Tag: Volleyball

What Sports do Adolescent Girls Play?

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A recent (2013) report produced by USTA Serves, “More than a Sport: Tennis, Education, and Health” promotes the merits of sports, specifically tennis. It identified the participation rates for the top nine community-based sports programs by race/ethnicity.

Overall basketball and volleyball are the top sports for adolescent girls.

The highest percentage of Blacks participated in basketball, track and field, and volleyball while the highest percentage of Hispanics played soccer, basketball, and volleyball. The top sports for Whites were basketball, volleyball, and baseball/softball.

As expected, team sports were more popular than individual sports.

As with the boys, the data shows that Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics prefer different sports. As communities are able to offer a greater variety of programs, more adolescents are able to benefit from participation in sports.

Sadly, a higher percentage of girls did not participate compared to the boys. Almost one-third of Hispanics and Blacks did not play in sports programs compared to one-in-five for Whites.

For Information about the participation rates for boys go to “What Sports do Adolescent Boys Play?”

For additional information contact USTA Serves.

 

 

USTA Study Shows Sports Participation Rates Favor Traditional Team Sports

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Back in the day… the boys’ sports with the highest level of participation were football, basketball, baseball, track and field and wrestling. In many communities, these were the only programs.

The limited programs for girls included volleyball, basketball, softball, and track and field. The combination of Title IX and the expansion of recreation and sports facilities and programs created more opportunities for youth to participate in.

A recent (2013) report produced by the USTA, “More than a Sport: Tennis, Education, and Health” identified the participation rates for the top nine community-based sports programs.  The report shows the “traditional” sports still have the highest level of participation and the remainder of the list is filled out by a mix of team and individual sports. Over the past 30 years, soccer has become a major sport

For the boys, the participation rate and sport were:
40% Football
40% Basketball
25% Baseball
20% Soccer
17% Track and Field
10% Wrestling
9% Swimming
8% Tennis
5% Cross Country
Only 15% of the boys did not participate in a sport.

For the girls, the participation rate and sport were:
25% Basketball
23% Volleyball
17% Baseball/Softball
17% Soccer
17% Track and Field
12% Swimming
8% Tennis
4% Cross Country
3% Lacrosse
Unfortunately, 25% of the girls did not participate in sports programs.

The good news is that a high percentage of youth are participating in sports programs, particularly given the financial constraints put on schools, municipalities, and the private sector to offer such programs during the volatile economic times of the past decade.

USTA Serves, Inc. is the national charitable foundation of the USTA. For additional information contact the USTA, or go to Resources/Research tab on the USTA Serves website.

 

 

Colorado Crossroads – Girls’ Sports Impact the Colorado Economy

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One of Colorado’s top sporting events does not include the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets, or other professional athletes. Instead it is an event that spans nine days and involves about 12,000 middle school and high school girls competing for slots in the USA Volleyball Girls’ Nationals.

This year the Colorado Crossroads was held March 2-4 and 8-10 at the Colorado Convention Center.  A few key facts about the event are listed below.
• The tournament started in 1985 and is one of nine national qualifiers.
•It has grown from 100 teams to over 1,200 teams.
• The first weekend featured team play in the 16, 17, and 18 year-old divisions.  Just under 6,000 players competed on 651 teams.
• The second weekend play was held for 12, 13, 14, 15 year-old divisions.  About 5,500 players represented 594 teams.
• A total 41 of teams in the various age brackets qualified for Nationals in Dallas.
• Nearly 167,000 people visited Denver because of the event.
• Seventy percent of the participants are from out-of-state.
• The caliber of play at Crossroads attracted 292 college scouts from 44 states registered to attend the event.
• The event is played on 88  courts. Players compete in pool play the first two days of the event. A single elimination tournament rounds out play on the final day.
• This year, the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s economic impact model, provided by the Destination Marketing Association International showed that the 2013 event was worth about $26 million to the Denver economy. Tournament directors believe this is a conservative estimate.

In addition, there are many intangible benefits associated with the event. It promotes the value of physical activity for young women. As well, it showcases Colorado’s active lifestyle and demonstrates  the state is a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

 

What is the Right Number of In-State Players on a College Volleyball Team?

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Right or wrong, there is a belief that colleges and universities should emphasize the recruitment of in-state players. For states with larger pools of talent, such as California and Texas, that is easy. As well, it gives programs in those states a recruiting advantage.

A review of the rosters for the 2012 PAC 12 volleyball teams was conducted to identify the number of in-state players on their rosters. This analysis produced the following results:
• About 42%, or 78 of 185 players, were in-state players.
• 7 of the 12 teams had rosters that included more than 42% in-state players.
• The breakdown of in-state players by team, and the percentage of in-state players on each team follows:
– UCLA 12 players, 75.0% of the team – California team
– Cal 9 players, 60.0% of the team – California team
– OSU 9 players, 50.0% of the team
– Stanford 8 players, 53.3% of the team – California team
– WSU 7 players, 50.0% of the team
– UU 7 players, 43.8% of the team
– USC 6 players, 46.2% of the team – California team
————42.2% average for the PAC 12—————————–
– CU 6 players, 40.0% of the team
– ASU 6 players, 35.3% of the team
– WU 3 players, 20.0% of the team
– UO 3 players, 20.0% of the team
– UA 2 players, 12.5% of the team.
It is very clear that it is easier for the California teams to recruit in-state players because they have a larger talent pool. It seems evident that recruiting in-state players is less important than attracting quality players for Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.

Is 42% too low of a percentage for the number of in-state players? Should teams be required to have quotas for the number of in-state players on their rosters? The answer depends on the mission of the PAC-12 and its member schools.

 

Piti Piti – Olympians Give Colorado Juniors a Lesson in Volleyball and Life

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At 4:53 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti and lasted for 35 seconds. The epicenter was near the town of Leogane, about 15 miles west of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Within the next two weeks at least 52 significant aftershocks hit the area. The Haitian government reported that 316,000 people died, 300,000 were injured, 1 million were left without homes, and 3 million were affected by the quake. As well, 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings were severely damaged or destroyed. (Source: Wikipedia and http://www.childinhand.org)

In the time that has passed since the tragedy, the country has received assistance from a variety of sources. The groups include Child in Hand, whose mission is to promote youth development in post-conflict and disaster environments including medical, education, and treatment programs. As part of this effort, the group is currently working with USA Volleyball and the Haitian Volleyball Federation to open a multi-sport facility. To increase awareness of this mission and to raise funds to support their work, Child in Hand conducted a junior volleyball clinic, Colorado Serving Haiti, at the East Boulder Recreation Center on December 2.

Instruction for the event was served up by Tom Hogan, 2008 Olympic coach; Tayyiba Haneef-Park, 3 time Olympian; and Tracy Stalls, former member of the U.S. National Team. Participants sported t-shirts with the saying, “Piti, piti, zwazo fe nich li.” (Little by little, the bird builds its nest – Haitian proverb). In between instructional sessions Stall provided “reality checks” to discuss the challenges faced by victims of the earthquake and to contrast their lifestyle with the way most Americans live. When the group huddled to discuss the next drill, they would break with the cheer, “Piti, piti” – little by little. This is truly a fitting chant for the recovery of a nation and for athletes wanting to better their skills.

Park and Stalls concluded the instructional session by demonstrating how volleyball is played in Haiti. The final drill was played on a Haitian net; two players held sticks with two strings attached. Instead of using a cart full of balls, the drill was completed with one ball. The players rotated through their positions on both sides of the net, as well as a turn holding the net. For all the junior players who have come to expect first rate coaching and playing conditions, this demonstration was a real eye-opener.

After the last player was given a chance to hold up the net (the stick with two strings), the players and coaches huddled one last time for an inspirational, “Piti, piti.”

 

Are Foreign Players Taking Over PAC-12 Volleyball?

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Concerns have been raised about the number of foreign athletes in select collegiate sports, such as skiing and tennis. With the increase in popularity of volleyball there is the possibility that some coaches will try to build a national contender by recruiting top national players from other countries.

A quick review of the online rosters for the 2012 PAC 12 teams was conducted to see if this was an issue in that conference. This analysis produced the following results:
• About 10% of all players, or 18 of 185, listed hometowns in other countries.
• The 18 foreign players represented 11 countries.
• 10 of the 12 teams had foreign players.
• The breakdown by number of foreign players follows:
– USC had 3 foreign players.
– 6 teams had 2 foreign players: ASU, Colorado, Utah, California, UCLA, and OSU.
– 3 teams had one foreign player: WU, WSU, and OU.
• The breakdown by country follows
– 4 players were from Canada.
– 2 players were from each of the following: Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Serbia.
– 1 player was from each of the following: Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

At this point, there does not appear to be reason to believe that there are an inordinate number of foreign players in the PAC-12. Given the strength and popularity of high school volleyball in the U.S., it is unlikely that “too many” foreign players will become a problem in the near future.

 

PAC 12 Volleyball – The West Coast Conference

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Throughout most of the 2012 collegiate volleyball season a case could be made that the PAC 12 was the dominant conference. This begs the question, “What states and countries do these players come from?”

A quick review of the rosters shows that the teams listed 185 players. A breakdown of the players by their hometown follows:
• About 90%, or 167, of the players are American.
• American players came from 19 states.
• The teams had players from at least 3 states and up to 7 states.
• Every team had players from CA.
• The breakdown of players by state follows:
– CA 78 players, 46.7%
– WA 15 players, 9.0%
– OR 14 players, 8.4%
– TX  12 players, 7.2%
– AZ 11 players, 6.6%
– CO 9 players, 5.4%
– UT 8 players, 4.8%
– HI 5 players, 3.0%
– FL, ID, IL, NV – each two players 1.2% each
– MO, NE, NM, NC, OK, SD, VA – each 1 player 0.6% each
• Only 3 American players had hometowns east of the Mississippi
• Slightly more than 64% of the players are from the three West Coast states.

Clearly, the conference is regional and its dominance can be attributed to the quality of volleyball players from California and the western region.

The Mean Green Serving Machine Captures Intramural Championship

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After six weeks of bumps, sets, and spikes, (and lots of hits and giggles) the Mean Green Serving Machine (MGSM) eked out an undefeated season. Actually, if you ask the players, they were masters of the universe, they dominated! Karch Kiraly, you better be watching the program for future talent.

As champions of the intramural volleyball program for the Academy in Westminster the players gained bragging rights as the best elementary team in the school. For six weeks, they listened in practice, they learned new skills and improved existing ones, they tried hard, they felt good about their accomplishments, and they were the best.

From a broader perspective, the real significance of the victory was that the kids were able to gain instruction beyond their physical education class and test their skills in a competitive environment in an elementary school intramural program. Programs like this don’t exist everywhere, but they should!

 

Here’s the scoop about the program:

• Teams included boys and girls in the 3rd through 6th grades.
• Light balls were used to make it easier for the younger players.
• The program was run by the elementary physical education teacher. Parents and members of the community coached the teams. Most had experience coaching volleyball or other sports. From that perspective it was a step above most recreation programs.
• Since the Academy is a K-12 charter school, players from the junior high and high school teams served as mentors and assistant coaches.
• There were 6 teams with 8 to 10 players each, or about 55 total players. This is about 15% of the kids at this grade level, a remarkable percentage given the number of competing activities in the community.
• Practices and games were held on Saturdays for six weeks. Each team practiced an hour (8:00, 9:00, or 10:00) and matches were played between 11:00 and 2:00.
• Team fees were minimal and the price included a t-shirt that the kids proudly wore to the practices and games.
• Each match included two games to 25. A third, and sometimes deciding, game to 15 was always played, no matter who won the first two games.
• The 3rd and 4th graders served from a special line closer to the net. In addition, they got two chances the first time they served.
• The better serving team won most games, yet there was no restriction on the number of consecutive points a team could win (welcome to the dog-eat-dog world). Not to worry, no team has ever won a match 25-0.
• There was ongoing substitution so everyone played the same amount of time.
• The teams made up their own name. As might be expected, the MGSM had Kelly green jerseys. The league’s award for the best sense of humor went to the team with the neon yellow t-shirts. Their moniker was the Highlighters.
• For the older players, the practice and competition were as important as the snacks after the game.

The value of the program extended beyond the boundaries of the court into the hallways and community. The upperclassmen made friends with the younger players – they became their friends and role models in the hallways, lunchroom and on the playground. In many cases parents met parents they wouldn’t have met otherwise.

The program demonstrated that value of youth sports programs. Players, parents, and the entire school community were all winners.

For data on participation in youth sports click here.

 

Do Your Kids Receive Specific Instructions from Their Coaches?

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With the fall sports season in full swing, parents have an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of their children’s coaches. Specifically, do the coaches give succinct directions?

The following examples differentiate between instructions that are not specific and those that are.

Example 1: Volleyball passes that are too low and off target.

The non-specific coach: “Come on girls, get those passes higher and to the setter!”
Result: The players shanked the next six passes before going back to their old pattern of off-target passes.

The specific coach: “Girls let’s hit 20-10 sets to the middle? Do you understand what I mean when I say 20-10?”
Result: The back row players answered, “No.” The coach said, “Make your passes 20 feet high or about 2-3 times the height of the net. They should land on the 10 foot line in the middle of the court so the setter can get to them easily. The specific instructions helped the players improve the direction, depth, and height of their passes.”

Example 2: Erratic passes (volleyball) caused by players being too upright

The non-specific coach: “Come on girls, get lower to return those serves!”
Result: Minimal long-term change in the quality of service returns.

The specific coach: “By being balanced and getting lower you will be in position to make better passes. There are two visuals that may help illustrate how low a player may need to be when returning serve. First, bend your knees much like you do when you are sitting on the edge of a bench. Another way to think of getting low is to bend your knees so that you see all of your opponent’s court while looking under the net.”
Result: These guidelines provide checkpoints for the players that will ensure more consistent passing.

Example 3: Hit tennis lobs that keep the opponents off balance

The non-specific coach: “Okay guys, mix up your lobs.”
Result: Players have mixed results as they experiment with “mixing up their lobs”.

The specific coach: “There are several ways to make it more difficult for opponents to hit effective overheads. One way is to hit lobs so the opponent has to move in two directions to hit the ball. More specifically, make them move both backwards and at least two steps to either their forehand or backhand sides. An even simpler way to look at it is to lob over your opponents’ backhand side.
Result: By having a purpose for each lob, the backcourt player hits a higher percentage of effective lobs.”

Example 4: Serve to one of three locations to develop a more effective tennis serve
The non-specific coach: “Okay guys, keep your opponents off balance with your serve.”
Result: Players may try a number of ways to keep their opponents off balance such as changing technique or altering pace and spin.

The specific coach: “Hit your serve to one of three zones: the outside corner, at the server’s body, or to the inside corner to keep your opponent off balance. For example, taller players may be able to reach balls hit to the outside corners, while they may have difficulty returning balls hit at their body. You may need to practice to do this effectively in both the deuce and ad court.”
Results: In this case, specific instructions provide the server with target areas for service practice. As well, the directions provide tactical guidelines for match play.

Do your kids’ receive specific directions from their coaches?

If you aren’t sure, ask your kids the following questions:
• Does your coach communicate in a way that helps you understand exactly what to do in drills, practices sessions, or game situations?
• Does your coach provide you with specific instructions for improving?
• If not, do you ask questions about what the coach means specific to your abilities? For example, specifically what does the coach mean when he/she says, “mix up your serve?”
• Does the coach use keys, single words, or short phrases to concisely convey a key message? Keys for the above examples might include:
o 10-20 pass
o Get low and look under the net
o Lob over the backhand
o Inside corner, body, or outside corner
If you don’t have keys, ask your coach to help you develop keys.
• Do you let your coaches know when their concise instructions help you understand a concept, technique, tactic, or how to correct a mistake? For example, the player might say, “By following your advice, I won three points in the first set by lobbing over the backhand side”.
• Do you ask your coach for clarification when specific directions are not given?

Quality coaching requires a coach who provides specific directions and players who communicate about the effectiveness of those directions. Top notch players and coaches are first-rate communicators.

 

Thoughts from an Olympian about Athletic Excellence

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As the Olympics wind down and the U.S. had mixed results in the volleyball, it seems timely to reflect on a webinar hosted by USA Volleyball several months ago featuring Tom Hoff and John Kessel. Hoff was a 6′ 8″ middle blocker for the 2008 USA Olympic team and Kessel oversees grassroots development and disabled volleyball for USAV.

Key points from the 1 1/2 hour discussion follow:

Coaches
• A good coach does more than call balls in and out.
• Good coaches set their players up to be successful over a long period of time.
• A good coach will empower players on the court.  Good players will take the coach’s lead and own what they do on the court.

Playing
• Many people want to be the best player on the court. I always wanted to be the worst player. When I first started playing that was often the case. I always liked being challenged to improve.
• I was only 6’8″ and could touch 11’9″. At the top level that meant I had average talent. To counter that, I studied the statistics of rotations. It helped me be successful as a player and develop my IQ as a player.

Skills
• At the top level the best players are those who eliminate errors. They are the players who passed the ball the best. They are very selective in choosing when to take chances.
• Watch what the ball is doing on the other side of the net – track the ball.
• Great players have great court awareness.

Goal Setting
• The way to accomplish goals is to successfully execute simple actions more often than the opponent.
• The pursuit of goals may seem maniacal. Players who remain focused and determined in the pursuit of a goal will find the journey of pursuit rewarding enough.

Mental toughness
• The toughest hitters are the ones who want the ball on big points and take tactful swings on tough balls.
• Great players will showcase the areas where they can eliminate errors. They will walk the walk.
• Great players play in the moment. They don’t get flustered. They focus on the task at hand and aren’t worried about what has happened in the past or what might happen in the future.

Practice
• Never say “No” to a setter who wants to practice. Hitting will get to practice hitting and timing and improve their ball-handling skills.
• During season we practice 20-32 hours a week, volleyball specific. We spent 6-10 hours a week in strength and conditioning. We spent several hours a week watching video. The most underrated aspect of a training schedule is rest and recovery.
• It is imperative to train at full speed.

Stretching
• The Center for Disease Control has done over 300 studies on stretching. Not one of them shows that stretching prevents injuries.

Cross Training
• If younger players are going to play other sports, soccer is a good complementary sport. Soccer players must be good at tracking the ball. That is a skill essential to volleyball.

Sports Career
• Time works against you as an athlete. Use your time efficiently.
• Everyone wants to be successful, but many people are not willing to do what is necessary to achieve the desired results.
• Focus on the journey, not the end results.

Blocking
• Blocking is the toughest skill.
• In theory a middle blocker has to be at the opponents’ point of attack on every ball.
• The purpose of blocking is to lower the kill efficiency/percentage of the other team.

Time Spent Hitting the Ball
• In 2008 the Olympic team spent about three weeks in China practicing and playing matches. Even though they hit thousands of balls during this period, on average, the players actually spent a total of about 27.4 seconds hitting (contacting) the ball for that entire period.