Lunatic Fringe

I coached middle school girls' basketball for almost twenty years. The players hear what the players hear.

One year they gifted me a memory book full of their experiences and my alleged coaching quotes on 3" x 5" cards. Here's one:

State Leaders (Week One)

The sample size is limited. MVB athletes appear among several categories in leaders in the Commonwealth. 

Kills:

Adriana is at #2, Elise at #18, and Amelie at #32

Assists:

Sadie Smith is #1.

Digs:

Anna Burns is at #8 and Dani DiGiorgio is at #22.

  

Three Touch Challenge

Light on your feet? Strong? Coordinated?

Have you done the three-touch challenge?

More of an offseason "experiment" and you should be fully warmed up before trying but not sweating and acting as a mop. 

1) One player

2) Two player - first player generates the pass, second the set, and first player then hits. 

Winning Against Superior Competition

Melrose has won (and lost) against better teams. No surprise there. A key element is the Don Meyer Truth, "it matters more about how you play than whom you play."

Almost without saying, you have to play well with:

• Focus (next play)
• Aggressiveness 
• Consistency 

Contain the Best Players

Nobody 'stops' the best players. But they have to be contained. "Hands on" via double blocks, reading the tips, and "womanning up" against the power drives. 

Blocking is urgency, 'pressing' the block, and stiffening the blocks, which was much better against Burlington. 

Seize the Service Advantage

Remember the four S's - seams, sidelines, short, and soft (the weakest defender). Aggressive serving can force more "out of system" play, which takes opponents out of their preferred style. 

Scoring Points

Anna Burns is like a second setter on the court. Yesterday, she had six assists against Burlington, using Melrose's "pin hitters" to advantage. 

In the 'broken record' department, reminder that positive scores arise from service (aces), kills, and block-kills. Be hungry as the "new kids on the block." 

Soft Touch

The MVB "back row girls" were solid against a lot of hard hitting yesterday. Taking the 'sting' out of smashes is an art and adding Alisa to the mix showed gains. 

Conversion

The MVB schedule demands counterpunching. Strong offenses turn digs into offensive weapons, not just keeping your hands up. It's defense into offense ASAP. 

Signature moments come from character and competence, leading to the ability to play harder for longer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Develop Your "Reset Tool"

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Failure inhabits every sport:

• Baseball - strikeouts and home runs allowed
• Basketball - turnovers and missed layups
• Football - fumbles and interceptions
• Hockey - missed empty nets and bad goals allowed

And sports track mistakes because, "Winners are trackers." 

Everyone fails. Develop a reset tool. The separator is the ability to reset quickly and intentionally. Reset tools give athletes a way to interrupt a cycle of frustration, return to the present moment, and re‑engage with confidence.

Possible Reset Tools 

• Dot b. - Stop and take one cleansing breath 
• Self-talk - "Next play" or "Be here now"
• Group reset huddle - "We got this."
• Physical cue - squeeze your fist twice 
• Visualization - flash to seeing yourself making the play

Why It Works

A reset tool interrupts the emotional spiral that follows mistakes. It creates an emotional shift from reaction to intention, from past to present. It’s a skill  and improves with practice.

"It's Academic" (Input from Chat GPT Plus)

There is enough literature to say that “reset tools” are real and trainable, even though academia usually uses other labels.

The strongest evidence clusters around five ideas: pre-/post-performance routines, cue words/self-talk, breathing/arousal regulation, attentional refocusing, and mindfulness/acceptance. A meta-analysis of 32 self-talk studies found a moderate positive effect on sport performance (effect size about 0.48), especially when self-talk was deliberately trained rather than improvised. 

 Plant the Tree 

"The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The next best time is today." 

Lagniappe. Get back in the game. 

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MaxPreps Stats Update

Melrose at Burlington stats 

Highlights:

Adriana with a career-high 25 kills, Amelie 11, Elise 9, and Sabrina 8

Gen with 20 service points and Melrose with 60/100 service points

Anna with 24 digs and Danni 14

Sadie with 42 assists and Anna with 6

Anna with 24 serve receives and Gen 17

A lot of players had career games statistically. 

Repost from 2017 - Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain

At thirteen, my mother, a problem drinker, offered me alcohol. Fortunately, I never got too interested.

Alcohol impairs alertness, judgment, sleep, athletic performance, recovery, and more.

If you say, "but there's nothing else to do," you're deceiving yourself. You either invest your time or you spend it. Don't cheat yourself, your teammates, or the team. 

Here's the repost, "Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain." 

An excerpt:

But why should student-athletes particularly care? A single night’s alcohol use impairs hydration (alcohol is a diuretic), muscle recovery, healing, and can cause memory deficits for three days. Alcohol damages sleep. It limits absorption of key vitamins. It decreases endurance.

Observation Post

Two games into the season aren't a lot of data points. Nonetheless, use what we have. 

Three standards:

Focus, aggressiveness, and consistency push execution. F->A->C->E 

Hit Dogs

Mo Vaughn (Red Sox) was the "Hit Dog." I'm a believer that it takes three consistent attackers to register a deep playoff run. Long time fans know that Melrose had three attackers with >= 200 kills in only one season. 2005. There are definite candidates for three hitters. 

Block Heads

You can't have too much blocking. The blocking improved with some key block kills from Sabrina "Air" McArt and Amelie Johnson. The success of the season pivots on playing "with force" both at the net and on the service line. 

Power Lefty

MVB has been looking for a power lefthander for a long time - the Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson, or Steve Carlton. Kayla Wyland was more of a finesse lefty. Amelie Johnson has a chance to fill that slot. 

Service, Please

After two matches and seven sets, Sadie Smith has 68 assists, 9.7 per set. It won't get easier. Sadie has also built on 'attack mode' with a number of setter dumps and attacks on the second ball. 

No Quiet, Please

Audible court conversations are key and this is vital, especially for defensive organization. 

Defense Never Rests

The defense "stole" several points from the Devils last night. It's important to transition back to aggressive offense so that strong teams don't "hit back in the mouth." 

A Work in Progress

MVB is. We all are. Think about the "Galton Board" and its distribution of possible outcomes when considering a season. 

Welcome Back

MVB needs everyone to put out the fire. Ella is a big loss. We'll see about her prognosis. Meanwhile, some game reps for Alisa only help as she is one of the top passers on the team and the "pass, set, hit" mantra matters mightily. Coach Scott Celli is practicing load management with several players. 

Patience and Not

Be patient for game reps and hungry for practice reps. "Repetitions make reputations." Challenge the starters to be better and work to earn more opportunities while doing so. 

It's a long season and as you've seen so far, health and injury take their toll. Stay ready. 

Magic Words*

*Adapted from my basketball blog

Why does she add value? "She's a connector." Invest in yourself to influence subordinates, peers, and superiors. Master "Magic Words."

Don't "Reach out" to players; reach them.

Nouns versus verbs

Words matter. Which appeals to you? 

• "Play harder. Play with force."
• "Competitors. Winners. Difference makers."

Nick Saban is a connector. "Choose to invest your time instead of spending it?" Add value instead of consuming it. 

Success versus failure

Avoid failure words. I taught players, "can't" and "try" are failure words. "Show me you can and you will."

Ask more and better questions 

People feel engagement when we ask questions. Questions signal that we are listening and interested. Stanford researchers found that "the more questions asked, the better the first impression they had on dates." 

Coach Chuck Daly said, "I'm a salesman." As coaches and teachers, we're selling our competence, character, and program. We're selling belief.

In our post-game analysis: remember the "Big Four,"

• What went well?
• What went poorly?
• What can we do better next time?
• What are the enduring lessons? 

Make it emotional

Most coaches know the story of Rudy Ruettiger, an iconic figure who made it onto the football field at Notre Dame. 

In "Teammates Matter," Alan Williams shares how when a new basketball coach came to Wake Forest, Williams had to try out again as a walk-on to earn a spot on the team. His teammates all came to the tryout to support his efforts. Being great teammates is a choice. 

Be concrete

People respond to clarity and specificity. Expectations and role definition are essential. If we say, "our best defensive player" will start, then follow through on commitment. Players and assistants want and need to know where they stand. You never forget when a coach tells you, "You're going to start because you're in our best five" or "You're the starting pitcher in our season opener." 

Lagniappe. Study five keys from Jonah Berger's Magic Words - AI (edited)

1. Use identity language

People respond strongly when actions connect to who they are, not just what they do.

Example:

• “Please recycle” vs

• “Please be a recycler.”

When behavior reinforces identity, people are more likely to follow through.

Principle:
Frame actions as identity choices, not just tasks.

2. Ask questions to encourage commitment

Questions prompt people to mentally simulate behavior.

Example:

• “Will you vote?”

• “Do you plan to vote tomorrow?”

Research shows that asking questions increases follow-through because people feel internal pressure to remain consistent.

Principle:
Questions activate self-persuasion.

3. Use “because” to provide reasons

Even simple explanations increase compliance.

Classic example:

• “May I cut in line?”

• vs

• “May I cut in line because I’m in a rush?”

Adding a reason—even a modest one—makes requests more persuasive.

Principle:
People comply more when actions are justified with reasons.

4. Emphasize possibility instead of restriction

Language that highlights what people can do works better than language that stresses limitations.

Example:

• “Don’t smoke” vs

• “You can stay healthy by not smoking.”

This shifts attention from prohibition to positive agency.

Principle:
Highlight opportunity rather than constraint.

5. Make progress visible

Language that signals progress motivates continued effort.

Example:

• “You’ve completed 7 of 10 workouts.”

• “You’re almost there.”

This principle taps into the psychological idea that visible progress increases persistence.

Principle:
People work harder when they can see themselves moving forward.

Why the book resonates with coaches and leaders

The core insight is simple but powerful:

Small changes in wording can change behavior.

For coaches, teachers, and leaders this shows up in:

• motivating athletes

• giving feedback

• framing expectations

• building identity within teams.

Lagniappe 2. Hippocrates was a coach, too. 

“First rule of coaching - do no harm.” - my friend Oscar https://t.co/9zNmMCMYpJ

— Brian McCormick, PhD (@brianmccormick) March 6, 2026

 Lagniappe 3. "Life's a fight." 

Word of the Day - Ebullient

Ebullient - an SAT-type word (or at least Reader's Digest Word Power)

Ebullient originates from the Latin verb ebullire, meaning "to boil over" or "to bubble out," derived from the prefix ex- (out) and bullire (to bubble or boil). 

Melrose put forth an ebullient response in the second game of the season at Burlington. 

Synonyms: enthusiasm, high spirits, or infectious energy, joyful and more...

MVB brought the joy last night. 

Game 2: Melrose 3 Burlington 1

Melrose traveled to always competitive Burlington and notched its first ML12 win with a 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20 win. The win evens Melrose's record at 1-1 for the young season. 

Over the past six seasons in the ML12, Burlington has finished 3-3-4-3-3-3, a perennial upper first division club. They don't beat themselves and force you to score on them. 

It wasn't easy. Burlington has some strong servers and persistent defense and they are always especially tough at home.

Melrose won the first set behind the exceptional hitting of junior Elise Marchais, who probably had at least seven kills. It was a team confidence builder as Melrose earned points down the stretch. 

Burlington responded in set two as Melrose wrestled with inconsistency primarily off serve receive. Melrose had their chances but Burlington fired home two late aces to secure the set. 

In the third set Melrose blazed to 15-3 and 21-9 edges before a late Burlington service run narrowed the gap. Set three was the Adriana Set as Adriana Santoriello lit up the scoresheet. Sophomore Alisa Dautovic, a superior defender and passer, also returned to action after injury. 

The fourth set was closer than advertised as Burlington held a 14-10 edge into a Melrose timeout. A confluence of forces - hitting by Adriana and sophomore Amelie Johnson, blocking by Sabrina McArt and stellar setting by Sadie Smith powered the offense. 

The back line of Anna Burns, Gen Overlan, Danni DiGiorgio, Adriana/Alisa all played solid defense, especially in the decisive stanza. 

Maggie Shoemaker saw fulltime action as a middle and solidly served as well.

With an early season "must win," Coach Scott Celli shortened the rotation a bit as Melrose "put out the fire." 

Melrose Volleyball Notes:

Three Up

It might be unfair to limit it to three as it was a team victory. 

1) Adriana Santoriello - had a career-best 26 kills, played all-around until she got a defensive break from Alisa, and was "feeling it" offensively, appropriately calling for the ball outside. 

2) Amelie Johnson - the sophomore southpaw had her career game - attacking, blocking, and defending. I'd estimate her for at least 13 kills, a heavy load for a young player with limited varsity experience. 

3) Elise Marchais/Sadie Smith - Elise carried the team in the opening frame and Sadie must have had over 40 assists with a yeoman performance. Hopefully, she got a post-game pumpkin cookie. 

Photo courtesy Lee-Anne Dautovic

Quad-captain Ella Friedlaender suffered a non-contact joint injury at practice yesterday and is undergoing evaluation. She is out indefinitely. 

Today's win threw up a roadblock against a possible 0-2 start, beat a solid team, and boosts the team's confidence in their ability to close out sets. 

Make It Happen

 Play volleyball. Excellent teams inhabit "Play the game" not "Work the game."

Keep it simple and execute. Have fun. 

What Are Your Most Important Words?

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

Always quickly read through the directions first. 

Choose wisely. Most of you don't need to do anything different. You're already on a great path and can stay on it.

Words may surprise you. Make and initial list and revise it. Rework it, print and save, and follow.

Warren Buffett advises the 25-5 method. Make a list of priorities and then narrow down to what works for you. 

Here's a takeoff.

• Family 
• Academics
• Attitude
• Balance
• Integrity
• Values
• Teamwork
• Judgment
• Process
• Habits
• Gratitude
• Toughness
• Commitment
• Discipline
• Effort
• Resilience
• Standards
• Preparation
• Accountability
• Confidence
• Positivity
• Humility
• Reliability
• Fun
• Simplicity

Confine yourself to five to ten...force yourself to choose.

That doesn't mean ignoring others not at the top.

Family, school, and attitude belong at the top. 

Balance is underrated. Confidence balances arrogance and doubt. Courage balances recklessness and fear. Work-life balance is a skill. 

"Habits are votes for the type of person we want to become." - James Clear, Atomic Habits

"Simple is hard." Trust is hard. Trust your family. Create the life that you want. 

*You don't have to do any of this. Stay frosty. 

Lagniappe. Summitt. 

Pat Summitt pass out sent to Sally Jenkins pic.twitter.com/tJkyMjKcPH

— Bob Starkey (@CoachBobStarkey) June 28, 2026

Statistical Update (Game 1)

Sample size matters. 

Kills:

A key stat that we don't have is "Attack efficiency." Hitting performance is more complex than raw numbers of kills. 

Attack efficiency = (Kills - Errors)/Attempts

Serving:

High performance will mandate a higher percentage of points/serve attempts

Digging:

Mathematically, the game is about (scoring points + opponent mistakes) - (opponent scoring + MVB mistakes). 

Setting:

Assists are a function of not only sets but hitter conversion. There's low hanging fruit to boost the latter. 

Receiving:

No surprises here as overall, the back row performed at an above average level under pressure. 

If there were one message the game sent it was the need to score more positive points, always important against quality opponents who give away fewer points. 

Embracing Hard

MIKE LEACH ON EMBRACING HARD

"Nothing is really fun unless it's hard ...

You're pushing yourself. All of a sudden you're making great plays.

You're doing things that you've never done before...

Never hope that it's easy."

~ via @WSUCougarFB and @DrewMaddox pic.twitter.com/mCpHfDgpai

— Jamy Bechler (@jamybechler) September 8, 2026

Differentiate winning. 

What does that mean? 

All winning is not equal. A signature win over a high quality opponent "feels different." 

Don't strive to win at all times. 

What does that mean? 

In a relationship, the need to win all the time degrades the relationship. How did our need to win affect the other person in the relationship? 

Don't feel compelled to win a conversation. 

The last word might become literally the last word. Think of the other. 

Honor rationality. Think about the Four Agreements. The first is "Be impeccable with your word" - to others and to ourselves. Saying, "You're wrong" fails compared with, "I am feeling sad about this." 

Judge less. Think about the "Fundamental Attribution Error." That means we tend to judge actions by different standards. We judge ourselves by intent and others' actions imposing "character." For example, "I was late because of the traffic. She was late because she didn't care about the meeting."  

How did we make the other person feel? Reflect (the noblest way) on the "Firefighter" video. On a team, "We have to do this together" because one person cannot put out the fire. 

Years ago we lost a middle school game. Lenore Ivers, one of our top players, apologized to the team. "I lost the game." Bella Federico put her arm around her and said, "We win as a team and we lose as a team." That's what I remember most about that season. 

Lagniappe. "The first robin doesn't make a spring." 

Don't mistake a data point for a trend.

Don't let one performance become an identity.

New evidence should change your estimate, not erase your history. 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Artists Steal

"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso  

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Everyone reveals signs. Learning how to win demands "unrequired work" and self-examination including both giving yourself grace and critical editing. 

The best players I coached (Cecilia Kay, Sam Dewey) informed similarities:

• Tireless workers
• Students of the game (video study)
• In their notebooks learning 
• Self-care
• Relentless competitors 

Steal from them. 

Results Are Feedback - Random Thoughts on Game One

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

Student-athletes attend school to learn. Learn to organize and to invest your time, to study, retain information that you have to know, and how to think better - conventionally and unconventionally - and to present your thoughts.

Tests are one metric that provide feedback on both your process and the teacher.  

Games are like that, too. Teams and individuals find out what worked, what didn't, and what improvements are needed.

Former Celtics Assistant Kevin Eastman recommended four 'changes' when feedback is available:

• Do it better. 
• Do it harder.
• Change personnel. 
• "$*%& it ain't working." 

Coach Scott Celli and his staff will review game video to study what happened during the "Got to have it" moments. They'll suggest changes, not wholesale revisions. 

Some themes recur:

Maintain aggressiveness every point. "Play harder for longer." Some players have a knack for superior focus.

Block better. Read it, get to the block better, press the block, and stiffen the block.  Some of the blocks were soft, some late. There could be other adjustments coming.

Gia told Sadie Jaggers years ago, "Focus on making a good pass not a perfect one." The passing will improve. Sadie Smith put on a lot of steps yesterday. 

Improve hitting decisions. Vision. Decision. Execution. Hitting decisions improved during the match. 

A lot of good things happened. "Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater." A lot of players played as though their 'careers' depended on it.  

MVB doesn't traffic in excuses. Get back on the horse.

Lagniappe. A coach's job is to tell you what you need to hear when you need to hear it. That may be "opposite the moment."  

This is so freaking good

Never heard it put like this

“My job is to be opposite the moment” pic.twitter.com/a5IWqXazB7

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) September 6, 2026

 

The Frog Problem*

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

In volleyball, the truth shows up faster. There’s no hiding and every possession is a point. Every touch matters.

Which translates: You don’t need a long evaluation period to see who helps you win.

The Illusion of Skill

In warm-ups, a lot of players look like “players.”

• clean arm swing

• good size

• smooth passing in partner drills

They pass the eye test. But volleyball is not a warm-up sport. It’s a decision and discipline sport under pressure.

The Real Game: Error Management

In basketball, I preach, “Turnovers kill dreams.”

In volleyball: Unforced errors kill sets.

The missed serve. The overpass. The late block read. Ball watching. They are patterns.

The Frog Problem

Every roster has them. Players who hit hard… but out of bounds. Who pass… but not when it matters. Who can block… but are late to the spot.

And volleyball rewards stability and consistency.

The First Filter: Can You Be Neutral?

Before a player can be great, she must be non-destructive. Can she serve in consistently, keep the ball in play under pressure, make the early and correct read?

Because in volleyball: A neutral touch is often a winning touch.

The Second Filter: Can You Be Repeated?

One good swing isn't enough. One great pass isn't. The question is: can you do it again, and again, and again? Consistency is not a trait. It’s a habit.

The Princess in Volleyball

The best players don’t always look like the best players.

They look like: the passer who delivers a good or better every time, the middle who closes the block on time, every time, and the setter who gives hitters predictable tempo.

They simplify the game and add value.

Blocking: The Ultimate Truth Teller

Blocking exposes everything: focus, discipline, reading the game.

A great athlete who doesn’t read hitters is a frog. A slightly less athletic player who sees the set early, closes hands over the net, and takes away the angle, she's the princess. 

Because: blocking is less about jumping than about timing and decision-making.

Creeping Commitment 

Trust is earned in layers. First time, can you execute your assignment? Next can you do it under pressure? Late set, can you do it when it matters?

Lineups should evolve the same way.

The Hidden Advantage

Teams that win consistently don’t just have talent.

They have fewer unforced errors, more predictable execution, players who make the right play.

Over time, that differentiates. Relentlessly.

Final Thought

You don’t need six stars. You need six you can trust. Because in volleyball: the team that makes the fewest mistakes, and repeats the right habits, wins.

Most players are frogs. That’s not an indictment. Evaluate honestly and reward consistency. Discover the ones who steady the game. And those are the ones who win it. The princesses leave a mark. 

Lagniappe. Hitting your target.