So close

So today USA Volleyball almost sent me to Puerto Rico! I guess the technical coordinator for the USA Girls Youth team backed out and they needed a scout and I would have been the replacement, but I am working the World League match in Bloomington...aaaaaaah so close!

Living from hotel room to hotel room.

Me and FIVB supervisor Benito Montessi from Italy


So living in hotels for weeks is starting to get to me. I miss my room! But it's all good because I love my job! Traveling with Team USA and meeting new people....I couldn't ask for more. I have my first official FIVB match under my belt and I'm ready for this weekend against Finland which should be 2 easy wins for Team USA.



Old school Newman vball and new school Newman vball


After this weekend I fly to Dallas to coach my 171 team at nationals then it's time to catch up with my Newman bros. A lot of the crew if coming to the ICT for Ripple's wedding....prolly more for the bachelor party and reception haha. Then it's off to Bloomington, IL for USA vs Spain.

I also got hired to be the VIS manager for the NORCECA boys world championships in Miami and I will also be the Public Relations and Media Director at the event. Finally I get to put my education to use! I will also be doing the same at the FIVB High Performance Championships in Tucson. After all that I have my Gold Medal Squared and WSU camps to attend to. Turns out I'll actually be missing the first day of WSU preseason.

I must say I love my job(s). It definately beats being in the office and in the gym all day. Hopefully this will lead to a full time career for me.

Until next time...
That's how the Ridge rolls

Goodbye Olympic Training Center....Hello World League

Last night was the final exhibition match for USA vs Brazil and was it nutso! First, we got waxed by Brazil in 3; however, Brazil wanted to play 5 matches no matter what. Second, the game was televised, but we couldn't set up a statistics network for some reason and the TV announcers weren't able to get the live stats from the game! Crazy night and I wish we could have played better but it's exhibition. I love the Olympic Training Center and I met a bunch of cool people. I know I'll see some of them at the World League matches that I'll be working and hopefully I'll get to see some at the High Performance nationals and Junior Olympics. I'll be back in Wichita today (Sunday, I'm sitting the Colorado Springs airport right now), and I depart for Wilson Estates, IL on Wed. for USA vs Bulgaria. The summer madness has begun! oh yeah, I forgot to add that I will arrive in Wichita at 3:52pm and I have a practice with my 171 club team at 5pm so I'm having one of my players pick me up from the airport and drive me to practice haha...so classy

1st day with USA vball

Let's just say I love Colorado Springs and the USA Volleyball Staff. I really would love to work here full time, but we'll see. We played Brazil last night and lost in 5. Props to Brazil, ranked #1 in the world, because they lost their starting setter due to injury. Brazil plays at such a fast pace. As I was evaluating sets I realized Fafoa (Brazil's setter) probably got her hitters in 5 one-on-one situations to every one of ours. We play again on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully we'll come out of this series 2-1.