Week II, Day III, Practice II
By Cindy Luis
Found this in pending. sorry. no internet at Gym 1 but thought this had gone up.
Team moved to Gym 1 today. almost as hot as the arena with the bright lights and not much AC
Checking in were Chris McLachlin and former UH-UCI coach Charlie Brande.
Pretty much the same routine. Seems that they’re moving to more of a set lineup although the middles are still rotating in both sides. What seems to be set is Uiato, Hartong, Croson, Longo (L) and Maeda (DS) Goodman getting a lot of reps at RS but Kastl being used out there.
Middles pretty even with Vorster looking to be in the lead. Kawamura took some reps on Stauber’s team. Olevao looked good in spurts on that side as well.
Team has the day off Friday. Official scrimmage to end two=a-days Saturday in the arena.
Volleyshots
Cindy, do you think Olevao has pulled ahead of Long?
not really. they are both on Stauber’s team.
Cindy,
Did you have a chance to talk with Chris and Charlie, if so, what kind of comments did they make about the team?
That was both of their first appearances at practice and they were asking me things. they didn’t stay long. We talked about the Big West and how, if Hampton is out, UC Davis could be the second-best team. McLachlin said he was surprised Shoji had 20 since he didn’t like to carry that many. We talked a little about who might redshirt. Think Mendoza, Spieler and Ponce are the only ones with a RS year left. well, Longo too but think she’ll be the starting L.
Well, Olevao could redshirt too especially since they have Kastl already and Long joining the active roster.
yes, and Olevao.
For second place my money is on Northridge. UC Davis was 21-10 in 2011 because they had a cupcake preseason 14-1. Their record in the BWC 7-9.
You could be right. CSUN has seven starters back including ‘Iolani’s Mahina Haina. good 6-2 MB in BWC Freshman of the Year Casey Hinger,(2.57 ups, 177 blocks)
If medical privacy is as important at LBSU as it is here you might not get a confirmation from them on Hampton. However the gazette is a very reliable source on LBSU sports.
Yes, it is a reliable source. LBSt said she was out indefinitely and won’t be playing in the alumnae match Saturday. Gimmillaro said he wasn’t sure yet and they were still evaluating her options. HIPAA alive and well at most colleges, although the athlete can choose to release the info.
cindy, you said that goodman probably was the most improved player. what aspects of her game has gotten better? her blocking was pretty on par but her approach and swing just made me hold my breathe each time – is it the same?
agree with your assessment on her approach and swing. She seems to be elevating better, not being so … for lack of a better term … bow-legged on her jump. She also is reading the block better and working will with Vorster when they line up together.
Cindy, “bow-legged jump” is probably the best way to describe Goodman’s approach in her first two seasons. Granted, she was used mostly as a blocker and sets that went to her usually wasn’t in-system, but she seemed a little awkward on her approach. However, I am rooting for her and happy that you describe her as the most improved.
Cindy
Is Ann still covering the practices? Haven’t heard much from her. More info from you, which is great,and can’t wait till next week end for the start of the season. The team had their talent night,were you folks invited, or what was that all about? Tnx
Ann’s been going to the morning practices. She has had position-by-position stories. I am not doing stories for the daily.
We don’t get invited to the talent show. Won’t know how that went until Saturday when I see the players next. I will do a story for Sunday’s paper about the scrimmage.
Neither Ann nor I are strictly volleyball writers. She also covers golf and will be a tournament Saturday. I do recreational sports and DII. Rec page and DII page is on hold until our preview magazine is done.
Cindy,
The only reason we keep asking if Ann is still cover Wahine Volleyball, or even attending their practices, is the fact that there have only been 2 stories by her, since the Wahine have started practice. If it was not for you, and your blog, the Wahine Volleyball program would almost get nil coverage at all. For the only UH Athletic program that is consistently in the Top 20, if not the Top 10, not to say, the only program to make money, they should be getting more coverage by the beat writer, then they are getting. I understand Ann has other recreational sports to cover, but to write only 2 articles in nearly 2 weeks, that is very sad. Not to mention, those were her only 2 articles period, of any kind, including recreational sports. Ann needs to get on her horse and start writing more stories about Wahine Volleyball.
At this time, I want to thank you Cindy, for your work in keeping us, Wahine Volleyball followers, informed about the girls.
Ann has been at morning practices. And she’s been writing a lot of stuff for the preview magazine.
She has had articles Aug. 8, 9, 12 setters), 14 (middles), 15 (defenders)
So I count 5, not 2. Hitters should be coming out Saturday.
But we don’t control when stories run. We write and they are in the paper when they get put in the paper.
I have been going in the afternoons to practice after writing stuff for about 90 minutes. we work differently. You should have also seen her bylines on golf articles.
steve – 5 articles by ann miller in the last 5 days on wahine volleyball. are you sure you’re reading the right newspaper? or is it all just revisionist history with you?
**sorry, 5 articles in the last 10 days…
Warrior15,
This Wahine Volleyball Team deserves an article a day. If the Warrior football team gets an article a day, and will quite possible win less then half their games, the Wahine who are rated pre-season in the Top 10, deserve more coverage then they are getting.
steve – volleyball is tremendously popular, but it still is not the economic driver that football is (regardless of their on-field results). in any case, the dynamics of UH football is different this year with excitement around Norm Chow.
still, it doesn’t follow that your request for more articles will be granted by denigrating ann miller, and inaccurately describing the number of articles that she’s actually written so far in this preseason.
warrior15….I only saw 3 so i must be looking at the wrong section.
kazu – All 5 articles have also been posted on Volleytalk, under the thread: “2012 Wahine Volleyball Articles.” There were also a couple articles in the SA on Hawaii’s preseason rank in the AVCA poll and the Big West preseason poll, but those were not posted in the thread.
Cindy,
Are we allowed to start a campaign to have you become the Wahine Volleyball beatwriter? Anyone, in favor of Cindy being the beatwriter, please respond here, on her blog, thank you.
thanks but it’s not happening.
I too disagree with Steve about the lack of coverage from Ann Miller. The Wahine receives more women’s volleyball coverage than any other school in America. That is only right with it leading the country in attendance. The stories from Ann about the position players were just great with interesting comments from coaches on the progress of individual players. I was just about to compliment the Star-Advertiser about what I consider the improved coverage of the sport this season between this blog and Ann’s articles. Great Job!
Lanaiboy,
I know they, the Wahine, get more coverage then any other team in country, mainly due to Cindy’s blog. What I am disappointed in, the fact that Ann goes to all morning practices, that you would expect more articles from her, being the beatwriter.
Think it also has to do with being a one paper town.
On being ‘a one newspaper town True that you used to get more stories when both of us were writing for the different papers.
But I can tell you that we are doing exactly what we did last year in terms of coverage preseason.
Cindy,
So why should that change, you both can still do stories. One can write about the volleyball side of the players, the other can write about the human side of the players. In fact, if I am not mistaken, someone on your blog even mentioned we need more human side stories of the players.
I realized last year articles on the Wahine were down by a factor of about two. I’m not saying its less this year, I’m simply pointing out that the is primarily cause was the loss of a second paper a season ago.
well when you cut the possibilities of stories by half you get half the stories. it is a loss to the readers. totally agree with that. with two papers you got two stories a day. that isn’t happening now.
Steve,
You have to remember that this is Women’s College Volleyball. Unfortunately, they are in the same season as NFL and College Football.
The newpapers are going to put articles in that will sell (either online or paper). That would be articles on NFL, NCAA Football, NBA and MLB. With three of those currently in season, they take up a majority of the paper.
Setaone,
I understand what you are trying to say, but the SA has to remember, this State does not have an NFL, NBA, or MLB team, and the only NCAA football team it does have will be lucky to win half their games. But what the SA fails to recognize or consider, is that the Wahine Volleyball Team is the only college sports team in Hawaii, that contends for a National Championship Title at least 99% of the time, and should get the print that they deserve. Oh, also the only UH athletic team that is making money.
Wahine the only D1 volley game in Hawaii. A paper like the LA Times has how many D1 teams to cover? Obviously why they get more coverage by the only paper in town.
Mauna, what I can say is that both UCLA and USC have said they wished volleyball got covered by the L.A. Times like we cover it in Hawaii.
Goodman is a leaper touching 10’4 as I recall Shoji mentioned when she was a freshman. I asked Shoji what was the number one characteristic that he looks for when recruiting a player, and high jumping ablility was his answer. That and with all the game experience as a blocking specialist makes her a top contender for the RS. She won’t put as much pace on the ball as much as Kastl, Olevao or Long, but I hope she has added to her repertoire of shots and hits smart like a Mahina Eleneki. The first 3 tournaments will be telling.
I agree. Having a vast repertoire of shots is more important than hitting it hard, unless you are Kim Willoughby or Jamie Houston and can overpower blocks, but still you are going to struggle especially against bigger teams. I think Goodman needs to hit smart, be quick and not make a lot of errors. Obviously court vision is important too. When Michelle Waber was playing, she could hit a hard-driven ball as well as anyone, but those were consistently getting blocked or dug. It was only when she mixed up her shots that she was successful.
Will anyone be willing to sign my petition to make Cindy, a Wahine Volleyball Team beatwriter, along with Ann?
steve, it isn’t going to happen so let’s not waste people’s time.
Off the subject.
I thought I read or heard somewhere, that Oceanic was going to announce their pay-per-view package this week. Well, it is Friday and still no word. Maybe, they have decided against a pay-per-view package this year.
it could be tied up with what’s going on when looking for a new AD.