May 2012 Inside HP

Inside hp MAY 2012

Recovery Nutrition: Top 10 Post-Exercise Foods By Karen Owoc

Karen Owoc is a human performance specialist and professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine. She has a B.Sc. degree in Human Biodynamics which integrates exercise physiology with the nutritional and health sciences. Karen cur-rently produces/hosts TV health segments and is a long-time volleyball parent. www.TheHealthReporter.tv. For questions, please contact Karen at [email protected]. Consuming the ideal foods and fluids after your workouts is vital to optimal health and fitness. But figuring out what you should eat and drink to enhance your athletic performance and recovery from exercise can be confusing. Here are some guidelines as to what you should consume and when. 1. Baked Potato (organic): A starchy baked potato is an excellent post-workout fuel. Studies have shown that eating whole foods with a high glycemic index results in higher muscle glyco-gen stores after a hard workout (e.g., heavy 2-hour weight lifting session) than foods with a low glycemic index. Muscle glycogen is the energy source that powers your muscles. High glycemic foods are carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose into the bloodstream. Consume high glycemic carbohydrates during post-exercise recovery, that is, within 30 minutes after exercise at two-hour inter-vals for four hours or more. Immediate recovery nutrition has been shown to improve athletic performance compared to delay-ing eating for two hours. Baked potatoes are high in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C – all essential post-exercise micronutrients. If possible, choose organic potatoes. The Environmental Working Group tested 49 fruits and vegetables and conventionally-grown potatoes were found to have heavy pesticide residues. Although not as nutrient dense as potatoes, other high glycemic car-bohydrates include:

White bread Bagels Waffles Pretzels Rice cakes Low fiber cereals like Cornflakes and Rice Krispies

2. Nonfat or Low-fat Milk: When weight training or participating in resistance sports, drink milk within 5-60 minutes post-exercise. Studies revealed a greater increase in

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Matt Brown

GOOD SOURCE OF: Carbohydrates

Potassium Vitamin B6 Vitamin C

GOOD SOURCE OF: Fluid

Protein Calcium

Potassium Vitamin D

Zinc

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lean body mass and muscle growth in resistance exercisers compared to those who drank commercial sports drinks. Drink at least 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise. Milk (nonfat or low-fat) is a superior rehydration drink due to its composition. Milk empties more slowly from the stomach than water or sports drinks which aids in fluid retention during recovery. However, soy milk is digested, absorbed and excreted much more rapidly than cow’s milk resulting in a less sustained delivery of fuel to muscles. Milk is 89% water and an excellent source of high-quality protein (8 g per cup) that helps repair and build muscles after strenuous exercise. Milk also contains key electrolytes, such as calcium (important for growth, regulation of muscle contrac-tion, nerve contraction, and nerve conduction), potassium, zinc and also vitamin D which is required for adequate calcium absorption and good bone health. Chocolate milk is an effective post-exercise recovery drink containing the ideal mix of carbohydrates and protein. In studies, it’s outperformed popular sports drinks. 3. Yogurt: Yogurt is high in potassium and 85% water. Add fresh fruit to a cup of yogurt or a yogurt-based smoothie to supply you with additional micronutrients. Potassium is important for fluid and electrolyte balance, nerve transmission, and active transport mechanisms. To maintain healthy levels of this mineral, eat a diet rich in a variety of:

Fresh vegetables Lean meats Whole grains Fruits Nuts and seeds Dairy foods Beans and legumes

Yogurt is also an excellent source of protein at 9 grams per 6-oz serving. Consuming 15 to 25 grams of protein in a post-exercise meal is the maximum needed to stimulate muscle protein repair and growth after your workout. Taking in addition-al protein during recovery has been shown to have no significant benefit. Yogurt is also an excellent source of calcium, zinc and vitamin D. Greek yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove the liquid whey and has a tangier, thicker texture. It should be noted, however, that the amino acids in the whey protein have been shown to play a key role in building muscle. Greek yogurt contains 15 to 20 g of protein per 6-oz serving -- about twice the protein of regular yogurt and comparable to two to three ounces of meat. (Meat contains about 7 g of protein per ounce.) 4. Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe is rich in vitamin C and β-carotene (vitamin A). Evidence shows that the body needs more vitamin C when engaging in strenuous and prolonged exercise. When deficient or marginally deficient in vitamin C, physical performance can decline. These antioxidants play important roles in protecting cell membranes from damage by oxygen free radicals. Theories suggest that long-term exercise produces a constant "oxidative stress" on the muscles and other cells since exercise increases oxygen consumption by 10-15 times. On the plus side, studies have shown that due to habitual exercise, a well-trained athlete has a more developed 'built-in' antioxidant system than a sedentary person. 5. Watermelon: Studies show that eating a diet higher in carbohydrate (greater than 65%) during recovery replenishes muscles with fuel (glycogen). Watermelon is high on the glyce-mic index, so it's a great food to eat after a workout. Watermelon also helps replace lost fluids since it's 92% water and is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium and vitamin A. 6. Almonds: Almonds contain vitamin E, an antioxidant* shown to reduce cell damage dur-ing aerobic/endurance exercise and weight training. Whether vitamin E is helpful in reducing muscle soreness and inflammation during recovery is still unclear though. Almonds are a good source of protein, magnesium and healthy fats. Fat (limited to 20-35% of the diet) is essential to provide energy and aids in the absorption of essential fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K). *Dosages above the recommended intake levels of antioxidants can have potential negative effects.

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Protein Calcium

Potassium Vitamin D

Zinc

GOOD SOURCE OF: Vitamin A Vitamin C

GOOD SOURCE OF: Carbohydrate

Potassium Vitamin A Vitamin C

GOOD SOURCE OF: Essential Fat

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7. Salad: Many athletes don't drink enough fluids during exercise to compensate for fluid losses. After drinking a rehydration beverage, continue to rehydrate by eating fruits and veg-etables with a high water content. For example, lettuce is 95% water, watermelon 92%, broc-coli 91%, grapefruit 91%, carrot 87% and apple 84%. Consuming salty foods during meals/snacks will help replace electrolyte losses. 8. Beans: Beans are high in B vitamins which are important to produce optimum energy and build and repair muscle tissue. B vitamins are found in whole unprocessed foods. Processed "white" carbohydrates have a lower B vitamin content. Beans are also a good source of protein, potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. (Magnesium is essential for regulating neuromuscular and cardiovascular functions.) Suggested foods:

Hummus dip Tofu Baked beans Black bean soup Black bean salsa Whole bean burritos

9. Clams: Clams are an excellent source of heme iron. Believe it or not, they're right up there with beef liver. Heme iron is found in animal foods and derived from hemoglobin (a pro-tein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). The body absorbs the most iron from heme sources of iron. Iron is essential due to its oxygen-carrying capacity. An iron deficiency can impair muscle function, normal function of the nervous and immune systems, and can limit your work capacity during exercise. Clams also top the list as a source of B-12. One serving of clams (three ounces) has 14 times more vitamin B12 than a forti-fied breakfast cereal with 100% of the DV! A deficiency in B12 can result in anemia and reduced endurance performance. Note: Food labels list percentages of nutrients based on the amount you should consume each day — your Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The term Percent Daily Value (DV) is used to declare what one serving of the food provides in rela-tion to the established daily standards. 10 . Oysters: Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food. Three ounces of oysters has 10 times more zinc than a 3-ounce serving of beef. Zinc is necessary for growth, the building and repair of muscle tissue, energy production and immune status. Meat has up to four times more zinc than non-animal sources. A deficiency can negatively affect health and physical per-formance and is most often seen in vegetarians or people who consume diets low in animal protein. Other good sources of zinc include:

Red meat Poultry Nuts Crab Lobster Whole grains Fortified breakfast cereals Dairy products

References American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine Joint position statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009;41:709-731. Ball State University study. Research finds Vitamin E protects muscles during weight training. Ball State University News-center; 2000. Roy, Brian. Milk: the new sports drink? A review. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2008.



Antioxidants

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Protein B Vitamins

Iron Magnesium Potassium

Zinc

GOOD SOURCE OF: Protein

Zinc

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Heme Iron Vitamin B-12

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HP COACH SPOTLIGHT: KEVIN MOORE USAV HP Programs: Assistant Coach– 2011 Boys’ Youth A2, 2011 Boys’ A3 Camp– Geneva, 2011 Boys’ Future Select A1, Intern with Men’s National Team, Head Coach– 2012 Boys’ Youth A2/Continental Teams IMPACT Certified, CAP LEVEL I What led you to become a coach? I was blessed to have incredible coaches growing up. In addition to the X’s and O’s, my high school, club and college coaches were tremendous role-models who deep-ly cared about their players. What has been the biggest influence in your career? My wife has been the biggest influence on my

career. We met in 2006 and married in 2007. Life was extremely stable, I owned a house, was a full-time teacher and high-school coach. I could have stayed on that path for the next 35 years. When the opportunity came to coach at George Mason and later Juniata, my wife fully supported me taking a risk to pursue my passion. At the time, she had no idea how chaotic life can be for a coach’s wife or that she would have to assume the “bread-winner” role. In looking back, I realize marrying Aman-da, someone who supportive of my dreams and during my emotional instability (happens to coaches from time as the result of stress during a season), was the best choice I ever made. What or who has been most inspiring to you, either personally or professionally? My mother has been the most inspiring influence on my athletic and coaching career. I’ll never forget a ride home from a 7th grade lacrosse game (which we got crushed) when she essen-tially told me that next time I felt like giving 50% (she used a more direct phrase) in some-thing, to let her know so she didn’t waste her vacation time from work. At that point I real-ized if I failed to give my all, then I was not just letting myself down, but the family, coaches and teammates around me. What do you do in your free time? Free time, what is that? Those outside of the profession don’t realize how much goes into coaching. Recruiting alone is a full-time job to compete with the top programs. When not in the office, my waking hours are spent taking care of my newborn daughter, Kylie Addison. How is being a new father? Everyone who told me nothing prepares you to be a parent was 100% correct. Being a new father truly is the most amazing experience I’ve ever had. I think of myself as a pretty tough guy, but with a 9lb baby girl in my hand, I’m completely mesmer-ized. I better start teaching myself the word no because in 10 years or so, I feel she’ll have me completely wrapped around her finger. What are your personal career goals? My career goal is to represent USA Volleyball inter-nationally at any level, in any capacity. How would your players describe you as a coach? Engaged. When players come into our program I am not just concerned with their performance in the gym, but their overall devel-opment as a student-athlete. As a Juniata alum, I know most of the professors and stay in regular contact with them regarding the players’ efforts in the classroom. How would your players describe one of your practices? Like a day in the classroom. Lots of questions, exchanging of ideas, and teaching. Do you have any pet peeves? Yes, untucked shirts at practice. Describe some of your most important career accomplishments. As a coach, it is difficult to enjoy moments as they happen because I feel as soon as something happens it is time to move on to the next obstacle. I hope to have an answer to this ques-tion when I retire from coaching. Do you have any advice to offer parents? Be involved during the recruiting process and stay involved after your son/daughter goes off to school. As coaches, we assume responsibility for your son/daughter when he steps onto campus. During the re-cruiting process don’t hesitate to ask the questions your son/daughter is uncomfortable asking. This is the biggest decision to

date for a graduating senior and it should be made with all questions answered, not some answers and some assumptions. After dropping your son/daughter off to school, if something doesn’t seem right or you have a concern, please call so that we can talk with them and offer our help. College freshmen often can’t recognize when they are struggling and what resources are available to help them. What motivates you? I have a tattoo of the Juniata Eagle on my back from when we won the 1998 Na-tional Championship. At 18 years old I was feeling quite confident in myself/team and told the artist to leave room to add 3 more years (1999, 2000, 2001). To date I have an unfinished tattoo…

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HP COACH SPOTLIGHT: STEVE WILCOSKY

USAV HP Programs: 2011 Girls’ Youth Continental Team, 2012 Girls’ Youth A2 Program, Girls’ A3 Camps IMPACT certified, CAP II PENDING What led you to become a coach? I love sports– in particular volleyball and football. I knew I would be involved in athletics in some way and as it turns out after my first coaching opportunity in 1996 as 14’s club coach, I knew right then and there what I wanted to be. What is the best thing about being a coach? The many relationships that one is able to build and the constant learning about people.

What has been the biggest influence in your career? First and foremost, all the athletes I have had the privilege of working with, secondly the many mentors I have had and my parents for always supporting my career path. What or who has been most inspiring to you, either personally or professionally? I am an easily inspired person, but the per-son who is my biggest inspiration is my mother. What life has dealt her and her response to it has truly been the biggest inspi-ration. What do you do in your free time? I fill my free time with adventures. Whether it be a staycation and explore something new in my own backyard or travel to a new city and go hiking, I try to stay active and constantly learning about new things. What is your coaching philosophy? To actively create a winning culture through teaching, mentoring and experiences which will empower individuals to create their own winning culture. What are your personal career goals? To win a National Championship, to always stay a student of the game, to be a mentor and find ways to give back to a sport that has given me so much. To build and maintain a successful volleyball program at the highest level possible and to coach with one of our national teams. Which is the hardest thing you ever had to do as a coach? Make the tough decision to cut an athlete for non-disciplinary rea-sons. What are you most proud of as a coach? The lasting relationships that being a coach has brought to me and watching my players graduate. What are some important lessons learned? I can always learn if I am willing. If I am smart enough, we are good enough. Hit the ball “in” more than my opponent. How would your players describe you as a coach? Intense, a little crazy, passionate, and dedicated. How would your players describe one of your practices? Competitive, high intensity and technical. Constant feedback. Do you have any pet peeves? Excuses and complacency. Describe some of your most important career accomplishments. 2007 Sunshine State conference Coach of the Year. 2008 South Regional champions- 2008 NCAA Division II Elite Eight. 3rd place with Team Florida at the 2009 HP Championships. Coaching with USA Volleyball. 2011 7th place 17 open JOVC’s with Boomers vol-leyball. 2011 Florida Region outstanding club coach of the year 17u and 18u. What book is a must-read for all coaches? For players? For coaches-The Talent Code and The Power of Full Engagement. For players- Mind Gym and The Secret. Do you have any advice to offer parents? Guide your children, but let them find the answers. What’s the best advice you could give to someone getting into coaching? Do it because you love it and learn from all which will help you develop your own coaching style and philosophies. On the college level, “coaching volleyball” is the easy part, sharpening your administrative and people skills. How do you define success? Achieving a goal or goals for which you have set out to accomplish. Finding the silver lining in every experience. What motivates you? I still haven’t decided if I love to win or hate to lose. Most importantly it is my love of competing and doing life with others. What is your coaching philosophy? To actively create a winning culture through teaching, mentoring, and experiences which will empower individuals to create their own winning culture.

Courtesy of Steve Wilcosky

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Article #4: Liberos Need to Make an Impact This is the final segment of a four-part article on insights gathered from coaching the USA Boys Youth National Team at the 2011 FIVB U-19 World Championships held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By: Ken Shibuya, 2011 U.S. Boy’s Youth Nation-al Team Head Coach One of the biggest determiners of success in the tournament was the play of each team’s libero. We saw some fantastic liberos at the World Championships and each had a pres-ence that was undeniable. We saw first hand how the player in that position can affect the outcome of the game. Against Brazil, we played a very competitive match in which a great level of volleyball. Unfortunately, it

seemed that the Brazilians won almost all of the long rallies no matter how crisp our attack was. In par-ticular their libero would make countless play after play until finally they would get a swing off our block. In one important rally, he made SEVEN digs and two covers that made your jaw drop! Without a doubt, I believe we would have won the match if he were not on the team. The young liberos in the USA are a talented group. They know the game, have good technique, and possess good defensive reactions. With that being said, the international game even at the youth level is an eye-opening experience for them. The ball moves faster. There is more variety in

attacks. The need for more precision is greater. Every point is hard earned and every team is ready to take advantage of an opponent that has a period of inconsistent play. A libero that takes a few plays off will cost the team a game/match. The need to be on top of your game every moment of a contest and then do it again for eight straight days can be daunting. There is no time for being distracted or tired. You must be good ALWAYS! The libero’s role is not limited to receiving serve, passing free balls, and digging balls hit to him. He must have a presence and he must lead. He must initiate. He must make others around him better.

You can make a huge impact in the game at the libero position if you can do the following: Pass a large area of the court – Liberos that can pass most of the court can help take the pressure off of the outside hitters that pass with them. Many teams will target weaker passers with float serves or aim short to make hitters work harder to get a full approach. You can ne-gate their tactics by being aggressive and “stealing” those passes. On float serves, a libero that can pass two-thirds of the court can allow your team to pass with only two players. Imagine all the advantages you can gain when you free one of your outside hitters of the responsi-bility of passing. Bait the serving team – A server may tactically try to serve away from


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you or at a teammate that is struggling. You can use your own tactics and show them that you are willing to vacate a space and tempt them to change their serve. You can do this by moving out of your area and stand right next to a passer. On the service toss you can either move back to the open space or remain where you are and receive the serve that was meant for your teammate. Of course it is best to tell your intentions to your other passer prior to the serve so everyone is on the same page. To the server, the visual of your aggressive adjustment often puts doubt or confusion into their heads. They may opt to serve into the open space but will often take a lot of pace off the serve to direct it in another direc-tion. In any case, you are now in control of the server in-stead of the server being in control of your team. Pass every free ball – We want the best ball control player to make all the routine plays. This allows us to be very efficient since everyone else gets to do another job (i.e. set or hit). Liberos who can read and pass the short free ball are absolutely worth their weight in gold! Cover! – There is nothing more frustrating for a good blocking team than to stuff a ball and see it get covered and transitioned for a kill. The other positive is if you can consistently cover

your hitters, they get more confident in challenging the block – A huge bonus! Do a great job as the second setter - If you have ever watched Brazilian libero, Sergio, run the offense after the setter digs the ball, you would be in utter amazement. It’s just like a regular setter in-system. Sergio has the remarkable ability of coming out of the backcourt, broad jumping into the attack zone like a back-row hitter and setting a fast offense...quicks included!

He is also good with his platform in putting up a good set so there is always a scoring swing in transi-tion! Now as a young libero, you may not be as ath-letic as Sergio, but you can still work on getting your feet to the ball and delivering a consistent set that your hitter can hit effectively. Just make sure that you know the defensive situation and if the ball is hit to the right side, you can make a break to the middle of the court so that you can best be ready to set. Communicate tactically – Many liberos think their job is done after the first contact. The most en-gaged liberos are good at analyzing what’s going on

in the game and figuring out what tactics the opponent is using for defense or attack. Setters don’t always see what the block is doing so they may be running the wrong kind of offense. Liberos can help by noticing what is happening at the net. In a quick conversation with the setter, you can let him know that the opponent’s blocker is committing with your quick attacker or dedicating to the leftside or protecting for the setter dump. When you are on defense, you can also let your blockers know if they are putting the block in the right place or what areas your defensive teammates need to be responsible for. You also can help your team defend against the setter dump simply by identifying the front-row setter and where he likes to put the ball. As a libero, you need to think of yourself as a facilitator of teamwork and preparedness.


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4 Tips for Summer Recruiting Success!

by: Amanda Millard - Director of VolleyballRecruits.net

The weather is getting nicer, school has just ended or it’s right around the corner and all signs point to summer being the time to take it easy and relax. As tempting as it may be to turn your brain off with the end of finals, those of you aspiring to play college volleyball need to stay diligent in the recruiting process. Here are a few pointers towards making this summer a successful, productive season you will be proud to look back on. 1. Prepare for the End of Season Tournaments Especially if you are traveling to USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National, Boy’s Junior National and High Performance Champion-ships, coaches know that the best talent compete at these tournaments and they will be attending to check in on prospects they saw earlier in the season or catch their first looks at new recruits. For prospective student-athletes, this means that you want to be in contact with as many coaches as you can BEFORE these tournaments and invite them to come see you play in person. 2. Coach-Catching Video The best way to interest a coach and prove that you are a worthy candidate is through a great skills video or highlight reel. A skills video shows coaches your consistency and fundamentals while a highlight reel showcases your potential in a quick 3-5 minute video. Coaches don’t have time to watch hours of un-edited footage, but they will take few minutes to see what you’ve got. Therefore, be sure your video showcases your best attributes and leaves coaches with a good impression.

If you need help with video editing services, VolleyballRecruits.net can help! We’ve got an awesome team of video profession-als who can edit you a coach - catching skills video or highlight reel. See samples here! We will put a circle or arrow around you at the beginning of each clip to help coaches zero-in on you immediately. Then, using the internal messaging system that’s included with each VolleyballRecruits.net membership, you can easily put your new video in front of ANY coach in the country! See DEMO! 3. Never Slack in Warm-Ups In practice and in matches, warm-ups are not just a time to get your muscles loosened before you play. College coaches have LOTS of recruits to evaluate at every tournament. Therefore, they may only stay at your court for warm-ups to catch a few good reps. If you are messing around or sloppy during warm-ups, it shows you aren't that serious about the sport or concerned with the outcome of your match. Have fun, but keep in mind this could be your opportunity to put on a show. Communicate, hustle for each ball, jump high and swing hard because you never know who is watching! 4. Don’t Get a Case of the Blues Don’t be discouraged if some of your teammates are starting to commit and you haven’t yet or if the program you have your heart set on is giving you a lukewarm response. Stay vigilant in your efforts and communications, and if you haven’t heard from a coach in a while, don’t take it personally-they are very busy people with a team to run, and you may have slipped to the bottom of the inbox. A quick check-in email after a couple weeks can do you no harm. You might also try expanding your crite-ria and reaching out to a new set of schools (different division, a little farther away from home, smaller/ bigger school etc,) and continue to keep an open mind to all possibilities. Now is not the time to throw in the towel, but rather re-evaluate your game plan and get your information out to new coaches before the season is up. Summer can be a great opportunity for recruiting this season, so get ready - you too can have summer success! You only get one shot at the recruiting process and a VolleyballRecruits.net membership ensures you make the most of it! For more information on how VolleyballRecruits.net can streamline your recruiting process email [email protected] or call 303-929-8587. All HP athletes receive $50 off using the code HP2012 at checkout! To see examples of VolleyballRecruits.net edited videos, visit: http://volleyballrecruits.net/featured-videos.php

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HP ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: KUPONO FEY Hometown, club and high school: Honolulu, HI, Ku'ikahi Volleyball Club, Punahou High School Position: Outside/Opposite Height, block touch and jump touch: 6'5", 10'2", 10'8"

Favorite Warm-Up Song: Turbulence by Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke ft. Lil Jon Scorer or Line Judging? Why? Line Judging because I have never been a scorer at a game before. If you could meet any Olympian, who would it be and why? Duke Kahanamoku because he is local to Hawaii and is very fa-mous in Hawaii. He also has a good legacy of surfing, swimming and spreading aloha. Other sports/activities/hobbies: Anything that requires coordination– basketball. When did you start playing volleyball? 7th Grade Are you from a "volleyball family"? Do any of your family members play collegiate or professional sports? Kind of. My cousin Micah Christenson plays volleyball for USC. My aunty played volleyball at University of Hawaii at Hilo. Who was the most influential person in helping you to develop as a volleyball player? My parents, family, club coach, Teoni Obrey and high school coach, Rick Tune. What part of your background best prepared you for playing at an elite level? Playing against really good teams in State Championships, JNC's and in HP Championships. 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? Boys’ Select A2 and Boys’ Select A1. Yes, A1 was a little different because it was a tour-nament, the High Performance Championships. This year, I am on the Boy’s Youth National Team. What are your thoughts on being selected for the Boys’ Youth National Team? I'm really excited to play at a higher level, rep-resent my country, play different countries and travel to another country. I think this is what everyone plays for, to play at the top level and I think this will be one of the best experiences that I will ever have. What is the happiest moment in your volleyball career? Playing at Junior National Championships with my friends on my club volleyball team in the Gold Bracket. Describe some improvements you want to make, in the coming year, in the physical or mental side of your game. I want to get stronger and I also want to become mentally stronger by playing in important matches and against really good athletes. Do you want to play volleyball collegiately and/or professionally? Do you strive to represent the USA one day as an Olym-pian? Yes, yes and yes.

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HP ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: AMBER ROLFZEN Hometown, club and high school: Papillion, Nebraska, Nebraska Juniors 18s, Papillion– La Vista South High School Current Position: Outside Hitter Height, block touch and jump touch: 6’ 3”, 9’9”, 10’3”

Favorite Warm-Up Song: Really anything that is playing – except slow songs! Scorekeeping or Line Judging? Why? Line Judging – it allows you to watch the game very intently. Plus, making the really close calls is the most exciting part! “Gotta have” snack between matches at a tourney: Goldfish or Trail Mix. If you could meet any Olympian, who would it be and why? Jordan Larson! She has always been my favorite athlete since she came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is from Nebraska (just like me), so she is that person who I would love to fol-low in their footsteps. Other sports/activities/hobbies: Basketball and Track When did you start playing volleyball? 5th grade Are you from a “volleyball family”? Not really – my mom played in High School Who was the most influential person in helping you to develop as a volleyball player? Probably my twin sister, Kadie, because every practice and even every drill, we always try to beat each other – so while we are doing that, we are pushing ourselves and each other. What USAV HP Programs have you been involved in? 2010 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team – HP Championships – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin – 1st Place 2011 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team – HP Championships – Tucson, Arizona – 1st Place and FIVB Youth World Championships –

Ankara, Turkey – 9th Place 2012 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team What is the happiest moment in your volleyball career? Winning the National Championship in Reno, Nevada, with my club team, Nebraska Juniors, in the 16 Open Division. Thoughts about playing volleyball professionally? I would love to!!! One of my dreams is to go straight from college volleyball to playing professionally overseas. What do you think is critical to being a successful athlete? Besides always working hard, I think to be successful, you must work harder on those things you don’t nec-essarily want to – because those are the things that make you a better player. Al-ways having a positive attitude towards things brings success.

Courtesy of Amber Rolfzen

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REGION HP SPOTLIGHT: KEYSTONE REGION Can you tell me about the Keystone Region in general? What makes the region different from other regions? The Keystone Re-gion represents most of the state of Pennsylvania. It is a large region geographically, extending 280 miles from east to west, and about 160 miles from north to south. There is a large participation of high schools with volleyball programs in PA based on 2011 NFHS data. For boys, 210 high schools have programs with 3,780 boys partici-pating and 589 high schools have girls volleyball programs with 10,602 participating. Our club programs are really solid. There are hotbeds for volleyball throughout the country such as Illinois, Texas, California, Florida etc. For the Northeast, Keystone tends to be the strongest region. Many surrounding states enjoy attending our tour-

naments because the competition is stronger than they see in their own state. What makes the Keystone HP Program unique / special? There is a tremendous love for volleyball in our state as evi-denced by the our large state participation numbers. Ath-letes who choose to participate at the HP level are strongly committed and they are motivated to compete at the high-est levels available. Our program has seen a growing mo-mentum, with more athletes coming out each year seeking a shot to be on one of our HP teams. Can you give me a brief history of Keystone High Performance? Our Region HP program is in its 4th year of HP tournament participation. In year one, we sent 2 girls teams to the HP Championships. In year two, we sent a boys team and a girls team. Last year, 2 girls teams and 1 boys team attended and this year we have expanded to 2 girls teams and 2 boys teams. Our older teams participate in the International division where the competition is the highest.

In our first year of participation, our Girls International Youth team came in second, winning the Silver Medal. In our second year, our Girls Youth team won the Bronze medal. So, our program has done well even in its early stages.

What will the format be for the Keystone HP Program this year? The format we have been following since inception four years ago is having HP camp tryouts, holding our HP Camp in June, selecting ath-letes from the camp to form our HP teams, practicing in July and final-ly competing at the USAV HP Championships at the end of July. This format has worked out pretty well so far. We hold our camp tryouts in conjunction with our Regionally sponsored tournaments, i.e., our Re-gional Championships and our National Bid Championships. This makes it easier for the athletes and follows the USAV model of hold-ing tryouts at the National Qualifiers.

Is your program making use of any of the available materials through USA Volleyball HP? We have used the tryout plans for


Courtesy of Keystone Region


Red– Girls’ Programs Only Blue– Girls’ and Boys’ Programs

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tryout ideas and this has been helpful. Format for our camps has been left to the camp directors and team coaches, but generally fol-low proven approaches for preparing our teams for the HP National Championships. What teams do you plan on sending to HP Championships? For 2012 - Boys Youth International, Boys National, Girls Youth Interna-tional Youth, Girls National Select. How is the coaching staff chosen? Team coaches are solicited via advertising, emails and word of mouth. Applications and bio's are reviewed by the HP committee and coaches are selected. Generally we use successful college coaches, but strong club coaches are also considered.

What is the cost structure for the athletes' participation? The fees we charge are camp tryout fee, camp participation fee and team participation fee. Team participation fee includes entry fees, coaches expenses, prac-tice expenses and uniforms. It does not include transportation, lodging or food.

What are some of the biggest benefits to having a Region HP pro-gram? It provides our stronger athletes with an opportunity to compete with some of the best athletes in the USA as well as other countries. It also gives them a chance to be seen by a large number of college recruiters. Feedback from the athletes and parents each year has been very positive which has contributed to the growth of our program. What are you most looking forward to about the HP Champion-ships being in Iowa this year? Our athletes will be looking forward to competing with the best of the best. Our coaches - the challenge of taking a new team and preparing them to compete at an extraordinary high level. There is such a thrill to coaching at a National Championship!




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WHEN WE’RE NOT COACHING FOR USA VOLLEYBALL HP… WHAT SOME OF OUR 2011 GIRLS’ CAMP AT LAS VEGAS COACHES ARE UP TO

Which program did you coach this summer for USA Indoor High Performance? Ben Bodipo-Memba (BBM)-This past summer (2011) I was the Associate Head Coach at the Las Vegas A3 camp, I will reprise my roll this summer :-) Brian Wright (BW)- In 2011, I helped with the US Open National Team Tryouts, worked 6 HP tryouts and coached the A3 camp in Las Vegas. Jen Fry (JF)- I coached at the Davenport Camp, Las Vegas Camp and Assistant Coach for the Junior Continental Team at HP Championships.

Jason Jones (JJ)- For the 2011 season, I did the A3 Camp at UNLV and was an assistant coach for the Boys Select Continental Team . Sue Medley (SM)- I coach and direct the IREVA Regional High Perfor-mance program. Last year (2011), I also coached at the Las Vegas Na-tional HP camp. Are you currently coaching for a club or school? If so, which one? BBM- I am currently an assistant coach at Cal (UC Berkeley). BW-I coach for Austin Performance Volleyball (AP 15 PHD & AP 17 Apex). For the past 4 years, I have been the volunteer assistant at the University of Texas. JF- I coach at Elon University. JJ-I coach Indoor Club with The Edge Volleyball Club, I own my own Sand Volleyball Club called Vegas Pursuit and I am the Volunteer As-

sistant UNLV I will also be opening a volleyball complex here in Las Vegas within 30-45 days. Do you have a career outside of coaching? What do you do? BBM-Coaching 365, 24/7 :-) BW-My life and career revolves around volleyball. I coach two club teams, help with the administration of Austin Perfor-mance, and run the AP summer camp program. In my spare time, I develop software to aid in the efficiency of coaching and sport club management. JF-Yes I do, I wrestle sharks. JJ- Building Character through Volleyball. I am able to do and live my passion. SM-Yes; I own my a consulting company with offices in Maine and Chicago; I also work with athletic programs (coaches and athletes) to improve performance. When you’re coaching your team, does it differ than if you were coaching a USA program? BBM-When coaching any team, I like to stress the fundamentals...paying attention to details, and making every touch count (mindful reps). It doesn't matter if one is 14 or 21, these are pivotal to individual and team success. The actual strat-egies, and minor tweaks differ, based on the level of proficiency of the athletes available.

BW-I have a love for coaching and for the sport of volleyball. I bring the same passion and work ethic to every practice, match and camp. It is a privilege to wear the USA shirt, but it alone does not change who I am. JF-It depends on the skill. We do not use the blocking technique but we use some of the hitting and defense techniques/ key words. JJ-We set expectations and create a strategy with each and every team. Each team has different personalities, attributes and goals. Identifying these at the start of any new team, program or season would be a start of a solid foundation.


Courtesy of Brian Wright

Courtesy of Jen Fry

Courtesy of Jason Jones

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What is your most valued item on your desk or in your office? What is its significance? BBM-Pictures of family and friends, but more specifically a team pic-ture of me and the rest of the U.S. National Team in 1994. It's symbol-ic of all of the hard work (highs and lows) put into this great sport, lifelong friendships made with many in the picture, the joy I get through volleyball, the opportunity to give back to USA Volleyball and see many athletes go through a similar journey. BW-On my office wall, I have 4 framed autographed posters of my club teams from the past few years. JF-My national runner up trophy from coaching at the University of Illinois. It makes me want to win a national championship, and have the picture with Obama. JJ-I have every team and athlete that I have coached around the office. They remind me that its not about me, it about them and supporting their needs and wants as they grow throughout life. I also carry with me in my bag the book "The Edge" by Howard E Ferguson. My coach/mentor passed it on to me, every coach should own this book. SM-My photograph of Ronald Reagan – an inspiration to me since I first heard him speak in 1976 (yes, I was 12!:). How did you get involved in volleyball? BBM-I started playing my freshman year in high school. They just started a team and I thought it would be a cool way to "stay in shape" for basketball (both in a gym, right?). BW-Pure chance! I was a soccer player in high school, and my team de-cided to join a volleyball league during my senior year of high school to help us stay in shape. After playing 6 weeks in the league, I was asked to play for South Shore Jrs in Houston. A year later, I joined the University of Texas Men's Volleyball program, and within 6 months of being there, I had taken my first club coaching job. JF-I tried out for the 7th grade team and thought the goal was to hit the ball as far as possible. Of course, I didn't make the team. JJ-I played rec when growing up at the local YMCA. Then I started travel-ing across the state line to practice with a local high school since my cousin went there and Volleyball was not a recognized sport in Ohio at the time. SM-I started playing in grade 9.

What is your all-time favorite movie? BBM-The Usual Suspects...great actors, great plot and a true suspense thriller. Literally yelled out "Oh!!! No way!" at the end...a classic. BW- I get the chills every time I watch Miracle. Cliche for a coach to love that movie, but seriously... JF-Bad Boys I and II. JJ-Legally Blonde- Just goes to show you with hard work and dedication anyone can achieve anything. SM-What Dreams May Come – beautifully written and makes one think. What is your #1 goal you would like to achieve in 2012? BBM-To help continue to, not only teach the game of volleyball, but to instill the desire to learn more about the game (skills and history), and for my team to be able to look back at their last match (whenever that is, win or lose) and know they gave it their all. BW-I have the same daily goal for myself that I set for my teams - to utilize every single op-portunity to improve.



Courtesy of Brian Wright

Courtesy of Ben Bodipo– Memba

Courtesy of Sue Medley

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JF-To help Elon University succeed and know that my current and past players are graduating and becoming great young women. Also attempting total world domination. JJ-Growing the game. SM-Do better every day. What are your hobbies? BBM-Playing guitar, reading, eating. BW-My wife and I love to travel whenever we have 4-5 days off. I've spent almost all of my 'free' time for the past 2 years developing software to improve our sport. I designed volleyballLIVE.com, an internet based app, which allows parents to

track matches and share the live scores and play by plays with others in real-time. I have also de-veloped vaultcm.com, a club management program which aids in day to day club management efficiency, based on my years of experience helping run clubs. JF-UNO, throwing chinese death stars, planning total world domination, thumb wrestling JJ-Surfing, Skydiving, Cliff Jumping, Base Jumping. SM-I enjoy traveling, outdoor activities, and learning new things. Tell us something about you that most people don’t know. BBM-A majority of my family lives in Spain, I lived there for a time, and am fluent in Spanish...oh and I hate liver and brussel sprouts... BW-I've watched every episode of the TV show LOST... twice, and I'm still upset that it's over. JF-I am a ninja. JJ-I used to travel with the Grateful Dead. SM-I live in Maine.

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Courtesy of Sue Medley

Courtesy of Jason Jones

HP TRIVIA QUESTION Congratulations to Jeanne Shklyar of the Chesapeake Region for winning last month’s Trivia Question! Congrats Jeanne– be on the lookout for a prize in the mail!

We had some interesting guesses this month! The pictures were from the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Yoko Zetterland did not play that year (she played in 1992 though).

June HP Trivia Question– What place did the US finish in

the Olympics pictured to the left? Tiebreaker: Name all three athletes that are pictured. Send your answers to [email protected] by June 15th. Win-ners will be chosen from all correct entries.

FIVB

FIVB

http://vaultcm.com

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Heath Hoke Manager [email protected]

Monica Sedillo Assistant [email protected]

Denise Sheldon Coordinator [email protected]

Adrienne Edwards Manager [email protected]

Collin Powers Senior Manager [email protected]

Rick Mischka Coordinator [email protected]

INDOOR HP DIRECTORY Tom Pingel Senior Director [email protected]

Documents

May 2012 Inside HP