| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| vb101 |
Posted - 07/30/2010 : 2:20:36 PM
Great tournament! Excellent exposure! So interesting how in the younger age brackets regional teams prove to be more successful than the US pipeline teams.
However, in the older age groups, the US teams romp.
Not sure if this implies that players are stronger as they get older, that younger players like the familiar, that US volleyball gives stronger coaches to the elder groups or that as athletes grow older the level of coaching becomes less relevant. ...or all of the above.
Do know that the event was excellent. & that IREVA was wise enough to send their girls to get excellent exposure and an opportunity to grow. Nothing teaches better than seeing and playing against the best in the nation.
USA Volleyball Managing Director of High Performance Indoor National Programs Tom Pingel felt that the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships was successful and that the level of play was the best the event has seen in its 12-year history.
“I felt the tournament went very well,” Pingel said. “It was easily the most competitive HP championships that we have ever had. The number of five-set matches was remarkable. The overall level of play was the highest we have seen for a first year of the two-year age group cycle.”
The HPC featured an international theme with some variations of FIVB rules. Matches are best-of-five sets format with most teams playing eight matches during the event. The tournament utilized some new FIVB rules such as the primary and secondary libero.
A total of 87 teams competed in the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships’ six different age and gender championship brackets taking place on 14 courts at the Wisconsin Dells Center at the Chula Vista Resort. The USA Volleyball High Performance Championships combines the best teams from USAV High Performance Pipeline teams, USAV Region High Performance Teams and international squads in the marquee event.
http://usavolleyball.org/news/2010/07/30/2010-usav-hp-championships-conclude-friday/37587
2010 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships Medalists
Boys’ International Youth: Gold - USA Boys' Youth A2 Red; Silver - Chile Boys' Youth Team; Bronze - USA Boys' Youth A2 White.
Boys’ National Youth: Gold - Badger Region Boys' National Youth; Silver - Ohio Valley Region Boys' National Youth Team; Bronze - Aloha Region HP Boys' National Youth Team.
Girls’ International Youth: Gold - Team Florida Region Girls' Youth National Team; Silver - Badger Region Girls' International Youth Team; Bronze - Intermountain Region.
Girls’ National Select: Gold - Badger Region Girls' National Select; Silver - Southern California Region Red Team; Bronze - Iowa Region Girls' Select Team.
Girls’ National Youth: Gold - Chesapeake Region Youth; Silver - Lone Star Region HP Youth Blue; Bronze - Keystone Region HP Girls'.
Women’s International Junior: Gold - 2010 USA Girls' Youth National Team; Silver - USA Women's Junior A2 Red Team; Bronze - USA Girls' Youth A2 Red Team. |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| vb101 |
Posted - 08/04/2010 : 6:09:05 PM
I have a pal in SoCal who has worked for the HP for several years. This past year, he was going to have me formulate the tryout process there, but circumstances brought me home (that's another story). I asked him for his thoughts on High Performance program. This information follows.
Impressions and thoughts concerning USA HP Championships
I've been to the last 5 years renditions of The USA HP Championships as a coach for the Southern California Region. My general impressions have been that it is a great venue for coaches and players alike. In years past at Austin, Ft lauderdale and Tuscon the venues have all been very well laid out, the avaiability of options for food and lodging have been more than adequate, the quality of play has been outstanding.
The format is done so that most every team plays 2 matches that are the best of 5 each day. Enough volleyball to test everyone, not so much as to wear anyone out.
There are usually many college coaches looking at the future of the best of the best that USA and the regions have.
There is a degree of contact with the people at USA Volleyball that makes them available in a manner that you normally would not have. It promotes reltationships bettween the regions and USA HP. The last 3 years I have personally seen Doug Beal as well as Tom Pingel and many other coaches in the system that I may not have had the chance to see and converse with if not for the HP Championships.
This year at the Wisconsin Dells, Chula Vista Resort, once again the Volleyball was great.
International rules are a change for most of the coaches, refs and certainly the players. In the Youth and Junior divisions the rules mean less subs which requires players to understand how important it is they can play all aspects of the game. Front and back row. Serve and receive.
It is similar to how many international teams form, quickly and then right into competing so it is a primer for players even though they would not know that is the case. It will prepare them in some small degree for the future of international team volleyball if they so chose/have the ability.
If this year was the only year someone had seen the HP Championships then I would want to add a few things. 1) The play site was not up to the standards of the past. (it was not ventilated with chilled / de-humidified air to the extent that is optimal for the intensity of the competion; 2) The space around the courts was not as spacious as past years; 3) lack of area to warm up that is inside or out of the sun and heat and hunmidity; 4) food choices limited and the hotel food fed to players/coaches as part of the meal package at the Chula Vista Resort was sorely lacking quality, variation, inspiration; 5) Resort area was beautiful, but is was a 1 hour drive ffrom Maddison or 2 hour drive from Milwauke, this make for a longer travel day than it is if held at any of the other sites in the past.
All of these items have not been an issue in the past.
Reasons to put together a Regional High performance porgram:
The region Competing against other regions with idealy their best players not selected by USA at their tryouts is a way to build the level of competition within the region.
The players/coaches get to see what other regions look like in terms of ability, athleticism, dedication, coaching ability.
Increase the level/abilities of coaching within the region.
A short season (2 weeks ideally) one week of practice followed by travel and 4 days of competition. The program is over quickly. It is in a dead period for most.
Exposes people to players from different clubs and those players get to see how they stack up individually at the tryout phase and again within HP teams.
Coaches have to be willing to learn; Internationl rules and protcol; learn how to compete with other regions at the level they are playing; Learn how to put together a stronger region, stronger training with in clubs, so that when they take thier region's players they can compete with the other regions/USA.
Assessing talent at tryouts becomes a big deal, having people that truly understand what they are looking out and choosing talent for players and coaches is pivotol. THis means the region is going to have to explore this whole idea and get better at it which is good for everyone.
Learning how to put together a team and make them a team in 5 days of practices becomes a new challenge and it is an improtant skill to possess for coaches. A HP Program will help to foster this learning.
Ther regional HP program should be comprehensive, intense (more in less time than what would normally occurr in a normal practice environment at the club or HS level) because of the time constraints and the level that they are going to compete, at the USA HP CHampionships. It should include some perspecetive as to technique that USA is using, suchs as possibly showing Jump float, Jump Spike serving, Transition and approach techniques, 4 step approach, simple passing techniqes; It should have some goal setting associated with the program; The practices whould be well organized by each coach and should be pushing the envelope of the players skills, knowledge, system organization and overall volleyball IQ.
Limited response to issues raised by Buffalo/Rochester person with Daughter that has attended:
USA teams playing up has no effect on the level of competition for the teams in their respective divisions. The competition is very stiff. There are no walk overs of any of the USA teams, in fact many times the younger USA teams win their division playing up.
The competition in the National and Select divisions is very good even without many if not any of the USA Teams.
All age groups are per FIVB, they are 2 year bi-ennial groupings.
Select 1996,97 and younger;
Youth 1994,95;
Junior 1992,93.
They will be the same next year as this was he first year of the bi-enniem. SO it is possible to have 7-8th graders of USA playing against Frosh Soph this year in the Youth Div. THey compete just the same and do very well. That is good for regional HP teams as they are not killed by the best young players of USA.
Starting with a younger group to send from a region is a great idea. Then build from there.
Coaches stealing players through the HP program within region etc... (has happened unfortunately) EGOs; Always an issue. Takes a strong leader that is known for pricnciples and will lead by example and will enforce the no recruiting policy. The leader also needs to be a good judge of what is actually a good coach. Governing board (WEVA) needs to be looking out for the region not a specific couple of clubs.
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| jet |
Posted - 07/30/2010 : 5:29:20 PM
Ok this has been my daughters 3 time involved with this HP Championships and she has been more than pleased with the experience, the level of competition , coaching and training.
I would feel safe in saying that this goes the same for the dozen or so boys that both Pace and Eden have sent over the past 3 years that I have seen.
The have had the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the nation....and have become better for it..
Couple things.
Yes I think it is great that the IREVA has put together a team to go and compete. Although their 2 teams on the girls side were a combined 1 and 15 I'm sure they had a good time.
I think you need to know how things work though. Most all the top USA teams were playing up. Top A1 A2 and the top CT all played up......for example the top A1 Select played in the International Youth and the YNT A2 Youth and top USACT team all played up in the Junior divisions.
Some of the National Divsions hardly had any USA teams in....and if they were they were their 3rd teams
So for the Select you have 8th and 9th Graders playing older soph and Juniors.... and so on. Makes a difference.
Some of the boys teams as you will notice are from regionals that barely have HS ball or very little club ball.......let alone send teams to Nationals......2 weeks ago. The Badger region was very well represented but it is larger region, many solid clubs (b&g;) and obviously in their backdoor so cost is minimal
While I would ideally like to see WEVA broach the subject, I think we would be wise to see if it is economically and competitively feasible. Every region that sends a team is larger or much larger than us......and most cases represent a WHOLE state....or a couple. Most of these regions have large Governing boards, the teams are partially funded (WEVA does have money btw) and have many clubs that are involved in the decision making.
Buffalo and Rochester are small and getting smaller metro areas.
As we have in the past sent 5-10 players (on the boys side) on a given year into the USA Camps and HP Championships ........would we have enough interest and quality players to field a Select or Youth team between Buffalo and Rochester......KNOWING BTW that we just asked these kids and parents to go to Nationals a couple weeks before in AUSTIN.....$$$
How many of the IREVA girls went to Nationals in Reno? I'm realistically playing devils advocate.
Then.....OH BOY.....then we get in to the EGOS! AH ! Who will coach, who will select, will these coaches try to steal my players.......plant seeds..... parents/players coercing each other to switch clubs and stay together. You know the "Normal Stuff" that no one likes to talk about.
Then ....then we have to cross the mighty path of the ESG's . If we already have 8 players between boys and girls that would have competed for a ESG spot playing in Wisconsin......and then we take a Youth and Select Boys and girls team...(4). Do we have enough to make a competitive ESG team?
Of course I would push the HP stuff as it is flat out better competition and exposure but I also live here, understand its tradition and importance to many.
VB101 - I appreciate your "broad" spectrum and it is good to have people like you helping to shine the light.....just folowing up with some points of discussion.
Many of us see the "big" picture and discussions have been thrown out there but when you are in a small region like our that "essentially" is dominated by 2 clubs Boys and girls clubs (from a regional win/national play/HP representation) we tread lightly not to step on other peoples toes......and I'm sure someone will misread this statement and get all fired up.
Hopefully we can look further at getting at least a younger group involved.....might be a good place to start.
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