Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Game 3: Melrose Burns Tanners 3 - 0
Woburn came to Melrose undefeated, with two top hitters (Laurie Doherty and Julie Miller) and nine seniors. But that wasn't enough as Melrose outlasted the Tanners 25-15, 25-19, and 25-23.
The win keeps Melrose undefeated (3-0) heading into Thursday's match with Notre Dame (Hingham) and drops Woburn to 3-1.
Melrose jumped out of the gate leading 11-1, but Woburn was able to regain some sanity as they rallied down the stretch to narrow the score to 25-15. The Lady Raiders defense was terrific throughout, especially senior captains libero Jill Mercer and setter Lily Fitzgerald. Nearly as impressive were sophomore defenders Nicole Abbott and Mary Kate Mahoney.
Woburn turned the tables in set two, leading 11-5 before a Scott Celli timeout chilled the momentum. Melrose closed with a 20-8 run, galloping down the stretch to win by six.
Woburn again came out hot in the third, leading 7-3. Melrose responded with ties at 12 and 13, and later at 19 and 23. But Melrose won the set with a key rainbow kill from Lily Fitzgerald and a late error.
Game analysis: Woburn seemed a little "out of the moment" early as they are still a young program in the league. But they combined solid blocking up front and excellent libero play to make the match competitive after the first half of the first set. They are going to win a lot of Middlesex League games and be in the post-season. Melrose won with superior defense and big game experience while the hitting was a little off.
The win keeps Melrose undefeated (3-0) heading into Thursday's match with Notre Dame (Hingham) and drops Woburn to 3-1.
Melrose jumped out of the gate leading 11-1, but Woburn was able to regain some sanity as they rallied down the stretch to narrow the score to 25-15. The Lady Raiders defense was terrific throughout, especially senior captains libero Jill Mercer and setter Lily Fitzgerald. Nearly as impressive were sophomore defenders Nicole Abbott and Mary Kate Mahoney.
Woburn turned the tables in set two, leading 11-5 before a Scott Celli timeout chilled the momentum. Melrose closed with a 20-8 run, galloping down the stretch to win by six.
Woburn again came out hot in the third, leading 7-3. Melrose responded with ties at 12 and 13, and later at 19 and 23. But Melrose won the set with a key rainbow kill from Lily Fitzgerald and a late error.
Game analysis: Woburn seemed a little "out of the moment" early as they are still a young program in the league. But they combined solid blocking up front and excellent libero play to make the match competitive after the first half of the first set. They are going to win a lot of Middlesex League games and be in the post-season. Melrose won with superior defense and big game experience while the hitting was a little off.
Tanners on Tap Today
Melrose hosts Woburn today in a match of undefeateds. Woburn comes in with momentum, having shutout Burlington in their last match.
Woburn has invested in their program with a Middle School recreational program and the Krossover game analysis platform.
Krossover breaks down and 'stats' team and individual play. It allows coaches and players to create highlight films or sequences of strong play or errors.
Expect a battle today at the Middle School Gymnasium, with the varsity game expected to start near 5:00 p.m.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Updated Globe Rankings
Polls are fun, not as much as the "If I ruled the World" game, but fun.
The signature volleyball program in Massachusetts, Barnstable, remains atop the rankings. Melrose crept up three places. Hopkinton moved into Division 1 this year.
Stay faithful to the process, the doing today what is necessary to be successful tomorrow.
Standings and Trophies
Note: The opinions expressed within are always solely those of the author. They do not represent the City of Melrose, the School or Athletic Department, or the Volleyball program.
Standings from The Boston Globe
Standings from The Boston Globe
The 'convenience' of splitting the Middlesex League into large (Liberty) and small (Freedom) evolved because certain schools felt non-competitive against bigger schools in some sports. Which program has dominated field hockey for decades? Watertown. Melrose won ten consecutive league titles in girls basketball, including five undefeated seasons. A lifetime ago (when I played), Stoneham won the league title in basketball. Wakefield's girls and boys both won a state championship in the same year, long before the 'restructuring' into large and small.
Melrose has succeeded for the past fifteen years in volleyball with a state championship, seven sectional championships, and over ten league championships...from the 'small' division.
The MIAA had a dozen football champions and restructured because they felt there were too many, reducing the number to six. Already, the creep upwards has occurred, back to eight this season.
Play for the competition, the exercise and numerous benefits of sport, the capacity to make a lifetime of friendships and memories. But the large-small split to create more "champions" has no appeal for me. To become champions, build championship habits and give championship effort. Process defines you, not a trophy.
Saturday, September 09, 2017
Tanner Tilt Tuesday
Melrose defeated Arlington in four sets yesterday...details when available.
The 'gestalt' is that the league is improving, as teams play more competitive non-league schedules and interest in volleyball continues to grow. Melrose hosts Woburn next, with Woburn coming off a shutout of Burlington, which usually is an "upper division" finisher. The more competitive matches the young Lady Raiders face, the better.
Homenewshere.com provides an overview of both Woburn and Reading.
Resources
You're here because of an interest in Melrose volleyball. Additional resources for information, education, and training include:
Maxpreps.com Melrose Volleyball (Register free for all access)
Boston Globe High School Volleyball
Boston Herald High School Insider (periodically includes volleyball)
American Volleyball Coaches Association
Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association (information, previous All-State Teams, etc.)
Massachusetts IAA (MIAA) Volleyball Tournament Information (when available)
USA Volleyball (Education link)
Youtube Art of Coaching Volleyball (link to top flight coaching videos)
Maxpreps.com Melrose Volleyball (Register free for all access)
Boston Globe High School Volleyball
Boston Herald High School Insider (periodically includes volleyball)
American Volleyball Coaches Association
Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association (information, previous All-State Teams, etc.)
Massachusetts IAA (MIAA) Volleyball Tournament Information (when available)
USA Volleyball (Education link)
Youtube Art of Coaching Volleyball (link to top flight coaching videos)
Friday, September 08, 2017
Meditation and Peak Performance
"Imagination leads to innovation which leads to differentiation." - Bill Russell
You want peak performance.
At the pinnacle of the performance pyramid is psychological strength. The Latin phrase, "Mens sana in corpore sano" translates to a sound mind in a sound body." Great. How do you get there?
"Meditation is for the weak-minded." Really?
What can it do for me? "Meditating consistently over a period of time can offer a steady stream of small victories: the ability to eat and sleep better, lift more, run longer, zone out competition and get done what you have to get done." Meditation increase focus (attention), allowing athletes to "play present".
This Harvard Medical School presentation discusses health benefits of meditation. Stress hormones (cortisol, catecholamines - like adrenaline) surge under pressure. They increase heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and can lead to 'tunnel vision' where athletes lose focus of the bigger picture. Meditation lowers stress hormones.
How do I get started? I recommend the Headspace app (the base application is free). The daily presentation (3 minutes) gets you started. As a minimum, I recommend a five minute "body scan" where you work on relaxation technique focusing one minute each on the head, neck, shoulders, front and back of the core.
As for reading, I recommend Search Inside Yourself. You don't have time for the whole book, but here is an excellent summary. Highlights:
You want peak performance.
At the pinnacle of the performance pyramid is psychological strength. The Latin phrase, "Mens sana in corpore sano" translates to a sound mind in a sound body." Great. How do you get there?
"Meditation is for the weak-minded." Really?
What can it do for me? "Meditating consistently over a period of time can offer a steady stream of small victories: the ability to eat and sleep better, lift more, run longer, zone out competition and get done what you have to get done." Meditation increase focus (attention), allowing athletes to "play present".
This Harvard Medical School presentation discusses health benefits of meditation. Stress hormones (cortisol, catecholamines - like adrenaline) surge under pressure. They increase heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and can lead to 'tunnel vision' where athletes lose focus of the bigger picture. Meditation lowers stress hormones.
How do I get started? I recommend the Headspace app (the base application is free). The daily presentation (3 minutes) gets you started. As a minimum, I recommend a five minute "body scan" where you work on relaxation technique focusing one minute each on the head, neck, shoulders, front and back of the core.
As for reading, I recommend Search Inside Yourself. You don't have time for the whole book, but here is an excellent summary. Highlights:
To begin training EI, we begin by training attention.
The ability to pay attention to attention itself. It’s the secret to concentration.
Our attention is the most valuable gift we can give to others.
Meditation demands investing time in yourself instead of spending it. Olympic volleyball champion Kerri Walsh-Jennings is a practitioner.
Can you invest fifteen minutes a day in yourself?
The Nuances of Schedule
"Sometimes you can observe a lot by just watching." - Yogi Berra
There's an old saying, "you have to play the schedule." That may serve as an apology for perceived weakness in a team's competition (e.g. the Patriots' AFC East competition).
But examine your opponent's schedule to see how tough their non-league schedule is to gauge their competitiveness. It reveals their attitude about competition.
Notre Dame of Hingham plays Barnstable, Medfield (2), Westborough, Hopkinton, Frontier, Canton, Melrose, Winchester, and Burlington among others. They will be battle-tested by the playoffs.
Melrose's non-league schedule includes Notre Dame, Central Catholic, Bishop Fenwick, AC, and Frontier. Teams that aspire to deep playoff contention must "ante up" during the regular season. When Melrose won the state championship, they battled Newton North in the final regular season game. A hard-fought loss proved a decisive advantage.
The Lady Raiders' next match in Friday, September 8th, at 5:00 at Arlington.
I'm not old enough to sing the blues
But I wore the holes in the soles of these shoes
You can roll the dice 'til they call your bluff
But you can't win until you're not afraid to lose
- Bon Jovi, Just Older
There's an old saying, "you have to play the schedule." That may serve as an apology for perceived weakness in a team's competition (e.g. the Patriots' AFC East competition).
But examine your opponent's schedule to see how tough their non-league schedule is to gauge their competitiveness. It reveals their attitude about competition.
Notre Dame of Hingham plays Barnstable, Medfield (2), Westborough, Hopkinton, Frontier, Canton, Melrose, Winchester, and Burlington among others. They will be battle-tested by the playoffs.
The Lady Raiders' next match in Friday, September 8th, at 5:00 at Arlington.
I'm not old enough to sing the blues
But I wore the holes in the soles of these shoes
You can roll the dice 'til they call your bluff
But you can't win until you're not afraid to lose
- Bon Jovi, Just Older
Thursday, September 07, 2017
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Promising Start with 3-0 Win Over Lexington
Lexington brought size, talent (a D1 signee), and high hopes to Melrose this afternoon. But Melrose departed with a 25-12, 25-11, 25-7 victory.
Melrose opened with Lily Fitzgerald (setter), Saoirse Connolly and Emma Randolph (middles), Lydia Lombardo (strong side), Grace Davis (opposite), Nicole Abbott (defense) and Jill Mercer (libero). The Lady Raiders exploded to an 8-1 edge and never looked back as everyone contributed to victory.
Melrose attacked 'with INTENT' today, borrowing the Maori paoa, meaning 'strike'. They served violently, applying pressure throughout. This established a calculus of risk-reward contributing to more service errors than usual. But there was no "get me in" mindset. This put the visitors on the defensive from the outset.
The second set saw Lexington with more life early as they leveled the score early at 5-5. But Saoirse, Emma, and Lydia hit with authority to power a Melrose 20-6 run and capture the second set. Erin Torpey (outside) and Mary Kate Mahoney (defense) provided solid support. The volleyball gods tested Jill Mercer repeatedly with judgment calls on deep volleys, and she provided stout defense.
Melrose kept the pressure on during the third set and Lexington wilted under the pressure. Kiki Kiernan, Claire Albuja, and Sam Dewey all dipped their toes in varsity waters during the latter stages.
The notebook. Volleyball excellence comes in three phases - attacking (serving and hitting), defending (blocking and digging), and ball handling (passing and setting). Noticeably since a week ago, Melrose improved both blocking and attacking, no small feat, but consistent with developing young players.
Girl power. Senior leadership stood out today with both production and communication. Lily delivered sets on time and on target, Jill received and passed well, and Saoirse and Lydia pounded the Lexington defense. Teams that aspire to deep playoff runs bring three hitters to the table, forcing the issue by winning points. Sophomore Emma Randolph completed the Big Three today with blocks and kills, including punishing overpasses. Classmate Erin Torpey has the potential to be a fourth big hitter.
Scores: 2016 Co-champion Winchester defeated Wakefield 3-0 and Reading (via Twitter) beat Watertown.
Melrose opened with Lily Fitzgerald (setter), Saoirse Connolly and Emma Randolph (middles), Lydia Lombardo (strong side), Grace Davis (opposite), Nicole Abbott (defense) and Jill Mercer (libero). The Lady Raiders exploded to an 8-1 edge and never looked back as everyone contributed to victory.
Melrose attacked 'with INTENT' today, borrowing the Maori paoa, meaning 'strike'. They served violently, applying pressure throughout. This established a calculus of risk-reward contributing to more service errors than usual. But there was no "get me in" mindset. This put the visitors on the defensive from the outset.
The second set saw Lexington with more life early as they leveled the score early at 5-5. But Saoirse, Emma, and Lydia hit with authority to power a Melrose 20-6 run and capture the second set. Erin Torpey (outside) and Mary Kate Mahoney (defense) provided solid support. The volleyball gods tested Jill Mercer repeatedly with judgment calls on deep volleys, and she provided stout defense.
Melrose kept the pressure on during the third set and Lexington wilted under the pressure. Kiki Kiernan, Claire Albuja, and Sam Dewey all dipped their toes in varsity waters during the latter stages.
The notebook. Volleyball excellence comes in three phases - attacking (serving and hitting), defending (blocking and digging), and ball handling (passing and setting). Noticeably since a week ago, Melrose improved both blocking and attacking, no small feat, but consistent with developing young players.
Scores: 2016 Co-champion Winchester defeated Wakefield 3-0 and Reading (via Twitter) beat Watertown.
Finding Your Voice
"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Pasteur
There's an old story about communication being half of holy relationships. To which the holy man replies, "it is the whole of holy relationships."
One coach insists on 'silent practice' when players don't communicate. The extreme silence is not lost on his team.
Legendary coach Don Meyer shared, "what is unacceptable in defeat is unacceptable in victory." Communication lives on different levels - social, instruction, correction, discipline, and "go nuts". Most game day communication will be instruction and correction. "Speaking greatness" is a wonderful concept. "You can do it that way, but you might find if better to do it this way."
Players have a lot to process - calling the block, calling the ball, asking for a set, setting up slide attacks or quick sets. But it must become habit. There's a saying in the NBA, "silent teams lose."
Leadership is shared experience. Girls, more than boys, can be reluctant to assume leadership because they don't want to seem 'bossy' or 'witchy'. Collective leadership, combined with good followership increases your likelihood of success. The best teams excel at egoless communication. Celtics great Bill Russell, author of 14 championships in 15 years (2 NCAA, Olympic Gold, 11 NBA) remarked, "my ego depends on the success of my team."
Communication raises the collective energy, or "qi" of organizations. And success depends on the four E's - your energy, bringing energy, execution, and edge (emotional toughness).
Great teams show shared leadership and conditional love, the expectation of showing up and doing the next right thing. New leaders rise to the occasion. Find your collective voice and empower your team.
There's an old story about communication being half of holy relationships. To which the holy man replies, "it is the whole of holy relationships."
One coach insists on 'silent practice' when players don't communicate. The extreme silence is not lost on his team.
Legendary coach Don Meyer shared, "what is unacceptable in defeat is unacceptable in victory." Communication lives on different levels - social, instruction, correction, discipline, and "go nuts". Most game day communication will be instruction and correction. "Speaking greatness" is a wonderful concept. "You can do it that way, but you might find if better to do it this way."
Players have a lot to process - calling the block, calling the ball, asking for a set, setting up slide attacks or quick sets. But it must become habit. There's a saying in the NBA, "silent teams lose."
Leadership is shared experience. Girls, more than boys, can be reluctant to assume leadership because they don't want to seem 'bossy' or 'witchy'. Collective leadership, combined with good followership increases your likelihood of success. The best teams excel at egoless communication. Celtics great Bill Russell, author of 14 championships in 15 years (2 NCAA, Olympic Gold, 11 NBA) remarked, "my ego depends on the success of my team."
Communication raises the collective energy, or "qi" of organizations. And success depends on the four E's - your energy, bringing energy, execution, and edge (emotional toughness).
Great teams show shared leadership and conditional love, the expectation of showing up and doing the next right thing. New leaders rise to the occasion. Find your collective voice and empower your team.
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