Reffing Responsibilities

        I know when you read the title of this you probably want to skip it but if you play volleyball at any level you are going to have to learn how to ref sometime. Reffing is not that bad you just have to pay attention and know what signs go with what calls. In this blog I will just briefly go over what each official is in charge of during the game. I will go over what signs and actions need to be done for each in a different blog.

            In volleyball there is an up ref, a down ref, 2 line judges, a score keeper, a libero tracker, and a person that does the score sheet. If you are an up ref you are responsible for whistling when a play can begin and when the play ends. You also look for any net violations, double contacts, and lifts. If you are the down ref you are responsible for watching for overlapping in both team’s line-ups, any center line violations, and both teams substitution requests. If you are a line judge you are responsible for foot faults during a serve, signaling if a ball is in or out, determining if there was a touch on the ball from the block and if the ball is on the correct side of the antenna.

            Scorekeepers, libero trackers and the person that is going to do the score sheet all sit at a table usually behind the down ref. If you are a score keeper your job is pretty self-explanatory, you just flip the points to the correct side. But be aware if you are even a point off you will hear it from all of the parents but just ignore them and check with the score sheet. If you are libero tracking you are responsible for writing down when the libero comes in and out and who they go in or out for. You also write down the other subs that come in and go out for both teams. If you are doing the score sheet you are responsible for writing down the line up, scores, subs, timeouts, and any penalties that occur during the match.

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Serving

            Serving is a big part of volleyball because it is the first contact of every rally. If you serve tough you can get the other team out of system for a better chance to succeed in your offense. On the other hand if you miss your serve, in the net or out of bounds you give the other team a free point. So while serving you have to be smart and aggressive.

            There are many different types of serves you can use in volleyball. The majority of girls serve a jump float. When executed correctly a jump float, the ball should move back and forth in the air when it goes over the net. You can make the ball do this by keeping your wrist and hand firm and contacting the ball directly in the back. You also want to stop your hand, not following through, once you contact the ball. This will make it so there is little to no spin. Your foot work should be the same as your approach. If you are right handed, left, right, left. If you are left handed, right, left, right. Everyone’s timing will be different most people toss the ball right after their first step. This serve is very tough to serve receive especially if it is served at a high speed.

            Another serve you can do is a jump top spin. This is a popular serve in the men’s game because men can typically jump higher and are stronger so they can get more speed and better trajectory on the ball. The foot work for a jump top is the same as your approach. Again, the timing will differ but you should toss the ball before your first step and move forward to attack the ball. Make sure to keep the ball in front of you so you can use your strength to put some speed behind the ball. Also make sure you open up and use your core to get more power. Unlike the float you should snap your wrist and follow through with your arm to give the ball spin. Some girls have pretty good top spin serves and they can be really effective, but unless you are Micha Hancock sometimes they can be easier to pass because the passers can read where the ball will end up and can get under it more often than a jump float. A jump top often tends to be more inconsistent. It consists of a higher toss, higher jump and bigger swing which make mistakes more prominent.

            If you get your timing down and you are aggressive but also consistent with either of these serves you will be successful with your serving.

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Penn State vs. Iowa Volleyball Game 10/4/14

            Ever since I started watching Penn State Women’s volleyball I have looked up to Micha Hancock, Penn State’s setter. Micha is a senior this year and she is an incredibly talented setter. Hopefully she continues to play overseas for the USA Women’s team so I can keep watching her play. Last night Penn State (#3) played Iowa in Iowa City and I was able to go watch, since I live in Iowa. I was so excited, and this is how it all went down.

            I got there and I sat right behind the Penn State bench, you could say I was freaking out just a little. Anyways, right away you could tell Penn State came ready to dominate. They just lost a tough match to #5 ranked Nebraska @ Nebraska, so they probably wanted to get this last on the road win before they traveled back home for a while. I watched them play Nebraska on TV but seeing them in person and watching them compete is person is SO much different, it puts a whole different perspective on what PSUWV is all about. For starters their tallest player is 6’4 and 10 of their players are 6’ or taller. When you watch them play on TV they don’t seem this tall at all but imagine when you are sitting directly behind their bench…. It’s crazy.

            After they warmed up, it was time for the match to start. Penn State had first serve and the first serve was an ace. Before you knew it, the score was 8-1 and Penn State was in control for the rest of the set, take that back Penn State was in control for the rest of the match. The first set ended and the score was 25-15, the second set was 25-14 and the third set was 25-11. Micha had 33 assists, 4 aces, and 5 digs. She also had 5 kills on 8 errorless attempts which led her to a .625 hitting percentage.

            If you ever have the chance to watch Penn State play you definitely should because they are an awesome team to watch compete. Hopefully they will make it to the National Championship match and win it again, like they did last year because they really do deserve it.

Link to PSU stats: http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2014-2015/iowa15.html

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Asics, Mizuno or Nike Volleyball Shoes?

            Choosing a pair of volleyball shoes can be difficult because there are so many options. Most athletes want a pair of shoes that are comfortable, light weight, and durable but also look good, so what is the best volleyball shoe out there many people ask.

            The three main brands that you will see most volleyball players wearing today are Asics, Mizuno and Nike. Mizuno has an edge not only because it is the official footwear for USA Volleyball and the National teams, it is also the most accessible brand for clubs and high schools. Asics are more popular with younger kids that play volleyball because Asics have a wide variety of color in their shoes. Asics also is very committed to volleyball and puts a lot of research into making a good volleyball shoe. Nike focuses mainly on basketball and football but they have recently came out with the Nike Zoom Volley Hyperspike. Many college volleyball programs that are sponsored by Nike will wear these.

            Personally I like the new Nike Hyperspikes the best. I have worn all three brands of volleyball shoes and I think the Nikes are the most comfortable and have definitely lasted the longest. The Asics I wore were very comfortable but they were a little heavy. I also liked my Mizuno’s, however they didn’t last long at all and they didn’t have enough support. I like the Nike’s I have now because they are very comfortable and they have a lot of support, but are also light weight.

http://sneakerreport.com/features/how-to-pick-the-perfect-pair-of-volleyball-shoes/

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Mizuno: Wave Lightning 7

Asics: GEL Volleycross

Nike: Hyperspike

My Biggest Inspirations

            In order to love volleyball and want to succeed as much as I do, I had to be pushed and coached by many people who believe in my dreams. I have had many people in my life that I have looked up too and I truly believe that without them I wouldn't be where I am at today. They have made me realize that I can reach my goals if I keep working hard every day.

            My favorite college volleyball player is Micha Hancock. She is a setter for Penn State. Last year she led her team to a National Championship and was named NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Penn State defeated Wisconsin in 4 sets to secure their sixth national championship title. She was named Big Ten Setter of the year her freshman, sophomore and junior years. Last year I went to watch Penn State play Northwestern and I got to meet Micha… aka best day ever.

            My coaches that have been the biggest inspirations are my High Performance coach this year and my club coach this year. During a practice with my HP team this year my coach, Mark, told us that we should play fun, fast and focused. I think this really sums up what volleyball is all about. He also told me to always have an order to your sets that you should go through before each play, and always set a hitter again if they make a mistake so they have a chance to redeem themselves. He was an awesome coach and I learned a lot from him.
            Probably the most influential people in my volleyball career so far are my club coaches, KK and Candice. Last year I wasn’t for sure where I was going to play club until I tried out for CIA (Club Iowa). All of the coaches at CIA are awesome and I am so glad I chose to play for them. During the season KK and Dice made me realize that I can play in college if I continue to work hard in every practice and keep my head up if something wasn’t going right. I have learned so much from them in just 1 season and I can’t wait to continue working with them this club season. I have never had anyone in my life that is so willing to help me reach my biggest dream. I am so thankful that they are my coaches. 

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Micha Hancock

Iowa High Performance Volleyball

          High performance or HP, is a volleyball program for advanced players from all over the world. Making a team is a huge accomplishment and it is an indescribable experience. To get to the High Performance Championships (HPC’s) you have to go through multiple tryouts, camps and practices with your team.

          Iowa HP tryouts take place all over Iowa. During tryouts your height, reach, and jump touch is measured before you start playing. Then, you are split up according to your position (libero, setter, right side, outside, or middle). Depending on what position you play you are evaluated on your skills, attitude, and decision making on the court.  It is an awesome experience trying out with players from all over the state that have the same passion for volleyball that you do.

          About a month after the tryout, the results are posted to the Iowa region website. If your t-shirt number and initials are listed you have made the training camp, which takes place in the summer before the High Performance Championships. Usually around 50 athletes in each age group make the camp, so if you make it that is a huge accomplishment. The training camp is a 4 day camp where your skills will be further evaluated to decide on teams to take to the High Performance Championships. You stay in dorms with 3 other people and it is a blast. During the camp you meet so many new people and you get to learn from many different high school coaches, college coaches and even Olympic players. On the last day of the camp the teams that will be traveling to the HPC’s are posted. The teams consist of WIJ (Women’s International Juniors), GYNT (Girls Youth National), GYNT (Girls Youth International), GSEL (Girls Select Black), and GSEL (Girls Select White).

           If you make a traveling team you will travel with the other teams to the High Performance Championships. 9 to 10 players are selected for each team so that means 20 out of the 50 athletes in each age group are chosen for a team. This year the HPC’s took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma and next year they will be held in Des Moines, Iowa. If you make an International team you will compete against teams from all over the world, including Hawaii, Brazil, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and many others. If you make a National team you will compete against teams from all over the country. This summer I played on the Girls Youth National team and we played in the championship match against a team from Texas. I can’t even describe the feeling of playing in that match. It was definitely one of the best days of my life. Even though we didn’t win we played as a team and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience that with anyone else. 

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How to Prepare Yourself for a Game

          Mentally and physically preparing yourself for a game is very important and can affect how well you perform in a match. You should prepare yourself by eating and hydrating right, being mentally ready and focused, and being physically ready to go before and during a game.

          Hydrating and eating right before a game is proven to make you play better. You should drink plenty of water before, during and after a game. Before a game you should also watch what you eat. If you have an early morning game, make sure you eat a healthy breakfast. The worst thing is playing when you feel like you ate too much so don’t have a huge breakfast. If you are playing back to back in the afternoon during your normal lunch time, if it is okay with your coach, it is a good idea to bring a snack on the bench with you to eat in between sets. Some good options would be a granola bar, crackers, pretzels, dried fruit, fruit snacks, goldfish, etc.

          To prepare mentally for a game you should develop a routine you do before every game. What helps me is listening to music but it can be different for everyone. Some people like to watch the team they are going to play next, go for a jog, or talk to their teammates about the upcoming game. You should find whatever works best for you and do that before every game.

          To prepare physically for a game you should make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before you play. Approximately half an hour to an hour before you play your team should come up with a warm up that you are going to complete before every game. A warm up should get you prepared to play right when you step on the court.  

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