HawkeyeNation Forum - Blogs http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/ en Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:54:06 GMT vBulletin 120 http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg HawkeyeNation Forum - Blogs http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/ <![CDATA[It's easy when...]]> http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/seciscrap/234-its-easy-when.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:27:09 GMT ---Quote (Originally by SECisCRAP)--- hmm sounds reasonable a rich persons life is more important than a poor persons. :rolleyes: ---End Quote---
Quote:
Originally Posted by SECisCRAP View Post
hmm sounds reasonable a rich persons life is more important than a poor persons. :rolleyes:
]]> SECisCRAP http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/seciscrap/234-its-easy-when.html Iowa Basketball Today http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/233-iowa-basketball-today.html Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:54:43 GMT When this season started for Iowa, there were a few questions heading into the season. The questions have been answered, but to many, not the way... When this season started for Iowa, there were a few questions heading into the season. The questions have been answered, but to many, not the way fans would like them to be.

Will Melsahn average a double double and be and all-conference selection?
Well, this one was answered fairly early in the season and it is a resounding no. Basabe heading into this season as a known, rather than an unknown. This is one point that could have had some effect on his play.
The reality though is that Melsahn is really the same player he was last season and hasn't developed any real go-to move and his jump shot is still suspect at best.

Can Iowa survive without Bryce Cartwright for an extended period of time?
Early this season it was questionable as Iowa had some bad losses where Bryce either didn't play well or was hurt. Then something happened, Devyn Marble grew up a little bit and began to play really well. It is still a good question because the games that Iowa won on the road, Bryce played well.
This question will be put to rest at the end of season as Bryce Graduates and Iowa has two quality PG's coming to campus.

How many games will Iowa win?
There were many people that thought Iowa would be horrible amongst other things. Iowa isn't and they still have a legit chance to finish over .500 and looking at the roster, it would be a great coaching job by Fran.

Will any of the freshman emerge this season?
Aaron White is a player that I had been wanting to see for many months since they signed him. He has emerged into a basketball player, no matter what position he ends up playing. White knows how to play the game, plain and simple.
Don't write off any of the freshman though, Ogelsby is a very good shooter and he gets a lot of open looks when he and Gatens play at the same time. Olaseni is going to be a good player at Iowa, he is raw and develpoing, see a huge junior year for him in the future.

Can Iowa improve defensively?
A resounding no, at this point. Until Iowa understands rebounding helps defense, it will be a constant struggle.

This season has been good, bad and frustrating all at once. When it comes down to it, when you have a team giving you all those emotions at once, that is a good thing. Expectations are higher, the 2012 class provides a lot of hope. Iowa is different this season and the future looks good as Iowa will have six returnees that just need some help. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/233-iowa-basketball-today.html A Historic Win http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/232-historic-win.html Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:20:32 GMT Iowa basketball has arrived again. The play of the Hawkeyes was not of a team that has had nothing but misery in the past few seasons. This was not... Iowa basketball has arrived again. The play of the Hawkeyes was not of a team that has had nothing but misery in the past few seasons. This was not the team that lost to Campbell this season, nor the team that lost by a wide margin at home against Clemson.
Iowa went to Wisconsin today, punched the Badgers in the mouth and never looked back. The Hawkeyes were at their best with Bryce Cartwright, Matt Gatens, Devyn Marble, Melsahn Basabe and Aaron White. What a performance these five put on today. Cartwright looked like he is completely healthy and had one of his best, if not his best shooting days ever as a Hawkeye (7-12 FG, 3-3 FT) compiling 17 pts, he also had a excellent floor game with 5 assists and only one turnover.
Matt Gatens, the lightning rod of an angry fanbase for much of his career, played one of his single best games in his career. Gatens scored 6 pts, not a big total, but he was aggressive with his shots. Where Gatens had the most impact today was 12 rebounds, that has to be a career high and 6 assists. Defensively, when Marble was out of the game, he played the top PG, Jordan Taylor remarkably well and should silence some who are over critical with his defensive prowess. Just a great game for Matt to contribute in so many ways and get some redemption from last year's game at Iowa City.
Marble is absolutely fearless, what a great performance on defense against Taylor all day. Marble's length really bothers the smaller PG's that he plays against. Marble was also instrumental in getting Ryan Evans and early exit from the game, remember Evans has been playing well for the Badgers and had 22 pts his last game out. The maturity Marble showed down the stretch, hitting the two biggest shots of the game, shows his improvement from last year to this year. Marble did not force anything today, he let his teammates who were on, White/Cartwright, continue to control the game. When Iowa needed him the most, he was there for the Hawks and he couldn't have been bigger at those times.
Melsahn Basabe is a kid that is getting better every game. Basabe's post defense was very good today and his 9 rebounds were huge, but he also blocked out very well and Gatens took advantage of that with his numbers. Basabe could have had 15 rebounds today with how well he blocked out. Basabe was attacking today and didn't get a couple calls he should of, but that is how it goes. Melsahn is playing above his level from last season, he looks more and more like the player fans expected to see at the start of the season.
Aaron White, what a player this kid is becoming. There are only a few freshman that have had such an impact on Iowa basketball. White willed this team back with his stretch of points. Aaron is all energy, he comes in and plays all out and never stops playing. Someone made a comparison to Chris Street today, this is one that never occured to me, but it fits. They each posses a ton of heart, but they are opposites. Street was a great defensive player to start his career, his offense was catching up before he passed away, but Aaron is better offensively and is improving defensively. If White can impact Iowa they way Street did before his untimely passing, then Iowa will be much better for it.
The signifcance of today may not truly be felt for some time, but Iowa basketball is back to a respectable level at least. The perception of the program in Iowa has changed and is steadily changing througout the Big Ten conference. The days of being an afterthought are closer to being an afterthought. Looking forward to the rest of the season there are a lot of capable wins out there, at Minnesota is the next one. Illinois is a Jekyl and Hyde team, Penn State is not good and who knows how good Northwestern and Nebraska are. There are wins out there and if Iowa can somehow finish around .500 it will be a very successful season.
The future is bright, but the present is shaping up to be exciting. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/232-historic-win.html An Outside-the-Box Quasi-Playoff for College Football http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/cover3/231-outside-box-quasi-playoff-college-football.html Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:44:14 GMT The text that follows is from an email I sent my Dad near the end of the 2010 college football season. It eventually outlines my 'Pre-Plus 1' system, a non-playoff method of finding a national champion on the field.

A lot of people think that the best solution to finding a National Champion in College Football is to incorporate playoffs ranging from 4 to 16 teams, or to have a Plus-1 game where two teams standing equal after the bowls would further settle things. I stand on the side of the status quo, because for me, D-1 college ball is the most unique and attractive sport due to its tradition and customs. However, I find myself aligned with a lot of people who are TOO into the tradition and puke at the idea of 'mid-majors' playing for championships, despite on-field evidence that they can compete with the big boys.

My personal sense of tradition is not offended by the idea of TCU getting a shot at the national title (the Horned Frogs were a national power during the era of the Southwest Conference). I am not as inclined to love Boise State, but those guys can play ball and did beat an 11-2 Virginia tech team in a practical road game, along with beating Oregon State by the same score Oregon did. My personal sense of tradition would be moderately to severely offended, however, by seeing playoff champions winning titles with records of 16-0 and 14-2 and the like. It would also possibly be offended by having a team win a game of enormous magnitude in early January, only to have to turn around and do it again (Plus-1).

My idea is this: to eliminate one early-season non-conference game, bringing the schedule down to 11 games (initially), then set aside the week after conference championship week to align inter-conference quasi-playoff games (like the mid-season bracket-busters in BBall) but include exceptions for the top teams in the country so they can 'weed each other out'. The main priority would be to get down to two unbeatens (or unanimously worthy 1-loss teams as can happen in some years).

All unbeatens--regardless of conference or ranking--would be aligned to play each other. This year, with three unbeatens, would be interesting. Here are a couple exceptions that could be built in to get a champion decided among these three:

1) Oregon and TCU, as Nos. 2 and 3 (still would be played if TCU was No. 7 but undefeated), could play for the chance to face Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn could be granted some sort of immunity (they already have it for their violations) because their AD would absolutely want to have a 12th regular season game for budget purposes (in a theoretical future season), but it would be tough to resolve who would play the TCU-Oregon winner if Auburn were to play this extra game and lose. This 'bye' possibly would have made last weekend more interesting by raising the stakes to be No. 1 and not No. 2.

2) Option 1 could be done another way, albeit with the same result this year. Instead of mandating that No. 2 and No. 3 play each other, there could be a provision which states that IF there is ONE team among the three that plays a conference championship game, they could just have an off week. Thus, if Oregon were number one instead of Auburn, it would still be Oregon vs. TCU for the chance to play Auburn. In fariness, that would require all teams to go 12-0 and not for some to go 13-0.

And aside from these three, you could have all teams' budgets fulfilled with a 12th game by having the aforementioned agreed-upon inter-conference matchups (i.e. Big Ten #3 vs. ACC #3; to avoid Big Ten-SEC Outback Bowl redundancy, etc.). This year, that would pit Michigan State against Maryland or NC State. It's not a HUGE showdown and it's not in September, but it's still more interesting than popping a fourth MAC team onto the schedule. Subsequently, Sparty would get to continue on to the Capital One bowl against the Crimson Tide.

In seasons where there are two unbeatens through 11 games, they could either both be granted immunity to play in a bowl against each other for the national championship, or they could play during 'playoff week' and duke it out right then. In the latter scenario, the winner gets the crystal football and goes to play in the bowl aligned for their conference (Rose for Big Ten, Sugar for SEC, Fiesta for Big 12, etc.) After the bowls, if the champ loses, the voters can award titles to whomever they please, but it would not affect disposition of the crystal football.

OR...

You could elect the former, and even if one or both lose their inter-conference games at the end leaving perhaps one unbeaten or a mess of 11-1s, the crystal football could still go to the winner of those two that made it through their 11 SCHEDULED games undefeated.

2009 would have been interesting, to say the least, with five teams getting through the season unscathed. Four of them could face each other on "playoff weekend" with the possibility of leaving three unbeatens still (unless one was to lose to a 1-loss team). This sort of thing would require an additional exception which I don't have the time or energy to craft right now, but it could be done.

In final, I think this option would preserve some semblance of tradition (at least Big Ten OR Pac-10 in Rose Bowl each year, maybe both depending upon #1/2 situation), it would stimulate some intriguing regular-season matchups which would be guaranteed juiciness (instead of scheduling a team five years in advance, only to have their program crumble in three; can you imagine a regular-season tilt where the SEC #1 plays up in Big Ten country in November?), and also preserves the bowl system that is so pervasive in our sporting culture that I don't think I would know New Year's from any other day without it (although the infusion of the Ticket City Bowl and all these other Jan. 4-8 games have given it a wart).

In con, there would be some sloppy seasons (like 2009) that would be difficult to prepare for in an agreement (and that's all this or the BCS is/are, agreements to give a team ONE of the national championship trophies in certain events), there would be a little tradition lost as well (Big Ten Champ OSU or whoever then has to play Oklahoma AFTER the Big Ten title game???) but not as much as with a playoff or Plus-1 (I think), and teams with 'immunity' (if that provision was adopted) might tank their 12th game, but I still think the potential pros outweigh the potential cons.

What do you think? ]]> Cover3 http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/cover3/231-outside-box-quasi-playoff-college-football.html The Finger Pointing is Neverending http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/229-finger-pointing-neverending.html Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:13:11 GMT Penn State University is reeling in the midst of the scandal with former Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky. There are a few things that just... Penn State University is reeling in the midst of the scandal with former Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky. There are a few things that just leave one to wonder who actually has been accused of a crime. In the eyes of the media and obviously the Board of Trustees at PSU, it seems that Joe Paterno has done the crime and is already been served his punishment.
Until it has been revealed that after Paterno was told more after he reported what he the information he recieved and was not lied to like the Grand Jury suspects, then villify the man. What makes no sense in this situation is the Paterno did the same thing that McQueary did and he is the only one that has lost his job. What is even more troubling in the matter is that McQueary was a Grad Assistant when this happened and he didn't report it to the police. Also, he then accepted a coaching position under Paterno later. So, if the finger is pointed at Paterno, it should also be squarely pointed at McQueary.
It has been well documented that there are many people wanting Paterno out as coach because he lost touch with the players. If that is true, how is it he still won and still went to bowls, but that is beside the point, look at the support last night right and wrong. To hear the Board of Trustees is essentially endorsing McQueary and his inaction, it appears that they found the perfect reason to get rid of Paterno. It is peculiar to think that authorities did not charge Paterno with anything because he and McQueary's testimonies at the Grand Jury still matched. So, how is that Paterno is villified and McQueary isn't...remember he was out of eligibility and could have went to the police...why didn't he?
The thought that Joe Paterno is Penn State is something that is an irresponsible thought. Paterno is no God, he doesn't walk on water and sports are sports. Paterno is and will always be a football coach. He was not and never will be the President or Athletic Director for Penn State. So how is it that a man who entrusted his superiors as McQueary put his trust in Paterno to report to his superior what was witnessed. If there was a misunderstanding of what was seen, why did McQueary later join the PSU coaching staff? What explaination was given to Paterno after it was reported?
The focus is simply on the wrong person right now when it should be on the victims and the person who is accused. Predators like this walk in society every day without people knowing. At no time does the FBI know how many predators are lurking, or where. One can be anywhere, which is what is scary.
The Univeristy failed, if anything, the dominoes are falling, but if one contiues to stand, what does that say? The officials that failed have had their charges rendered and Paterno is not one of them, but his fate has been the same. The finger pointing needs to stop and the focus needs to turn where it belongs, not on a football coach, move forward. The story is still unfolding and once it does it will be ugly, uglier than it already is. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/229-finger-pointing-neverending.html Trigger Points - And How To Deal With Them http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/big10fan/226-trigger-points-how-deal-them.html Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:53:09 GMT Wanted to spend a little time on a subject that I feel is undervalued by many in the rehab industry, trigger points. Check the bottom of this post... Wanted to spend a little time on a subject that I feel is undervalued by many in the rehab industry, trigger points. Check the bottom of this post for links, as the anatomy of the subject is worth many pages alone. There is some debate in the medical community on how significant a role trigger points play as a cause of musculoskeletal pain, but most PT’s and physicians recognize that trigger points are something to be considered, especially in cases of chronic pain.

First, a working definition of trigger points, from the AAFP article cited below: “Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. The spots are painful on compression and can produce referred pain, referred tenderness, motor dysfunction, and autonomic phenomena.” So, in laymen’s terms, you have a “knot” in your muscle that is very tender to the touch and may refer pain to other areas when you press on it. The signs and symptoms associated with trigger points can vary quiet a bit from pain at rest, to pain with movement, decreased mobility from muscle pain, referred pain (headaches from trigger points in your neck) and many more.

The most common ways to acquire trigger points are from acute trauma (a fall, for example) or repetitive trauma (performing the same movement numerous times). It is believed that chronically poor posture will also lead to trigger points from chronic overuse and/or shortening of certain muscles. It is a condition that chronically effects those working desk jobs (from poor posture), to those on a factory line (repetitive motion injuries), and the athlete (repetitive motion).

There are three main treatment methods: injection, spray/stretch technique, and manual therapy. The AAFP article details the injection method, and I will say that I have seen many patients benefit from it, but if you go this route you really should have it done by a physician who specializes in it. Most specialized pain clinics will have a doctor who specializes in trigger point injections. The spray/stretch technique is only something I’ve heard of in theory, never seen or met someone who practices it. That is mostly because the spray is expensive and the technique isn’t something learned in PT or medical school. The manual method is what physical therapists practice, and is usually the method of choice for chronic trigger points or for those who have a fear of needles.

Your physical therapist will assess not only where the trigger point is and how to deal with it, but will also focus on what are the potential causes and what to do to make sure they don’t come back again. There are a couple different methods of treatment, one with sustained, direct pressure for approximately 90 seconds or more, and with a roll through the trigger point method. I generally use whichever one is more tolerable for the patient.

There are some awesome tools out there both for self-use and to save your hands if you are a therapist. A quick Google search will come up with all sorts of items, but my favorite for self use are the foam roll and the Thera Cane. There are countless tools that you can use as a therapist, but I personally try to use my hands whenever possible and only use tools on the big muscles.

Lastly, some anecdotal notes. I usually see trigger points in the following muscles, upper traps, rhomboids, gluts, hamstrings, and soleus. The most common place is in the suboccipital area (where your neck attaches to your head at the back) and is a frequent cause of chronic tension headaches. My favorite story is of a college basketball player with 2 months of sciatica symptoms that weren’t improved at all with chiropractic care. A quick exam revealed trigger points in his piriformis and biceps femoris (lateral hamstring) were referring all his sciatica symptoms. After one treatment he was 50-60% better and was 100% after just three treatments. That won’t hold true for everyone, but a good story to show that the cause of pain can be both easily overlooked and easily treated too.

A book I own and highly recommend for therapists and those afflicted by trigger points (and it’s very reasonably priced!) -
The Wiki article on trigger points (not the best article out there) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_point

American Academy of Family Physicians article on trigger points (very technical) - http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0215/p653.html ]]> big10fan http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/big10fan/226-trigger-points-how-deal-them.html The Future of Iowa Basketball http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/224-future-iowa-basketball.html Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:55:06 GMT The Iowa basketball program is on its way under Coach Fran McCaffery. The job that Fran has done in just over a year cannot be understated. The... The Iowa basketball program is on its way under Coach Fran McCaffery. The job that Fran has done in just over a year cannot be understated. The attributes that Fran brought with him are exactly what Iowa has needed. Fran is a confident guy, based on his track record, there is no need for him to feel any different. The only question coming to Iowa was, could he do it in a Big Six conference. So far, I don't think we can say that Iowa has turned around completely, but that Iowa made significant strides in one season as a team. Fran has connected with the fanbase, this is more significant than his confidence. Neither Alford or Lickliter connected with the fans and with the other issues that each had, it led to their demise. Fran is a guy that is firery and leaves it all out there on the court, emotion is not a bad thing. There are times coaches go overboard, but I have yet to see Fran cross this line, he fights for his players, his "rants" if that is what one would like to call them have purpose, he doesn't get upset and argue every call or get in a players face for every mistake.
On the court, Iowa improved, maybe not on paper or overall record, but Iowa would not have beaten Purdue the last two or three years to end the season and then take MSU on the brink of being out of the NCAA tournament. The big difference between Iowa last season and the previous two, they were competitive in most of their games. There were only a handful of games that Iowa didn't compete, at Purdue was one of those. Iowa continues to have success against Indiana, although it may change this season, but Iowa winning in Bloomington has been special.
Fran has provided stability to a program that has been unstable since Tom Davis left. There is only one negative since Fran took over, Anthony Hubbard, but he never played a game for Iowa and will be quickly forgotten. Hubbard seems to have been a person who wanted media attention, but wasn't ready to be a person that was to be relied upon. Maybe there are other reasons he won't be a Hawkeye, but the fact that he is not going to be in a Hawkeye uniform means he will not be a distraction either. That said it is time to close the book on Anthony Hubbard and I wish him well.
The future of Iowa basketball rests on the shoulders of the 2010 recruiting class. Bryce Cartwright, Melsahn Basabe, Roy Marble Jr. and Zach McCabe were the first recruiting class that was brought in. Bryce Cartwright may be one of the top two or three PG's in the BIG this next season behind Jordan Taylor for sure, but no clear cut player behind him. Melsahn Basabe is primed for a breakout season and may be on his way to averaging a double-double this season. Marble is ready to have a better than average season and be one of the main contributors on the team. McCabe is going to be a valuable bench player capable of putting up some very solid numbers. This class will be in their third season on campus when the 2012 class hits campus, which in turn will help them ease into all the expectations that will be put upon them.
The Iowa program is on the upswing and is in a position to get better and build for long term success. The significance of what Fran has enstilled since he has been hired along with pulling off getting Gesell and Woodbury to come to Iowa is something that the fans have been waiting to see for years. Granted, this seasons expectations are not that high, but if Iowa can pull off some early upsets CHA will be full and rocking again. The core group that is in place will be there for three more full season and brining in players like Aaron White and Josh Oglesby will not hurt the development of the Iowa program. Iowa basketball is here, although not completely back, but the future looks bright. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/224-future-iowa-basketball.html How to Stretch Correctly: Dynamic vs Static Stretching http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/big10fan/222-how-stretch-correctly-dynamic-vs-static-stretching.html Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:35:54 GMT I haven’t had a patient yet that doesn’t know it is important to stretch. But not many know why, and it seems even fewer know how to stretch... I haven’t had a patient yet that doesn’t know it is important to stretch. But not many know why, and it seems even fewer know how to stretch correctly. First, lets cover the why. Most soft tissue injuries I see in the clinic involve either hyper or hypomobility, meaning there is either excessive or restricted motion in a joint. This can be from something inside the joint like unusually lax ligaments (hypermobility) or something like scar tissue restricting the joint (hypomobility). The greater population though, especially men, have limited flexibility/mobility due to muscle restriction. And when you have limited mobility, it puts a greater strain on the muscle and surrounding muscles, which in turn eventually leads to injury through tendonitis or sprains and strains.

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of stretching, a quick example. Limited range of motion at your ankle, due to tightened lower leg muscles, means you have to compensate at your knee and hip to walk as normal as possible. This compensation puts extra, and unusual, stress on these joints and surrounding muscles. This is how you can end up with low back pain from a recurring ankle problem, by constantly favoring and putting strain on muscles that aren’t used to it.

There is much argument on stretching, how effective it is and when to do it. So check the links at the bottom for further reading if you’re so inclined. But basically, stretching can be broken down into dynamic or static. First, lets cover the better known, but poorly practiced, static stretching. Static stretching is what it sounds like, holding a stretch without movement. The typical runners stretch or hamstring stretch is usually the first to come to most people’s minds when they think of stretching. The key to a quality static stretch is to hold it for at least 30 seconds, as research shows that less than that doesn’t really have a lasting effect, and more than that doesn’t seem to help you any more. It is very important to not force a stretch and to not bounce. You can take the stretch a bit further if you feel the muscle relax, but again, don’t force it. For example, if you find yourself holding your breath, you’re trying too hard.

Dynamic stretching involves moving the muscle and joint through its full range of motion in a controlled manner. Examples of this are running with high knees or leg swings like you’re kicking a ball. This helps to bring blood flow to the area and prepare the muscle for activity. This is especially important in high intensity and high impact activities, but is a good practice for any sport. Many people do this without realizing it. For example, many people will swing their arm in a circle a few times before trying to throw something, or golfers will take a few “practice swings” at half speed, in essence performing a dynamic stretch.

While there is research going both ways, it seems the current consensus is to perform dynamic stretching before your activity and static stretching after your workout for the most benefit. Stretching is still very important where there is restricted motion, but just remember that you can overdo it or underdo it, so make sure you’re doing it right!

An article on dynamic and static stretching referencing several research articles - Dynamic Stretching Vs. Static Stretching

A research article comparing dynamic and static stretching - Effect of dynamic versus static stretching in the warm-up on hamstring flexibility | The Sport Journal ]]> big10fan http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/big10fan/222-how-stretch-correctly-dynamic-vs-static-stretching.html Season Breakdown http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/221-season-breakdown.html Sun, 21 Aug 2011 01:49:05 GMT Here is a preview to the season for JV and Varsity: JV: There are high expectations with this group because the freshmen lost only one match in... Here is a preview to the season for JV and Varsity:

JV: There are high expectations with this group because the freshmen lost only one match in two seasons in middle school. However, we all know it isn't the same once one moves on to high school. The good news is that there are two or three kids on this that could have made Varsity. The season outlook is good after we played a lot of our league schools this Summer. The freshmen are like others in ways, organized volleyball is foreign to them. There is a lot of skill, but not a lot of fundamentals, so this first week has been about fundamentals and trying to do the same thing everytime to get a predictable result.
The roster has two sophomores and ten freshman, the two sophomores are each other, one plays front row and the other plays back row. At all times there are five freshmen and one sophomore on the floor. The nice thing, the freshmen have a ton of floor experience as they have been playing together since the third grade.
Overall, this is the most Volleyball ready team that I have coached in my time as head JV coach. This team has the potential to be a very good team and re-establish our JV program as one of the better ones in the county. It won't happen overnight, there are growing pains that still have yet to come. There are more positives than negatives heading into the first tournament on Monday. There has been good leadership from the two sophomores and the freshmen have had great attitudes and it has been a fun first week.

Varsity: I ask, how good is this team, do they look good because they are our kids? Having been around teams that have set the school record for wins a few times, this team has all the ingredients to to be very successful. Here are the reasons why:
1. There are two very good outside hitters, both are three year Varsity players and are being leaders.
2. The six underclassmen, don't know any better than to just play Volleyball. There is a hidden fire in a couple that if you didn't know better, one would think they are just going through the motions. It is a unique situation as there are no Juniors on this team. People rave about the freshmen, but once people start paying attention to the four sophomores, they will be amazed.
3. Aggression, there has not been this kind of defensive aggression for about four seasons. The back row has been all over the place since playing together in the Summer.
4. Freshmen become Sophomores...the two freshmen that were up last year have never looked back. There are things they do today because they have that year under their belt, they know what to expect, it has been fun watching them grow.
5. Sister act: There is a set of twins and another set of sisters on the team. There are the moments where each gets mad at one another, but it also is kinda like a family atmosphere with all them together.
Varsity opens up Thursday is a winnable pool, hopefully, they can take that leap forward and become the team they can be. The talent and skill is there, the mental focus is the last piece to the puzzle, so far so good, but this has just been practice, the real test will be transitioning to that first match. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/221-season-breakdown.html Tryouts are over http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/220-tryouts-over.html Sun, 14 Aug 2011 01:42:44 GMT Follow our teams this season on Max Preps. Tryouts are over and the teams have been picked. Varsity:... Follow our teams this season on Max Preps.
Tryouts are over and the teams have been picked.

Varsity: http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools...yball/home.htm

JV: http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools...yball/home.htm

There will only be scores posted for the JV, no stats.

The season starts with JV on August 22nd and Varsity on August 25th, both teams open up with tournaments in Tecumseh, MI. Typically, we are one of the two smallest schools there, but that is how to get better, playing tougher competition. ]]> sportstalent http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/blogs/sportstalent/220-tryouts-over.html