Siegel at UT Volleyball Camp

[StarsPres]

The UT Volleyball camp ended today with Siegel finishing 4th in the Championship division. This was the highest finish for any team from TN. Schools from FL, OH and In took the top 3 spots, but I am not sure of the order of finish. The camp answered some questions for Coach Palk-Slaughter.

 

Most have counted Siegel out of serious consideration since they graduated 6 seniors in 2005. What many don't realize is that they return Luna, Faulkner, Smith, Parrott and Reese from last years 52-11 State Semi-finalist team.

 

Siegel was absolutly awesome on defense at the camp. The offense was spotty at times and they will certainly have to step-up the power hitting game side of their game. The back row kept the ball in play and they won many points on agility and finesse. Looks like a very interesting District race this year.

[wingman10]

Great job! Congrats to the ladies.

[PHargis]

The UT Volleyball camp ended today with Siegel finishing 4th in the Championship division. This was the highest finish for any team from TN. Schools from FL, OH and In took the top 3 spots, but I am not sure of the order of finish. The camp answered some questions for Coach Palk-Slaughter.

 

Most have counted Siegel out of serious consideration since they graduated 6 seniors in 2005. What many don't realize is that they return Luna, Faulkner, Smith, Parrott and Reese from last years 52-11 State Semi-finalist team.

 

Siegel was absolutly awesome on defense at the camp. The offense was spotty at times and they will certainly have to step-up the power hitting game side of their game. The back row kept the ball in play and they won many points on agility and finesse. Looks like a very interesting District race this year.

Pres, glad you made it up to see the current edition of the Lady Stars. I knew this was supposed to be a good test with some of the best teams in the country exposing their talents for the Tennessee Volleyball program. It is certainly difficult to lose 6 seniors which started playing when Coach Slaughter started the team four years ago. While the talent is there with the five you mentioned, there is certainly enough players off of last years very good JV team to round out the squad. The main difference between this years squad and last years is the extra junior player on the bench as Coach Slaughter had the second child last spring and both will be right in the middle of play this year.

The team will be led by two seniors Casie Luna and Carrie Parrot both who played a big part in The State Semi-Finalist Team of last year. Morgan Faulkner, Shelby Smith and Sallie Reese, all juniors, are part of a very successful junior class that lost only two matches as Freshman, and played a big part in that same State Semifinalst team last year. This team will get better as the season progresses and as the team better finds their roles. One thing is sure, Coach Paulk/Slaughter has a reputation of not letting the reloading time take long and evidently the team needed this play time to get ready for the upcoming season.

[catuballer]

Actually, team camps don't really bring the best teams from across the nation - not even at UT. Usually the teams are below par.

 

Not meant to take anything away from Siegel, because I thinkt hey will be a contender this year. If you look the players that played last year, yes, you lost 2 superstars, but Siegel has a lot of talent coming back. Many of which either played club or who got significant minutes last year. There should be no surprises with that team The real question will be who the setter will be, since they apparently didn't have a back-up setter last year.

[play4keeps]

The real question will be who the setter will be, since they apparently didn't have a back-up setter last year.

 

Cat, you bring up a really good point (and maybe another topic) -- this is an issue with most schools. You have a setter -- she's good -- so she plays for one, two, four years on varsity. Yeah, you probably have a backup setter but she doesn't play much at the position or plays JV for a couple of years and then boom, the starting setter graduates. If you've been running a 6-2 the team had two setters but if not then a girl may only get a year as starting setter. I've seen this happen in lots of schools. It runs in a cycle. Setter plays for 3 years at varsity, junior comes up from JV, backs her up for a year, setter graduates, rising sr steps in and sets for a year. Coach then brings up freshman or soph to back HER up and then that girl sets for 3 more years when Sr graduates and the cycle continues.

 

Cutter was awesome and definitely a hard act to follow.

[bratman]

Stopped by UT's camp.

 

Saw siegel.

 

siegel looks good.

 

siegel will have another good year.

 

No brats at UT.

 

Left UT camp hungry.

 

UT camp bad.

[StarsPres]

There were some Great teams at the camp. Mount Notre Dame out of Cinncy is a perennial power. They brought 18 players that could play anywhere. Leon High School was better than most teams I have seen and the school from Indiana was very talented. I was only there the first evening of play.

 

I agree that camps are generally not a place to see top notch competition, but the UT camp is a very good instructional venue. Siegel went to the University of Illinois last year and the competition was probably better, but Coach Slaughter must have thought UT was better or they would have gone back to IL. It will be a very interesting year in TN AAA.

Stopped by UT's camp.

 

Saw siegel.

 

siegel looks good.

 

siegel will have another good year.

 

No brats at UT.

 

Left UT camp hungry.

 

UT camp bad.

[PHargis]

Stopped by UT's camp.

 

Saw siegel.

 

siegel looks good.

 

siegel will have another good year.

 

No brats at UT.

 

Left UT camp hungry.

 

UT camp bad.

Appreciate the report on siegel. Surprised brats were not on the list, It is correct some teams at camps probably are not good and most likely most of them. the only thing that can be said is that siegel was fourth out of 36 teams what ever that means. Just getting ready for district, Cat. See you at the match.

[PHargis]

Cat, you bring up a really good point (and maybe another topic) -- this is an issue with most schools. You have a setter -- she's good -- so she plays for one, two, four years on varsity. Yeah, you probably have a backup setter but she doesn't play much at the position or plays JV for a couple of years and then boom, the starting setter graduates. If you've been running a 6-2 the team had two setters but if not then a girl may only get a year as starting setter. I've seen this happen in lots of schools. It runs in a cycle. Setter plays for 3 years at varsity, junior comes up from JV, backs her up for a year, setter graduates, rising sr steps in and sets for a year. Coach then brings up freshman or soph to back HER up and then that girl sets for 3 more years when Sr graduates and the cycle continues.

 

Cutter was awesome and definitely a hard act to follow.

You are absolutely right. Cutter was awesome and again you are right, the back up was a Senior although even she didnt have a chance to set much with the dynamo and motivator that was setting. So....some are going to have to step up that have some experience and take over. This will be interesting to see that happen with as much experience on the team. While that is important, that plus team chemistry will decide how good this team can be. Team leadership will be good and certainly the coaches involved will not let them get off track very far. There is not a Cutter on this team. She was exceptional BUT there are certainly a number of wannabees from a large group and they saw what it takes to be exceptional. Likely there will be some exciting moments to start with and a lot of patience will resolve the issue. This team likes to win and really does not like to lose. Patience has not been one of its virtues but that is the reason for a good Conductor/Coach.

[PHargis]

Cat, you bring up a really good point (and maybe another topic) -- this is an issue with most schools. You have a setter -- she's good -- so she plays for one, two, four years on varsity. Yeah, you probably have a backup setter but she doesn't play much at the position or plays JV for a couple of years and then boom, the starting setter graduates. If you've been running a 6-2 the team had two setters but if not then a girl may only get a year as starting setter. I've seen this happen in lots of schools. It runs in a cycle. Setter plays for 3 years at varsity, junior comes up from JV, backs her up for a year, setter graduates, rising sr steps in and sets for a year. Coach then brings up freshman or soph to back HER up and then that girl sets for 3 more years when Sr graduates and the cycle continues.

 

Cutter was awesome and definitely a hard act to follow.

After reading my last post, I left a paragraph out Play4keeps will enjoy hearing about. Off of last years State Championship Playing team there were 5 players that had sisters playing volleyball at siegel Middle School. that Middle School team won their district tournament and had 38 players on the roster and had a great Middle School Coach. Many of those 6th, 7th and 8th graders played club this year. The last names are interesting. Cutter, Horencamp. Do not want to put the hex on these two young players but they along with the other three sisters and the 33 other players that have shown interest bring a wealth of interest in to the high school program along with the players on the other other feeder schools. What you say is absolutely correct that there has to be a planned generation turnover. The plan seems to be to start in Middle School and generate interest thru high school. Then this freshman, sophmore situation may be downplayed. There is not a shortage of middle school wannabees at setting when the matches are as exciting and have had the players of Cutter and Horencam and the other big sisters.

[play4keeps]

After reading my last post, I left a paragraph out Play4keeps will enjoy hearing about. Off of last years State Championship Playing team there were 5 players that had sisters playing volleyball at siegel Middle School. that Middle School team won their district tournament and had 38 players on the roster and had a great Middle School Coach. Many of those 6th, 7th and 8th graders played club this year. The last names are interesting. Cutter, Horencamp. Do not want to put the hex on these two young players but they along with the other three sisters and the 33 other players that have shown interest bring a wealth of interest in to the high school program along with the players on the other other feeder schools. What you say is absolutely correct that there has to be a planned generation turnover. The plan seems to be to start in Middle School and generate interest thru high school. Then this freshman, sophmore situation may be downplayed. There is not a shortage of middle school wannabees at setting when the matches are as exciting and have had the players of Cutter and Horencam and the other big sisters.

 

I DID enjoy this post. My oldest daughter was setter at Wilson Central (class of 04) and her younger sister will be a setter at WCHS starting this fall. Impact's championship 15U team had the younger sisters of some very successful players from the classes of 02 and 03. I agree that we are getting to the point where girls are starting earlier to play the game. Impact had a pretty successful younger program (grade 4-6 for 8 weeks) this past winter and they do a 6 week rec league for grades 4-8 in the fall.

 

It may be my imagination but the younger sisters seem to be more successful players as they were "raised" in the sport -- starting club earlier, growing up peppering with their older sibs. I love watching the next generation make an impact on the sport.

[PHargis]

I DID enjoy this post. My oldest daughter was setter at Wilson Central (class of 04) and her younger sister will be a setter at WCHS starting this fall. Impact's championship 15U team had the younger sisters of some very successful players from the classes of 02 and 03. I agree that we are getting to the point where girls are starting earlier to play the game. Impact had a pretty successful younger program (grade 4-6 for 8 weeks) this past winter and they do a 6 week rec league for grades 4-8 in the fall.

 

It may be my imagination but the younger sisters seem to be more successful players as they were "raised" in the sport -- starting club earlier, growing up peppering with their older sibs. I love watching the next generation make an impact on the sport.

Two and maybe three siegel middle 6-7 graders were on impact travel team this summer. Some others played in the Boro. Volleyball interest is mushroooming and the question is when will it max out and be like BHS does it with a team composed of a grade level. Has a long way to go to do that but do understand WCHS having interest since their BB team did well and other players wanting to play something especially if they are athletic. At that age exposure is the main thing and enjoyment of the sport and the rest will take care of itself. Really have not thought of District 9 being volleyball but it should be also. This will be a great year in VB. siegel has one fine Coach and Coaching staff, exceptional people and great leaders of young women. The middle school is the same way. Takes leadership at the top to pull this sport off at any school.