Jump to content

2017 Season underway


SummaryJudgment
 Share

Recommended Posts

It's good to be back in high school season. Saw lots of strong volleyball these past few months. But there is nothing like playing for the home team. Here's some news, notes, and guesses on 11AAA teams from what I've heard and seen since I last posted.

Brentwood: Their junior setter committed to College of Charleston and their junior libero pledged to Furman in recent weeks Logan E. will again miss the first part of the season playing for team USA. Potential trouble with the other outside though that could affect their status as the only backups at OH will be freshmen unless someone moved in.

Centennial: New coach who has a lot of work to do as the Cougars only had two girls play upper level club ball this past season. Actually, I am pretty sure no other players on the roster have touched a ball since last season except for a beach player who returns to the indoors. Rebuilding for sure.

Franklin: Another new coach in the district taking over a team that lost critical talent at critical positions. They are strong in the middle and have a good pin hitter. Only senior with varsity and club experience is their libero.

Independence: Will be interesting to see what happens with the Eagles. They will be good at setter and libero. Their M1 is tall with ability. But like Franklin, they only have one senior with varsity and club experience. She was RS but will have to play at OH this season.

Page: New to the district but comes in with nine players who played in open or the next level down in club. Five of those nine are seniors which includes their setter who is committed to Jax St. out of the OVC. They have two juniors who are also D1 prospects.

Ravenwood: The Raptors don't actually have a team in place as the school took a while to name a new coach and that new coach is out west working with the HP program. Once in place though, the Raptors should be strong. They are solid at setting and libero. Their OH recently committed to UTC. Their M1 is a D1 prospect. Chemistry should be better this year which will help with consistency.

Summit: Could make some noise with their super talented MB/ OH who just committed to Western Kentucky. She will be aided by two pin hitters who played club and a very strong setter who committed to Lindsey Wilson over the winter. May have to rely on some freshmen tho in the back row and middle.

I'll update other notable middle TN teams next time. Hopefully I will get to see some east and west TN teams in the preseason.

Chime in with thoughts, predictions, updates, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't be surprised if Logan's sister in the other outside.  Yes, she's a freshman, but she would start for 90% of high schools in the state.  Garrett can also play outside.  If I'm not mistaken, 5 out of Brentwood's potential 6 starters have already committed to D1 schools.  I could make an argument that Brentwood has the best player in the state for their respective grades 8-12 in their system.   

The twin (freshman) towers at Summit will be legitimate players. 

Coach West will do a good job with Ravenwood.  I would say she knows exactly what she has since she has probably coached most of the team at Alliance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Egglestons will have to be the outsides for Brentwood this year if what I am hearing is true. Will know for sure next week after the team camp.

They have four D1 commits on the team. Logan (Texas), Garrett (Purdue), Tori (C. of Charleston), and Andrea (Furman). May only have three available tho. See above.

One of those Summit twin towers may be at a different Willco HS this fall. Will know for sure very soon.

Agree on Abbey and Ravenwood. She has lots to work with too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's rough.  I am going to say something that I feel needs to be said.  I think we may be pushing some of these young ladies too hard physically too early.  Many, if not most, teams have year round players.  That is too much for a 14-18 year old that is still growing and maturing.  Also, a lot of club and high school coaches lack in athletic training experience.  I was shocked to see a 15 year old doing squats, with weights, with poor form.  Nothing but body weight should be used, and there needs to be an off season.  Pro athletes rest.  I think some parents need some perspective.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First, thank you for taking the time to call me about this instead of making a childish response.  This is NOT an attack on club in anyway.  My daughters played club, and I played ball professionally and know what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Parents have lost perspective and clubs have become more focused on making money.  No one, even professional athletes, should play competitive sports on a year round basis.  It is not healthy.  As many of you know me, I played professionally for 6 years and I am now a physician.  Year round play is harming your daughters, and if the club and high school coaches tell you different then they are either uniformed or intentionally misleading you.

My suggestion is this:

High School season run from August until October, like it used to.

Club tryouts occur immediately after high school is over, but NO practice until January.  Have the nationals end by the first week of June.  This gives the athlete two (2) month breaks.

what do you think?

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 I tend to agree.   Starting HS volleyball in august is too late though, because the season starts in august.  Maybe start high school practices in mid july.  The kids who go to nationals are the ones that are playing year round (almost). If a kid plays on a regional team, they are not really playing that late.  Most club kids are off Nov-Dec and start practice in January.  I do wish nationals was about a week or so earlier.  Many of the low level teams need the summer time to even know how to line up.  The high level teams do not need nearly as much time to be ready for the high school season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my daughter went to college she was part of a study that talks about how much rest a college athlete needs.  The results were eye opening.  A Division 1 athlete needs a minimum of 4-5 months away from the sport and from anything close to serious training to stay healthy.  When I played pro ball our contract gave us a MINIMUM of 4 months away from the club, and we were NOT allowed to do anything physical in able to let our body rest.  A high school athlete should have the same time off as a college or pro athlete, even more.

Parents have gone sports crazy, and clubs are so motivated by the dollar that they create a false idea that year round play makes you a better player.  I would offer that it is the quality, not the quantity, of what you receive that makes you a better player.

i stand with my last week of July Start for high school.  Back the state tournament back up to the end of October.  Start games the last week of August.  No club play until February and end by first of June.  How would this do anything but help the athlete?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always wondered why the season couldn't start and end later. Assumed it was because the basketball coaches wanted their girls back for preseason training. If that is the reason, it no longer applies since a great majority of girls play volleyball only.

This situation is only going to get worse with the rise of beach volleyball and USAV pushing their HP program. There is almost no break because people (read parents and coaches) feel the need to keep up with the joneses. The Clubs feed off of this with their out of season clinics. Everyone pays lip service to resting girls but pressure to play more continues to build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We play WAY too many HS matched in TN.  Look at the Midwestern HS teams.  They play 25 matches or so.   We should limit to 2 tournaments as well.  I would have no problem with later july start date, as long as the matches in HS don't start till mid-late august.  Great idea.  If my daughter would quit HS volleyball way before club (our HS team is not good at all)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the above, especially on the number of high school matches.  When we were in middle school age, mid 90's the high schools played over 60 matches! There was no limit on tournaments.  I strongly agree with limiting to two tournaments and 25 non tournament matches for high school.  Don't let matches play until the end of August, that gives everyone a month to get back in shape before live play.

If we moved the state tournament back to the end of October and I love the 2 tournament idea, that helps, but we still have to deal with club, and the off season training.  I am way removed from this but how are parents and coaches justifying not giving these girls at least 4 months off?  Are the clubs pushing it?  I believe this is a serious issue that affects the health of children.  What rationale is being given to push so much play.

Great discussion btw.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


×
  • Create New...