Recruiting to Your System

or…

Systeming to Your Recruits?

When recruiting, do coaches

• Look to fill specific openings on their team? For example, “we had a setter, a middle, and an opposite complete their eligibility, so we are looking for a setter, middle, and opposite”.

• Or, do they go after specific players (outstanding athletes, highly-skilled players) and figure out how to best utilize their talents regardless of their primary position?

Recruiting to Your System

Pros• Allows for better planning in

regards to scholarship disbursement

• Ideally, classes will be somewhat evenly divided by position

• Simplifies recruiting• Makes evaluating less difficult• Less time spent teaching

fundamentals as recruits come into the program having already been trained in that position

Cons• Team becomes more predictable• High-potential players whose

positions are already solidified may be on the bench for extended periods

• Outstanding athletes are passed on because the institution isn’t looking for that position

• Key injuries can hijack the season because of ill-equipped replacements

• Not as fun (IMHO)

Systeming to your Recruits

• Pros• Cross-training positions comes to the

rescue when key players are injured• You can put all of your best athletes

on the court (a “con” for some)• Simplifies recruiting• Makes evaluating less difficult• Team can show many “looks” during

the season and between seasons• FUN FUN FUN• Can adapt practices to mimic

opponents• Allows for adjustments during

matches

• Cons• Increased ambiguity for players (is

this a “con?”)• More time spent in individual training

as players may be training in new positions

• Players having multiple roles in practice creates players who are good in 2 or more positions, as opposed to great in one position.

• May end up overloaded in one position and underloaded in another position.

• Less time devoted to team training

To come up with a system based on your personnel, you must:

1. Evaluate the assets and drawbacks of each player2. Figure out which drawbacks you can correct and do so (mostly mechanical aspects)3. Come up with ideas that can maximize the player’s strengths and minimize the effects of their drawbacks4. Train the players at their position(s)5. Integrate the players into a system6. Practice all aspects of the system7. Practice out-of-system

Introduce the player and what they brought with them

Share our plan for the player and how we implemented the plan

Show the results

Middle Tennessee’s General Offensive System Principals

(to be kept in mind when recruiting)

1. Use speed (quickness) and athleticism to their fullest2. Success for all attackers is based on a zero-tempo ball for the middles/opposites3. Overload your opponent – make them have to guess or commit (get your attackers one-on-one or one-on-none)4. Have many different looks – difficult to scout5. Make it Fun to watch and play – make it dramatic 6. All attackers practice hitting all tempo sets all along the net

Assets:•Jump reach of 10’5”•Physically strong•Big hands and feet (men’s size 12)•Outstanding quickness•Fast and lively arm•Very coachable•Long limbs•Freak of nature – good genes!

Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Poor timing on higher tempo sets•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Crowds the net•Sometimes out-of-control (ok, frequently out-of-control)

Ashley Asberry (AB)5’9 SR Middle Blocker (M1)Played all positions in HS

The Plan for AB The Results for AB

Seasons: 4

Kills 1105

Errors 315

Attempts: 2026

Kill %: .545

Hitting Efficiency .390

•Move her outside•Move her around•Make her reach•Front and back, close and away•Give her space•Don’t “set her up”•In transition, ball comes quickly – run her laterally (use her speed). If it hangs, she gets to the attack line (use her jump)•Keep her composed

Assets:•Jump reach of 10’•Physically strong •Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Outstanding quickness•Hits a very heavy ball•Good skill level and club experience•Aggressive attacker

Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Swings from her shoulder without using her elbow•Fast-twitch – poor timing on higher sets•Tentative off the net and on tight sets•High error attacker

Ashley Mead (Meader)5’9 JR Outside Hitter (L1)LF, RF in HS, LF in club

The Plan for Meader The Results for Meader

Seasons: 3

Kills 808

Errors 397

Attempts: 2025

Kill %: .399

Hitting Efficiency .203

•Keep her sets WAY off the net (5-6 feet)•Keep her sets FLAT•3-step approach in SRso she starts on the line in LB•2-step in transition when blocking; 3-step when off-blocker•Set her very low playsets but off the net•Get her one-on-one So use M2 as a decoy

Iza Kozon6’0 SO Outside Hitter (L2)Libero, LF in HS, Club

Assets:•Outstanding feet•Highly-skilled•Great competitor•Very competent all-around•Good timing for second-tempo and higher sets•Sees the block and defense extremely well

Drawbacks:•Elbow not high enough when attacking•Good not great athlete•Struggles against established block•Generally not a terminator•Jump reach of 9’8”

The Plan for Iza The Results for Iza

Seasons: 2

Kills 800

Errors 315

Attempts: 2001

Kill %: .400

Hitting Efficiency .229

•Set her closer to the net but don’t trap her (she sees the block well)•Keep her sets FLAT in system, but ok to set her higher ball•3-step approach in SR – pass to attack•Inside/out approaching as much as possible•Extra tight total coverage for her – give her the confidence to swing swing swing•Give her some candy!•Set some of her balls inside so she can show cross-hit line•Set her in the back row in-system

Stacy Oladinni 6’0 FR Middle Blocker/OppositeMB in HS, Club

Assets:•Jump reach of 10’2”•Extremely strong (field events)•Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Good quickness•Hits a very heavy ball•Very coachable•Outstanding blocking instincts and technique•High potential as a setter

Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Attacks much better off 1 foot•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Left-eye dominant – loses the block•Very large frame •Poor thrower

The Plan for Stacy The Results for Stacy

Seasons: 1

Kills 209

Errors 88

Attempts: 460

Kill %: .454

Hitting Efficiency: .263

•Keep her primarily behind the setter•Set her mostly 1st tempo balls (huts, Bs, Cs)•Rarely jumping off 2 feet•Give her the 2nd ball when running playsets•Huts, but only in serve receive•Transition to a spot in front of the setter (stack her)•Train her off 2 feet in Spring•Let her set tempo or turn and push it down

Janay Yancey 5’11 JR Middle Blocker (M2)OH, MB in HS, MB Club

Assets:•Jump reach of 10’2”•Physically very strong•Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Outstanding quickness•Fast and lively arm•Very coachable•Good timing for various heights of sets•Amazing wrist – power and control

Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation•Inefficient armswing – pulls her elbow down•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Gets underneath the ball•Crowds the net•Loses significant verticality off 1 foot•360s in transition

The Plan for Janay The Results for Janay

Seasons: 1

Kills 130

Errors 38

Attempts: 250

Kill %: .520

Hitting Efficiency .368

•Keep her primarily in front•Keep her off the net•Mostly jumping off two feet•Decoy in Serve ReceiveUse her in transition•Use a lot of pushes•Abbreviate her approach•Hitting mostly zero tempo sets (1s, pushes, fast 3s)•Train her off 1 foot in Spring

Post script

Sasha McGlothin6’2 SO MB• Recruited as a MB• Wanted to move her to OH• Starting MB halfway thru• 2006 and into 2007

Lindsey Cheatham6’2 FR MB• Recruited as a MB• Trained at MB• Switched to Opp• Switched to OH• Back to Middle(Poster child for MTs recruiting

philosophy)