MURREY CONTINUES DOMINATING ASCENT of PIPELINE Becky Murdy USA Volleyball Media Relations and Publications Assistant

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MURREY CONTINUES DOMINATING ASCENT OF PIPELINE Becky Murdy USA Volleyball Media Relations and Publications Assistant

Tarah Murrey (El Cerrito, Calif.) throws focus, determination and the dedication of a true champion into her bag and onto her back as she continues to dominantly climb the talented mountain known in the USA Volleyball world as ―the pipeline.?

The 6-3 rising senior outside hitter at California-Berkeley has not only grown up within the walls of USA Volleyball, but has dominated at every level she has competed. In her first year playing for Team USA, Murrey was selected as the most valuable player of the 2006 NORCECA Girls’ Youth (U-18) Continental Championship, leading the USAV/ Bill Kauffman team to the gold medal with a win over the Dominican Republic in the title match held in Gainesville, Fla.

―Being on that team was so much fun,‖ Murrey said of the 2006 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team. ―Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas) and Sydney Yogi (Honolulu, Hawaii, University of Texas) were on that team and we talk about how it was the most memorable volleyball trip that we have ever taken, and what an amazing experience and opportunity that was.‖

Continuing her ascent of teams within the USAV High Performance (HP) pipeline and prolonging her abilit? to improve her skills through experience, Murrey went on to make the U.S. Women’s National A2 Team for two consecu- tive years (2009, 2010), proving that he? growth as a player was part result of her dedication within the disciplines of USA Volleyball. Linked with the prestigious coaching staff and top-of-the-line talent, Murrey was able to grow mentally as a player-- bettering her adapting capabilities and leadership tendencies which she carried over to her collegiate play.

―My first time on the team (2009 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team) was really great,‖ Murrey said. ―It was incredible being able to train and play against college kids. Last year (2010 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team) was by far the best year. It was so much fun to play with those girls. That line-up was incredible with Rachael (Adams), Jen (Doris, Texas), Juliann (Faucette, Texas), Carli (Lloyd, Cal-Berkeley) and everyone else. Every single time we played, practiced or were together was just so much fun.‖

In 2009, the summer after her first year with the Golden Bears, Murrey was chosen to the USA A2 Blue Team where she helped capture the bronze medal at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Minneapolis. In 2010, prior to entering her junior season, Murrey again joined the USA A2 team, this time taking home the gold medal at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Phoenix.

―Playing on the A2 teams has helped me adjust on the fly,‖ Murrey said. ―It’s important when playing with new girls to adjust to their different techniques of play, whether it is slower or faster. I have to be able to connect with my setter as well.‖

(Murrey, Continued on page 11) HP ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: SCOTT RHEIN

Hometown/ club/ high school: Pleasant View, Tenn. / Impact VBC / Aaron Academy Position: Outside Hitter Height/ jump touch: 6-5/11-3 Favorite Warm-Up Song: "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" Scorekeeping or Line Judging? Why? Line Judging, because I also work as an R1 and I know how important it is to have conscientious line judges. “Gotta Have" snack between matches at a tourney: Banana, protein bar and Gator- ade. If you could meet any current or past Olympian, who would it be and why? Todd Rogers, because he is a Christian an? we are probably pretty like-minded. I think we'd have one of those conversations that stick with you for a long time. If I had a question about volleyball and how it fits into the big picture, I would trust his opinion. Other sports/activities/hobbies: Rock climbing, bowling, ping pong, tennis, soccer, baking/cooking, dancing, spending time with friends, reading my Bible and growing closer to God. Are you from a "volleyball family?" Yes. My stepfather introduced our family to volleyball. All six of us play volleyball; and all but my stepfather coach. My first "formal" volleyball experience was at a summer camp with my sisters; there were 60 girls and me. When my sisters began playing on the Baltimore Bravehearts varsity team, I started out as ball shagger but was promoted to team manager and videographer. I quit soccer because I didn't want to miss my sisters' games? Do any of your family members play collegiate or professional sports? My sister, Amanda Rhein (taught me how to jump serve), has been at Lipscomb University in Nashville 2009 (redshirt) and 2010; but she is transferring to University of West Florida. Who was the most influential person in helping you to develop as a volleyball player? I have had many coaches throughout my years and believe every one of them has played a key role in my development as a volleyball player. Amazingly, all of my coaches have been Christians: Fred Wong, Stu Russell, Rick Lucas (Maryland Volleyball Mary Claire Orenic Program), Jay Golsteyn and Dave DeRocher (Impact Volleyball Club). These men have influenced me in volleyball as well as in life? I will always be grateful for their support. What USAV HP Programs have you been involved in? Are these different from other programs you have been involved in? If so, what makes them different? I have participated in the 2009 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships (Select) Fla., the 2010 USA Volleyball High Performance (Youth) Championships in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., the 2010 NORCECA Boys’ Youth Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as the 2009 and 2010 USAV HP Holiday Camp in San Diego, Calif. These events are different compared to what I'm used to because everyone at- tending these events is a great player. What is the happiest moment in your volleyball career? When I received the confirmation e-mail that I had been selected to compete in Mexico with the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team. I was so happy and grateful. It was one of those pretty emotional moments. Describe some improvements you want to make in the coming year in the physical or mental side of your game. Within the next Carol Green year, I would like to increase my vertical and endurance so that when I get to college I am already up to par with the team. Also, on the mental aspect, I would like to get better at not focusing on the future or the past, but to just focus on now. Do you want to play volleyball collegiately and/or professionally? Yes to both. Ever since I was 13 years I have wanted to go to Pepperdine and be coached by Marv Dunphy. I would love to play pro after college. Do you strive to represent the USA one day as an Olympian? Absolutely. It has been my dream to represent my country in the Olympics.

Click here to visit another article recently written about Rhein. 2 HP ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: NICOLE EDELMAN

Hometown: Boulder, Colo. High School: Fairview High School Club: Front Range Volleyball Club (18-1) Current Position: Setter/Right Side Height/Block/Jump: 6-0/9-4/9-9 Favorite Warm-Up Song: Kobe Bryant by Lil Wayne Scorekeeping or Line Judging? Why? Definitely scorekeeping! If you ever mess Debbie Reber up, it’s nice to be farther away from the complaining parents than having them right next to you. “Gotta Have” snack between matches at a tourney: My favorites are probably trail mix, any type of gum- mies and a lot of Gatorade! If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I would probably change it to Eddy. Eddy is what I go by during the club season to eliminate confusion between names. I’m already really used to it and it has definitely grown on me. If you could meet any current or past Olympian, who would it be and why? I would love to meet Misty May-Treanor. She is an amazing volleyball player and has had an incredible volleyball career. She is a huge role model for me. Other sports/activities/hobbies: Traveling, spending time with friends, going to the beach and of course volleyball! When did you start playing volleyball? I started playing volleyball when I was 11-years-old. When I was younger, I played almost every sport: basketball, soccer, gymnastics. But once I started playing volleyball, I knew I had found the right sport because I loved it right away. Debbie Reber Are you from a “volleyball family?” Do any of your family members play collegiate or professional sports? Yes, my dad is from Ar- gentina and he played professionally in Argentina and Europe during the 1980s. Who was the most influential person in helping you to develop as a volleyball player? The most influential person that has helped me develop has been my dad. He’s always been there, either watching or coaching, and he always has good advice or playing tips. He is a huge person in my life that I can go to for support or advice. What USAV HP Programs have you been involved in? How are these different from other programs you have been involved in? I have been involved in the summer camps for A2 Select, A1 Select and A1 Youth. I have been USAV/ Bill Kauffman to one of the holiday camps as well. These programs are different than others because the level of competition is much higher? Eve- ryone around you loves the sport as much as you do and they are just as motivated. You become incredibly close with all of the girls and they become your best friends very quickly. Do you want to play volleyball collegiately and/or professionally? Do you strive to represent the USA one day as an Olympian? I would love to go to the Olympics one day – it’s always been a dream of mine. Last year I decided to continue my volleyball career collegiately at the University of Colorado. Playing volleyball professionally is also something I hope I will be able to do after college. What do you think is critical to being a successful setter? I think it’s critical to always be very vocal and have the ability to lead a team. Being vocal is important, es- pecially for a setter because it’s a position that has such a huge impact on the game. The effectiveness of communication by the setter can make or break a play.

3 HP COACH SPOTLIGHT: UROS DAVIDOVIC

What led you to become a coach? After playing since I was 12 in Serbia (then- Yugoslavia), I got a chance to coach my college team in the States for a few years after graduation. I found the experience very gratifying as I got to be in the gym with players and watch them grow over time and build good relationships. After my first IMPACT and CAP I course with John Kessel, I was hooked. I couldn’t even sleep that first night after CAP I. What is the best thing about being a coach? Few years ago, I might have said win- ning matches. Although that is very rewarding, relationships and watching personal and volleyball specific growth in players is extremely rewarding. As a coach, you can make a huge difference and that is both awe-inspiring and scary at times. What has been the biggest influence in your career? There have been many. Through USA Volleyball and other avenues, I got to interact with some pretty amazing people that also happen to coach. To mention just a few would do an injustice to all others and all of the coaches I worked with have had an influence on my coaching style and philosophy. Who is the person you admire most? I admire my parents a lot. They went through a lot of personal sac- rifices to get me and my sister to the States when we were younger, in an effort to protect us from the civil war that was raging in the old Yugoslavia at that time. They gave up a lot, so we could have a better life here and they have been great supporters of mine in any and all endeavors. From a professional perspective, I admire a lot of people that I have worked with and been around. Russ Rose, for instance. His honesty is often refreshing because he says what other people might be afraid to say and he is a winner that has built a dynasty. What has been most inspiring to you, either personally or professionally? Most inspiring has been other coaches in the HP pipeline that I have worked with at tryouts, camps and HP Championships. We share a common passion for the game and it is amazing how volleyball works as a common language between people and breaks barriers quickly. My mentors in the sport, Bernard Liu and Deb Schlosser just to name a couple, have also been very inspiring to me as a coach. What do you do in your free time? Aside from volleyball related activities, I like to watch movies, listen to tunes, go to good places to eat A LOT of food and hang out with my friends. Pretty standard stuff. I also love travel. I drove to Canada on a whim a couple of weeks ago, just to see the Niagara Falls. It was awesome! What does the future hold for you - any exciting plans, developments? I am moving to Florida (Sarasota/Tampa area) at the end of May after spending the past 19 years in Pennsylvania. I am excited about the move from a personal, professional and volleyball perspective. I am looking forward to new challenges, getting better as a coach, playing a LOT of beach volleyball and finding a gym somewhere with kids and coaches ready to learn and excel, whether it be on Uros Davidovic a high school, club or college level. I look forward to staying involved with HP as well, in any facility deemed appropriate. What is the hardest thing you ever had to do as a coach? Cuts and issues involving parents are usually at the top of that list. It is difficult telling someone no, when you know that might be the end of their road as a volleyball player. I have always tried to encourage kids to find ways and avenues to play the sport. I do believe adversity is part of the coaching challenge and coaches become better people through solving conflict and finding ways to prevent it.

4 (Davidovic, Continued on page 12) 4 HP COACH SPOTLIGHT: SAM SHWEISKY

What led you to become a coach? In my sophomore year in high school my coach left for 10 days to China to adopt his daughter and he asked me to coach the girls’ high school volleyball team while he was gone. He sat me down and explained to me how to run a practice and what drills to run and what to do. He then procured an adult administrator to ―cover‖ the practices and games and be the CPR certified authority figure while I, 15-year-old ―coach,‖ ran the drills. I bor- rowed a clipboard from my dad, bought my first whistle and I was in heaven! To this day I still remember sitting in seventh period social studies class twitching and convulsing, waiting for the bell to ring so class would be over and practice could start. I couldn’t wait to be a coach! What is the best thing about being a coach? The best thing about being a coach is having the opportunity to impact people’s lives in such a passionate and dynamic arena. The life lessons that erupt from competitive athletic context are so palpable and visceral that they lead to countless teachable moments. I’m not sure that chemistry pro- fessors get to tackle so many of life’s difficult lessons. Often I feel like every practice, match and interaction is an Aesop Fable waiting to unfold. Having the courage, strength, humility and grace to handle each situation is an amazingly challenging and gratifying experience. A profession of helping others that can also lead to such personal growth is truly is an amazing profession. Who has been the biggest influence in your career? Carolyn Condit. My first exposure to NCAA Division I collegiate volleyball was my time spent as a graduate assistant at Miami University (Ohio). I spent two fantastic years there working for, in my opinion, the classiest individual in the entire coaching profession. Coach Condit has been the head coach at Miami for over 30 years and she has built an amazing legacy there. There is a class and dignity that coach Condit exudes that is unparalleled in the coaching profession. Everyone from players to coaches who have been through her program and have been touched by her genuine sincerity are better people because of it. I strive every day to conduct myself in a way that would make her proud; with class, grace and integrity no matter how difficult things get. I would not be where I am today as a coach or a person were it not for what I was able to learn from her. She is an amazing human being and I am so grateful to have worked with her? What do you do in your free time? I love to travel whenever I have time off from work. This past December I spent three fantastic weeks in Brazil. It was an amazing trip. I love getting to meet people from other cultures. Inter- acting on a profound level with people from different backgrounds is a great way to learn about oneself and grow personally. What does the future hold for you - any exciting plans, developments? The future is exciting! After coaching at five schools in seven years, I am so excited to be at Princeton where I to hope to retire (in 29 years!). I am really excited to work at every aspect of this job and develop the skills necessary to be the best coach I can be and the most effective coach for the Princeton athlete. I am very excited to continue working with USA Volleyball and learn from so many talented coaches who work in the pipeline. Describe some of your most important career accomplishments. I was an assistant coach for the 2007 UNLV team that was ranked in the AVCA top 25 for women’s volleyball. That year we beat Utah in the Mountain West Con- ference Championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Playing Long Beach State at the Galen Center (University of Southern California home gym) in the NCAA Tournament was an amazing experience. We lost 15-12 in the fifth set of a great match. In 2010 I was the head coach for the Princeton men’s team that earned the No. 2 seed in the EIVA for the first time in program history and advanced to play Penn State in the EIVA finals. We lost 30-28, 30-27, (and I conveniently can’t remember the score of the third set). The first two sets were amazing. I was also named 2010 EIVA Bob Sweeney Coach of the Year. What are some important lessons learned? There is no substitute for hard work. Being genuine and who you are can never be compromised. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but if you hang in there long enough and treat everyone you come in contact with how you would like to be treated, in the end you will have peace in your heart. How would you describe yourself? Part sport psychologist-part philosopher. Part OCD-part 1970s hippie. Part Rocky Balboa-part George Carlin. Part Pat Riley-part Phil Jackson. Part Bill Bixbie-part Lou Ferrigno. Part Wedding Crashers-Part The Notebook. Part Toshi/Tanden-Part swing block/the game teaches the game. Part Keeley-Part Dagenais. I would describe myself as a riddle wrapped in an enigma stuffed in a conundrum. Be quick, but don’t hurry. Be serious, but don’t forget to laugh, have fun, and 5make fun of yourself.

5 (Shweisky, Continued on page 13) PRESENTING YOURSELF TO THE COLLEGE COACHING COMMUNITY Amanda Millard

Before you can reach out to coaches, you have to determine which programs interest you! In the last Inside HP Newsletter, Amanda Millard, director of VolleyballRecruits.net – The Official Recruiting Tool of USA Volleyball – discussed ―Identifying Schools That Are A Good Fit For You‖.

In this article, Amanda touches on presenting yourself to the college coaching community.

Once you have generated a list of 20–50 programs you are interested in, it’s time to introduce yourself to college coaches!

Let’s take a step back and think of the recruiting process from the coaches perspective. There are only so many coaches (roughly 1,500 volleyball programs) and THOUSANDS of players. At the National Qualifiers alone there can be anywhere from 20,000–50,000 players competing in a convention center over one or two weekends? Therefore, it’s extremely important for players to take a proactive role in their own recruiting process and give coaches what they need to evaluate them.

Luckily, all coaches need exactly the same information in order to make an evaluation of your abilities throughout the recruiting process, regardless of the division, conference, strength of program, location, size, etc.

The below table outlines the questions each coach will ask themselves about any Prospective Student Athlete (PSA) and what information you need to give coaches so they can evaluate you!

Coach’s questions Information coaches need from you

Who are you? Name, statistics (height, jump touch etc).

Do I need you at my program? Position, graduation year

Can I get you into my school? GPA, SAT / ACT, transcripts

Can you play at my program? VIDEO - highlight reel, skills video, unedited match footage

Where can I see you play in person? Club team, jersey number, tournament schedule

How do I contact you/your coaches? Phone numbers, email addresses, mailing address

Who are you? With thousands of club volleyball players, it’s unrealistic to think that just because you play club volleyball, the coach from your dream school is going to recruit you. There are too many players for coaches to know about everyone. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a coach is not interested just because they haven’t contacted you. It very well may be they have no idea who you are. Therefore, never leave a coach discovering you to chance, because chances are you will go unnoticed! It is as likely as you picking a needle out of a haystack!

Do I need you? Coaches recruit by position and graduation class so they need this information first and foremost. Coaches rarely recruit a player from each position each year. With each recruiting class, coaches are looking to fill the gaps in their roster. For example, if there is a freshmen and junior setter already on the roster, the coach may not be recruiting a setter for their next incoming recruiting class. With that being said, things can dramatically change throughout the recruiting process in terms of positions needed due to injuries, transfers, coaching changes, etc so it’s a good idea to keep all coaches updated with your progress because you never know!

6 6 (Presenting Yourself, Continued on page 14) SHOULDER INJURY PREVENTION PART 3 – STRETCHING Aaron Brock, USA Volleyball Director of Sports Medicine

Part 1 explained appropriate hitting mechanics to keep the shoulder in optimal position while spiking. Part 2 outlined a strengthening program called the Hitter’s 10 to keep the shoulder strong. Part 3 will discuss another important factor in shoulder health…stretching.

Volleyball athletes typically have certain areas in the shoulder region that are tight: chest, back of the shoulder (posterior) and mid/upper back. This undesirable tightness can cause the shoulder to be positioned incorrectly and lead to altered biomechanics while swinging. Over time, this alteration can result in significant damage to the shoulder joint and also create a deficit in performance. An evaluation by a trained medical professional, such as a certified athletic trainer (ATC) can help pinpoint which areas each individual needs to focus on most. How- ever, you will more than likely benefit from the following stretches, even without an individualized evaluation.

Front of the shoulder/chest: The chest gets tight with a lot of overhead activity and causes the shoulder to positioned incorrectly. Chest stretch 1: Straight arm door stretch – (photo 1): Stand in the doorway and rotate your body position to feel a stretch in the chest and front of the shoulder. This can also be performed while lying on the ground (photo 2) Chest stretch 2: Bent arm door stretch – (photo 3): Same as above only bent elbow Chest stretch 3: Foam roll partner stretch – (photo 4): Lie on the foam roll and place the hands behind the head and have a partner push the elbows down stretching the chest

Back of shoulder (posterior): This area gets tight because these muscles slow down the swing and decelerate the high forces created during a spike. Posterior stretch 1: Arm across stretch – (photo 5): pull your arm across your body or hold onto a stable object and pull across. This stretch can also be performed while lying on the ground (Photo 6) Posterior stretch 2: Sleeper stretch – (photo 7): lie on your side and place your arm straight out from your body. Bend your elbow and slowing rotate your arm towards the ground.

Back and lats: This area controls the shoulder blades which are very important for proper shoulder function. Lat stretch 1: Stand and reach - (photo 8): Reach high, step forward and feel a stretch near the arm pit Lat stretch 2: Bent over pull - (photo 9): Lean forward and pull against a stable object Lat stretch 3: Hanging stretch - (photo 10): Hang from ? chin up bar Lat stretch 4: Foam roll lat stretch – (photo 11): Extend arms onto the foam roll and sink your chest to the ground Mid back stretch: Two handed reach - (photo 12): Lock hands together and reach to the front while pulling outward against the grasped hands Upper back stretch: Upper trap stretch - (photo 13): Depress left shoulder downward while bringing your opposite ear to the right shoulder

All of my athletes perform at least the Chest stretch 1, Posterior stretch 1 and Posterior stretch 2 (Sleeper) daily. All other stretches mentioned above are excellent additions to the program and I use them very frequently. I suggest holding the stretches for at least 30 seconds and possibly even up to one minute. Sometimes, making small adjustments to your body position intensifies the stretch…don’t just go through the motions, feel a good stretch or you’re wasting your time!

Over the past few articles, I have outlined the shoulder injury prevention program for the USA Volleyball Na- tional Teams: proper hitting mechanics, strengthening, and stretching. Implement this injury prevention program to keep your athletes’ shoulders performing their best and pain-free!

Corresponding Photos on Page 8

Aaron Brock, MS, ATC, CSCS, PES/ Director of Sports Medicine / USA Volleyball National Teams / [email protected] 7

7 PHOTOS FOR “SHOULDER INJURY PREVEN- TION PART 3 – STRETCHING” ARTICLE Photo 2

Photo Courtesy: USAV

Photo 1 Photo 3 Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 4 Photo 8 Photo 9

Photo 7

Photo 10 Photo 12 Photo 13

Photo 11

8 8

USAV REGION HP SPOTLIGHT: ARIZONA

Arizona Region has been hosting a Region High Performance program and competing at the USA Volley- ball High Performance Championships since 2001. In 2010, the program went on hiatus due to increased costs associated with travel. Determined to get the program running again, Arizona Region hired High Performance coach A.J. Malis t? breathe new life into the Arizona Region HP program. A.J. took some time to talk to "Inside HP" about the rich history and bright future of Arizona HP.

Can you give me a brief historical account of the Arizona Region HP Program? The Arizona Re- gion started its involvement with the HP Program when it sent its first team to the 2001 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships. Current University of South Carolina head coach Scott Swanson was the head coach of that team. Eric Hodgson has been at the helm of leadership for most of its existence. He really shaped a program that started from the ground up. Arizona started to move with HP when Heath Hoke came on board at USA Volleyball. Heath noticed a trend of numerous Arizona kids coming into the program and he was instrumental in bringing a national tryout to Phoenix every year since 2005. We have sponsored teams every year until last year. The challenge now is to re-educate the Region membership about High Performance and grow a sustainable program. This year’s plan is to send two girls' teams (Youth and Select) and one boys' team.

USAV What is the format for the Arizona Region HP Program? In the first year of the cycle, we invite 16-20 players from tryouts to go through a mini-camp (two days of two-a-day workouts). We use those mini-camps to select the competition team for the HP Championships. After that team is selected, the athletes train for another week or so in a two-a-day workout format. So, an athlete who participates in our Region HP teams will get as much if not more high-level volleyball as they would get if they had at- tended a summer college volleyball camp.

Is your program making use of any of the available materials through USA Volleyball HP (tryout and camp plans, evaluation tools, etc.)? When we use a combined tryout for the Regional Program and USAV HP, we followed the tryout plan as to ensure consistency in our evaluation. This year, our hope is to use much of the camp plan as possible. Which is likely because most of the staff was exposed to all of the USAV materials at the HP Coaches’ Clinic in January. As a Region HP staff, we left that clinic with so much excitement about being able to present a consistent, USAV-based program from top to bottom in our region program.

(Arizona, Continued on page 11) 9 ASPECTS OF SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY: Mental Approach to Competition (Part 2) Sam Shweisky (Princeton University)

This is part two in a three part series written by Sam Shweisky about sport psychology. To read part 1, pleas? read our January/February issue of ―Inside HP.‖

Another aspect to creating a positive gym culture is the amount and frequency that players touch one another. In a paper in the journal Emotion, Mr. Kraus and his co-authors, Ms. Huang and Dr. Keltner, report that good [basketball] teams tended to be touchier than bad ones. Players who made contact with teammates more consis- tently and longest tended to rate highest on measures of performance. If a high-five can in fact enhance performance, it may be because it reduces stress. A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. If the brain prefrontal areas, which help regulate emotion, can relax, it frees them for one of their primary purposes: problem solving. In effect, the body interprets a supportive touch as ―I’ll share the load.‖ ―We think that humans build relationships precisely for this reason, to dis- tribute problem solving across brains,‖ said James A. Coan, a psychologist at the University of Virginia. ―We are wired to literally share the processing USAV/ Bill Kauffman load, and this is the signal we’re getting when we receive support through touch.‖ All the more reason to encourage high-fives and a systematic nature of coming to the center after each play.*

Another way to combat negative thoughts is through a concept that was developed by Israeli sports psychologist Michael Bar-Eli, called the paradoxical intervention. In this exercise the athletes are encouraged to confront their fear head on and even focus on them. Similar to contingency scenario visualizations, the athletes feel fully prepared for any and every possible obstacle entering into the competitive arena. This is seen as a healthy way of not suppressing the athletes’ fear and living out the ―what if‖ scenarios with positive endings. What if you get subbed out or you are playing poorly, and big-time college coach or national team coach is at the match to watch you? How will you respond? How will you feel and how will you think? What will you do?

Effective thinking focuses on productive thinking and managing thoughts. It does not mean athletes need to always be sugary sweet and super positive. There are times when the situation is not good and being positive is not a viable emotion. However, athletes must be encouraged to always stay productive and manage their emotions. When you get a speeding ticket or you get called in the net, what is a productive response that will help you ―succeed‖ with the ―next play?‖ Yelling at the police officer/referee will only get you a card or another ticket.

One way to help athletes make a productive choice is by helping to explain the stimulus-choice-response model. When something happens, it is con- sidered the stimulus, such as getting a speeding ticket or being called in the net. The next part of the equation is the choice. Every person has a choice to determine how they react and respond to every stimulus that is placed upon them throughout the day. Productive thoughts are cool and calm while reactive thoughts are hot and emotional. It is helpful to remind athletes that they choose how they will respond to stimuli. The stimuli cannot directly affect them. They ar? always in control of how they will choose to respond.

USAV/ Bill Kauffman

* Evidence That Little Touches Do Mean So Much By BENEDICT CAREY Published: February 22, 201? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/health/23mind.html_r=1&scp=1&sq=touch% 20sports%20load%20share&st=cse

10 (Murrey, Continued from page 1)

If watching Murrey attack the net isn’t enough to make jaws drop, then her infatuation and hunger for the sport will. Her enthusiasm and love for volleyball is undoubtedly contagious and recognized within the volleyball community. Murrey may have the resume of a future world champion and rank at the top in all categories, but the most important thing to her remains the same—having fun.

―I always look to have more focus and determination each time I play and improve and continue to set goals for myself, but the most important thing is always to make sure that I am having fun,‖ Murrey said.

It has been five years since she won gold with the U.S. Girls’ Youth Team and her excitement for playing in the HP pipeline hasn’t dulled. She continues to let herself be re-inspired and open to learning new things from anyone with suggestions. Most recently Murrey attend the 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colo., where she hoped to secure her spot with the A2 team for her third and final time (players can only make the A2 team three times in a career).

―After the first day of tryouts I ran to my phone to text my mom. I told her I fell in love with volleyball all over again,‖ Murrey confessed. ―I was just out there trying to play hard, but most importantly, to have fun. We have limited playing time in the spring so it was awesome to have three straight days of play and feedback from those talented coaches. Whether it was tweaking or completely changing something I was doing, I tried to soak up everything that they were saying.? For the complete story, click here.

(Arizona, Continued from page 9)

How is the coaching staff chosen? The Region advertises the head coaching positions to all coaches in the Re- gion that meet the minimum requirements. The executive board of the Arizona Region then selects the head coaches from the applicant pool. The head coaches are notified and then given the option to select their assistant coaches from either the applicant pool or from another coach they want to work with. I always chose from the applicant pool for two reasons:1. I wanted to work with someone I had never worked with before; 2. I wanted to get as many coaches involved as to show that it truly is a Region team and not just a chance to recruit athletes for my own club. The best part of working with AZHP is that I get to work with coaches that I would never have the opportunity to work with otherwise. I have worked with coaches from all over the state. The advantage is that I get to learn from so many of the other talented coaches in the Region as well as talk volleyball with other great coaches.

What is the cost structure for the athletes' participation? The philosophy of the Arizona Region has been to make HP as affordable as possible for whoever wants to participate. In the past, the Region covered most of the cost of participating in the HP Championships, and this is increasingly becoming a challenge. One problem is, as the Region grows and increases the number of teams offered, the higher the cost to the Region. Another problem is the travel cost as the tournament moves throughout the country. There needs to be a balance between keeping HP Region participation affordable for all while maintaining a strong number of teams that participate in the Cham- pionships each year, regardless of location. Fundraising and corporate sponsorship are just two ways we can do this. As a region, we need to continually strive to provide the best possible experience for our athletes in an environment that is fitting of the moniker of USA Volleyball.

What are your feelings about the 2011 USA Volleyball HP Championships being in "your backyard" in Tucson this year? What a tremendous honor to once again host the HP Championships in Tucson. Not only is it convenient to be close to home, but it also allows us to showcase the sport we are all so passionate about. Being a native Tucsonian, it also allows me to show off the town I love so much. Our hope is that everyone that comes to Tucson will have great competition and a great experience11 in our Region. Just don’t forget the sunscreen…

11 (Davidovic , Continued from page 4)

Describe some of your most important career accomplishments. I recently won my first Division Champi- onship as a HS coach at Trinity high school (Camp Hill, Pa.) with the greatest bunch of kids any coach can ever wish for. In si? years, the team completed a turnaround from a 5-11 season record to being champs and peren- nial district qualifiers with bigger things to come. On the HP scene, I am very proud of my silver medal as an assistant coach to the first-ever Keystone HP team (2009 Keystone Select team) and relationships built with players, parents of that team, as well as the amazing USA Junior Continental team I had the pleasure to work with last year, alongside Kristina Hernandez, Blaine Tendler and Tracy Stalls. I am also very happy I was the regional HP coordinator in our first year of existence in 2008, and that the program has survived and thrived. I am VERY proud of the fact that I get to put on the USA polo and that I have been entrusted to run multiple national HP tryouts. I am excited to be one of the few, but growing number, of CAP III certified coaches in Pennsylvania and the nation. What are some important lessons learned? Never judge a book by its cover. Be professional, but kind and courteous. Smile at people and they will smile back at you. Empathize with people because we all share ? ? common bond. How would you describe yourself? Tough one. Driven, ambitious, engaging, positive, optimistic, happy. How would your players describe one of your practices? Intense, detailed, tough, goal-driven, fun. What motivates you? Quest for perfection. Even though we may never attain perfection in coaching or playing, accepting relative failure in this battle time and time again and continuing to pursue perfection is what growing as a player and a coach is all about. What is your coaching philosophy? Develop the person in each facet they possess: physical, mental, skill, leadership, but don’t forget about the person as a whole. Human element is very important to volleyball, players are not just a bunch of Xs and Os on a board; they are living, breathing entities with all the wonderful complexity that brings. Never settle for mediocrity. Any pet peeves? Same as most other coaches: lack of effort, lack of discipline, sense of entitlement. The wonderful thing about HP programs, as a whole, is that you get to work with great people that are also good at volleyball. Focusing on the important stuff and not having to worry about some of these things makes for an incredible experience, time and time again, for coaches and players involved. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Strengths – skill development, practice planning, organization, scouting, game preparation, vision and seeing the big picture well, talent evaluation, personal relationships. Weaknesses – in-game coaching, motivation, team building. All can use improvement and I believe I share these with a lot of male coaches coaching female teams. A degree in human psychology would have certainly helped. Reading books and learning by example from other coaches with more experience is very helpful when it comes to these things. What would you say makes you unique? Difficult one to answer: I don’t see myself that differently from other coaches involved in the game or other people in general. I believe we all have a lot more in common than we realize. Unfortunately, it is often our differences that define our relationships with other people. How do you define success? Maximizing your potential. Looking beyond the Ws and Ls and seeing the best human being and volleyball player that you can be and making the team you are on the best team they can be. If you can do everything in your power to succeed and maximize what was given to you as natural abilities, then you can walk proudly with your head held high. Never settle.

12 (Shweisky, Continued from page 5)

How would your players describe one of your practices? I figured the best way to answer this was to ask one of the players. This is from Princeton freshman Jeff Stapleton:

Before every practice, we circle up and coach will either debrief our past game or start prepping us for the upcoming game, and then he leads us in a visualization. After that, we warm up with some sort of mini-game that has a heavy emphasis on communication. Coach Shweisky stresses over communication,because one thing on that court that we can always control is talking to each other. After warm- ing up, we usually move int? drills that focus on skill work such as serving and passing or defensive drills. Regardless of the drill, there Beverly Shaefer is always a competitive element: servers vs. passers or a hitter vs. defenders. My favorite thing about our practices is that we always end with some kind of variation of a scrim- mage. Depending on the particular emphasis on practice, Coach will put a twist into the scoring. Coach does a great job of recognizing our weakness and then putting together dynamic drills to help us improve.

What motivates you? The value of the job motivates me. Firefighters fight fires, policemen fight crime, teachers teach students and I get to coach athletes. Life is not always easy, but every day I get an opportunity to try and work and interact with student-athletes and help them develop into better people just as I am working to do the same myself. What is your coaching philosophy? The goal of the Princeton volleyball program is to help young men and women achieve their academic, athletic and personal potential during their tenures at Princeton. There are significant challenges in being a full-time student-athlete at Princeton, and our program is meant to help mold these young Tigers into future leaders. Learning how to respond to these challenges helps develop the charac- ter and independence of the student-athlete. Following their playing days with Princeton volleyball, student- athletes should emerge as healthy, independent and pro-active leaders in the community. The goal of the Princeton volleyball coaching staff is to instill in all players the will to win, the relentless drive to compete and the passion to improve. We strive to make all Tigers better players, better teammates, better leaders and better people by fostering the kind of environment that engenders tight bonds and fierce loyalty to each other, to the program and to the institution. Any pet peeves? YES!! I have a very funny pet peeve that any player or coach I have ever worked with will tell you and that is TOUCHING THE NET! I cannot stand when players and or coaches, or anyone for that matter, uses the net to support themselves, leans on the net or in any way shape or form touches the net. My friends and former players LOVE teasing me about it and getting so close to the net without touching it to see if it will set off my OCD paranoia. Not sure where it comes from. Perhaps I spent my early days as a grad assistant in charge of the nets and I always felt like it was important to respect the game and respect the net. Now with today’s net rules you can basically go swimming in the net and not get called, but I still freak out if a player leans on the net for support…trust me you don’t want to test me on this… :) What are your strengths and weaknesses? My biggest strength is my ability to admit when I am wrong, to ask for help, and to never let pride get in the way of doing the right thing. Another strength is my ability to listen to players and really hear them. To treat them as adults and do my best to give them what they need as it is seen by a combination of them and me. To include the player in the leadership paradigm: To encourage and cultivate a culture of autonomy while maintaining discipline and authority. My biggest weakness is my sen- sitivity. What would you say makes you unique? My background in both men’s and women’s volleyball and the talented amalgam of coaches I have worked under has given me a varied group of experiences to draw from. Having the opportunity to get a master’s degree in sports psychology and study coaching behavior at the academic level was a tremendous experience that has augmented my coaching exponentially.

13 (Presenting Yourself, Continued from page 6)

Can I get you into my school? You may be the best middle blocker that ever existed, but if Stanford can’t get you past the admissions department, you are not going to play in its program? At the more selective schools, coaches will likely look at your academics first to determine whether you meet the academic profile needed to get into the program. If they can’t get you past admissions, there is no point furthering the recruiting process. There- fore, it’s extremely important for you to focus on academics. The better you do in school, the more opportunities you will have! Hit those books!

Can you play at our level? Video is by far the most important piece to the recruiting process. If you send a coach a message without giving them the means to SEE you play, how can you expect them to make an evaluation of you? That would be like submitting an application to the Human Resources department of a company you are interviewing with without attaching your resume. In the same light, sending an email to a coach showing how much you love the school and that you’re extremely passionate about playing volleyball in college will get you no- where. It’s nice, but it’s not effective. Therefore, start gathering match footage early and be prepared with a highlight video skills video, and unedited match footage. VolleyballRecruits.net can take your video and create a great- looking skills video and/or highlight reel for you using any video you have access to? See an example here: http:// volleyballrecruits.net/featured-videos.php

Where can I see you play in person? If a coach is interested in you, he/she will make plans to come see you play in person. Therefore, coaches need to know where you are playing, what club team you play on and your jersey number. It’s a great idea to send a message to each coach on your list before a major tournament with a quick reminder of who you are and an invitation for them to come see you play in person. Do not make them the coaches track down your schedule. Provide it to them!

How do I contact you/your coach? If/when a coach is interested in you, and wants to move forward in the recruiting process, he/she needs to know how to contact you! Therefore, provide coaches with a telephone number, an email address of where you can be reached and your mailing address. Also be sure to include your high school and club coach’s contact information. Once you have reached Sept. 1 of your junior year, NCAA coaches can send you emails and letters, so be sure they have yours! This goes without saying, but check your email!

Coaches also want to know why you are interested in their program. Therefore, write a personal message to each coach? Coaches can see right through a blast email, so don’t do this? If you want coaches to spend 5 minutes evaluating you, spend five minutes researching each program. A personal touch will go a very long way. In addi- tion, players should be the ones reaching out to coaches, not parents! Show some initiative and get yourself out there? The more active you are in the recruiting process, the more opportunities you will have.

How can VolleyballRecruits.net help me? VolleyballRecruits.net is ―The Official Recruiting Tool of USA Volley- ball‖ and has every college program in the country in its database. Once a player has his/her profile and video up- loaded, the player uses a built in messaging system to reach out to the college programs of their choice! On the coach’s end, each message they receive from a VolleyballRecruits.net includes a link that takes the coach right to the player’s information, video, transcripts, tournament schedule, etc. VolleyballRecruits.net members are always one click away from being recruited!

HP athletes can use the Promotion Code “HP2011” to receive $50 off any Recruiting Package. Learn more about VolleyballRecruits.net here.

14 HP Directory

Tom Pingel Collin Powers Managing Director Manager [email protected] [email protected]

Heath Hoke Adrienne Barnes Manager Coordinator [email protected] [email protected]

Jeff Mosher Denise Sheldon Coordinator Coordinator [email protected] [email protected]

Monica Sedillo Assistant Contact Us [email protected] (719) 228-6800 (phone) (719) 228-6899 (fax) [email protected]