New club team

[clifford20]

Really interesting post.   We can't compare KIVA with any club in Tn--we are miles behind them.   I do think K2 has done incredibly well and it is interesting to compare the 2 clubs.    I don't necessarily determine the success or failure of a club by how many D-1 athletes are placed.  That is certainly one of the big indicators though.   There is no question that the disconnect in the mid state starts at the middle school age kids (IMO).   I can't speak to the other areas.    I think that Alliances coaching at the very young age can certainly be better.  Not saying it is bad.  Our best technical coaches need to be in 9-12 year olds.  I completely disagree though that the players don't have some ownership in this.  If the players have no ownership-then what are we suggesting?  That is 100% coaching?  100% club?   Good topic.

 

(separate topic) I noticed your user name is Rutherford County VB and I have a serious question for you (you may not have a good answer).   I have long wondered why RUCO volleyball is not developing at all.  There is one good program there that is successful.  I just don't see any reason why Riverdale, Oakland, Smyrna, Laverge, Stewarts Creed, Blackmon, to be so poor in volleyball.  It is really confusing.  I just feel like that county should be every bit as successful as Wilco.  I know the club there is not good, but I still think it should be way better. 

[Osage]

Interesting event in Knoxville at the end of April. TPV will be there, along with top teams from Alliance, Munciana, KIVA, Sting, A5, K2, and the Carolinas. Should be a good barometer.

[clifford20]

Can't wait for this tournament.   Very impressive line up.

[RutherfordCoVolleyball1]

I’ve never lived in Louisville, and I don’t know anything about KiVA’s club other than watching their teams play. However, I think the Nashville metro area can be compared to other cities of comparable sizes, and to top clubs from similarly sized metro areas that travel into the southeast (Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Jacksonville, Memphis, Raleigh). I don’t think athletes from those areas are naturally any different than Nashville athletes. I think that the differences between Nashville area volleyball and Louisville area volleyball (or K2, Cleveland Rox, Milwaukee Sting, or Municana, for that matter) lay mostly with the clubs, training, and, more specifically, with the volleyball coaches, and to a lesser degree the girls.

I personally think that Alliance does a pretty good job with the 9-11 year olds. I watched an 11 year old Alliance team a few years ago playing “up” and marveled at their good ball control skills. I watched substantially the same team two years later and wondered how that team had lost so much so quickly.

To your question about Rutherford County: I think the difference between Williamson and Rutherford starts with the economic disparity. Williamson County’s median household income is nearly twice that of Rutherford’s. Travel sports are costly and require a significant disposable income. Additionally, travel sports means coordinating transportation for practices, which is tough on a two income family. With that said, there are families who are able to travel to Franklin for volleyball, including good players who play on top teams (Sophia Bossong, setter for Siegel, is a good example of this).

The difference between Siegel and other high school teams in Rutherford County is easy to see. The Siegel players play club, the other schools are fortunate to have half of their girls pick up a volleyball outside of high school. While many Siegel players play at the “not good” club here in Rutherford County, the quality of play is good enough to go deep into the state tournament year after year.

Economics, poor coaching, and lack of good training opportunities are all detriments for kids at other Rutherford County schools. With that said, there are good players who may change the face of high school volleyball here: Storm White at Stewart’s Creek is developing, and I thought Ashlyn King at Blackman was the best 14U player I saw last year (Shea Eggleston included). Unfortunately, Ashlyn did not impress me when I saw her this fall at Districts. She is playing on a very strong “not good” club here, coached by long-time assistant MTSU coach Jeff Motluck, so her game may improve.

[Osage]

On 12/19/2017 at 7:55 AM, RutherfordCoVolleyball1 said:

I personally think that Alliance does a pretty good job with the 9-11 year olds. I watched an 11 year old Alliance team a few years ago playing “up” and marveled at their good ball control skills. I watched substantially the same team two years later and wondered how that team had lost so much so quickly.

 

Speaking in generalities, your observation mirrors mine. I'd be less inclined to give Alliance credit for the ball control of those kids at that age... in a lot of cases, you are talking little sisters or daughters of volleyball-playing parents.

But I don't think you mean that the group regressed... they just didn't progress as much as the other kids over years/ That's what I meant in my earlier post about the tendency to take physically mature / athletic kids at young ages and populate your top teams with them. It's tempting, because that group will have a lot of success early. But then clubs with different paradigms (take lumps early, train kids with eye towards success as 16's and beyond) will generate more college-bound athletes.

Assuming that's the goal, of course, which maybe it isn't.

[flyjgray]

Sports Performance competes in JVA and AAU like many clubs have chosen to do.

[Osage]

Sports Performance founded JVA as an alternative to USAV competition when their club director was banned.

[Osage]

Has TP published any information? Schedule? Rosters? I found the web presence on the Franklin Fieldhouse page, but that is even less useful than the Alliance website (which is really saying something).

[clifford20]

I haven't seen anything.  However the tournament schedules and pools are up for the MLK tournament this weekend at A-game.  Is TP playing this weekend? 

[Osage]

No TPV teams are in this event. Based on the acrimony between Trigg and Alliance, I would be surprised if TPV played in any events where they might run up against an Alliance team, especially events hosted (or in this case, co-hosted) by Alliance.

[TeeterTot]

Because of the talent difference between Alliance and TP, I doubt TP will play Alliance the next couple years if they can prevent it.

 

i heard this week that several girls have already quit TP.  Does anyone know if this is true?

[clifford20]

I have not heard of a bunch quitting.  I do know that they offered a kid a position that was already on an Alliance team-which I believe is against the JVA by laws.   Once a kid is on a team, they are not supposed to be offered a position.  Other than that, it has been quiet.  I know a couple of families that are playing there that appear to be happy.  The question will be once they start playing.  Can't wait to see how the first tournament this weekend goes.  Anxious to see the 16-1 team with 2-3 new faces.