Sport Rewards Athletic Explosiveness

Volleyball Off-Season Workout

Week 1 - Day 2

a) Hori Jumps
b) Accel Circuit
c) Total Body Lift

Day 2 focusing on building speed in the first 10-20m of accele

Love to pair our horizontal jumps with our accel days

Oly lifts & squats to build strength in the lower body pic.twitter.com/l3gt3duECM

— Keith Ferrara (@keithjferrara) February 19, 2026

The idea isn't to become a "gym hero." Develop functional strength, quickness, vertical jump, and conditioning that pays off late in games.

Elite fitness that you've seen in players like Elena Soukos, Gia Vlajkovic, Sadie Jaggers, and others comes from work. 

When you return for tryouts in late August, leave an impression. Always warmup before getting into strength and conditioning. 

Lagniappe. Become a habit master.   

Little things done consistently make a big difference: this is true with good and bad habits, behaviors, and decisions! Do anything enough times and it will move you in one direction or the other!

— Alan Stein, Jr. (@AlanSteinJr) February 20, 2026

"Win the Drill"

This is an awesome teaching point

Have a “win every drill” mindset and everything else will be okay

pic.twitter.com/TiIaDudx30

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 17, 2026

Coaches want players to succeed and practice is where that starts. Success begins long before the first serve of the season in September.

Clarity

"Compete." When you "cross the red line" onto the court, "be the best version of yourself."

Specificity

What helps you to "always be your best?" Be focused. The last point, won or lost doesn't matter. Win this point. "Don't cheat the drill." 

Coachability

Whatever the task or skill, do it however your current coach, club or MVB wants it done. That's a vital part of building trust and trust gets you and keeps you on the court. 

Excel in Your Role

Maybe you're not a "fully-formed" player with skills across the range of serve, pass, attack, block, set, dig. You might have the skill set needed to contribute at right side, e.g. block, hit. If Coach Celli needs you to be the "jack in the box" because you can, be that guy. 

Lagniappe. Part of leadership and "influence" as a teammate is likability. 

Leadership QOTD: “People don’t listen to people they don’t like.” pic.twitter.com/7jbVXpZ0kT

— Allistair McCaw (@AllistairMcCaw) February 17, 2026

Be Worthy

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose institution.  

Ben McCollum: "I think some coaches, they come in here and they (say), 'Ah, it's unacceptable.' And it is. We need to play hard. We need to play better than that. But you don't sit here and say, 'I'm embarrassed.' Because I'm not. I'm not embarrassed. They kicked our butt for us.… pic.twitter.com/VQi9KqaY9R

— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) February 15, 2026

In twenty-four years, I have not heard or read Coach Scott Celli say, "We don't have good players; we don't have enough talent."

Excuses don't win games, league titles, or championships. Nothing has less value than excuses. John Wooden simplified, "Dont whine. Don't complain. Don't make excuses."

"Control what you can control..." vintage Stoicism.

"Make every day your masterpiece." - John Wooden 

"Be a great teammate." Teamwork is a choice.

"Always do your best." Your best leaves no room for regret. Sometimes our best won't be as good as the other guy's.

"Don't back down." Whether you're playing the top seed or a low seed, bring the same fight. When Melrose had a powerhouse basketball team, an opposing coach told me, "They're hard to play. You're always going to get five girls who are good players running up and down the court. That's hard to match." 

Regardless of the situation, be a worthy opponent, the kind that will fight and claw and scratch your eyes out. 

Lagniappe. Be like the V-Rex. 

Do not quit. 

Fighters

 
Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle said it best: 

Study Video to Read and React Faster

Volleyball is a thinking-person's sport and it's a 'reacting-person's' sport.

Many sports break down as offense, defense, and conversion (the moments between offense and defense). And scoring divides into point production and point prevention. 

Serve-receive is a vital part of point prevention and conversion as it begins the ideal "pass-set-hit" sequence. 

The video (watch at 1.5 speed for efficiency) shows defenders reading and reacting to serves with an emphasis on eye work. Batters watches a pitcher's release point seeking clues on velocity, direction, and spin. So should volleyball defenders. 

If defenders can access "end zone" video (contact your coaches), you can study opponents and apply your knowledge to "early warning" of serve type. Gary Klein discusses this in great depth in the book Sources of Power. Military radar operators have to judge rapidly profiles of velocity, direction, and acceleration to identify aircraft from missiles. 

AI take: 

PROMPT: In "Sources of Power" Gary Klein discusses recognition-primed decisions, especially for radar operators detecting airplane versus missile. Can you break similarities for volleyball serve receive? 

Yes. And it’s not a stretch at all.

Klein’s recognition-primed decision making (RPD) is about making good decisions fast when there isn’t time to compare options. Experts don’t “analyze” in the moment. They recognize a pattern, pick the first workable action, then mentally simulate it for a split second: Will this work here? If yes, they go.

That’s radar operators. It’s also great serve receive.

The core similarity

Radar operator: “Is that blip an aircraft or a missile?”
They don’t run a spreadsheet. They scan for cues (speed, trajectory, signature, context), match to a prototype, then act.

Serve receive passer: “Is this serve seam? Short? Flat and fast? Late float? Jump-topspin to 1?”
Same deal. You’re solving a high-speed classification problem with noisy data.

1) Cue pickup under time pressure

RPD depends on noticing the right cues, early.

In serve receive, the best passers don’t wait for the ball to “tell the truth” at the last second. They read pre-contact cues:

• Server’s starting spot and preferred lane

• Toss (height, in front/behind, left/right drift)

• Approach angle (straight vs. across)

• Shoulder line / hips at contact

• Contact sound + contact point (clean/topspin vs. float)

• Immediate ball behavior: early wobble, flattening, topspin dive

That’s the volleyball version of “signature” and “track.”

2) Prototypes, not options

Klein’s experts have a library of patterns: “This looks like that.”

Serve receive prototypes might be:

• “This is her flat float to seam when she’s under stress.”

• “This is his jump-topspin to deep 5 when we’re in rotation X.”

• “This is the short serve bait to pull our OH in.”

A novice sees “a serve.”
An expert sees a known kind of serve with an expected next behavior.

3) Expectancies and anomaly detection

Radar operators don’t just look for what is there; they look for what should be there. When reality violates expectations, alarms go off.

Great passers do this constantly:

• “Her toss usually doesn’t drift—why did it drift?”

• “That approach is more across than normal—seam is coming.”

• “Ball is floating but not wobbling—it’ll stay truer and travel faster.”

The best passers are great at ‘something’s off’ detection.

4) The first workable action, then a quick mental simulation

RPD is not “pick the perfect option.” It’s “pick the first good one and test it fast.”

Serve receive version:

1. Recognize: “Deep float to my right hip.”

2. Action script: “Beat it with feet, angle platform to target, hold line.”

3. Mental sim (split second): “If I lean early I’ll shank—stay centered, move late, absorb.”

No deliberation. Just a script plus a check.

5) Scripts are team-based, not just individual

Radar decisions often happen in a system with shared language and procedures. Same in serve receive.

Serve receive RPD improves when the team shares:

• Seam rules (“mine/yours”)

• Short-ball rules

• Overlap priority (libero vs. OH)

• Emergency rules (“if it drops inside 10-foot line, take it with hands if possible”)

Without shared scripts, recognition doesn’t translate to clean action. It translates to hesitation.

Where volleyball differs (important)

Radar operators often have more time and can re-check. Serve receive is one-and-done: you’re judged by your first solution.

Also, servers can intentionally “spoof” you (change toss rhythm, go short after deep, etc.). So your recognition library must include deception patterns and “anti-patterns.”

How to train RPD for serve receive

If you want your athletes to “see it faster,” train like Klein would:

1) Build prototypes (pattern library)

• Scout tendencies: zones, pressure choices, favorite serves by rotation

• Give passers names for patterns (“late float,” “fast flat,” “drop-short,” “seam sniper”)

2) Train cue pickup (pre-contact)

• Video occlusion: pause at toss / at contact; passer calls zone/type

• On-court “call it early”: passer must call type + zone before the ball crosses the net

3) Train mental simulation with quick reflection

After each rep, ask one question:

• “What cue made you move?”
  or

• “What did you expect, and what surprised you?”

That builds anomaly detection.

4) Use variable reps, not blocked reps

Blocked reps build comfort. Variable reps build recognition.

Mix:

• short/deep

• seam/line

• float/topspin

• different servers back-to-back

5) Encode “if–then” rules

• If toss drifts left → expect seam to 6/5

• If approach is across body → expect crosscourt

• If ball is flat with no wobble early → get feet there sooner

Simple. Repeatable. Shareable.

 

"One Team, One Fight"

General George Joulman greeted superiors and subordinates with "one team, one fight.," That places everyone on the same team and leaves no ambiguity.

It's not always agenda-free in team sports. Recall the sign in the University of North Carolina women's soccer locker room. 

Excellence is our only agenda

It doesn't read, "my playing time" or "my stats" or "my All-America campaign." They won 22 National Championships through commitment to team excellence. And you know that every woman on those elite teams wanted to play. 

The "Team First" standard is a big ask in a world of scholarships and NIL money for some. "Team First" attitude comes as part of the culture promoted and nurtured by Coach Scott Celli and his staff. 

Former UNC basketball coach Roy Williams shared a story about watching a recruit who fouled out. The player didn't sulk. He sprinted to the water cooler to get water for the four guys still on the court during the thirty second substitution period. Williams knew he had a keeper. UNC legend Dean Smith said he didn't recruit superstars who didn't help their team win. And he said if a recruit was dismissive to his parents, then Smith didn't want him either. Character is Job One.

I keep an eye on what's going on with reserve players during games. Are they dialed in, studying the game and supporting the team. 

Leading 2-1, late in the fourth set of a playoff game, Emma Desmond makes one of the great plays in MVB history. Watch the bench. 

"One team, one fight." 

Lagniappe. The roster and lineups for MVB 26 won't be known for over six months. What is certain is that trust earns opportunity. 

LEADERS….
3 things your team wants from you:

1. Clarity: Provide clarity which leads to focused action.
2. Belief: Encourage and let them know you believe in them and what they can accomplish.
3. Trust: They want to know you trust them and that they can trust you.

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) February 15, 2026

Lagniappe 2. The non-schedule is coming together. Included are: Marblehead, @Newburyport, @Ipswich, Lynn Classical, @Methuen. There is room for seven non-league games. 

 

AC in DC?

Melrose has a number of Avidity Club volleyball participants in Washington, D.C. for an offseason tournament. (Photos via Facebook) 

Being Present

Full commitment helps elite operators make faster, better, instinctive decisions. Total commitment "takes a lot of work," the opposite of multitasking.

“I’m letting the team down because I turned the ball over, I’m letting the team down because I missed a shot

No, you’re letting the team down when it parlays into 4-5 possessions after that.”

The best have a next play mentality

(Via @BallisPsych 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/A2jskIQgjd

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 14, 2026

How can we build the habit of "playing present?"

• Reduce distractions (e.g. background television)
• "Pomodoro technique" - 25 minutes work/study, 5 minute break
• Mindfulness. Mindfulness improves attention. 
• Remove the cellphone from our immediate environment. Schools recognized this and banned cellphone use during class. 

Input from AI (ChatGPT Plus)

Attention Wins Points

Volleyball is not chaotic. It only feels that way to the unfocused mind.

The ball moves fast. The rallies are short. One lapse becomes a point. The scoreboard is an honesty machine.

We talk about skill, vertical, strength, speed. All matter. But attention may be the most undertrained skill in high school sports.

You can be strong and distracted.
You can be talented and late.
You can be athletic and unaware.

Attention is the separator.

Focus Is a Trainable Skill

Attention is not a personality trait. It is a habit.

Five minutes a day of quiet breathing — count from one to ten and restart when your mind wanders — builds the same muscle that allows a libero to read a hitter’s shoulder or a blocker to hold discipline on a slide.

If you can’t hold your attention in a quiet room, you won’t hold it in a loud gym.

Shrink the Target

“Play better” is useless.

“Low and loaded before every serve receive” is actionable.
“See the setter’s hands before I move” is actionable.
“Call seam early and loud” is actionable.

Attention improves when the cue is specific.

Big goals distract. Small cues anchor.

Pre-Decide Under Pressure

Great teams reduce thinking in the moment because they’ve already thought before the moment.

If we give up three straight points, we huddle and reset.
If I miss a serve, I breathe and repeat my routine.
If I feel tight, I exhale and say my cue word.

Pre-decisions protect attention from emotion.

Respect the Routine

Watch elite servers. Same breath. Same bounce. Same target.

Routine reduces randomness.

Before every serve:

• Deep breath.

• Visualize zone.

• Cue word: “High and hard.”

Routine shifts attention from fear (“Don’t miss”) to execution.

Eliminate Attention Leaks

Sleep matters.
Phones fragment attention.
Emotional drama drains bandwidth.

A tired brain makes more unforced errors. A distracted athlete misses seams and tips. A reactive player chases the ball instead of reading the play.

Attention requires recovery.

Make Focus Measurable

If you want attention to improve, measure it.

Track:

• Serve routine adherence.

• First contact quality.

• Communication errors (“campfires”).

• Late transitions.

Film should not be passive. Show ten clips. Ask one question per clip:
Where were her eyes?
What cue was missed?
What happened first?

Attention sharpens when thinking is active.

Process Before Outcome

Scoreboards are outcomes. Attention lives in process.

Control what you can control:

• Attitude

• Choices

• Effort

Every rally asks one question:
Were you present?

The teams that sustain focus win the long match. The ones that drift lose tight sets.

Talent sets the ceiling.
Attention sets the floor.

And in volleyball, the floor matters.

 

 

Relentless

pic.twitter.com/SzHxyIf92w

— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) February 14, 2026

Jay Bilas is a former Duke Blue Devil, practicing attorney, national television broadcaster, and author of the book, "Toughness." 

Success doesn't demand perfection. 

Chase excellence and you have a great chance at catching consistency. Combine consistency with ability and toughness and you've got something special. It's your choice. 

Learning to Be a Lioness

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

Over the past twenty-five years, hundreds of young women have passed through the MVB program. Fewer than ten have "won big" with multiple sectional titles and elite individual recognition. That opportunity lies ahead for some of you. 

Jose, the valedictorian at Arrupe Jesuit in Denver was the first in his family to complete high school. How?

"I was never, ever given the opportunity to fail," Jose answered simply. "People kept pushing me. They picked me up when I fell. They believed in me. If they felt that way about me, I had to feel that way about me." And then he added, "I have changed the history of my family." - from "It Worked for Me," by General Colin Powell 

As a youngster, your parents support and nurture you. They protect you, encourage you, guide you, and then expand your range. They sacrifice so you learn how to become a lioness.

Without the lioness oversight, the cubs don't survive. The cycle repeats for thousands of generations.

"Mentoring is the only shortcut to success." The lion cubs don't have a choice. If they wander away from their den, the lioness grabs them and brings them back. It's natural for them to explore and their mother knows of unseen hazards that they haven't encountered. 

Your parents are your first mentors. 

Your teachers add value in a next phase. 

Your coaches help you to understand the game, competition, and some life hacks, too. Because you're receptive to coaching. 

You have a lot of people helping you to become a lioness...

An example from MVB past who was a lioness and a unicorn 

Second Helping - Three Columns

Take a piece of paper and fold it into three sections. Now apply labels to each. 

• Great players
• Great winners
• Great players who are great winners

"There's a big difference in being a great player and being a great winner.
The best players are both.
When you are a great winner, you are committed to the invisible.
Your commitment level to the things that drive team success that get no recognition is at the highest level." pic.twitter.com/QC9EGH2RDh

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) February 13, 2026

What qualities belong to the players who excel individually and collectively? 

Think about Bill Russell

• 14 championships in 15 years (2 NCAA, Olympics, 11 NBA)
• 21-0 in "Win or go home" games
• "My ego depends on the success of my team."

Attitude. "The team comes first."

Leadership. "Whatever it takes."

Role. "Make teammates better..."

Resilience. Never quit, regardless of the situation. 

Go back to our piece of paper. Where do you want to be listed? 

Lagniappe. More on topspin

Another factor in successful attacks is high "contact point" above the net. Low contact points can cause hitting into the net and higher frequency of being blocked.

 

For the girls playing in DC this weekend, have a great experience. 

Rising Ambition

A second lieutenant sits next to a general in the Officers' Club and asks, "How do you make general?" "Well, son," said the general, "here's what you do. You work like a dog, you never stop studying, you train your troops hard and take care of them. You are loyal to your commander and your soldiers. You do the best you can in every mission, and you love the Army. You are ready to die for the mission and your troops. That's all you have to do." The lieutenant replied with a soft voice, "Wow, and that's how you make general..." "Naw, that's how you make first lieutenant. Just keep repeating it, and let 'em see what you got." - Colin Powell in "It Worked for Me"

You made the team. That's a beginning not the end. Your question is obvious, "How do I contribute?"

It's not complicated, but it's not easy. 

Commit to have the will to prepare. 

Lead. Everyone can lead. 

Be the hardest worker.

Choose to be the best teammate. 

Grow your skills, athleticism, and mental toughness. 

Raise you volleyball IQ. Become an instinctive player who reads and reacts.

Bring the best version of yourself every day. 

Lagniappe. Study Melrose greats. Jen Cain is probably the most underrated player in Melrose history. An undersized attacker, she played at an All-State level for the 2012 Championship team. She was an elite passer and defender and played at a high level in college for Merrimack. When someone says, "she could become another Jen Cain," that is high praise. 

Jen didn’t make general overnight.

She made first lieutenant. Then she kept repeating it.

That’s how contributors are built.

Noise Not News?

All opinions expressed in the blog are mine. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

"Articulating my perspective by writing was an enormous aid to my understanding. But it’s mostly an editing process—I spend much of this quiet time deciding what is not worthwhile. This is… liberating." - Barry Ritholtz in "How Not to Invest" 

Authors work to get the story right. Investigative journalist Bob Woodward tells a cautionary tale: he nearly published a story about a coffee shop that wasn’t actually the coffee shop - similar name, different operation. Verification isn’t just checking the facts. It’s checking the identity. 

MVB Legacy

Players create legacies based on multiple factors - performance, recognition, and winning. There's a mythical MVB "Mount Rushmore;"  three faces are 'easy' - Brickley, Bell, and McGowan. 

Image created by ChatGPT Plus (not a likeness of MVB players)

Hannah Brickley was All-State three times and Brooke Bell and Sarah McGowan were both elite performers on the State Championship team and part of the Boston Herald "Team of the Decade." Winning big and driving winning matter. 

What We Know of MVB 2026

• The revised MVB schedule will create 11 league games (one for each team), 7 non-league games, and 2 seeded league games to be determined. 
• A large contingent of returning players creates intense competition for the triad of positions, roles, and recognition. Opportunity is there for everyone. 
• Two non-league commitments so far - Newburyport and Marblehead

Noise Not News

Two areas change substantially. Opponents can't "load up" with the idea of stopping Sabine Wenzel, who in the words of Rick Pitino "won't be walking back through that door." Inexperience will be less of a factor. The five sophomores and five freshmen from MVB 25 become ten players with a year of experience. 

Outlier 

"The wind blows hardest at the top of the mountain." There's no Freedom Division crown to defend. Every team has turnover, the opportunity to "reload not rebuild." MVB 26 has the chance to plant its flag on the volleyball landscape. That builds excitement. 

Lagniappe. The foundations of high school sports are demonstrating character and competence through competition. 

High school basketball is about more than just X’s and O’s.
- It’s teaching young people to handle pressure without panicking.
- To show up for their teammates, even when it’s hard.
- To walk into adversity with confidence, knowing effort always gives them a shot.

— Steve Collins (@TeachHoopsBBall) February 8, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Great baseball pitchers have combinations of velocity, movement, and control. Many of Melrose's best servers and hitters had a lot of topspin. Develop it. 

From AI: 

Topspin in volleyball is primarily explained by the Magnus effect.

The Real Driver: The Magnus Effect

When a volleyball spins forward (topspin):

• The top of the ball rotates against the direction of flight.

• The bottom rotates with the direction of flight.

• This creates a pressure imbalance in the surrounding air.

• The ball experiences a downward force, causing it to drop faster than gravity alone would produce.

That downward force = Magnus force.

This is why a hard topspin serve can clear the net by inches and still dive sharply into the court.

Where Bernoulli Fits (and where it doesn’t)

The Bernoulli principle explains how faster-moving air has lower pressure. It’s part of the physics description of why the Magnus effect happens—but it’s not the whole story.

Modern physics describes topspin more accurately using:

• Airflow separation

• Boundary layer behavior

• Newton’s third law (deflection of air downward → force upward or downward)

Coaching Translation

If you’re teaching players:

• More spin = more dip

• More velocity + spin = sharper late drop

• Flat contact = float behavior

• Brushed contact = topspin dive

The practical lesson:

Topspin gives you margin. You can swing harder because the ball will fall.

Growth Mindset

pic.twitter.com/kfO5hl8a3h

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) February 11, 2026

You can do it.  

An Eye for Talent

Nobody wins without talent. Spotting, recruiting, developing, retaining, and blending talent gives you a chance to succeed.

Legacy programs include all of the above. Coach Scott Celli and his staff have done a remarkable job over decades. 

Identifying Talent

I asked Coach Celli years ago how long it took him to know that one player would become impactful. He said, "Five minutes." 

Through the years, he's shared observations. He saw that Rachel Johnson had the size, athleticism, and timing to become an elite blocker. He forecast the electric setter play of Leah Fowke. 

Last season during the MVB summer camp, two players especially stood out to me. Both freshmen became impactful MVB 25 rotation players. 

Recruiting

Few high school coaches have the opportunity to 'recruit' talent away from neighbors and competitors. There's no doubt that some schools actively seek established stars. Recruiting starts within your community. The vast majority of MVB players arise in Melrose. Many have now gone through the excellent middle school program and camps. Dr. Victoria Crovo started in the soccer program and moved to volleyball. Many players had older siblings whose success attracted younger girls to volleyball.

Retention

The volleyball 'experience' keeps players. A successful and positive culture is the best available tool to keep Melrose home. 

Player Development

Almost all of the offseason development occurs through the club circuit. In some states, club programs become college feeders. My daughters' friend had a younger sister who didn't make her San Diego high school team. Her performance in her California club earned her an east coast D1 scholarship.

Team Development  

How you play individually and with others defines your ultimate role. Players add value through all four classes. Some players find roles early and others later in their high school career. Alyssa DiRaffaele relocated from the front row to libero and reached a State Final. Gia Vlajkovic helped win a pair of Sectionals, one as setter and another as an outside hitter. 

There's no 'cookie cutter' pathway to success on MVB. The best approach remains to play smart, play hard, play together, and have fun. 

Lagniappe. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry said, "A man has to know his limitations." Nobody can see the future. Economist "John Kenneth Galbraith famously observed, “There are two kinds of forecasters: those who don’t know, and those who don’t know they don’t know.”

Kindness - Part of the Program

"Kindness is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of confidence." - former Secretary of State Colin Powell, in "It Worked for Me."

Years ago, on social media, someone on social media sent me a message. I hadn't seen him since high school. "You were always nice to me." He wasn't a varsity player, but he was part of the program.

That meant a lot. Not every day went smoothly. 

Part of MVB culture is inclusion. 

• Don't make it about star status or graduating class.
• Be a mentor for younger players. 
• Share tips. "Sometimes a great pass attempt isn't as helpful as a good pass completion." Great pass attempts can turn into overpasses or trap the setter at the net.
• Support your teammates because everyone has a bad day. 
• "A kind word goes a long way."

Over a decade ago, I complimented Kayla Wyland's parents about her consistently great demeanor. Her Mom said, "She's just as nice and helpful at home." 

You build your resume one day at a time. 

"To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."

Lagniappe. In baseball, there's a saying, "Slow feet, quick hands." LP makes an argument for "simpler hands and faster feet." 

"Consistently Less Stupid"

All opinions expressed in the blog are my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

Readers beware. "First, people who achieve outstanding success in one sphere are often emboldened to make broad pronouncements in another. Second, listeners find these forecasts incredibly seductive." - Barry Ritholtz in "How Not to Invest" Barry calls this "Halo Effect." 

Make your own strategic decisions. Advice, whether from Tarot, social media, and blogs...is often mediocre...or worse. 

"“It’s remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.”" - Charlie Munger, former Warren Buffett Partner

Volleyball sums to scoring positive points (points won plus opponents' 'giveaways') plus negative points (opponent points won and "our team's" giveaways).

Volleyball Success "control what you can control:"

• Win more points.
• Make fewer errors
• Contain opponents' points won (think blocks and saves)
• More opponent errors (uncontrollable)

If you've had success in a tournament, think about and write down why. And also write down where you could improve next time...and work on that. 

Points Surrendered

• Decision-making (not every ball is attackable, keep "get me over" balls in play)
• Bad execution (bad serves, mis-hits and shanks, communication)
• "Room for improvement" (e.g. closing the block, reading attacks)

Great Artists Steal

1) Be on the lookout for better ways and 2) steal other people's stuff. Use Barry Ritholtz's categories from "How Not To Invest."

1. Bad Ideas

2. Bad Numbers

3. Bad Behavior

4. Good Advice 

Bad Ideas

Among the hardest serves to return are those served to the sideline. The downside is obvious - serving out of bounds. A close second with some exception is serving to the ten foot line. That reminds me of the 8th grade "Shop" teacher's line, "Easy if you know it, hard if you don't." Balance reward and risk. Serve to seams and to weak defenders. 

Bad Numbers

Calculate efficiency as (Success - Failure)/Attempts. If as a team you have low efficiency at whatever (opposite attack, setter dumps, pipe attacks) - do less. "Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." Track data and use it to be better. 

Bad Behavior

Behavior often means choice. Choose to communicate, to cover, to align and serve properly. Campfires, service time or service line violations, and rotation errors all belong in bad behavior. Habitually behave well. 

Other "character-based" forms of bad behavior include substance abuse, laziness, selfishness, and softness (lack of toughness). Nike says, "Just Do It." Your better angel says, "Don't do it." 

Good Advice

More on this in another piece. Recapping, stay simple - make more good plays, fewer bad plays, be a great teammate, and avoid self-destructive thoughts and choices. 

Lagniappe. Leadership --> Relationships --> Value --> via Discipline (Leaders serve.)

Saban on Leadership.

“Leadership is about helping somebody else for their benefit, not yours.” - Nick Saban

True leadership isn’t about power.

It’s about lifting others up and putting the team first.pic.twitter.com/sfvtGRqElI

— Greg Berge (@GregBerge) February 9, 2026

Master and Commander

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely mine. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

English author Patrick O'Brian wrote "Master and Commander" and other novels that addressed the complexity associated with leadership.

There's no easy way to "shortlist" leadership criteria and yet for simplicity and clarity it's an "ambitious try." 

Set high standards while maintaining compassion. 

As team leaders, commit to setting the example, raising the standards, and always being the best possible teammate. When she was a freshman, now Dr. Victoria Crovo was both the best player and the emotional leader. Being young doesn't prevent you from being a leader. Not being a captain doesn't remove your leadership possibilities. 

Surround yourself with talented people (friends and confidants).

Character and competence are contagious. Developing a "critical mass" of high quality people around you make you better...and them. 

Innovate. 

Invest a small amount of time to compound value. What can you do better as an individual or as a team? In one scene from the movie Master and Commander Aubrey lowers a few boats to tug his ship into the fog which limits the attack from another ship which can't see them. 

Inspire. 

Excellent leadership works to expand their 'toolbox'. Coach Scott Celli works out, has scouted opponents directly, and studies college volleyball looking for edges to put you in a position to succeed. 

Lagniappe. Part of your opportunity and obligation as a student-athlete is to derive leadership principles from sport. The ChatGPT AI take on key leadership principles from "Master and Commander":

Here are five leadership principles that translate cleanly to sport.

1. Competence Precedes Authority

Captain Jack Aubrey commands loyalty because he is exceptionally competent—at seamanship, tactics, and decision-making.

For student-athletes

• Teammates follow those who know their craft.

• Skill, preparation, and consistency create informal authority.

• Titles (captain, starter) don’t substitute for mastery.

Locker-room translation:

You earn influence by being reliable when it matters.

Comment: Leadership in all disciplines intersects character and competence. Character is job one. Competence flows after. 

2. Discipline Creates Freedom

Life aboard ship is rigid—routines, roles, hierarchy. That discipline allows the crew to function fluidly during chaos.

For athletes

• Structure in practice → freedom in games.

• Teams with clear standards react faster under pressure.

• Sloppy habits get exposed when the game speeds up.

Basketball/volleyball parallel:
The most creative teams are often the most disciplined ones.

Comment: Discipline cuts twice - doing what must be done when you don't want to and avoiding what you want when you shouldn't do so. 

3. Calm Is Contagious

Aubrey remains composed in storms and battle. His calm stabilizes everyone else.

For student-leaders

• Emotional regulation is leadership.

• Teammates mirror your body language, tone, and pace.

• Panic spreads faster than strategy.

Late-game truth:
The team often plays at the emotional temperature of its best leader.

Comment - In the words of "Legacy" - keep a "blue head" not a red one

4. Respect the Chain of Command—but Listen

Aubrey respects hierarchy while valuing Stephen Maturin’s counsel. Authority doesn’t mean isolation.

For teams

• Clear roles matter.

• Great leaders listen without surrendering responsibility.

• Collaboration strengthens—not weakens—decision-making.

Student-athlete takeaway:
Seek input. Own the final call.

Comment - Players can benefit by having some input. They're the ones required to execute. 

5. Honor Is Doing the Right Thing When It Costs You

O’Brian’s world runs on honor—not showmanship. Reputation is built quietly, over time.

For athletes

• Effort when no one’s watching

• Owning mistakes

• Protecting teammates

• Choosing team success over personal stats

This separates:

• Hall of Fame character from Hall of Very Good talent.

Comment: You don't need a gym to do pogos and skaters, review old game film, or improve your mental game with mindfulness. 

One line that fits a team wall

Leadership is competence under pressure, character under stress, and responsibility without excuse.