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Elementary Intramural Volleyball Program – A Rarity

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For the past six weeks the elementary students at the Academy of Charter Schools in Westminster Colorado have had an opportunity to test their skills at bumping, setting, passing, and serving the volleyball in practices and match play. Programs like this don’t exist everywhere, but they should!

Here’s the scoop about the program:
• Teams included boys and girls from the 3rd through 6th grades.
• Light balls were used to make it easier for the players to learn the skills.
• The elementary physical education teacher was the program director. Parents and members of the community coached the teams.
• 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 about 60 participants on the teams.
• Practices and matches 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.
• The players were allowed to select their team names. Over the years team monikers have included the Highlighters (neon yellow t-shirts), Spicy Cheese Nachos (dark yellow shirts) and the Mean Green Serving Machine (green t-shirts).
•  Each match included two games to 25 and a third game to 15, no matter who won the first two games.
• The 3rd and 4th graders were allowed to serve form a special line closer to the net. In addition, they got two chances the first time they served.
• The better serving teams won most games, yet there was no restriction on the number of consecutive points a team could win (welcome to reality).
• There was ongoing substitution so everyone played.
• For the younger players, the snacks after the game were often the most important part of the activity.

The value of this elementary intramural volleyball program extended beyond the boundaries of the court into the hallways and community.

elementary intramural volleyball program

 

Colorado Volleyball is the Winner in NCAA Tournament

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Colorado volleyball will be the winner on December 5th and 6th as the University of Northern Colorado squares off against the University of Colorado and the University of Denver faces Colorado State University in the first round of play of the 2014 NCAA Division I volleyball championships.

The first round play will be special because twenty of the fifty-eight rostered players on the four teams played high school volleyball in Colorado.

The leader is DU. Seven of the fourteen players are from the Centennial State.

  • Nola Basey, Outside Hitter, 6-2, Sophomore, Lyons
  • Erica Denney, Middle Hitter, 6-5, Red-shirt Senior, Aurora
  • Monique Domme, Setter, 5-11, Sophomore, Colorado Springs
  • Bailey Karst, Setter, 5-10, Senior, Aurora
  • Taylor Loyd, Defensive Specialist/Libero, 5-7, Freshman, Centennial
  • Ruth Okoye, Middle Blocker, 6-1, Sophomore, Aurora
  • Sarah Schmid, Middle Blocker, 6-1, Junior, Highlands Ranch

Five of the fifteen Buffs are Coloradans.

  • Kelsey English, Middle Blocker, 6-2, Senior, Colorado Springs
  • Nicole Edelman, Setter, 6-0, Junior, Boulder

    Colorado volleyball - Nicole Edleman and Cierra Simpson
    Setter Nicole Edelman and Cierra Simpson (10) are two of the five in-state Buff players.
  • Cierra Simpson, Defensive Specialist/Libero, 6-0, Sophomore, Colorado Springs
  • Gabby Simpson, Setter ,6-3, Freshman, Colorado Springs
  • Simpson, Outside Hitter, 6-3, Senior, Colorado Springs

Four of the fourteen Rams are from Colorado.

  • Jaime Colaizzi, 5-4, Libero, Junior, Windsor
  • Grace Gordon, 5-7, Defensive Specialist/Setter, Junior, Denver
  • Kelsey Snider, 6-1, Middle Blocker, Red-shirt Senior, Westminster
  • Kaitlind Bestgen, 5-10, Defensive Specialist, Red-shirt Junior, Fort Collins

Four of the fifteen women from UNC call Colorado home.

  • Kim Weissmann, 6-0, Outside Hitter, Freshman, Loveland
  • Meagan Garcia, Defensive Specialist, Junior, 5-4, Platteville
  • Ryleigh Haynes, Setter, Freshman, 5-11, Eaton
  • Kendra Cunningham, OH, Junior, 5-9, Eaton

CU and CSU are favored to win the first round matches and the Rams are likely to come out on top against CU.

No matter the outcome of the matches, Colorado volleyball is the winner!

 

Lady Buffs Volleyball Attendance on the Rise

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The University of Colorado became a member of the PAC-12 Conference in 2010 and began competition in 2011. After tough seasons in their first two years, the Lady Buffs volleyball team won half their matches in 2013 and 2014.

The Lady Buffs won only 1 of 22 conference matches in their first season. On a positive note, they won their only conference match at home. Since the first year, there has been steady improvement on the court and in the stands.

On the court their Pac-12 record has improved over time. The Lady Buffs were:
• 1-21 in 2011.
• 4-16 in 2012.
• 9-11 in 2013.
• 11-9 in 2014.
In 4 years they have had 3 losing seasons and won 25 conference matches and lost 57.

Their home court conference record also got better. The Lady Buffs were:
• 1-10 in 2011.
• 4-6 in 2012.
• 7-3 in 2013.
• 6-4 in 2014.
The Lady Buffs have won 18 home matches and lost 23 in four seasons. On the road they were 7-34.

Finally, their average attendance at conference home games has shown steady gains. Attendance at the Lady Buff home matches was:
• 814 in 2011.
• 1,226 in 2012.
• 1,169 in 2013.
• 1,452 in 2014.

The reported average attendance during the 2014 season was noticeably greater than 2013. With the exception of the first match, more than 1,000 players were in attendance at all home matches.  They have a ways to go to catch up with Washington and other top teams, but at least they are headed in the right direction.

Lady Buffs Volleyball Home Conference Attendance 2014

Date Opponent Score Attendance
25-Sep Utah 3-2 462
3-Oct Arizona State 2-3 1 185
5-Oct Arizona 3-1 1 112
17-Oct Stanford 2-3 2 846
19-Oct California 3-1 2 035
6-Nov UCLA 0-3 1 280
9-Nov USC 0-3 1 672
13-Nov Washington 3-2 1 029
16-Nov Washington State 3-2 1 239
26-Nov Oregon State 3-1 1 655

Best wishes to the Lady Buffs volleyball team for a productive offseason and for continued improvement in 2015.

mary kate marshall Lady Buffs Volleyball
Mary Kate Marshall hits through a double block by the Lady Buffs volleyball team.

 

Fort Lewis College Football – Fifty Years of Futility

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The 2014 football season marked the 50th year that Fort Lewis College has fielded a football team as a four-year college. Over that time they have been the worst college football team in Colorado. They have won only 32% of their games, with a win-loss record of 155-330-3.

The Aggies/Raiders/Skyhawks record can be summed up as follows:
• They have had 9 winning seasons in 50 years.
• They were never undefeated nor did they ever have a season with one loss.
• On two occasions they were 7-2.
• During their 9 winning seasons they were 55-27-2. They won 65% of their games.
• During their 41 non-winning seasons they were 100-303-1. They won almost 25% of their games.
• They had three seasons with no wins and another six seasons with only one win. Those nine seasons they had 6 wins and 80 losses.
In other words, about 20% of the time, the team was successful, about 20% of the time they were an embarrassment to college athletics, and the rest of the time they played like the Bad News Bears.

It doesn’t make sense for Fort Lewis College to continue a losing tradition, especially when sports such soccer, cross country, lacrosse, and cycling are a better fit for the campus, its lifestyle, and the image the school is trying to project.

Fort Lewis College Football - 50 Years of Futility
The view from Dennison Memorial Stadium is spectacular. Unfortunately, the quality of the football is often at the other end of the spectrum.

 

The Top Volleyball Players – Exceptional Skills in Multiple Areas

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There was a time when many of the better setters and defensive specialists were less than six feet tall. In other words, the shorter players were often the best ball handlers and played in those positions. That is not necessarily the case anymore, especially in Division I volleyball, where many of the top players have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Consider Samantha Bricio, the outside hitter from the University of Southern California. She and her fellow Lady Trojans recently swept the CU Lady Buffs 3-0.Samantha Bricio - exceptional skills in multiple areas

In that match Bricio led her team with 20 kills. She also had 8 digs, only one less than the libero.

On the season so far, Bricio has about 30% of the team’s total kills and 19% of the team’s digs. This compares to the libero, who has 29% of the team’s total digs.

At the national level, Bricio’s statistics are equally as impressive. Through the games played on November 9th, her rankings follow:
• 2nd in aces per set ( 0.77).
• 2nd in total number of aces (68).
• 24th in points per set (5.22)
• 40th in kills per set (4.17).
• 69th in total kills (367).

Bricio is one of several taller players who have exceptional skills in multiple areas. That group includes such players as Mary-Kate Marshall of Oregon State University and Karsta Lowe of UCLA. Samantha Bricio - Excetptional Skills in Multiple Areas

While these three women play “shock and awe” volleyball, the lesson that should be learned from watching them play is that they are well-rounded athletes who have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Volleyball is a sport that rewards athletes who are strong in multiple areas. Junior players should take notice. If they will learn to pass, set, serve, hit, block, and communicate they will be welcome to play on almost every team.

Highest Price Television Advertising – Sunday Night Football

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Advertising Age recently released the results of its annual survey of the cost of prime time ads on the major networks. Because actual prices vary based on inventory levels and advertisers have different relationships with the network, the listed prices should be considered estimates.  football - highest priced television advertising

At the top of the list, by a long shot is Sunday Night Football. The highest price television advertising is a 30 second ad on Sunday Night Football. The cost is $627,300. Thursday Night Football is a distant second place at $483,333.

The following information is from a September 25 post by Jeanine Poggi. It shows the leaders by network.

Sunday
ABC – 8:00 Resurrection $140,378.
CBS – 7:00 60 Minutes $98,280.
NBC – 8:00 Sunday Night Football $627,300.
Fox – 8:00 The Simpsons $189,933.

Monday
ABC – 10:00 Castle $141,560.
CBS – 9:00 Big Bang Theory $344,827.
NBC- 10:00 The Blacklist $282,975.
Fox – 9:00 Sleepy Hollow $202,500.

Tuesday
ABC – 9:00 Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. $157,254.
CBS – 8:00 NCIS $170,948.
NBC – 9:00 The Voice $253,840.
Fox – 9:00 New Girl $187,050.

Wednesday
ABC – 9:00 Modern Family $239,650.
CBS – 9:00 Criminal Minds $135,789.
NBC – 10:00 Chicago P.D. $122,000.
Fox – 9:00 Red Band Society $118,025.

Thursday
ABC – 9:00 Scandal $217,546.
CBS – 8:00 Thursday Night Football $483,333.
NBC – 9:00 Bad Judge $204,667.
Fox – 9:00 Gracepoint $170,275.

Friday
ABC 9:00 Shark Tank $109,878.
CBS 10:00 Blue Bloods $79,370.
NBC 9:00 Grimm $118,818.
Fox 8:00 Masterchef Junior $100,400.

Saturday
ABC 8:00 Saturday Night Football N/A.
CBS – 10:00 48 Hours $33,500.
NBC – Encores N/A.
Fox – Fox Sports Saturday N/A.

Despite the challenges the sport has faced off the field, the highest priced television advertising is for football. The sport remains at the top of the pile when it comes to capturing the top dollar.

 

 

Talk of Bowl Game for CU Buffs

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Brian Howell, Sports Writer for the Daily Camera is a homer (and there is nothing wrong with that.)  On August 23 he wrote an editorial entitled, “Talk of bowl game for CU Buffs has merit this season.”

Howell began the article with the following comments:
“During fall camp this month, a handful of media members stood just outside of the practice fields and discussed the possibilities for the 2014 Colorado football team.
‘Am I crazy to think this team could get to a bowl game?’ one of them asked.
No, believe it or not, it’s not crazy.”
Later he added “Without question, this team is going to need some good fortune along the way to reach bowl eligibility, but no, it’s not crazy to think they can get there.”

Howell thought it was possible the Buffs could sweep the non-conference slate. He was correct until they played the CSU Rams in the season opener. Oops! Thank goodness the Buffs found a way to sneak past Hawaii and UMass. Both Buff opponents are 2-7 at this point in the season.

Later in his article Howell stated, “And, don’t think the Buffs are going to be happy with showing progress by turning blowout losses into narrow losses.”

Howell indicated possible conference wins might come against the following teams:
• California – Buffs lost 59-56 in OT
• Arizona State – Buffs lost 38-24.
• Oregon State – Buffs lost 36-31
• The Buffs will play Arizona on November 8th and Utah on November 29th.
With today’s loss to Washington, the Buffs bubble burst and they dropped to 2-7.With a little luck they will end the year 4-7. Most likely it will be 3-8 or 2-9.

The good news is the Buffs were stronger and they had greater entertainment value this season. From an academic perspective the Buffs will also have an opportunity to focus on their studies this December, while other teams have to focus on winning bowl games. And to top it off, they are blessed with a local sports writer is aDoormat - Bowl Game for CU Buffs homer (and there is nothing wrong with that).

On the downside, there are no moral victories when you play football in the big time. The Buffs are still the doormats of the PAC-12 and ticket sales have reportedly continued on a downward path. Thank goodness CU is playing in the PAC-12. Things would be even worse if they were in one of the top two conferences, the SEC, or the Big 12.

As is the case with the Chicago Cubs, there is always next season.

The Ignorance and Arrogance of Academics

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The American higher education system is one of the country’s greatest assets. Over the years the arrogance of academics has allowed unexplainable problems and problem characters such as Jerry Sandusky and Ward Churchill to take center stage. For example,  the University of Colorado has drawn attention for the actions of its philosophy department and the University of North Carolina has come up with a show stopper, nearly two decades of academic cheating.

On October 24th, the Boulder Daily Camera published an article, “Massive cheating scandal at UNC involved athletes.” Oddly enough, the article was posted on page 5 of the World View section under the heading, “Academics.”arrogance of academics - cheaters

The opening paragraphs of the article, by Aaron Beard and Emery P. Dalessio, stated,

“Bogus classes and automatic A’s and B’s are at the heart of a cheating scandal at the University of North Carolina that lasted nearly two decades, encompassing about 3,1000 students – nearly half of them athletes.

At least nine university employees were fired or they are under disciplinary reviews, and the question now becomes what, if anything the NCAA will do next? Penalties could range from fewer scholarships to vacated wins.

Most of the athletes were football players or members of the school’s cherished basketball program, which won three of its five national titles during the scandal (1993, 2005, 2009).”

Later in the article the authors stated,

“The scandal reached back to the final years of legendary men’s basketball coach Dean Smith’s tenure, as well as John Swofford’s stint as athletic director before becoming Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner.”

The UNC scandal raises a series of questions:

  • Why did the Boulder newspaper report this in the World View section and not on the sports page?
  • Both the UNC cheating scandal and the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal have scarred the credibility of higher education and college sports. Why isn’t there as much outrage for the UNC scandal as there was the Sandusky scandal?
  • Which is worse, scandals in the financial world by characters such as Ivan Boesky and Bernie Maddow or the Penn State and UNC scandals?
  • Would hearing about this scandal impact your decision to send your children to UNC? Does a twenty-year academic scandal really matter?
  • How will UNC regain its credibility as an institution of higher learning after an incident such as this?
  • Is it possible for the NCAA to levy a penalty on UNC that will adequately punish the university for its indiscretions?
  • The reports indicate that almost half of the offenders where athletes (mostly football and basketball players). Why were student-athletes the major offenders? Would the scandal have occurred if athletics was not an important part of the UNC culture?
  • After hearing about this scandal, what comes to mind when you hear the term “student athlete?”
  • Are colleges and universities more or less susceptible to scandals than the private sector?
  • Which university will shoot itself in the foot next? Locally, what will the University of Colorado do to top its latest fiasco in the Philosophy Department?

Sadly, the list of questions could go on ad infinitum. And unfortunately, scandals and the arrogance of academics are a part of life.

 

Play Practice

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Over the past three decades researchers have gained a better understanding about how to teach youth to improve their skills and enjoy participation in sport. Allen Launder and Windy Piltz published the book, Play Practice – Engaging and Developing Skilled Players From Beginner to Elite that provides coaches and educators with a tool for improving skills and participation.Play Practice

A major theme of Play Practice is that commitment is essential for students to improve more efficiently. Launder and Piltz provided the following circumstances which will cause students and athletes to increase their level of commitment:
• They know exactly what is expected of them.
• They see the task as worthwhile and achievable.
• They can see that the new learning will improve their performance and that of the team.
• They understand that what they are practicing will quickly be put into a real game.
 • Practices are varied and well-paced.
 • The time remaining in a play practice is counted down.
 • Novel tasks or environments that stimulate curiosity are included.
 • Players have some degree of choice within the learning environment; for example, with equipment, rules, size of their target zone, or playing partner.
 • The number of repetitions to be completed is counted down, using the strategy employed by fitness instructors.
 • Indirect competition is used.
 • Performances in tests or challenges are recorded.
• Fantasy or simulation games are used.
• They know that they are preparing for exciting culminating activities.
• Competition is balanced and fair.

This list of 14 items is easy is to understand and implement when you look at each item by itself. It is much more difficult to incorporate all items in a play practice session of an hour. Being able to do that increases the commitment of the athletes and their level of improvement.

 

Entitlement has Become Part of Equal Playing Time

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In its most pure form, the concept of equal playing time (EPT) has merit as a means of helping young athletes improve their skills. Unfortunately, there are unintended consequences associated with EPT.

Parents and players have forced their own EPT agendas on some school, club, and recreation programs. As a result entitlement has become part of the EPT mindset in these settings. For example,

  • Some players feel it is not necessary to show up for practice. When they grace the team with their presence they don’t feel it is essential to focus and work hard. EPT is guaranteed during competition.
  • Some players don’t feel the need to practice the way the coach wants, nor do they choose to execute the coach’s strategy in competition. They know they are assured as much time on the court as the players who are more talented or dedicated.
  • It is not important for players to abide by team rules because EPT policies mean their court time is guaranteed.
Equal Playing Time - Entitlement
For some parents, entitlement is part of the definition of equal playing time

Entitlement has become part of EPT.

In some cases the definition of EPT has been extended to include equal everything (EE).

The following examples illustrate how the entitlement mentality has adversely affected EPT.

  • Some parents think players are entitled to play where they want to play a portion of the time. The problem is that not all players have developed the skills to play in such positions as a baseball catcher, first baseman, hockey goalie, or center in football. Players should not be allowed to play positions where they may be a hazard to themselves or others on the field. EPT policies should not force coaches to put players in positions that may destroy the playing experience for all other players or risk damaging the mindset of the player being put in that position. Mental and physical safety of all players should trump EPT.
  • Because some coaches have been forced to adhere to EPT policies, they have created specialized roles for the weaker players so they will get “equal” time on the court. For example, in 12U volleyball, a player who can’t serve or pass may be designated as a hitter or front row player. Players who are forced into specialized roles because of EPT policies will often fall further behind the curve even if they are getting “equal” time on the court.
  • Some parents have carried the “EPT=EE” mindset so far as to expect that kids should have equal time on the bench sitting next to the coach or that players should be allowed to be team captain an equal number of times. In extreme cases, some parents feel it is important for the coach to make sure that team members get to be first in line an equal number of times for the for post-game high-fives and snacks.
  • It has become easier for parents and coaches to measure EPT with spreadsheet and apps for mobile phones. With entitlementThat should add an interesting twist
  • In an effort to adhere to EPT policies coaches may allocate playing time based on the number of minutes in game. Some parents feel that EPT should be based on the amount of quality time played, the number of points played, or the number of minutes played as a starter.

Because entitlement has become part of EPT implementation, EPT policies will often send the wrong message to young athletes. Weaker players who have shared equal time on the court with superior athletes may wrongly think they are as good as their peers. They may also feel they will always be entitled to EPT. In these cases, they failed to learn the valuable lesson that all players must work hard, have discipline, and God-given talent to improve their skills.

Do these shortcomings with EPT suggest it should be eliminated as a guiding philosophy for younger level sports programs?

NO!

There can be problems with EPT policies, especially those in programs hijacked by the personal agendas of parents; however, EPT is a reasonable philosophy for sports programs for young athletes, especially those under the age of 14.

Athletic and club directors need to review their EPT policies and understand the extent that entitlement has crept into the implementation of their EPT policies. This will allow them to understand whether their EPT policies are having their desired impact on the players. Such a review should prevent a good idea from going bad.