It has been one crazy spring semester/season! So I will attempt to update you on what's been going on lately.
1. My designated club teams (182 & 121) seasons are over.
Many people tell me you have to be so relieved to have less to do now, but it's almost like we just started clicking and getting better at a faster rate towards the end of the season that I wanted to continue on. For instance, my 12 year olds went from never making it out of pool play to making it to the finals or losing to the semis. We went from a team that could make a serve over the net to serving aces. I think a reason for a lot of my girls losses is because I forced them to use 3 contacts and actually set up an attack and many teams would play tennis with us (we hit the ball over and they hit it right back). There is a lot more chance in creating errror with 3 contacts and so I think that's why we lost certain games. For those interested in coaching, you have to coach a young kids team atleast once in your career. As for my 182, I had to leave them with a replacement coach for the 1st day of their last tournament because of WSU spring vball. I was scared to death but my assistant Courtney did an amazing job, and apparently the girls did an amazing job getting first in their pool for the day. The last few practices I had with those girls were awesome. We did a lot of work and we actually had a lot of people able to attend practice. My 182 has always had a strong backrow because of my "littles" (defensive specialists), but towards the end of the season I had everyone playing defense, showing me range, making plays. It was an amazing transformation. As for attacking, we finally started connecting on our slide even in transition. My setter got a lot smarter as to thinking her setting strategy in certain rotations. It's very sad that the season is over because I have so much more I would have liked to work with those girls. But I'll have to wait another season....that's if I'm still in Wichita next year =/
2. WSU spring volleyball is almost over!!
So far we've played in Florida against Miami and Florida Atlantic, and at WSU against K-state and Oklahoma. Let me just say...the shockers are going to open a lot of eyes next year. Joining us this spring semester were Mary Elizabeth Hooper (setter) and Dana Loganbill (middle). Both of them realistically should be playing club right now but decided to graduate early and start training with the shockers. Both have made a big impact, alongside with Peyton Thompson, a transfer from East Carolina University. The shockers just might have a shot at breaking into the top 15 this year. We finish out our spring schedule in Houston in which we will play Penn State, just the defending NCAA National Champs....no biggie ;) , Rice University, Texas State, and Texas A&M.
3. USA Volleyball
This summer I will be traveling around the USA with USA Volleyball as the Volleyball Information Systems Supervisor. I will be doing all the in game statistics for all the men's national team World Cup matches and I will be traveling to Colorado to work an exhibition match between the USA women's national team and Brazil! The sweet part is that I found out I can get college credit for doing this hehe. Nothing like working for the national teams, getting paid, and getting college credit =)
4. Gold Medal Squared
I also happened to join the Gold Medal Squared coaching staff for this season and will be working 3 camps. The awesome thing is that one camp I will be working alongside 2 former BYU men's volleyball players who won the national championship against UCLA a couple of years ago. And then my last camp I am working with my former coach I played under at Newman Unversity.
So you can see it's been a crazy spring and looks like it's an even crazier summer ahead. I sometimes forget that I'm a full time student also! Also, I forgot to mention while all this is happening I need to find a place to live in by the end of May!! My roommate got a job in San Antonio and the lease ends at the end of May. So if any of you want to make donations to the help RJ and Wu (Bryan Wooten my other roommate) pay for May rent/utlities please feel free to get a hold of me.
Until then...that's how the Ridge rolls!
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