The exceptional player isn't about attack/block, dig/pass, serve or set...they "give the game what the game needs." They make the play "in the moment" to help push the ball over the line.
She wasn't a dominant attacker and didn't lead the team in service points, blocks, or digs. She had fewer than 350 career kills. And she did everything well, especially in the biggest games on the biggest stages.
What she was added so much to a Championship season. Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla would describe her as a "connector."
Lagniappe. If you want a role, find a way to earn trust.
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. This blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose Institution.
""When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less" is a central exchange in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass.This statement reflects Humpty Dumpty's belief in absolute control over language, asserting that meaning is entirely subjective and determined by the speaker.Alice challenges this notion, questioning whether one can make words mean so many different things, to which Humpty Dumpty replies that the real issue is which party should be master - a point that underscores the power dynamics inherent in communication." - Brave AI
Think and communicate better.
Our speech or writing may be unclear, misunderstood, or open to interpretation. The more specific, the better the chance that others understand us. We can say, "she gives great effort" with sincerity or sarcasm, depending on our tone or body language (e.g. eye rolls).
Volleyball application. As a mentor or player, be alert to confusion. When unsure, ask for clarity.
People hear what they want to hear.
When you broadcast a sporting event and say, "Suzie Jones had an excellent performance tonight," some will hear, "you didn't say anything good about my daughter" or "you mean Suzie had a standout game amidst a sea of mediocrity?"
Volleyball application. Find out. At Annapolis, plebes learn the "five answers" - yes, sir, no, sir, aye aye, sir, right away, sir, and "I don't know but I'll find out, sir."
Get clarity.
"What did you mean by that?" can be humbling or embarrassing. We may have been distracted, unfocused, or couldn't hear. But if we want to understand and not just respond, clarification helps. And we have to ask for that unless a speaker reads confusion in our expression.
Volleyball application. Be sure that you're on the same page. Don't be caught in, "The Valley of Death." (The poem refers to The Charge of the Light Brigade where miscommunication led to a fatal ambush.)
Truth isn't always well-received.
Lefty Gomez, at the end of his career said, “I’m throwing the ball just as hard as I ever did. It’s just not getting there as fast.”
Form begets function. Mediocre technique underperforms relative to having good technique. If we apply the achievement equation (ACHIEVEMENT = PERFORMANCE x TIME), then working on form benefits achievement.
Volleyball application. Coaching isn't criticism. Coaching intends to help you improve, not to damage your ego or self-esteem.
"Chase perfection to catch excellence." Ask your coaches where and how you can improve.
Lagniappe. If I wrote, "Exposure to nature makes us both happier and kinder," that could be an opinion or actually based on scientific research. Or that could be a "think again" moment exposed by a favorite book, "Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales about the hazards of nature.
Lagniappe 2. There's no "one size fits all." You may hit off the high hands, line or crosscourt, cut, tip, or push off the block.
What is your mindset as part of MVB? Here are a few ideas based upon three decades of sports parenting (MVB 2002-2005), observation, and writing. Mindset matters.
Team first. Everyone can be a great teammate.
"Fight for your culture daily." Share. Learn. Mentor.
The best players make everyone around them better.
"You become what you believe."
"We make our habits and our habits make us."
"Champions do extra."
"How you do anything is how you do everything." Take care of business at home, in school, and in sports.
"Sport rewards explosive athleticism."
Impact the game. Compete. MVB greats are fierce. MVB showed exceptional competitiveness against an elite team.
Be ready. It's always too late to get ready.
Everyone can lead. Leadership is more than title.
Everyone gets opportunities. Not everyone can convert them into performance.
Lagniappe. Dawn Staley didn't have an easy path to star player, NCAA championship coach, or US Women's National Team Coach.
Players need something to force their way onto the court...in basketball players need a "go to" and "counter" move.
In baseball, the pitcher needs an "out pitch." Hitters are so good now that many need two out pitches.
Your Volleyball Skills
Front row players must attack and block.
Back row players must dig and pass.
Setters set and block.
Servers must serve and defend.
The more versatile you are, the more consistent, the more you enter the "circle of trust."
Better Questions
How can I impact winning?
What key skills improve my "volleyball profile?"
How can I become more athletic (power, quickness, vertical jump)?
What's my plan?
Players are sophisticated. They have an idea of who played last season and what iterations of the "depth chart" exist. Performance not politics will decide roles.
Reputation and rankings don't define success. Daily habits leading to fundamental consistency, aggressiveness, and execution define results.
"Confidence comes from proven success," said Bill Parcells. Earned self-belief and the investment of time define competitive greatness and help achieve the "asymptote of excellence."
All of us have "limitations" set by our physical and mental makeup. Those set our performance "ceiling." The student-athletes with a mindset of success, mentoring, and culture raise their position along the 'theoretical' curve.
Define your destiny. Years ago we attended a Melrose girls basketball game at another ML venue. The opposition girls were sitting in the stands. One said to a teammate, "if we're lucky, we'll only lose by thirty." They weren't.
Coach Ellis Lane told his team decades ago before a playoff game, "This team is good. They can give you a game." The players looked at each other, thinking "That is not happening." The final score? 76-23 with the starters playing minimally the second half after leading 45-10 at halftime.
"Repetitions make reputations."
Lagniappe. Do. Not. Quit. Video from 2005 State Championship.
In reality, people try that regularly. Rather than face competition from a fresh face, some put the promising newcomer on the "back burner," disallowing them to outshine senior staff.
Max Planck famously said, "Science advances one funeral at a time."
In Carl Pierson's The Politics of Coaching, he shares how parents of upperclassmen sometimes prevent rising freshmen from competing on Summer League squads. It's only natural that parents advocate for their children.
Regardless of whether you're an upperclassman or a youngster, put team first and strive to help all teammates. Better to be seen as "magnanimous" than be exposed as selfish.
Save this quote from Maya Angelou:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Recognize a hierarchy of training activities with argument about the precise order. These are just a few options.
Random practice
Sport is chaos and training cannot be precisely sequenced and simultaneously random. Scrimmaging is chaos but often without "enough touches" to maximize benefit.
Small-sided games (SSG)
SSGs overcome the limitation of scrimmaging (number of repetitions). Fewer players -> more reps -> faster learning -> clearer accountability. An example: 3 person, 2 contacts
Practice with a teammate
More touches and still opportunity for creativity. You say, "that looks boring." Exceptional players stay focused on fundamentals to the point that actions become "do, don't think."
Coach John Wooden said of future Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton, "He never tired of practicing the fundamentals of footwork."
Solo practice
How can you get solo reps of hitting, passing, and digging? It takes a bit of imagination.
Lagniappe. Become capable of playing "harder for longer." What does it take to break you?
Lagniappe 2. The same standards of behavior apply to everyone. Leaders model excellence. Leaders make leaders. Leaders mentor younger players. Become the standard.
Whenever there is a dispute, both parties are required to have equal levels of integrity, to be open-minded and assertive, and to be equally considerate. The judges must hold the parties to the same standards and provide feedback consistent with these standards. I have often seen… pic.twitter.com/jWLn5ED64P
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.
*Adapted from my basketball blog.
"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
Joe Mazzulla fills up the postgame statsheet with buzzwords and sound bytes. There's value to the approaches of the best coaches.
Give credit to the players.
Coaches know that their livelihood depends on the players. Excellent coaches inhabit the "give credit" realm.
Never become complacent.
The Celtics won three games in four nights, including Monday night's win in "Cream City" (Milwaukee). When asked about that, Mazzulla responded, "We'll see how it goes Wednesday." Everyone in sports gets judged by the next performance and you have to be willing to put it out there.
Process...process...process
Mazzulla said that it starts with the Front Office. "Brad" finds guys with "competitive character." Rookie Hugo Gonzalez, playing a few minutes a game for Real Madrid last season, got a start and delivered tough defense (+27), career highs in points (18) and rebounds (16), three steals and two blocks.
Competitive Character (An AI digression)
Doing What Wins - Not What Impresses
Competitive character means:
Valuing the right shot over your shot
Sprinting back on defense when tired
Screening with force even if you won’t get the ball
It’s substance over style.
Stevens has often emphasized that the game rewards people who focus on “winning behaviors” - the unglamorous details.
2️⃣ Emotional Control Under Stress
For Stevens, competitive character includes:
Responding to adversity without drama
Playing the next possession
Not letting officials, mistakes, or momentum swings dictate effort
It’s poise without passivity. Competitive character shows up most when things go poorly.
3️⃣ Consistency, Not Spikes
He has repeatedly valued:
Daily work habits
Film engagement
Practice intensity
In his programs, talent alone was never enough. The question was: Can you bring the same competitive edge every day?
This echoes your “rare is dear” theme - consistency is scarce.
4️⃣ Team-First Accountability
Competitive character includes:
Accepting hard coaching
Telling the truth in film sessions
Taking responsibility for breakdowns
It’s the opposite of blame-shifting.
Stevens’ Butler teams weren’t the most athletic, but they were famously connected and disciplined. That wasn’t accidental — it was cultural selection.
5️⃣ Competing the Right Way
He has described competition as:
Guarding the ball
Rebounding
Executing late
Trusting teammates
This translates to "our deal":
Win this possession.
Choose the high percentage action.
Play with poise.
Protect the team standard
None of this is 'secret sauce' or 'proprietary'. Coaches with great relationships and players who care enough to buy in, commit, and compete can do this.
Lagniappe. Execute.
Results don’t come from strategy they come from execution (behavior).
Neemias Queta on where he’s taking the biggest strides this season:
“I feel like I'm taking strides in so many different aspects of my game, and there's so much more I can get better at.” -@CLNSMediapic.twitter.com/cNfStmn9L1
Volleyball is a game of momentum. That is why it's vital to keep opponents from getting "on a roll." Don't allow "death by a thousand cuts."
Self-regulate.
Help teammates self-regulate.
Find ways to refocus such as "stop and take a deep breath," having a catchphrase like "next play" or visualization tool to see yourself making the next play.
“You’re not allowed to give excuses because excuses are a sign of weakness. We give no excuses when we fail. Failure is just fertilizer to help us grow as a team,” Rick Pitino
— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) March 17, 2026
‘This honest Turk,’ he said to Pangloss and Martin, ‘seems to be in a far better place than kings…. I also know,” said Candide, “that we must cultivate our garden.’
In the French philosophical novel Candide, Voltaire reminds us to care for our garden. This resonates throughout sports as coaches explain, "I'm only worried about our team" or "I don't have any control over that." Charlie Jones wrote a novel about covering Olympic crew, having asked an oarsman about conditions. "That's Outside My Boat."
Coach Scott Celli can't concern himself with the ML12 schedule, stronger opponents, or (limited by MIAA) offseason player development.
As a player, recognize that "losses are lessons" and the most vivid lessons arise from failure not victory.
In "Golf Is not a Game of Perfect," Dr. Bob Rotella writes that one of the biggest mistakes a golfer can make is to work on swing mechanics during a tournament. Total focus belongs on the shot at hand, which includes club selection and course management. Similarly, don't fix your attack mechanics or serve during a match.
Coach Celli adheres to John Wooden's advice, "Don't whine, don't complain, and don't make excuses."
The best way to find playing time, role, and recognition from September through November is to refine your technique, tactics, physicality, and psychology now, during the offseason. Refine now, reward later.
Lagniappe. Control your breathing.
Navy SEALS use box breathing to stay calm & intensely focused during stressful situations.
3 times per day for 5 minutes each will exponentially reduce your cortisol / stress levels.
"Each deal we measure against the second-best deal that is available at any given time - even if it means doing more of what we are already doing." - Warren Buffett
Choose the best option among all available options.
Scarcity Is Real
You know the saying "robbing Peter to pay Paul." There are only so many roster spots, minutes, and practice hours. Coaches and players make hard choices about allocation of scarce resources.
The Trap: False Choices
What if a coach decides that only serving and scrimmaging matter. Both may even be the best options.
The question becomes, how much of each?
And which serving drills? Which type of scrimmage? Not all “good” is equal.
Competition Creates Complexity
Take middle hitters. There are two starting spots and multiple capable players
It’s never Player A vs Player B. It's Player A vs Player B vs Player C… and sometimes Player D.
And then: who fits best with the setter? Who blocks better against this opponent? Who performs under pressure?
This is not vanilla vs coffee.
Don’t Miss the Edelman Lesson
Julian Edelman was a college quarterback. He became one of the most clutch receivers in the NFL. Why? Someone saw another option.
The Edge
Exceptional programs don’t just work hard. They evaluate constantly, compare options honestly, and adjust when better choices appear.
Don't become "blind to possibilities" in life because there are often more possibilities than you know.
Lagniappe. What is your contribution?
Geno Auriemma said, "Your contribution doesn’t have to be 25 points. But it has to be something."
"Your number one contribution is the energy you bring." You don’t have to score to make an impact.
Writers toss words around like children throw playthings - culture, standards, values. Casual abuse of English is lazy. Inhabit specifics, terms as shared experience.
Humpty Dumpty answers: Meaning belongs to whoever has control. Coach Scott Celli owns that narrative.
When the coach defines them clearly:
shared language
shared expectations
shared behavior
What words shape values? Simplifying, think effort, teammate, compete, accountability.
Make Words Observable
Values need visibility.
Effort
Not: “Play hard.”
Instead:
Sprint to base every transition
Close the block every rep
Cover hitters on every swing
Teammate
Not: “Be supportive.”
Instead:
Talk on every serve-receive rep
Help a teammate up immediately
Own your role, even as a reserve
Compete
Not: “Be competitive.”
Instead:
Score the next point after an error (stop the bleeding)
What do coaches want? They want to make a difference in people's lives. Nobody can make everyone happy because there's a finite amount of minutes, roles, and recognition.
As a player, what matters to you? Suggestions:
"Team first." Every exceptional coach from Wooden, Belichick, Calipari, Auriemma, and Coach Scott Celli puts the welfare of the team first.
"Be an ambitious giver." Make teammates better.
"Impact winning." You can do that with effort, encouragement, and behaviors representing yourself and the team.
"Be good at what you do a lot."
"Become a lifelong learner, a "learn-it-all." That includes knowing your responsibilities and those of other team members. #AttentiontoDetail
Reject the "killer S's." Avoid sloth (laziness), selfishness, and softness (lack of mental toughness).
"Dance like no one's watching," thought Shirley Dander...because the point of dancing is everyone's watching, or they are if you're doing it right." - from Slough House by Mick Herron
Dancing is inherently performative and relational - it's display, it's communication, it's dominance and invitation simultaneously.
Volleyball is also "performative" and best executed when played as though nobody's watching. Athletes can't be self-conscious, concerned about how they look instead of focused on the play in the moment.
Focus
Whether you play in front of nobody in practice or a thousand people at a playoff game, focus completely. The next ball deserves your full attention.
Communication
Talk engages, energizes, and intimidates. Be ELO - early, loud, and often.
"Reading"
Top players aren’t always faster. They’re earlier. They see it sooner. Reading the serve, the setter, and the hitter are part of the continuum of CARE - concentration-> anticipation-> reaction-> and execution. Top players are "one step quicker."
Situational Understanding
Sometimes you attack for a winner and others are "get me over" returns. Trust is built when players match decision to moment. Play the right play.
Mindset
Former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz had a saying, "You hang it, we bang it." Volleyball rewards consistency and aggressiveness.
The Paradox
Volleyball is a performance. But the best performances happen when players: forget the crowd, forget the noise, and forget themselves and lock into the game.
Final Thoughts
Dance like nobody’s watching. Not because nobody is. But because the moment you stop thinking about the audience…you start playing at your best.
Lagniappe. Place your focus on the person you want to become.
Warren Buffett's business partner, Charlie Munger, told an audience that their edges included investing time in good ideas and avoiding stupidity (1).
"Share something great" (2)
Share a story, recipe, poem, whatever. Sahil Bloom discusses the importance of "The Empty Cup" - a.k.a. Beginner's Mind (3).
Be curious. Be open.(4)
If responsible to conduct practice and allowed only three activities, what would they be and why?
Add something to your game(5)
What would it be and how would you do it? Add more topspin. Improve your tip game or setter dumps.
Exploit analogy(6)
How does something unrelated connect to another concept?
Think Again
Adam Grant's book "Think Again," comes to mind. Keep a "Rethinking Scorecard" (7) where you track how ideas or events changed your mind.
Lead by example. Grant suggests keeping a "Leadership Scorecard" (8) to track how you responded to leadership opportunities.
Keep Score
Why the numbers? Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward shared a principle of his writing. Every column should inform the reader of at least six concepts (9) or issues. Even better, pull "actionable ideas" from the column (10).
Lagniappe. Bill Belichick was asked about being called "a genius." He explained that during his coaching career he'd been called "an idiot" plenty.
“You can’t let praise or criticism get to you, It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.” - John Wooden pic.twitter.com/5QPiQPQwv0
