Massachusetts volleyball kill leaders:
Assist leaders:
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Quick Stats: Melrose 3 Wilmington 1
Melrose earned a hard-fought victory at Wilmington, coming back less than twenty-four hours after a win against Notre Dame Academy. Click images to enlarge.
Massachusetts volleyball kill leaders:
Assist leaders:
Massachusetts volleyball kill leaders:
Assist leaders:
Fast Five: Beginners Mind (New Kid on the Block)
"The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities, It is the kind of mind which can see things as they are..." - Richard Baker in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
"I'm only on JV." Mirabile dictu. As beginners, we know infinite possibilities. The beginners mind implies openness, freshness, growth. See through the eyes of a child.
The game comes in three phases - scoring (attack, serve), defending (blocking, digging), and assisting (setting, passing).
When you go to practice (or study math, English, or science), ask yourself "how am I going to improve today?" How do I create a better version of myself? If you want to become special, you cannot do everything the same as everyone else.
Imagine you want to improve your blocking. Know your fundamentals. What do you have to improve - footwork, jumping, vision, timing, hand position? Review the brief video. The hand position differs depending on where you're blocking.
Do you need to improve your vertical jump and strength? Is your timing, vision, and extension correct? Are you closing the block? Is your mindset one of becoming a dominant blocker?
Be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely. Work on your flexibility, leg strength (weights, box jumping, resistance training), core strength, power. The athletic department has the facilities and experience to help you. Girls can jump.
Review your progress by asking better questions:
1. What went well?
2. What needs improvement?
3. How can I specifically do better?
4. What is the enduring lesson from today's reading/practice/game/study?
"I'm only on JV." Mirabile dictu. As beginners, we know infinite possibilities. The beginners mind implies openness, freshness, growth. See through the eyes of a child.
The game comes in three phases - scoring (attack, serve), defending (blocking, digging), and assisting (setting, passing).
When you go to practice (or study math, English, or science), ask yourself "how am I going to improve today?" How do I create a better version of myself? If you want to become special, you cannot do everything the same as everyone else.
Imagine you want to improve your blocking. Know your fundamentals. What do you have to improve - footwork, jumping, vision, timing, hand position? Review the brief video. The hand position differs depending on where you're blocking.
Do you need to improve your vertical jump and strength? Is your timing, vision, and extension correct? Are you closing the block? Is your mindset one of becoming a dominant blocker?
Be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely. Work on your flexibility, leg strength (weights, box jumping, resistance training), core strength, power. The athletic department has the facilities and experience to help you. Girls can jump.
Review your progress by asking better questions:
1. What went well?
2. What needs improvement?
3. How can I specifically do better?
4. What is the enduring lesson from today's reading/practice/game/study?
Friday, September 15, 2017
Junior Varsity Volleyball Roster
Junior varsity sports provide the same physical, mental, and emotional benefits to participants as varsity sports. But players and families usually receive less recognition.
The 2017 Melrose JV volleyball squad has many talented athletes who are pushing each other and the varsity to improve in the "competitive cauldron". You will see some on the varsity this season or in future seasons.
The 2017 Melrose JV volleyball squad has many talented athletes who are pushing each other and the varsity to improve in the "competitive cauldron". You will see some on the varsity this season or in future seasons.
Snaps Melrose - NDA
Photographs courtesy of Steve Karampalas. Click shots to enlarge.
Every season, like each snowflake is unique. The best teams focus on 1) attitude, 2) choices, and 3) effort, controlling their focus, decision-making, and work.
The magic is in the work. NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant wakes up and asks himself, "how do I get better today?"
"Did you hear the one about...?"
Perfect blocking position...
Mary Kate serves as the NDA videography apparatus towers in the background...that's worth more than my car!
Every season, like each snowflake is unique. The best teams focus on 1) attitude, 2) choices, and 3) effort, controlling their focus, decision-making, and work.
The magic is in the work. NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant wakes up and asks himself, "how do I get better today?"
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Sign Here: Melrose 3 Notre Dame Academy 0
Melrose had never beaten Notre Dame Academy...until today. The Lady Raiders proved an unaccommodating host, pulling off a 25-13, 25-14, 27-25 win to remain unbeaten. Put it in the cookie jar of awesome - signature win.
Two legacy programs faced off in the sweltering Veterans Memorial Middle School gym and Melrose combined stout defense and consistent offense to take down one of the top ten programs in the state.
Melrose led early 10-5 and was never headed in the first frame. Strong play and leadership from the senior captains - Lily Fitzgerald, Jill Mercer, Saoirse Connolly, and Lydia Lombardo - led a dominating effort.
The second set was little different with great work from the Kiddie Corps, Emma Randolph, Grace Davis, and Erin "chicken wing" Torpey with one-armed saves, and the defensive core of Nicole Abbott and Mary Kate Mahoney. Freshman Sam Dewey got her feet wet at opposite. Melrose had potent service and yet only one service error during the entire match.
A strong team like Notre Dame doesn't quit and forged numerous ties during the third set. Lydia Lombardo delivered four consecutive points to earn a 23-20 edge followed by a Randolph kill to put Melrose on the threshold of team history. But NDA rallied to tie the score at 24 and send the set to extras. Melrose's defense forced numerous errors and Lily Fitzgerald was immense offensively. A final NDA attack went wide and Melrose earned its first win over the 2013 and 2015 state champions.
Lady Raider Notes: No rest for the weary as the Lady Raiders are back at it tomorrow against the Wildcats at Wilmington. Co-leader in the Middlesex League, Winchester, had their NDA match yesterday rescheduled. Melrose Junior Andrew Willey filmed the game which will appear on MMTV.
The JVs also swept NDA 3-0 with a bevy of excellent performance. The cupboard is full.
Two legacy programs faced off in the sweltering Veterans Memorial Middle School gym and Melrose combined stout defense and consistent offense to take down one of the top ten programs in the state.
Melrose led early 10-5 and was never headed in the first frame. Strong play and leadership from the senior captains - Lily Fitzgerald, Jill Mercer, Saoirse Connolly, and Lydia Lombardo - led a dominating effort.
The second set was little different with great work from the Kiddie Corps, Emma Randolph, Grace Davis, and Erin "chicken wing" Torpey with one-armed saves, and the defensive core of Nicole Abbott and Mary Kate Mahoney. Freshman Sam Dewey got her feet wet at opposite. Melrose had potent service and yet only one service error during the entire match.
A strong team like Notre Dame doesn't quit and forged numerous ties during the third set. Lydia Lombardo delivered four consecutive points to earn a 23-20 edge followed by a Randolph kill to put Melrose on the threshold of team history. But NDA rallied to tie the score at 24 and send the set to extras. Melrose's defense forced numerous errors and Lily Fitzgerald was immense offensively. A final NDA attack went wide and Melrose earned its first win over the 2013 and 2015 state champions.
Lady Raider Notes: No rest for the weary as the Lady Raiders are back at it tomorrow against the Wildcats at Wilmington. Co-leader in the Middlesex League, Winchester, had their NDA match yesterday rescheduled. Melrose Junior Andrew Willey filmed the game which will appear on MMTV.
The JVs also swept NDA 3-0 with a bevy of excellent performance. The cupboard is full.
Performing Under Pressure
"A man is not great because he hasn't failed; a man is great because failure hasn't stopped him." - Confucius
I have previously shared lessons from Performing Under Pressure. Weisinger and Pawliw-Fry describe the biology of pressure and short and long-term mitigators of degraded performance. The authors share their four long-term "COTE of armor" - confidence, optimism, tenacity, enthusiasm.
Here are ten simple, practical Performing Under Pressure strategies with brief annotations. The goal of the short term strategies is boosting positives, eliminating negatives, focus, proper arousal, and finding what works for you.
1. Use music as it distracts you from pressure and regulate arousal. Some music can stimulate and other can calm. Some does both (anyone who has heard Rossini's William Tell Overture/Lone Ranger theme attests to that). Find your muse.
2. Focus on the moment. Play present. Just "be".
3. Watch video of your best performances. Watching video removes self-consciousness and shows you succeeding.
4. Be positive. We have a powerful 'inside voice'. I CAN DO THIS.
5. Highlight reel. Jason Selk's great book 10 Minute Toughness incorporates valuable strategies for mental toughness. Develop a mental ESPN highlight reel of plays that show you succeeding. They don't have to be extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime achievements. Visualize yourself serving an ace, timing the block perfectly, or slamming home a winner.
6. Power position. Daughter Paula used to walk into the gym "making myself big" standing tall to let everyone in the gym know "I'm here." Harvard researcher Amy Cuddy describes the value of assuming "power positions" to raise testosterone (confidence hormone) and lower cortisol (a stress hormone) even after as little as two minutes.
7. Breathing.
Another principle from Jason Selk was proper (centered) breathing...controlled breathing...slow inspiration (6 seconds)/breath hold (2 seconds)/slow expiration (7 seconds). Others recommend "square" breathing of four seconds (inhale, pause, exhale, pause).
8. Anchor words or cues. Heisinger and Pawliw-Fry discuss the "cookie jar." Get on top of the ball; put the cookie into the cookie jar on a high shelf.
9. Simulation.
Feel the pressure. Simulate the moment. When teams and individuals practice pressure situations they are more likely to perform when THE MOMENT arrives.
10. Speed kills.
Haste makes waste. Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman described heuristic (automatic, reflexive) X-system and thoughtful, reflective (C-system) operations working in the brain. It takes more energy but activate your "C-system" to help DO YOUR JOB reflexly.
I have previously shared lessons from Performing Under Pressure. Weisinger and Pawliw-Fry describe the biology of pressure and short and long-term mitigators of degraded performance. The authors share their four long-term "COTE of armor" - confidence, optimism, tenacity, enthusiasm.
Here are ten simple, practical Performing Under Pressure strategies with brief annotations. The goal of the short term strategies is boosting positives, eliminating negatives, focus, proper arousal, and finding what works for you.
1. Use music as it distracts you from pressure and regulate arousal. Some music can stimulate and other can calm. Some does both (anyone who has heard Rossini's William Tell Overture/Lone Ranger theme attests to that). Find your muse.
2. Focus on the moment. Play present. Just "be".
3. Watch video of your best performances. Watching video removes self-consciousness and shows you succeeding.
4. Be positive. We have a powerful 'inside voice'. I CAN DO THIS.
5. Highlight reel. Jason Selk's great book 10 Minute Toughness incorporates valuable strategies for mental toughness. Develop a mental ESPN highlight reel of plays that show you succeeding. They don't have to be extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime achievements. Visualize yourself serving an ace, timing the block perfectly, or slamming home a winner.
7. Breathing.
Another principle from Jason Selk was proper (centered) breathing...controlled breathing...slow inspiration (6 seconds)/breath hold (2 seconds)/slow expiration (7 seconds). Others recommend "square" breathing of four seconds (inhale, pause, exhale, pause).
8. Anchor words or cues. Heisinger and Pawliw-Fry discuss the "cookie jar." Get on top of the ball; put the cookie into the cookie jar on a high shelf.
9. Simulation.
Feel the pressure. Simulate the moment. When teams and individuals practice pressure situations they are more likely to perform when THE MOMENT arrives.
10. Speed kills.
Haste makes waste. Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman described heuristic (automatic, reflexive) X-system and thoughtful, reflective (C-system) operations working in the brain. It takes more energy but activate your "C-system" to help DO YOUR JOB reflexly.
Signature Wins
Every team establishes its legacy with signature wins.
The 2003 team beat Arlington Catholic and its Twin Towers to win its first sectional championship.
The 2005 team topped Andover and rallied from a 2-0 deficit and 16-23 in the State Championship but fell to Medfield in five sets.
Version 2009 defeated Barnstable 3-0 in one of the greatest matches ever played in Melrose.
The 2012 State Championship team had a cornucopia of memories, style, and key wins over Canton and Longmeadow.
They also proved the "three-hitter rule" again. It takes three big hitters to go deep.
The 2017 edition gets its first opportunity for a signature win today as Notre Dame (Hingham) invades the Veterans' Memorial Middle School Gym. Be there.
The 2003 team beat Arlington Catholic and its Twin Towers to win its first sectional championship.
The 2005 team topped Andover and rallied from a 2-0 deficit and 16-23 in the State Championship but fell to Medfield in five sets.
Version 2009 defeated Barnstable 3-0 in one of the greatest matches ever played in Melrose.
The 2012 State Championship team had a cornucopia of memories, style, and key wins over Canton and Longmeadow.
They also proved the "three-hitter rule" again. It takes three big hitters to go deep.
The 2017 edition gets its first opportunity for a signature win today as Notre Dame (Hingham) invades the Veterans' Memorial Middle School Gym. Be there.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
JV Snaps
Courtesy of Bill Heafey. Click photos to enlarge.
Melrose has had a strong program for over 15 years. Making any team is an accomplishment with a bevy of committed, talented players. Girls who participate in high school sports experience social, health, and academic benefits.
Enjoy some shots of the junior varsity.
Melrose has had a strong program for over 15 years. Making any team is an accomplishment with a bevy of committed, talented players. Girls who participate in high school sports experience social, health, and academic benefits.
Enjoy some shots of the junior varsity.
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