Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Kudos to Celli

Coach Scott Celli doubles as the St. John's Prep Eagles Boys' Volleyball coach.  His fifth-ranked squad beat top-ranked and defending state champion Cambridge last night 3-1.

Bravo zulu.

Sunday, April 07, 2013

A Little Something

to keep you going during the 'off-season'



smashes, digs, blocks, cut shots, pancakes, and more

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Summer Camp News

Melrose Volleyball Summer Camp
Home of the 2012 State Champions
For Girls Entering Kindergarten to Ninth-Grade
At the Melrose Middle School Gymnasium

The purpose of the camp is to provide young players an opportunity to learn volleyball fundamentals and improve specific skills. Players will receive twelve hours of intensive instruction in the proper fundamentals of serving, setting, attacking, passing, defensive play, and offensive play. Players will be divided into small groups, by age and by ability, to ensure individualized instruction. The drills presented are designed to help each youngster improve her skills and performance and to gain confidence. Our goal for the camp is for each player to improve and to have fun.
We will offer two sessions. Each session will run for 4 days, 3 hours each day. Players may choose to enroll in either Session A or Session B. Players can enroll in more than one session.

Session A: Monday, July 8 to Thursday, July 11 12:30 – 3:30
Session B: Monday, July 15 to Thursday, July 18 12:30 – 3:30

The Summer Camp’s director is “2011 Massachusetts Girls’ Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee” Scott Celli, 14-year coach at Melrose High School, and his staff that has lead the Melrose Lady Red Raiders Volleyball team to 10 Middlesex League Championships, 7 Division II North Championships, and its first ever Division 2 State Championship in 2012. At the camp, players will do the same drills and learn the same fundamentals that are taught to Melrose High players each fall. So join our camp and learn the game of volleyball in a fun and structured environment.
This is a terrific opportunity for young volleyball players to receive expert training at a modest cost. This is also a perfect time for players to sharpen their skills for the upcoming volleyball season and to have a week of volleyball fun. We hope that you will join us! You may register one or more players for one or two sessions by completing and mailing the attached form, as described below. Enrollment is limited and we will notify you only if we cannot place you in the session(s) you requested. If you have any questions, please call Scott Celli at (781)438-9794 or email scelli@melrose.mec.edu

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPLICATION FOR THE MELROSE VOLLEYBALL SUMMER CAMP
Choose your desired Session(s). Fee is $175 per player (family rate is $175 for first player, $100 for each additional player from the same family) per session

Player’s Name____________________________________________Age_____Grade(next year)____

Address_______________________________Town______________Zip______ T-Shirt Size (circle)
S M L XL
Kids or Adult
Phone__________________________Email_______________________________


Check One or More: Session A_____ Session B_____

Registration Ends June 30
Please make check payable to Scott Celli and mail to:
Scott Celli
Melrose Volleyball Summer Camp
84 Westwood Rd.
Stoneham, MA 02180

To the parent or guardian: I give my daughter permission to participate in the Melrose Volleyball Summer Camp. There is no medical or other reason that prohibits my daughter from full participation.

Parent or Guardian Signature:____________________________________________________




You might not play like this (above)...but you'll improve.



This is Melrose Volleyball.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Need to Know (How)

Opportunity doesn't knock; opportunity crashes through.

Melrose graduated its greatest blocking combination (Rachel Johnson and Kayla Wyland) and another accomplished blocker (Sarah McGowan).

Effective blockers will win jobs.

Here's a great video with some drills and skills.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

"Purposeful Practice"

I've cross-posted this from Melrosegirlsbasketball.com. 

Peak performance (sometimes accompanied by greatness, but more often by hyperbole) occurs by design.  Louis Pasteur reminds us that "chance favors the prepared mind." 

Practice is insufficient.  Ericsson calls it "deliberate practice" and others "purposeful practice." Only by challenging your limits, enhancing your athleticism, skill, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual (teamwork) game do you become your best.

Book recommendation: "Bounce" by Matthew Syed.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Boston Herald Volleyball All-Scholastics



The Boston Herald reports its volleyball All-Scholastics in today's issue.

...give your dreams the wings to fly...if you just believe.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Championship Hats Available

Championship hats available from the volleyball boosters organization.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Volleyball Girls Recognized by Rotary Club

The Melrose Rotary Club honored the Lady Raiders state championship volleyball team recently at a luncheon. 

Click photos to enlarge.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Honor Roll



A huge Melrose fan sent this along, tagged "Best of the Decade." Successful teams receive individual accolades as well as team recognition. You can make your dreams come true...from one proud parent to many.

2003
Marianne Foley
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic

2004
Karen Sen
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic

2005
Karen Sen
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2005
Paula Sen
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2007
Hannah Brickley
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2008
Hannah Brickley
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2009
Hannah Brickley
Boston Globe All-Scholastic (Division 2 Player of the Year)
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2009
Colleen Hanscom
MGVCA Divsion 2 All-State Team

2009
Scott Celli
Boston Globe All-Scholastic (Division 2 Coach of the Year)

2010
Athena Ziavras
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2011
Brooke Bell
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2011
Sarah McGowan
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2012
Brooke Bell
Boston Globe All-Scholastic (Division 2 Player of the Year)
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

2012
Sarah McGowan
Boston Globe All-Scholastic
Boston Herald All-Scholastic
MGVCA Division 2 All-State Team

Inside the Numbers

Players make plays when it counts.

This table illustrates the major offensive production (kills) by Melrose's primary hitters 'down the stretch' in the biggest games.

The moral of the story is not just the virtue of production, but of an element of balanced offense, such that the defense must defend the whole court. It also shows how players stepped up their production in key games.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Sunday, December 09, 2012

Still Conflicted

Two weeks after Melrose's crowning achievement, I'm still a bit conflicted, not with cognitive dissonance about winning, but about when to move on. Let's enjoy, but move on.

I've talked about Melrose's "complementary volleyball", the front row blockers making life better for the back row, the back row's "platform skills" helping the setter, and the excellent setting for the attack.

Competition is the operative word for Melrose volleyball 2013. To whomever I am forgetting, apologies in advance.

Despite graduating Boston Globe Player of the Year Brooke Bell, Melrose will have tremendous competition for the setter position, including but not limited to Maeve Moriarty, Allie Nolan, and Amanda Cain. Nobody should forget that setters 'set', but they also defend, serve, block, AND attack, in other words they use all the volleyball skills. Although I don't "channel" Coach Scott Celli, I more than take him at his word that every position is open. Players play, coaches coach, and eventually the spots get filled.

Similarly, despite Amanda Commito's impending graduation, Melrose's strength comes from the back, with high talent and effort level in Jill MacInnes, Allie Nolan, Cassidy Barbaro, Maave Moriarty, and under-rated Alyssa Abbott. This gives the coaching staff a lot of flexibility going forward.

In the classic Art of War, author Sun Tzu writes "every battle is won or lost before it is fought," meaning preparation, strategy, and training define outcomes.

Ergo, one major determinant of success going forward is the outcome of the competition for front row spots. Melrose graduates some of the premier blockers in its history, including Rachel Johnson, Kayla Wyland, and Sarah McGowan. I'm not going to review the roster of superior blockers from past Melrose teams, just note that blockers are not fungible year to year.

Blocking is about timing, technique, and of course, some combination of height and jumping ability. The middle blocker spots occupied by Sarah and Rachel are wide open, with a host of players fighting for time. A roster spot on the 2012 team guarantees nothing going forward. Stephanie Crovo and Meri Lessing have the advantage of having practiced against Melrose's championship front line. Although Annalisa DeBari played outside in 2012, she could migrate to the middle if needed. JV players can develop with off-season work, and one has to be aware of "unknowns", as the eighth grade class has both size and athleticism.

Here's an introduction to volleyball blocking technique with some concepts that may not be intrinsically obvious:





well-done on what to track

Enjoy the journey.