If You Host a STAR Site Camp,
You May Receive This From The "I Can't Wait" Staff
Coaches:
We talk about supporting your program after we leave. Well, a week after we finished a site camp in 2010, here is what I sent the host.
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Hey Coach!
Here are the suggestions that you asked for.
a) At practice I'd give Setter2 every opportunity to compete for the starting setter job .......SIMULTANEOUSLY .....giving Setter1 every opportunity to win an OH job, allow her to pass/dig/hit with the nonsetters ....... SIMULTANEOUSLY ..... haha.... continuing to give reps to Setter1 as a setter. Yes, it's hard job, but something that you can do if you take about an hour each day to plan practice meticulously.
b) Keep running MB vs MB drills (about 1 every other practice) to develop the MB's. Keep expecting MB3 to do her spike approach (which I didn't her do in a drill one single time.)
c) I would tell the team something like, "During the scrimmages on the non-conference matches, I will often give both setters a game or two to run the offense." But, when you're coaching a match, I'd personally ONLY do it when you think you have a 98% chance of winning or 98% chance of losing. My team wants to win, I want to win, and I just don't sacrifice a match b/c I'm experimenting. You can disagree. I know a lot of coaches who do. If your team won 4 last year, then it's crushing to lose this season unnecessarily.
d) I'd run a 5-1 at all scrimmages. I don't see you running a 6-2 this year. I foresee either Setter1 doing the setting (b/c you will learn that she is obviously superior), or I foresee Setter2 setting (b/c she is close enough to Setter1 that more points won't be sacrificed than Setter1 will gain playing another position.....did that make sense?) When Setter1 isn't setting in a scrimmage or match, try your best to put her in as an OH, a DS, or a L. I know the parents could say, "What about my child?" Your answer is easy: "I'm looking out for the team. Your daughter understands and accepts this. We've been talking about it for months."
e) Don't hesitate to try OH1 or ANYONE in the middle who can be productive. (Setter2?!?!?!?!) I really like MB1 as a person, as I also like MB2, and I like MB3....... but when I was at Roan Cath, we came to your school for a tournament in 2003 and went like 4 wins and 2 losses with a 5'1" MB.......we had taller girls on the bench, but they were less athletic. Final point here (and I think I've already told you): Put your best 6 athletes on the court. If they are all under 5'7", then that's fine. But just b/c MB1 is 6' doesn't mean that she can actually help you any. Sure she may block 2 balls a match and get 4 kills a match, but she will also get 2 nets, she will be tooled 2 times, she will make 6 hitting errors.......that's a "negative 4". In other words, she's given away 4 more points than she's earned. I think MB3 will do even worse.
f) A safe starting lineup.
1: Setter1 2: OH2 or OH1 or OH3 3: MB3 or MB2 or OH1 4: Setter2 front row, Right1 back row (only if she is better) 5: OH4 6: MB1. Libero: Libero1. Who's left: DS1 & DS2? I think that's all.
g) Finally what is practice? I heard someone say that "Practice is where players and team develop the habits that they need to win." And that's what I've always believed. So at practice we fix the right side transition, we fix Libero1 moving to the 1-zone on free balls, we force our MB's to hit, we allow mistakes......lots of mistakes.......and try to fix them little by little, we decide who has the serve receive seems and the defensive seems and expect those who are taking the seems to be accountable, we expect the tips to be dug, we expect discipline defense by everyone.......even Libero1. We expect everyone's best effort on that day. "All I want is all you've got."
That's what I wanted to send you. How's all that sound?
Do you have any comments? questions?
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This is what every coach who hosts a STAR site camp can receive. All they have to do is ask.
No wonder the popularity of STAR site camps is exploding! Here are a few more reasons.
Ready to schedule a STAR site camp? The link to the camp calendar is here. If you have questions, please contact me anytime at coachhouser@yahoo.com
