Merrimack Valley Conference, another team unafraid to play anyone anywhere.
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Dare to Be Great
"When the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box." - John Boys, 1629
Dare to be great. Dream big. Kings and pawns are not alike.
Great is hard. Average is easy.
At the end of each season, every team except one asks, "what did they have that you don't?"
Too few ask, "what do we have that they don't?" Leverage strengths and follow your dreams.
Lagniappe. "Tenacity is a superpower." Do. Not. Quit.
Lagniappe 2. I put up with indoor volleyball with twins. So you can put up with solo indoor volleyball.
Learn from Lincoln
To become a great copycat, study greatness. Find stories and lives to power your dreams, like Tolstoy's tale of meeting barbarians and their request. Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin explains.
“‘But you have not told us a syllable about the greatest general and greatest ruler of the world. We want to know something about him. He was a hero. He spoke with a voice of thunder; he laughed like the sunrise and his deeds were strong as the rock and as sweet as the fragrance of roses. The angels appeared to his mother and predicted that the son whom she would conceive would become the greatest the stars had ever seen. He was so great that he even forgave the crimes of his greatest enemies and shook brotherly hands with those who had plotted against his life. His name was Lincoln and the country in which he lived is called America, which is so far away that if a youth should journey to reach it he would be an old man when he arrived. Tell us of that man.’"
We don't get a full picture of Lincoln from history class. And Lincoln informs lessons about sports.
"Never signed, never sent." Lincoln wrote "hot letters" to express his anger. But he held them and put them aside. He knew that widening the space between anger and response allowed for a more nuanced answer. That's a great lesson for us. Delay discussions with unhappy players, parents, and administrators to allow heads to cool.
Lincoln's melancholy. Lincoln suffered from chronic and recurrent depression. He lost many loved ones in his life. His friends often worried for his mental health. Always take care of our sanity.
Relaxation, not always good for you. During the Civil War, Lincoln knew the value of rest and relaxation. One of his favorites? He went to the theater over a hundred times. Unfortunately, that work-life balance also caught up with him. I saw a fragment from Lincoln's skull at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology over three decades ago.
Modesty, but not false. Lincoln knew that he wasn't an expert on everything so hired rivals Bates (Attorney General), Chase (Treasury), and Seward (State) as valued cabinet members. You don't have to be best buddies with coworkers but always have good people around you.
Being great at anything means learning as much as possible and applying it with imagination and persistence.
Lagniappe. Culture wins.
10 Things Teammates Don't Let Teammates
— Jeff Janssen (@janssenleader) February 1, 2018
Do In CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURES
1. Cut Corners
2. Whine & Complain
3. Make Excuses
4. Act Selfishly
5. Disrespect Each Other
6. Divide the Team
7. Trash the Coaches
8. Embarrass the Program
9. Give Up
10. Let Teammates Down#HoldemAccountable
Lagniappe 2. Make practice hard and games are easy.
Through Another Lens, Burlington Highlights
Burlington posted their highlights on their MaxPreps.com page.
Studying film of what works and what doesn't has value. Often a few plays separate victory and defeat.
Akeelah
Competitiveness matters.
The ten year-old had her softball uniform on going out the door. "You're going out to play softball?" "No, Daddy, I'm going out to win."
Wanting to win, hitting the floor, taking a big swing in the right situation separates exceptional and ordinary players.
Coach Shawanda Brown exhorted her players guarding the ball, "don't back down!"
Great players and great teams constantly apply pressure. Generally, the more aggressive team wins.
Be hungry for success.
Showing Up
Coach Scott Celli praised the work the group is doing. "The game" gives you nothing. That's true at home, in the classroom, and on the job. "Show up."
“The game doesn't know who you are. The game doesn't know who is supposed to win. All the game asks is to show up every day, give 100%, and respect yourself and others. You must love the game on good days and bad days.”
— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) September 27, 2023
~ @SueEnquist quote via @TheCoachJournal pic.twitter.com/oofXih7JCo
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
96 Tears
Many seasons for competitive teams end in tears. Last season Bishop Fenwick lost in the state basketball finals to archrival St. Mary's. Captain Cecilia Kay told her teammates, "Don't let them see you cry."
Do what you can so you don't hear that from your captains.
From the movie A Million Miles Away,
1. "You have to know what you want."
2. "Look where you're standing. How far you still need to go."
3. "You have to think how you're going to get there."
4. "If you don't know how, you have to learn."
5. "When you think you've made it, you'll probably have to try even harder."
Enjoy yesterday's victory, and go back to work. Play with force.
I see and hear about positive signs.
- I hear about players who value winning.
- Players congratulate each other without envy or jealousy.
- Internal mentoring of players is happening.
- Young players are improving steadily.
- The team shows resilience, rallying from a first set loss.
- Good teams win on the road against other quality teams.
- Players CARE
CARE is magical in sports. Concentration ---> Anticipation ---> Reaction ---> Execution
Talent and resilience win. Keep growing.
Lagniappe. Focus on making the next play.
Melrose - Burlington Stats
Sometimes statistics speak loudly.
Melrose got their serving up to 90 percent with 20 service points for Maggie Turner.
Game 6: Melrose 3 Burlington 1
Melrose (4-1) continued its Middlesex League schedule with a stiff road challenge in the Burlington Lady Devils (6-1). The winner emerges as the favorite in the Middlesex League Freedom Division. And Melrose captured the win 19-25, 25-11, 25-19, 25-23.
The win keeps Melrose (5-1) undefeated in the Freedom Division and gives Burlington its first Freedom Division loss.
Melrose stepped up with the back row containing Burlington's high octane service game and holding down Burlington's hitters with excellent blocking from the front row.
Full statistics will follow but Sophomore Sabine Wenzel delivered seven blocks and double digit kills.
Melrose delivers the final point using the block as a 'tool'. Great dig by Gigi Albuja and Sabine with the kill.
Melrose hosts Wilmington Thursday at 5:30.
Under Pressure
Excellent players and teams perform well under pressure. By 'well', I mean with less dropoff in performance.
What helps?
1) Stay focused. Remember Coach K's "next play"
2) Break big pieces into smaller ones. Celebrate small wins. "Win this point."
3) Take a breath. Control your breathing.
4) Clear your mind. Mindfulness reduces stress hormones and blood pressure.
5) Be excited not nervous. Have gratitude for the opportunity to play in an important game. Some players and teams never do.
6) TTP. "Trust the process."
7) Remember your COTE of arms - confidence, optimism, tenacity, and enthusiasm from Performing Under Pressure.
8) Remind yourself of identity and performance. "This is who we are. That is what we do."
9) Visualize success. Replay your "highlight reel" of the perfect serve, the powerful attack, or great dig.
10) Been there. Done that. Find a signature win.
Boston Globe All-Sports Rankings
After a 'down' year in 2022-23, Melrose is off to a good start early this season. There are 39 teams in Dalton Division 3.
Monday, September 25, 2023
Ego Is the Enemy. Make Excellence Your Only Agenda.
Everyone wants and needs support. Part of our job as coaches is positive reinforcement.
"I believe in you."
"You can do this. You've made the plays for us again and again." ("Confidence comes from proven success.")
"You have the best process of any player I've coached."
Twenty-two time National Champion UNC Women's Soccer Coach Anson Dorrance only shows positive video clips to players. Dorrance also has a sign in the locker room, EXCELLENCE IS OUR ONLY AGENDA. That implies performance, TEAM, and eliminating distractions (rivalries and pettiness).
I'm not recommending it, but I titled my book, "The Simple Guide to Girls' Basketball, The Game Is for the Players." That reflects my belief in creating a program not a statue. Coach Scott Celli has done a great job building sustainable competitive success.
But ego destroys success, too. Ego prevents us from thinking beyond ourselves. It keeps us thinking "in the box." It denies Mr. Rogers' advice to "look for the helpers." It says, "It's all about me."
Be proactive. Think about how we can give more.
Lagniappe. Here's a solid summary of Ryan Holiday's book.
Lagniappe 2. Thoughts on your volleyball journey.
One of the best servers Melrose had was Alyssa DiRaffaele with her hard topspin slider.
Boston Globe Spotlight on Burlington
The Boston Globe featured Burlington. Melrose heads to Burlington Tuesday.
Rankings
Rankings are opinions and not cause for celebration or despair. Want to move up? "Just win, baby..."
The only rankings that 'matter' are the MIAA.net power rankings which are not yet released.
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Mentoring, The Shortcut to Excellence
Mentors matter.
I've been blessed to have great mentors in medicine and in basketball. In medicine, CAPT Tom Walsh (Pulmonary) and CAPT Bill Baker (Cardiology) were exceptional role models and clinicians. In basketball, my coach Sonny Lane (New England Basketball Hall of Fame) is a mentor and still a friend. I count many readers/group members as mentors, too numerous to mention individually.
First, a saying I've stolen, "mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." Second, "Find a mentor...and become one."
*Adapted from MasterClass lesson from Rosalind Brewer, Fortune 500 CEO - This took place at Spellman.
Rosalind Brewer shares her mentoring process.
Normally it takes place over years.
The first session is "ask me anything."
"Make sure people feel nurtured and comforted."
"...Shows up as complex problems solved."
"Is the data real? How does it come to life?" She worked as an organic chemist and feels comfortable with problem solving.
"I hope people see me as a full-spectrum leader...I'm growing the people around me and they're gaining something from being on the team."
"I feel obligated to make changes in that space" (to promote diversity and advancement."
"Stay steadfast to your dreams."
She took demotions to change industries. She took a step back to learn new skills, embrace change, and earned back her position.
Adapt and Overcome: Tether Yourself to Veteran Leaders
"Two is one and one is none." The Navy SEALs inform this adage to execute "life and death" missions.
It also applies in training. One SEAL candidate was doing everything well but narrowly failed the long-distance swim, missing the time by a few seconds. Instructors gave him a second chance, pairing him with a strong swimmer who literally helped pull him to a passing mark (swimmers were tethered together).
As a young player finding your way, look to experienced players like Sadie, Grace, and Leah for advice. Sadie developed close friendships with Elena and Gia, working her way into playing both in the front and the back.
Underclassmen like Sabine, Emme, and Anna, 'tie yourselves' to veterans to leverage their experience and resilience as part of the team culture of winning.
Twenty-years ago the team had great senior leadership with Marianne Foley, Erin Hudd, Amanda Labella, Denise Applegate and others and up and coming young guns in support. Coach Scott Celli's coaching and solid talent translated into Melrose's first sectional title.
Two concepts from UNC Soccer Coach Anson Dorrance apply: 1) continual ascension with daily player development and the 2) competitive cauldron where players push each other to higher levels.
Continual ascension shows up with both the 'eyeball test' and statistics. I think that both Sabine (12) and Manon (11) put up career highs in kills against Wakefield. Add in the steadiness of the back row (Grace, Maggie, and GiGi) and offense from Sadie and the "score takes care of itself."
Alex Homan had a career day on the service line and Sofia Papatsoris's best volleyball is ahead of her.
Coaches don't go it alone either. We read, study, watch video and courses, and seek input from other coaches.
Lagniappe. Anson Dorrance discusses Calvin and Hobbes and ascension.
"You get to decide who you're gonna be."
Dorrance answers the question, "what are you an expert in?"
Charles Barkley asks, "what is your NBA skill?" As a player, what skill do you have or will you develop to get and keep you on the floor?
Find a Shortcut to Success, Professor Adam Grant
The luckiest among us find exceptional mentors - parents, teachers, coaches, and select others. Remember, "mentoring is the only shortcut to success."
You could read one of his excellent books such as Give and Take. Or with smaller bites, follow him on Threads. Grant was the youngest tenured professor at Wharton and the highest rated.
Post by @adamgrantView on Threads
Mr. Rogers had a saying, "look for the helpers." Grant helps.