Playing Angry

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 08:43:05 -0700

Competition means striving to beat an opponent. Conquering them. Defeating them. Smashing ‘em down and burying their face in the sand. The energy of competition is a p-r-i-m-a-l gnarled drive to WIN. It’s a hyper focused adrenaline flowing state, that, for some, includes a tight rope walk over a bubbling cauldron of fiery anger.

Playing with Red Hot anger may give an athlete the extra energy they need to perform at their highest level. Simply, anger = energy and athletes can unintentionally be tapping into that reserve for fuel. The caution is that high levels of anger are usually coupled with blood leaving your brain and entering your major muscles groups. On the court that could mean greater explosiveness and power, but also a lack of vision and poorer decision making. Not to mention the emotional displays of anger.

Where is this anger being directed?

Some players are mad at the other team. (That’s natural... they are the opponent).
Some players are mad at the refs. (That’s easy... they are a fallible authority impacting competition).
Some players are mad at themselves. (That happens to perfectionists).
Some players are mad at their partners. (That is worth expanding on...)

When the flames of anger turns towards their partner, it could be perceived as:

1) A threat...
When humans perceive they are being threatened, the physiological Fight or Flight response takes over. If you feel the burn from your partner’s fire directed at you, you may FIGHT BACK. Translated into volley behavior... that could be a high volume words exchange, returned blaming (even during points!), or the sudden and animated “T-I-M-E O-U-T” call that reveals the high emotions. Or you may FLIGHT. Players may retreat from the flames by “checking out”, by becoming silent during plays and timeouts, by dimming their own fiery brightness. As you can imagine, neither of these scenarios leads to top performance. Because of the flames of anger, these partnerships may be going up in smoke.

1) A sign of HIGH PERFORMANCE.
Is that counter intuitive? At first glance. But if you know your partner plays best when they are snipping at you, blaming you, breathing disgusted snorts of rage at you, and flashing menacing eye darts your way... you can choose to roll with it. Hear their words without the emotion behind it, hyper focus on your own skills and block their non-productive behavior from your mind. You may even calmly remind them to stay in the present moment. (Anger can have them festering in your/their past mistakes). Let their fire burn bright without getting singed.

Adrenaline, high heart rate, an enemy... this recipe is ripe for intense offensive and defensive emotions. But if you can minimize casualties it could also be ingredients for heightened performance.

What's in store for 2011

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 20:28:53 -0700

Is this title a question or a statement? From what I gather, it’s both. We think we have a pretty good grasp on what will be happening in the world of professional beach volleyball in 2011. At this point it seems safe to assume:

1. There will be no AVP this summer, but perhaps one event in September for a couple of top teams.
2. USAV is holding several beach events including Olympic qualifiers.
3. The newly formed National Volleyball League is holding several more events.
4. The “Corona Lite Wide Open” tour has switched to small court.
5. Our top teams will be making the world tour top priority.

The year’s national schedule (subject to changes I imagine) looks like this:

May 20th - 21st = NVL in Baltimore, MD ($75K)
June 11th - 12th = CLWO in Siesta Key, FL ($50K)
June 25th - 26th = CLWO in Seaside Heights, NJ ($50K)
July 22nd - 24th = NVL in Malibu, CA ($75K)
July 30th - 31st = CLWO in Chicago, IL ($50K)
August 20th - 21st = CLWO Hermosa Beach, CA ($50K)
August 26th - 28th = USAV Jose Cuervo in Manhattan Beach, CA ($200K)
August 26th - 28th = NVL Virginia Beach, VA ($25K)
September 1st - 4th = NVL in Aspen, CO ($75K)
September 2nd - 4th = CLWO in Cincinnati, OH ($150K)
September 9th - 11th = NVL in Miami Beach, FL ($100K)
September 16th - 18th = USAV Jose Cuervo in Miami Beach, FL ($150K)
September 23rd - 25th = USAV Jose Cuervo in Hermosa Beach, CA ($150K)

The sport is still alive, and we may soon be able to say “thriving” again. Please play and/or come out to support however you can this year!

Specialize or Generalize?

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:50:35 -0800

This question keeps popping up. Is it better to specialize, with a tall blocker and smaller defender, or have two medium sized players split duties? Below are my thoughts, and as you can see I could argue either perspective despite that I am a specialist. Please add your ideas as well at the bottom of this blog or on Facebook!

Arguments for specializing:

★ Specializing likely means deeper and quicker mastery of select skills. With all of the complexities of the beach doubles game, selecting fewer skills to practice may lead to greater competence and confidence in a skill set.

★ More data points from the same frame of reference may lead to quicker observations and adjustments. For example, I am a blocker. I get a good look at the other team’s offense, repeatedly, from the blocker’s perspective. I visually learn from each play, start to get a sense of each player’s rhythm and timing, and as soon as possible make blocking adjustments. I hear it’s the same for defenders. They get a read on what’s going on.

★ Even for teams that start off generalizing, over time and the gathering of stats, it likely becomes clear that one of them is getting more digs or more blocks. Some level of specializing (even if it’s not every play) likely starts to happen since you want to put your best defense out there. Once you have evidence of what your “best defense” is, use it. Particularly in key point scoring opportunities.

★ I don’t have statistics to back this up, but frequently when my partner and I made the call to have them go up to block (either to give me a break from running up to the net after my serve, or to show our opponents a different look on defense) my partner would get a block immediately or I would come up with an easy dig. It’s like the other team thinks, “smaller blocker” and blindly swings away right into my partner’s hands. Or they think, “big girl in the back, shoot it anywhere she isn’t”, not realizing I have a special love for running down shots. We got them adjusting to us, and because they hadn’t seen that defense yet we often snuck a quick point.

Arguments for generalizing:

★ When one player is the primary blocker, transition plays will pop up where the defender is actually closer to the net. The time it takes the blocker to scramble to the net and the defender to switch to the back court may cost the team a point. There are moments of vulnerability because of the rigid roles.

★ Sometimes your teammate may have a better defensive or blocking read on the other team. You would need to have the opposite skill to support them.

★ Certainly there are players that specialize not out of strategy or talent, but out of skill deficiency. When a tall player blocks because they truthfully aren’t strong on defense, a smart opposing team can capitalize on that by pulling their sets off the net and making the taller play pull off the block and play defense. Additionally, throughout most levels of beach volleyball, taller players haven’t developed the little ball control skills and moves. You will see a medium sized blocker making athletic plays and actually out performing a taller blocker. The advantage of height is negated by better ball control and athletic movement.

★ This past 2010 season, I was seeing more serves than previous seasons. As a specialized blocker, I was running up to the net every time I served, and smart teams were setting off so I then pulled off the net at which point they would hit at me so I would then have to dig and transition... God forbid we didn’t win the rally they would next serve me. If you have never experienced that for an entire match never-mind a humid two day 32 team tournament, let me tell you, it’s a lot of work. Basically, part of their strategy was to wear me out. Force mistakes as my body and mind fatigued. That will always be part of my challenge as a blocking specialist. Bring it!

Additional thoughts:

★ Two medium players who are well rounded at both blocking and defense will struggle with a taller hitter who can beat their medium sized block. Typically, then, the medium team will attack the smaller defender on the specialized team. In other words, the smaller defender has to be a strong sideout player to have success.

★ Both specialist teams and generalist teams can play exactly the same strategically. Specializing as a blocker doesn’t mean I am always at the net blocking. Actually, I think of myself as a blocker that pulls A LOT. The point being that a blocker/defender team could use the same game strategy as a split position team.

Please add your thoughts!

Vertically Challenged

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:07:21 -0800

That’s me. Standing between new fast friends Shay Martin and Laura Jimenez. I met them and many others on South of the Border Volleyball Vacations, where it occurred to me that a relevant article might be offensive strategies of the vertically challenged. Many of the players were. Ahem. And... notably... fantastic souls to boot.

If you find yourself standing short of the average 6’ height of a women’s pro, take heart. There may be volley dominance for you yet. (Refer back to the article on playing the Lindquist Sisters!) Here are some strategies that will at least keep your games sizably competitive.

1. Master the shots game.
Unless you can get your whole hand over the top of the net, stop trying to play like the big girls. Instead, embrace the strategies of your stature and master the shots game. To name a favorite few = high line, cutty, jumbo, short shots, crash zones, and tips around the block. Your mastery will come as you add precision to where those shots land (as close to court perimeters as possible, with the lowest trajectory that still avoids the defender) and form an approach that is indistinguishable regardless of which shot you are about to perform.

1. Head hunt.
When you do use power, there is a higher chance for you that your ball will sail long, particularly without some aggressive wrist snap and top spin. A solution is to actually aim at the defenders... and by that I mean at their HEAD. Not their lap. At many levels of play it is hard to override the instinct to stop a ball coming at you and it can be difficult to assess whether it will land in when you have the fear of taking the ball of the schnoz. (‘Schnoz’ is a minimum 20 point word in Scrabble!). And even if the team does dig your heater, they will remember it as a possibility and it just might help your next shot fall.

1. Learn to play the block.
I hate giving this gem away, especially because I am a blocker, but at many levels the block is really a target you can aim at. Swing your offense out towards the antenna (or court sidelines if you play without antennas) so you can comfortably swing off the blocker and have the ball land out of bounds. Players that have this skill are soooooo frustrating!! You should also learn how to take a little bit off your swing so you can play it into the block and recover possession. And lastly, make sure you are getting set far enough off the net that you can shoot around the blocker. Figure out what their range of motion is for the block-land-turn-and-dig. Tip beyond their reach, and short of the defender.

1. Keep them guessing.
Use your shots with lots of variety. Throw in a deep ‘spatchy’ at their face. Go over on two. On one. Hit it over, set it over, tip it over, pass it over. Don’t let them get comfortable with when or how the ball is going to cross the net. Play a strategic guessing game and giggle as you build up points and they melt down.

1. Keep the ball in play.
My final thought is, DON’T HIT IT OUT. Be prepared, as a smaller player, that you may not score on every offensive opportunity. Dig in and prepare for longer rallies. Don’t have the perfect set? Keep the ball in play. Give your team another chance at scoring. Honestly, when a play ends in an error it steals some of the magic of volleyball for everyone on the court. Better to be beaten than to lose! And if you are in better shape, you can intentionally keep the rallies long and exhausting.

If you have any other offensive tips for the vertically challenged, let’s hear ‘em! And Happy Volleying!

The AVP Collapse of 2010

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 18:52:29 -0700

It’s been over a month since I’ve blogged. The collapse of the AVP had me at best disoriented, at worst experiencing real and permeating heartbreak. The sacrifices players make to compete in this professional US tour are limitless and not easily ameliorated. What does the AVP folding mean to our passions/dreams/careers? After reading Hans’ article and being smacked in the face by the worst-case-possible-scenario he painted, I sobbed for thirty minutes and haven’t fully rebounded back yet. But I am almost there, largely because as I’ve calmed down I let the logical side of my brain take over.

I actually don’t think Hans’ predictions will come to fruition. I think there will be an AVP tour in 2011. And there might even be silver linings to the 2010 season being cut short so dramatically. Here are the silver linings I see from my base of knowledge and understanding. Debate and counter as you may in the comments section, but please remember I am pretty sensitive right now (mostly kidding).

1. The AVP needs change, apparently.

a. Administration

Admittedly, like most players, I am not informed about much that has gone on with Administrative Staffing in the AVP. I hear a lot of rumors and have my own impressions of people from meeting them, but the truth is if you just looked at performance, something’s broken. In Staffing we say “you have to have the right people, in the right roles, doing the right thing.” I don’t know which of these items is off, but if all were rocking-and-rolling the tour would still be in business. The silver lining here is that perhaps some changing seats, fresh faces, and a blank slate will lead to a Winning Team.

a. Revenue generation

The tour primarily makes money from sponsorships (local, regional, and national) and investors. A secondary revenue stream is ticket sales, but despite the common misconception, it’s only a small contribution to overall revenues. There was resounding evidence that when Leonard Armato was with the AVP, he could attract sponsorship revenues. He is one of the best in the business at doing just that. When Armato’s talents and connections were gone, how where they replaced? When the “who” is no longer, the “how” needs to take center court. The economy has changed, businesses view sports marketing budgets through scrutinizing return-on-investment lenses, and the AVP needed to systemize revenue generating activities as best they could. Companies that survive downsizing (and temporary collapse) typically rebound with a keen eye on efficiency and performance measurement. A silver lining would be serious attention to systemized revenue generation systems for sponsors, investors, and ticket sales. I have built such systems for other companies (aka, my “real job”) and know they can make a dramatic positive difference.

a. Cost structure

With Jason Hodell as CEO and Canyon Ceman as CFO, in 2010 the players were introduced to the expenses of running a national tour early in the season with a detailed and revealing presentation. Ceman was a cost-cutting Commando, and Jason managed a tight ship. They were making great strides at downsizing or rightsizing the AVP’s cost structure, including a large loss to overall prize money. And they probably could have been more dramatic with cuts if they knew the money was going to run out when it did. An even smaller stadium, no frills (like dancing girls during the finals), small tourney draws (16 teams), salary cuts, etc. However there is a delicate fine line between “trimming the fat” and “cutting into the bone”... meaning cost cutting has its limits. The silver lining for the expense structure is that the next iteration of the AVP will be extremely leery of fixed and variable costs and will hopefully be a lean mean tour producing machine.

2. Players benefit from not being under contract.

a. Play in other tours and tournaments, nationally and internationally

Whether it’s the Corona Wide Open, EVP, NORCECA, FIVB, Exhibition tournaments, Invitation tournaments, etc., the players that are still hungry to play are scavenging the volley networks and trying to lock into whatever allows them to compete. Under AVP contract players were restricted from some tours and had to cut through red tape to play in others. In the future perhaps these national tours will be united in a way that best attracts sponsors and supports the professionals, but until then we are without restraints. Play wherever you want and be merry.

a. Pick up previously “locked out” sponsors

Savvy players will take advantage of this break in player contract. What I mean is that we should go out and seek sponsorship opportunities in categories we were previously locked out of – which was A LOT. Previous AVP player contracts “grandfathered” in sponsorships gained prior to the existing player contract. I will operate under the assumption that the same will be true for 2011.

a. Realize commitment level

There are some players who have already decided the 2010 season collapse also marks their retirement from professional beach volleyball. Others will stop relying on AVP winnings as career income. I think we’ll see more players getting “real jobs” (insert gasping sound), which Volley Moms and Dads everywhere will be grateful for.

3. Other tours benefit from the AVP going under.

Tournaments like the annual Aspen, Colorado Motherlode will showcase better talent. This year’s 2010 Motherlode featured Ty Loomis and Casey Patterson, a team that in 2009 won an AVP open. Players with name recognition and volley-star cache bring more fans to these tours and tourneys, which attracts more sponsors.

Ultimately I am going to keep my focus on the silver linings, and start off-season training with reckless abandon. I love this game, I have loved the AVP, and will love whatever form it appears in again for 2011.

Please share any additional silver linings you can come up with!