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Cold cuts (meats and cheeses) cereal, fruit of many kind,
yogurt, bread rolls or buns, juice (2-3 different types) coffee
or tea and more….
Our first practice was a 9am - 11:30am
We worked a lot on individual skills, especially on passing and
defense…
Generally our focus and effort was good … but we still need to a
little more… we need to try to exceed our comfort zone…. We are
getting there… but in general (which is normal) we tend to play
and work within our comfort zone … but to improve we need to
extend or expand the comfort zone to make a new one…. And
expanded comfort zone ..
As
an example.. if taking 1-2 steps to get to a ball is
comfortable… we can get only the balls that are 1-2 steps away …
we are limited to only that because that is comfortable… To
improve… we now need to extend our comfort zone to getting to
the balls that are 3-4-5 steps away …. And establish a NEW LEVEL
of play…
At 12 (noon) we had lunch…
Where we are is the NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER for Brazilian
Volleyball … The cooks here prepare quality food for National
class / world class athletes … there are so many choices here …
it is difficult for me to make a choice…. So I have been
sampling each thing… (much to my waistlines dismay……) Most of
our girls are enjoying all of the different choices and types of
foods…. A few are picky eaters….. but everyone is eating well.
Our
second practice of each day is at 2:30pm - 5:00pm
We have been working more on team related skills … parts of the
tem Offense … parts of the Defense… Free ball skills…
We have not been hitting too much full swing hitting…. as it is
easy to over burden our shoulders with the number of hours we
are spending on the court… We have been working on all other
aspects of the game
…. But for the hitting we have been taking it a little more easy…
At 5:00pm we have a daily snack…
The snack consists of .. Cold cuts / sandwiches, 2-3 different
types of juices, several types of fruit, and usually jello or
some desert.
From 5:30pm until our next practice the girls either take a
short nap or go and lay by the pool..
At 6:30pm - 8:30pm we work on combining all of what we have
worked on into the game situation.
Last night we worked a little more on individual movement to the
ball and how it related to the team situation… Showing the
players how the individual movements they make coordinate into a
team structure….
We also went through all of the team service reception
formation…. This drill was mostly a MENTAL .. exercise…. And a
little walk through on the court… some had a little trouble with
the mental part…. They need to learn to concentrate and pay
attention…
We ended the night with us working on service reception, running
our offence but the fun part was…… using the facilities
….volleyball LAUNCHER (what can be best described as ….. a
baseball pitching machine on STERIODS)…. It is 2 pinning wheels
on a framework about 8 feet in the air … the coach puts the ball
into it and the spinning wheels spit the volleyball out at any
speed you want…. We had the machine set at about level 3 for our
drills….
At 9:00 pm we had dinner…. (
The dinner was fantastic…. Salads, Pasta, Rice, Chicken, Steaks,
Fish, Fruit…. More things that I can remember….. and all of it
was very good…
After dinner…. … the coaches HAD to go play with the new
volleyball launcher toy to see what it could do… Coach Wilson
(AKA the mad scientist) was at the controls to find out what
this baby could do… Coach Chris was across the net fielding
serves in the neighborhood of 80-100 miles per hour…. Then Coach
Chris wanted his turn at RUNNING the MACHINE… and Coach
Littleman was on the receiving end of the 80 - 100 mile per hour
serves…. They both had the machine maxed out a level 10…..
IT was fun… but it was also one of those things that you do …
and then afterwards you say to yourself … what was I thinking….
As you look at the bruises staring to form on your arms…. And
you notice that there are a few places on your arms that you
used to have hair and now you don't …. Non the less it was fun….
I think everyone was in be by about 10:00 pm..
More later… And I do promise to send photos
Bye
from Brazil …
John Littleman
Head Coach
Highline CC Women's Volleyball Team
Go to August
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