In three quick games, the 7th/8th grade girls volleyball team has already seen both ends of the spectrum - the high of the highs and the low of the lows. Unfortunately, they left the court tonight feeling the latter.
After a slow start to a very winnable first set (21-25), the girls came back and absolutely owned the second set, and took it 25-4, forcing a third and decisive set.
Looking at the scores, you would think the 7th/8th grade girls were on their way to win number two. Not so fast.
In the third set, they put themselves behind the 8-ball, the same mistakes, two girls going for the same ball, not communicating, faulting on serves. They had soon dug themselves a 13-4 hole.
But on the next point, they forced a sideout and Jocelyn stepped up to serve. Her overhand serves were vicious and it brought the girls right back into the game. After 7 straight serves, it was 13-12.
However Jocelyn's foot grazed the serving line resulting in a foot fault, and the girls again had their backs up against the wall.
Down 14-12, knowing that their next mistake would mean the game, they were able to rally back, and then even take a 16-15 lead, serving on match point.
Unfortunately, that's where the game fell apart, as the girls lost the next three points and lost for the second straight game. The score in the final set was 18-16 as the girls drop to (1-2).
Lost in the shuffle of the outcome were the positives that came out of this game. There were many.
Cynthia, Pamela and Jocelyn all put together a string of serves that helped the girls rack up points in the second set.
Maria became the second girl on the team to hit the 10 serves in a row limit in the second.
Belin started the second set with the serve and served four balls in a row over, the first time she had done so in a St. Mary's uniform.
Collectively the team was just so good on their serves in the second set the other team didn't stand a chance.
But all those bright spots were negated by the crucial mistakes the girls made in the first and third sets. The girls were bumping into each other way too frequent, and the team chemistry is still very shaky.
Their biggest volleyball flaw right now is simply communicating. Girls in the front row were going for balls that the back row had already called. Two girls would end up bumping into each other and the ball would not make it back over the net.
Serve receives are also a big problem. When the girls do not serve, they have been prone to giving up chunks of points. They have trouble shaking off mistakes and moving onto the next point.
However, when they serve and could get on a roll, they're almost unstoppable.
The second set was so easy because all of the strong servers were lined up for the 7th/8th graders. The match-ups were heavily in their favor and they took advantage of it. But when the playing field tilted in the third, it was a whole new ballgame.
But tonight was very much like the week before. A winnable game that never was due to their own errors.
This is still a very inexperienced team with only two out of the nine girls playing volleyball prior to three weeks ago, so a lot of these mistakes are going to happen.
Sooner or later, they are going to have to stop using inexperience as a crutch, and just step up and make it happen.
There's five more games to do that.
.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Happy Birthday to My Mom
Happy Birthday to my very own Mom, she is now --. We celebrate her birthday with my favorite song about mothers, from the late but great, Tupac, Dear Mama.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wow...The best night of baseball in our lifetimes
Last night was exactly why you watch sports of any kind.
If you are a baseball fan or a sports fan in general, for two hours last night, you should've been glued to your TV sets to watch history in the making. In our lifetimes, there may never be another night of baseball like September 28, 2011.
For some of you who will be leaving the page, thanks for participating. And for those of you staying, here's how it all went down:
So let's set it up for you, both the American League (AL) and National League (NL) Wildcards were undecided. The wild card team is the last team from each league to make the playoffs.
In the AL, it was the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. In the NL, the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. Two teams get in and two teams go home and we thank them for participating.
(Or it was possible we'd have one game playoffs but we won't get into that.)
We begin in Houston with the easiest game of the night. The Cardinals beat the Astros 8-0, which meant the Braves needed to beat the Phillies in order to force a tie. If the Braves lose, they are out.
So here's what all went down and partial credit goes to Sports Illustrated baseball writer Tom Verducci for the times.
At 6:56 p.m. the Braves and Red Sox both led their games by a score of 3-2. The Braves were down to the final out, so close from forcing a one game playoff, but they blew it. The Phillies tie the game and they go to extra innings tied 3-3.
The Red Sox meanwhile are stuck in a rain delay in Baltimore. It was storming and there was lightning so they had to just sit there, wait and watch the Yankees play the Rays.
Down in Tampa, the Yankees held a 7-0 lead going into the 8th inning.
At 7:23 p.m., Evan Longoria hits a 3-run homer to bring the Rays within a run. It was all of a sudden 7-6 Yankees.
7:58 p.m. - The Red Sox and Orioles in Baltimore resume play. Boston clings to a 3-2 lead against Baltimore, knowing that the Rays have tied it up against the Yankees.
8:28 p.m. - The Phillies score a run on the Braves to make it 4-3. If the Braves don't come back to win, it's all over for ATL.
8:59 p.m. - The Red Sox need only one more strike to clinch their game to set up at least a one game playoff (at worst). Jonathan Papelbon, one of the best closers in the game, gives up a game-tying double. Boston 3, Baltimore 3.
9:05 p.m. - They don't. Evan Longoria hits his second home run of the game down the left field line, just over the short fence. The Rays are going to the playoffs. The Red Sox are going home.
Bottom line is the two teams that deserved to make the playoffs made it, and the two teams that played awful in September are not.
Lesson learned here is that it is never over until it's over.
Sounds redundant and simple but it's not. Both Atlanta and Boston had huge leads in the wild card going into September.
The Braves had a 10.5 game lead over the Cardinals in late August and 8.5 in September and blew it. Even worse, the Red Sox had a 9 game lead over Tampa in September and they blew it too.
In the professional sporting world, the word "choke" will be associated with the 2011 versions of the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox.
Brutal if you are a fan if either of those teams. Unbelievable if you are a fan of the Cardinals or Rays.
And just incredible and fascinating to see it unfold for everyone else.
The glory of victory, and the agony of defeat. It doesn't get any better, and it doesn't get any worse.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Chemistry, team chemistry
How can you tell when a team has chemistry? The answer is, they just do.
You can see it, by their body language, the way they interact with each other, slap high fives, joke around, and even stretch.
On the other hand, you can also tell when a team doesn't, by those same elements.
Currently, we have four teams, comprised of players who go to different schools, and I'd say the team chemistry is somewhere in between the two state above. Not as good as it could be, but then again, not as bad as it could be either.
Now how to improve?
Last year, I feel like I was spoiled by the teams we had.
For the first time, students from DeMarillac participated in athletics at St. Mary's and they pretty much fit in from day one.
Most notably, I remember being at a volleyball practice at Chinese Playground (Willie Woo Woo Wong to your young pplz..) with the then 8th grade girls, and watched them mingle and mesh with the four girls from DeMarillac. You would've never guessed that these girls didn't even know each other 10 days ago.
It seemed like they were friends since they were born.
For the guys, I remember the two boys on the basketball team who played with the Red Team, and how they joked around with each other, and poked fun at each other as if they were in the same class.
And that's what it's all about in the end, the friendships and relationships that you make, and the experiences you go through in athletics. Winning is the cherry on top to the friends that you make.
But why do I bring up team chemistry right now? That is because I feel that it is lacking currently in our teams.
Little things like words of encouragement to the boy or girl that you don't know very well that doesn't go to your school goes a long way.
Teaching or showing someone who you are just trying to get to know, how to do something right, something subtle is the first step.
Last season, when I watched our teams, you couldn't tell who went to which school. But this year, whether it's people being shy or scared, you could see the difference. A group huddles here to stretch, while the other huddle over here.
It shouldn't be this way.
When you play on a sports team, one of the hardest things a coach or manager to do is to juggle the personalities. The same can be said for players as we do tend to forget that everybody playing is actually a human being.
If personalities fit well with each other, and everybody on the team is everybody else's best friend, guess what, it's going to be a lot easier to go out there and play relaxed. After all, it's a lot easier making a mistake with a friend of yours next to you than someone you don't know so well.
Right now, we are still very early in the season as the boys and girls on the teams have known each other really for just a few weeks, and even in the few weeks, it's limited time during practice and games.
I hope this post will raise some awareness to coaches and players, and show them that we need to encourage more team camaraderie and togetherness.
Sports at this level is not just about sports, but helping you develop socially, how to make friends and interact, meeting people you don't know and building a relationship, working with them.
St. Mary's is a very small school, and making the jump from a class of 15-20 to a class of a few hundred is going to be very intimidating for some. What better way to start making new friends than here playing sports?
Hopefully by the end of the season, if not earlier, everybody on every team can be each other's BFFL (best friend for life).
You can see it, by their body language, the way they interact with each other, slap high fives, joke around, and even stretch.
On the other hand, you can also tell when a team doesn't, by those same elements.
Currently, we have four teams, comprised of players who go to different schools, and I'd say the team chemistry is somewhere in between the two state above. Not as good as it could be, but then again, not as bad as it could be either.
Now how to improve?
Last year, I feel like I was spoiled by the teams we had.
For the first time, students from DeMarillac participated in athletics at St. Mary's and they pretty much fit in from day one.
Most notably, I remember being at a volleyball practice at Chinese Playground (Willie Woo Woo Wong to your young pplz..) with the then 8th grade girls, and watched them mingle and mesh with the four girls from DeMarillac. You would've never guessed that these girls didn't even know each other 10 days ago.
It seemed like they were friends since they were born.
For the guys, I remember the two boys on the basketball team who played with the Red Team, and how they joked around with each other, and poked fun at each other as if they were in the same class.
And that's what it's all about in the end, the friendships and relationships that you make, and the experiences you go through in athletics. Winning is the cherry on top to the friends that you make.
But why do I bring up team chemistry right now? That is because I feel that it is lacking currently in our teams.
Little things like words of encouragement to the boy or girl that you don't know very well that doesn't go to your school goes a long way.
Teaching or showing someone who you are just trying to get to know, how to do something right, something subtle is the first step.
Last season, when I watched our teams, you couldn't tell who went to which school. But this year, whether it's people being shy or scared, you could see the difference. A group huddles here to stretch, while the other huddle over here.
It shouldn't be this way.
When you play on a sports team, one of the hardest things a coach or manager to do is to juggle the personalities. The same can be said for players as we do tend to forget that everybody playing is actually a human being.
If personalities fit well with each other, and everybody on the team is everybody else's best friend, guess what, it's going to be a lot easier to go out there and play relaxed. After all, it's a lot easier making a mistake with a friend of yours next to you than someone you don't know so well.
Right now, we are still very early in the season as the boys and girls on the teams have known each other really for just a few weeks, and even in the few weeks, it's limited time during practice and games.
I hope this post will raise some awareness to coaches and players, and show them that we need to encourage more team camaraderie and togetherness.
Sports at this level is not just about sports, but helping you develop socially, how to make friends and interact, meeting people you don't know and building a relationship, working with them.
St. Mary's is a very small school, and making the jump from a class of 15-20 to a class of a few hundred is going to be very intimidating for some. What better way to start making new friends than here playing sports?
Hopefully by the end of the season, if not earlier, everybody on every team can be each other's BFFL (best friend for life).
This Date in St. Mary's Athletics History
September 27
- September 27, 2008
- The 8th grade girls (class of 2009) lost their third volleyball game of the season in straight sets 25-11, 25-11.
- The 3rd/4th grade soccer team (now 6th/7th graders) were shut out 5-0.
- September 27, 2009
- The 4th/5th grade girls (now 6th/7th graders) hit 20 in a set for the first time in a volleyball set. They eventually did lose their game in straight sets, 25-20, 25-11.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday morning quarterback, giving away prizes
Monday Morning Quarterback
First person to identify who this player is, will receive a special gift I got yesterday from the Raiders game. Please leave your guesses in the comments section.
So...
Here we go onto the current state of St. Mary's Athletics, and before we get started, I am going to add a new feature to the blog called "This Day in St. Mary's Athletics History" which will be updated on days where there is something worthy of looking back upon.
THIS DAY IN ST. MARY'S ATHLETICS HISTORY (September 26)
What an amazing game by the 7th/8th grade soccer team, as they beasted their way to a 9-1 victory in their first actual game of the season.
Huge kudos go to Pablo, Sebastian and of course Eloy for their play. It was evident the way they played, that they all have been playing for years and have truly been gifted with some talent. How far it will get them in this season remains to be seen as soccer is a team sport.
Having such good forwards takes pressure off of players from the past like Brandon K., Hartman and Daniel who are used to carrying heavy loads. Now they don't have as much pressure and can ease their way into the team, which will make them all the more effective as well.
Great start for the team, but it gets harder this Saturday as they play two games in a span of three hours.
The volleyball teams came back down to earth following their week one victories. Both teams had winnable contests but the self inflicted wounds were too much to overcome.
A few things that didn't sit too well with me were that some of the experienced players looked a bit off on Friday night and Saturday morning.
All the players who have previous experience are now in their third year, so playing a game shouldn't be anything new. Unfortunately, some of the girls were battling nerves once again and it looked like they were out there for their first games, which shouldn't be happening.
As for the 5th/6th grade soccer team, it was just a bad game all around. Their offense needs to generate more scoring chances to take pressure off the defense.
Not to compare the defense of this team to the Giants, but the pitchers on the Giants get no help from the hitters and thus lose way too much. Tim Lincecum has a below .500 record this year because the team can't hit.
So this does relate. If the offense doesn't score goals, it becomes a defensive struggle game after game.
Part of the problem is spacing by the midfielders and forwards. If you watch the 7th/8th grade highlights, there are red jerseys everywhere on the field, scattered throughout.
Watch the 5th/6th grade game and it's a scrum of red going after one ball. There isn't much teamwork right now, and part of that is because of the inexperience and lack of fundamentals.
Tomorrow on the blog, I will cover something very important to all four of our teams - team chemistry. Now you don't want to miss that, and of course, why would you want to miss anything on the blog?
And finally...since we played "Find the Noob" yesterday, (see video from yesterday) we will do so again today. See ya pals.
- One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
First person to identify who this player is, will receive a special gift I got yesterday from the Raiders game. Please leave your guesses in the comments section.
So...
Here we go onto the current state of St. Mary's Athletics, and before we get started, I am going to add a new feature to the blog called "This Day in St. Mary's Athletics History" which will be updated on days where there is something worthy of looking back upon.
THIS DAY IN ST. MARY'S ATHLETICS HISTORY (September 26)
- September 26, 2008
- The class of 2009 8th grade girls lost 25-16 in both sets of their second volleyball game ever.
- September 26, 2009
- The class of 2010 8th grade girls won their second volleyball game ever via forfeit.
- The class of 2010 8th grade boys soccer team lost 4-1 in their third game of the year. Brandon scored his first and only goal in the game.
What an amazing game by the 7th/8th grade soccer team, as they beasted their way to a 9-1 victory in their first actual game of the season.
Huge kudos go to Pablo, Sebastian and of course Eloy for their play. It was evident the way they played, that they all have been playing for years and have truly been gifted with some talent. How far it will get them in this season remains to be seen as soccer is a team sport.
Having such good forwards takes pressure off of players from the past like Brandon K., Hartman and Daniel who are used to carrying heavy loads. Now they don't have as much pressure and can ease their way into the team, which will make them all the more effective as well.
Great start for the team, but it gets harder this Saturday as they play two games in a span of three hours.
The volleyball teams came back down to earth following their week one victories. Both teams had winnable contests but the self inflicted wounds were too much to overcome.
A few things that didn't sit too well with me were that some of the experienced players looked a bit off on Friday night and Saturday morning.
All the players who have previous experience are now in their third year, so playing a game shouldn't be anything new. Unfortunately, some of the girls were battling nerves once again and it looked like they were out there for their first games, which shouldn't be happening.
As for the 5th/6th grade soccer team, it was just a bad game all around. Their offense needs to generate more scoring chances to take pressure off the defense.
Not to compare the defense of this team to the Giants, but the pitchers on the Giants get no help from the hitters and thus lose way too much. Tim Lincecum has a below .500 record this year because the team can't hit.
So this does relate. If the offense doesn't score goals, it becomes a defensive struggle game after game.
Part of the problem is spacing by the midfielders and forwards. If you watch the 7th/8th grade highlights, there are red jerseys everywhere on the field, scattered throughout.
Watch the 5th/6th grade game and it's a scrum of red going after one ball. There isn't much teamwork right now, and part of that is because of the inexperience and lack of fundamentals.
Tomorrow on the blog, I will cover something very important to all four of our teams - team chemistry. Now you don't want to miss that, and of course, why would you want to miss anything on the blog?
And finally...since we played "Find the Noob" yesterday, (see video from yesterday) we will do so again today. See ya pals.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday Recap: 7th/8th grade soccer beasts, while 5th/6th grade teams take step back
Quick Hit
The 7th/8th grade soccer team had a full squad and dominated their first actual game of the year, winning by a lopsided margin of 9-1. The 5th/6th grade soccer team didn't do as well as they fell to (0-2-1) on the year in a 5-0 shutout. The 5th/6th grade volleyball team had too many mistakes to overcome and lost in straight sets, falling to (1-1).
***Full recaps and highlights below!***
7th/8th grade storm out of the gates, win big
When the 7th and 8th grade boys get enough players on the field, they are going to be tough to beat.
Following their forfeit a week ago, all 11 players showed up today, ready to play, and the outcome was obvious right from the get go.
The trio of Eloy, Sebastian and Pablo led the offensive attack right from the opening whistle. They took the ball into the opponent's zone and an off-balanced Sebastian swerved in goal number one 20 seconds into the game, opening the floodgates to a 9-1 pounding of the other team.
Eloy, making his St. Mary's debut, scored a total of six goals, by far the most of any player ever to dawn a St. Mary's soccer jersey. On a beautiful play in the first quarter, he headed the ball forward, caught up to it, setting himself up for a breakaway which he eventually finished by burying it into the net.
Late in the game, he rifled a shot from a good 10 feet outside the top of the box, going top shelf as their goalie had no chance to stop it.
Pablo concluded the scoring with his second goal of the game with a shot from inside the box.
Not to be overlooked are the midfielders who did a great job of not letting the ball get past them, as they were a solid barrier that pushed the action towards the attack zone.
Hartman and Brandon K. both made some nice passes up to the forwards which set up many of the goals.
Their record now sits at (1-1). They play a doubleheader next Saturday.
GAME NOTES: The previous record for most goals in a game by a St. Mary's player was by Tommy Lin, who is now an assistant coach for the 7th/8th grade team. He scored two goals in the season opener of his 8th grade year...This marked the first soccer win for St. Mary's since October of 2009, when the 8th grade team won 2-1 at Silver Terrace.
GAME NOTES: The previous record for most goals in a game by a St. Mary's player was by Tommy Lin, who is now an assistant coach for the 7th/8th grade team. He scored two goals in the season opener of his 8th grade year...This marked the first soccer win for St. Mary's since October of 2009, when the 8th grade team won 2-1 at Silver Terrace.
Step backwards for 5th/6th grade soccer team
When the offense needed to score, they weren't able to. And when the defense needed a stop, they weren't able to.
That summed up the game this afternoon for the 5th/6th grade soccer team as they were handed their worst defeat of the season 5-0.
It was 1-0 going into halftime, and a game that featured some scoring chances for the 5th/6th graders. They seemed to be one pass away and just a step off from breaking through on scoring chances in the first half.
But then their defense buckled in the second half, and they were unable to generate any type of good shot in the second half.
After playing two real good games, including a draw last week, the game this afternoon was pivotal to see if they were able to take their game to the next level. But for whatever reason, their energy level and execution seemed off from the get go.
From the forward to the goalie, everybody looked as sluggish as the overcast weather.
Garrick returned to action this week, but you could see he was not at 100%. He wasn't his normal self where he could fly towards balls with reckless abandonment.
For one thing, the spacing on offense was brutal with all the forwards and midfielders bunched up on one side of the field. So once the ball went past the collective scrum, there was no red jersey there to pick up the ball, hence the many turnovers that went to the other team.
Their record for the season is now (0-2-1).
Slow start and faulty serves too much to overcome
For the second straight week, the 5th/6th grade girls started their game poorly, except this morning, there was no comeback.
After falling into an early 5-0 deficit, the girls made the first set a little interesting rallying to as close as 24-22, but eventually losing the first set 25-22. They lost the second set with the same identical score, and were handed their first loss of 2011.
Maybe the 9 a.m. start was too early, as some of the girls were hardly awake it seemed in the first set. Balls that came straight at them were not returned correctly, and the normally dependable girls on serving were not coming through.
The one girl who played one heck of a game was Ivy, who at one point almost single handedly served the girls to a miraculous comeback.
Last week, Ivy didn't serve one ball over. Today, it seemed like that was all she did. As the girls trailed 24-18, Ivy rattled off four straight balls over the net before eventually missing on her last attempt.
The other team was physically overpowering, with some of the girls on the opposition serving overhand.
The girls were neck and neck in the second set, but could never get closer than a point before eventually dropping the set by three points
In a contrast from last week, their experienced players, Edwena, Fiona and Victoria looked a bit off, as each of them made their share of faults on serves and had trouble getting to, and hitting balls over they are normally so good at doing.
It might have been just one of those mornings where nothing seemed to go right, and it just wasn't their day.
GAME NOTES: The girls dressed only six girls...For the second straight week, Mr. Yu did lines.
GAME NOTES: The girls dressed only six girls...For the second straight week, Mr. Yu did lines.
Friday, September 23, 2011
7th/8th grade collapses in second set, lose game
***Highlights Below***
No longer is serving the ball over most of the time, or returning balls most of the time good enough to win a game, let alone one set.
The 7th/8th grade girls had to learn this the hard way.
One week after winning in their debut, the girls could not overcome their mistakes in a straight set loss 25-19, 25-22.
This one might sting a little extra since the girls led 22-13 in the second set, and watched the other team rally for 13 unanswered points to take the second set and the match.
By no means did the girls play bad. In fact, one could argue they collectively played stronger overall than they did last week. Problem was, their opponent played better -- and didn't make as many mistakes.
For the most part, the girls consistently served the ball over, and were able to make some tough plays when the other team was spiking, tipping and hitting the ball towards them. But their inexperience and lack of chemistry as a team was apparent when they were losing points.
More than handful of times, two girls would both call for the ball and collide. They still don't huddle together after they score points and still don't communicate well on the court. After every few points they lose, the girls have blank stares at each other, basically saying, "I thought that was your ball."
For the better part of the second set, the girls were serving the ball over, communicating, and playing with some rhythm. That's what got them their 22-13 lead.
They then lost it by doing the exact opposite. Girls were out of position, looked rattled and most importantly didn't communicate. The players on the bench and their coach constantly encouraged them to talk more, but the six players on the court refused, and soon their nine lead became a deficit, and eventually a loss.
For the girls to beat this team, they are going to have to start being more aggressive and learning hot to set, spike and hit the ball. Their approach right now against tough teams like this require them to be near perfect on serves and returns. Tonight, they were not.
Playing a tough team should serve the girls better for the future as they now know what they are up against. Already they seem to have the skill set to do so, but the tough part is bringing their game to the next level, listening, and doing it consistently.
Their record now sits at (1-1).
GAME NOTES: Lots of alumni were in the crowd for tonight's game. Marissa, Emily, Melinda, Serina, Justin and Miles all attended tonight's contest...The other team had a girl who served 10 balls over, which turned a 22-13 lead into a 23-22 deficit...Belin made her debut in a St. Mary's uniform...For the second straight game, Mr. Mayfield did lines.
No longer is serving the ball over most of the time, or returning balls most of the time good enough to win a game, let alone one set.
The 7th/8th grade girls had to learn this the hard way.
One week after winning in their debut, the girls could not overcome their mistakes in a straight set loss 25-19, 25-22.
This one might sting a little extra since the girls led 22-13 in the second set, and watched the other team rally for 13 unanswered points to take the second set and the match.
By no means did the girls play bad. In fact, one could argue they collectively played stronger overall than they did last week. Problem was, their opponent played better -- and didn't make as many mistakes.
For the most part, the girls consistently served the ball over, and were able to make some tough plays when the other team was spiking, tipping and hitting the ball towards them. But their inexperience and lack of chemistry as a team was apparent when they were losing points.
More than handful of times, two girls would both call for the ball and collide. They still don't huddle together after they score points and still don't communicate well on the court. After every few points they lose, the girls have blank stares at each other, basically saying, "I thought that was your ball."
For the better part of the second set, the girls were serving the ball over, communicating, and playing with some rhythm. That's what got them their 22-13 lead.
They then lost it by doing the exact opposite. Girls were out of position, looked rattled and most importantly didn't communicate. The players on the bench and their coach constantly encouraged them to talk more, but the six players on the court refused, and soon their nine lead became a deficit, and eventually a loss.
For the girls to beat this team, they are going to have to start being more aggressive and learning hot to set, spike and hit the ball. Their approach right now against tough teams like this require them to be near perfect on serves and returns. Tonight, they were not.
Playing a tough team should serve the girls better for the future as they now know what they are up against. Already they seem to have the skill set to do so, but the tough part is bringing their game to the next level, listening, and doing it consistently.
Their record now sits at (1-1).
GAME NOTES: Lots of alumni were in the crowd for tonight's game. Marissa, Emily, Melinda, Serina, Justin and Miles all attended tonight's contest...The other team had a girl who served 10 balls over, which turned a 22-13 lead into a 23-22 deficit...Belin made her debut in a St. Mary's uniform...For the second straight game, Mr. Mayfield did lines.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
This date in St. Mary's Athletics history
In 2008, the class of 2009 girls volleyball game, that was going to be played on that Friday, was moved up by an hour and a half to 5:15 p.m.
And there's your day in St. Mary's Athletics history, delivering some of the most epic events in our rich and storied program.
And there's your day in St. Mary's Athletics history, delivering some of the most epic events in our rich and storied program.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Volleyball RAW Videos
15 minutes worth of footage from both volleyball games last Friday night (cue music) and Saturday morning.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday Morning Quarterback (Night Edition)
Monday Morning Quarterback
Before we get into our own sports at St. Mary's this weekend, I need to talk briefly about the Raiders and 49ers. Both teams should be (2-0) but instead, both are (1-1). I won't go too much into detail because most of you out there in the St. Mary's Athletics universe, not WWE universe, don't know football very well.
But plain and simple, they failed to finish the game. You've heard it many times -- closing out games. Both had leads in the last few minutes of the game and failed to finish. You have to finish what you started or else you will be stuck answering questions the entire week on what could have been.
Now...
We'll start with the volleyball teams here at St. Mary's, who have both started the season (1-0), the first time that has happened in the modern St. Mary's Athletics era.
The formula for their wins were pretty simple, and that was not to make as many mistakes as the other team. For now, that's what the girls need to shoot for, because these are both new teams, playing with new girls. Bump, set, spike and hitting can all come later. For now, get the basics down, serving the ball over, and returning as many balls as you can.
Both teams executed this game plan and both had got victories.
Room for improvement, of course.
The girls lack volleyball swag. Yes, I said swag. Swag is a type of confidence and usually means you're kind of arrogant and cocky. But you can have swag, and have it come across as believing that you are good at something as opposed to being a show off.
Simple things like huddling together as a team after a point, running -- actually running and not walking -- when you are subbing in and out, being loud in the huddle off of a cheer. Things like that give you the volleyball look. And when you have the look, you feel like a volleyball player.
The first two games for the girls was nothing more than girls playing volleyball. They did not feel like they were volleyball players.
Awareness is also something both teams need. Knowing when they have won a set or won a match. Knowing the game. See this video to illustrate my point..
But nonetheless, the girls are doing great so far. However, please don't forget it's only one game, and as unfair as it is, you are always judged by your latest performance.
Now onto soccer, and the 5th/6th grade team.
My oh my, what a difference a year makes. I don't even remember the score from last year when the current 6th grade boys were playing, but it had to have been at least 6-0. The boys on the team were on a team that didn't register a goal until the final game of the season in the second half.
And in game number two, they have already tied and really should've and could've won the game.
The top stars on my list right now are Ryan Kwong and Jason Zhou, who have both been strong on the defense. Don't let anybody tell you being a defender means you aren't good, because without their contributions on Saturday, the team wouldn't have scored a goal, and they definitely would've given up more.
Ryan has been playing for four years and each year he has made small improvements. He stuck with it and not only does he look quicker, but stronger as well. The balls he used to whiff on, he is now connecting. He sent many balls forward to the midfielders and forwards in Saturday's effort.
Jason, in his second year, is quite small, but as tough as they come. He isn't afraid to challenge others who are bigger than him, and is fearless. You need to have that edge in order to compete in soccer. Size helps, but it isn't everything and Jason is proving just that.
It also helps that there are two player from NDV who have played soccer before, and also, the boys are now playing against players their own age as opposed to a year above.
Joseph was a beast on Saturday, scoring his first career goal, and seemingly everywhere on the field. He also played fearless and the results showed.
And finally I conclude with the not so good news about the 7th/8th grade team's forfeit.
The bottom line is I am disappointed in the numbers that we have from our 7th and 8th graders at St. Mary's. It's a shame because this could be and in my belief, will be the best soccer team we've fielded in four years. But it's not going to happen if we can't show up for a game.
I will not blame this on the players from DeMarillac because after all, this is St. Mary's Athletics and not DeMarillac Athletics. They are our friends who have contributed to the program immensely in a year's time, but by no means should they be leaned on to carry our program.
Out of the 11 players, more than half aren't even from St. Mary's.
And like I said the other day, we only need 2 players out of the 11 boys in 7th and 8th grade to join the team, and we wouldn't have forfeited.
But we can't even get that.
Sadly, times have changed, and the four classes that graduated since I have been here are a distant memory.
Each of those classes from the class of John Wang to Timmy and friends last year played every sport offered. And it wasn't even just a handful, it was pretty much the entire class.
But those days are gone.
I am thankful for the Isabelle's (Isabella), Cynthias, Daniels, Hunters, Brendans, Brandon K.'s, Sabrinas, Belins and Hartmans of the class.
And yes folks, that's all from St. Mary's that have decided to play this fall.
So whether it's parents who think playing sports will cause their grades to drop, or just students not willing to give it a shot or to continue to keep fighting, it's upsetting.
It is what it is and there's nothing I can do but to keep pushing for them to change their minds. If not, then we'll be faced with this problem for years to come.
For those who are playing, I truly mean it, when I say, thanks for participating.
See ya pals.
- One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
Before we get into our own sports at St. Mary's this weekend, I need to talk briefly about the Raiders and 49ers. Both teams should be (2-0) but instead, both are (1-1). I won't go too much into detail because most of you out there in the St. Mary's Athletics universe, not WWE universe, don't know football very well.
But plain and simple, they failed to finish the game. You've heard it many times -- closing out games. Both had leads in the last few minutes of the game and failed to finish. You have to finish what you started or else you will be stuck answering questions the entire week on what could have been.
Now...
We'll start with the volleyball teams here at St. Mary's, who have both started the season (1-0), the first time that has happened in the modern St. Mary's Athletics era.
The formula for their wins were pretty simple, and that was not to make as many mistakes as the other team. For now, that's what the girls need to shoot for, because these are both new teams, playing with new girls. Bump, set, spike and hitting can all come later. For now, get the basics down, serving the ball over, and returning as many balls as you can.
Both teams executed this game plan and both had got victories.
Room for improvement, of course.
The girls lack volleyball swag. Yes, I said swag. Swag is a type of confidence and usually means you're kind of arrogant and cocky. But you can have swag, and have it come across as believing that you are good at something as opposed to being a show off.
Simple things like huddling together as a team after a point, running -- actually running and not walking -- when you are subbing in and out, being loud in the huddle off of a cheer. Things like that give you the volleyball look. And when you have the look, you feel like a volleyball player.
The first two games for the girls was nothing more than girls playing volleyball. They did not feel like they were volleyball players.
Awareness is also something both teams need. Knowing when they have won a set or won a match. Knowing the game. See this video to illustrate my point..
But nonetheless, the girls are doing great so far. However, please don't forget it's only one game, and as unfair as it is, you are always judged by your latest performance.
Now onto soccer, and the 5th/6th grade team.
My oh my, what a difference a year makes. I don't even remember the score from last year when the current 6th grade boys were playing, but it had to have been at least 6-0. The boys on the team were on a team that didn't register a goal until the final game of the season in the second half.
And in game number two, they have already tied and really should've and could've won the game.
The top stars on my list right now are Ryan Kwong and Jason Zhou, who have both been strong on the defense. Don't let anybody tell you being a defender means you aren't good, because without their contributions on Saturday, the team wouldn't have scored a goal, and they definitely would've given up more.
Ryan has been playing for four years and each year he has made small improvements. He stuck with it and not only does he look quicker, but stronger as well. The balls he used to whiff on, he is now connecting. He sent many balls forward to the midfielders and forwards in Saturday's effort.
Jason, in his second year, is quite small, but as tough as they come. He isn't afraid to challenge others who are bigger than him, and is fearless. You need to have that edge in order to compete in soccer. Size helps, but it isn't everything and Jason is proving just that.
It also helps that there are two player from NDV who have played soccer before, and also, the boys are now playing against players their own age as opposed to a year above.
Joseph was a beast on Saturday, scoring his first career goal, and seemingly everywhere on the field. He also played fearless and the results showed.
And finally I conclude with the not so good news about the 7th/8th grade team's forfeit.
The bottom line is I am disappointed in the numbers that we have from our 7th and 8th graders at St. Mary's. It's a shame because this could be and in my belief, will be the best soccer team we've fielded in four years. But it's not going to happen if we can't show up for a game.
I will not blame this on the players from DeMarillac because after all, this is St. Mary's Athletics and not DeMarillac Athletics. They are our friends who have contributed to the program immensely in a year's time, but by no means should they be leaned on to carry our program.
Out of the 11 players, more than half aren't even from St. Mary's.
And like I said the other day, we only need 2 players out of the 11 boys in 7th and 8th grade to join the team, and we wouldn't have forfeited.
But we can't even get that.
Sadly, times have changed, and the four classes that graduated since I have been here are a distant memory.
Each of those classes from the class of John Wang to Timmy and friends last year played every sport offered. And it wasn't even just a handful, it was pretty much the entire class.
But those days are gone.
I am thankful for the Isabelle's (Isabella), Cynthias, Daniels, Hunters, Brendans, Brandon K.'s, Sabrinas, Belins and Hartmans of the class.
And yes folks, that's all from St. Mary's that have decided to play this fall.
So whether it's parents who think playing sports will cause their grades to drop, or just students not willing to give it a shot or to continue to keep fighting, it's upsetting.
It is what it is and there's nothing I can do but to keep pushing for them to change their minds. If not, then we'll be faced with this problem for years to come.
For those who are playing, I truly mean it, when I say, thanks for participating.
See ya pals.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Saturday Recap: 5th/6th grade girls win, 5th/6th grade soccer plays to draw
Saturday Recap
***Highlights updated below***
The 5th/6th grade girls started the day off on a high note winning their first game of the year, and the 5th/6th grade boys followed suit with a nice game of their own, scoring a goal for the first time this year in a 1-1 tie. Not so good news for the 7th/8th grade boys soccer team as only 7 players out of 11 showed up, and the team had to forfeit.
Going into this game, there should've been at least 10 players, and three were no shows. And to my count, there are 7 boys in the 8th grade at St. Mary's who don't play for whatever reason, Hartman being the only one who does. And in the 7th grade there are 4 boys who have chosen not to play as well.
So if we could've gotten just 2 out of the 11 boys to play soccer, we would've had a game today.
And even with 7 players, the team lost the scrimmage 2-1, with one goal by the other team a questionable one with a player who was potentially offside.
Thank you to those who are playing on the team and the families who took the time and possibly wasted their afternoon. At the end of the day, I wish we had more of this type of dedication.
Full recaps of each game are below. Highlights to follow tonight.
5th/6th grade team score first goal, settle for tie
Look no further than the 5th/6th grade soccer team as en example of how night and day this year's soccer season has been and is going to be compared to the past.
Off Dante's corner kick in the second quarter, Joseph, the twin, had a ball bounce right to his foot in the box, and he banged home the team's first goal of the year.
After losing 3-0 in last week's opener, the boys settled for a 1-1 tie in this afternoon's contest. In CYO soccer, there is no overtime during the regular season.
This was one of the best games a St. Mary's soccer team has played in close to two years, and they were only playing with 10 players as Garrick, one of the most aggressive players on the team, was out with a knee injury. Even though there was only one goal scored, there were so many unsung heroes from the game that played their best game to date.
Ryan Kwong, who is playing in his fourth year, was at his best on defense, making strong kicks and getting in good positions to limit the other team's offense.
Nick, who is new to the team, Raymond, and Joseph seemed to be everywhere on the field. Wherever the ball was, it was a safe bet to say one of those players was there.
Jason Hou and Zhao were both great on defense, and the stellar play of goalie Thomas held up enough for the draw.
The only goal they gave up was the type of goal that haunted them last week at almost the exact same time. With only a minute left to play in the first half, the defense was unable to chase down a ball that was playable, and the other team took the ball in for a breakaway to tie the score.
Right now, the team is at a level where one mistake could be the difference between a win, loss or a tie, and that one mishap might've cost this team their first win.
However, a foot might've been the difference between a win and a draw as well. Midway through the fourth, Joseph came loose again, and just got his foot on the ball to chip it by the other team's goalie. The ball trickled toward the goal, only to hit the outside of the post and the game remained at 1-1.
Raymond made a nice move late in the game, centering the ball to Joseph and Dante, but Dante didn't get contact on the ball, and it fluttered toward the goalie, who made an easy save.
Nonetheless, quite a turnaround for our soccer program, and if this afternoon was an indication of things to come, it'll be an exciting fall out on the pitch.
GAME NOTES: Joseph became the first player in his class to score a goal. Last year, the current 6th graders played on a team that scored one goal the entire year, and that goal didn't come until the last game of the season...With the 5th/6th graders playing with 10, the other team dressed 16...This will mark the fourth consecutive season a St. Mary's soccer team has played to a tie. Last year's 8th grade team played to a 1-1 tie also.
5th/6th grade shake off slow start, dominate in straight sets
In the blink of an eye, the 5th/6th grade girls were trailing 4-0 and that oh so familiar feeling for anyone who has attended a St. Mary's volleyball game in the last few years returned.
Here we go again.
However, the ending to the script was different this morning at Salesian for the 5th/6th grade girls.
Once they got the ball and were able to serve, they turned it around, and in convincing fashion, won their first game ever as a team in straight sets, 25-17 and 25-11.
The three girls who have played for two years were clearly more experienced and a notch better than the rest of the girls on the court.
Victoria, Fiona and Edwena, who have all played for two years looked composed and poised, something you can only game with experience. All three of them were more than solid on their serves, and were fantastic getting to balls on the returns.
In her St. Mary's debut, Kaela returned a ball after the girls trailed 4-0 to get St. Mary's on the board, and from that point forward the girls never looked back.
In a flashback to last night, both times when the girls won their sets, they looked confused and weren't too sure what was happening.
This team is playing in a 6th grade division with more than half of the girls still in the 5th grade.
A normal 5th grade game would have the girls serving at a line 10 feet from the end line, so our 5th graders Alexis, Ivy and Alexandria all have to serve from the normal spot 6th graders do.
But with time and practice, they should be able to get the balls over as comfortably as the other girls.
For the last two seasons, the three girls who are in the 6th grade were forced to play with current 7th graders Cynthia and Isabella. So in a refreshing change of scenery, those three can now play against girls their own age, making it easier for them to compete.
Edwena, with her proud parents watching from the sidelines, gave the Wongs a lot to cheer about, when she served 10 straight balls over in the second set, turning a 7-7 tie into a 17-7 lead.
Midway through her 10 straight serves, there was a great rally by both teams that ended when Alexandria got to a ball by the net and just got enough contact to get it over to the other side. The other team hit it into the net and Edwena continued her streak of serves.
On match point, the other team faulted on their serve, giving the 5th/6th grade girls their first victory of the season, as well as their first win as a team.
GAME NOTES: The win marks the first time in St. Mary's Athletics modern day history in which both volleyball teams have started the season with a victory...Victoria served every single one of her balls over...Marissa made her coaching debut...Mr. Yu did lines.
***Highlights updated below***
The 5th/6th grade girls started the day off on a high note winning their first game of the year, and the 5th/6th grade boys followed suit with a nice game of their own, scoring a goal for the first time this year in a 1-1 tie. Not so good news for the 7th/8th grade boys soccer team as only 7 players out of 11 showed up, and the team had to forfeit.
Going into this game, there should've been at least 10 players, and three were no shows. And to my count, there are 7 boys in the 8th grade at St. Mary's who don't play for whatever reason, Hartman being the only one who does. And in the 7th grade there are 4 boys who have chosen not to play as well.
So if we could've gotten just 2 out of the 11 boys to play soccer, we would've had a game today.
And even with 7 players, the team lost the scrimmage 2-1, with one goal by the other team a questionable one with a player who was potentially offside.
Thank you to those who are playing on the team and the families who took the time and possibly wasted their afternoon. At the end of the day, I wish we had more of this type of dedication.
Full recaps of each game are below. Highlights to follow tonight.
5th/6th grade team score first goal, settle for tie
Look no further than the 5th/6th grade soccer team as en example of how night and day this year's soccer season has been and is going to be compared to the past.
Off Dante's corner kick in the second quarter, Joseph, the twin, had a ball bounce right to his foot in the box, and he banged home the team's first goal of the year.
After losing 3-0 in last week's opener, the boys settled for a 1-1 tie in this afternoon's contest. In CYO soccer, there is no overtime during the regular season.
This was one of the best games a St. Mary's soccer team has played in close to two years, and they were only playing with 10 players as Garrick, one of the most aggressive players on the team, was out with a knee injury. Even though there was only one goal scored, there were so many unsung heroes from the game that played their best game to date.
Ryan Kwong, who is playing in his fourth year, was at his best on defense, making strong kicks and getting in good positions to limit the other team's offense.
Nick, who is new to the team, Raymond, and Joseph seemed to be everywhere on the field. Wherever the ball was, it was a safe bet to say one of those players was there.
Jason Hou and Zhao were both great on defense, and the stellar play of goalie Thomas held up enough for the draw.
The only goal they gave up was the type of goal that haunted them last week at almost the exact same time. With only a minute left to play in the first half, the defense was unable to chase down a ball that was playable, and the other team took the ball in for a breakaway to tie the score.
Right now, the team is at a level where one mistake could be the difference between a win, loss or a tie, and that one mishap might've cost this team their first win.
However, a foot might've been the difference between a win and a draw as well. Midway through the fourth, Joseph came loose again, and just got his foot on the ball to chip it by the other team's goalie. The ball trickled toward the goal, only to hit the outside of the post and the game remained at 1-1.
Raymond made a nice move late in the game, centering the ball to Joseph and Dante, but Dante didn't get contact on the ball, and it fluttered toward the goalie, who made an easy save.
Nonetheless, quite a turnaround for our soccer program, and if this afternoon was an indication of things to come, it'll be an exciting fall out on the pitch.
GAME NOTES: Joseph became the first player in his class to score a goal. Last year, the current 6th graders played on a team that scored one goal the entire year, and that goal didn't come until the last game of the season...With the 5th/6th graders playing with 10, the other team dressed 16...This will mark the fourth consecutive season a St. Mary's soccer team has played to a tie. Last year's 8th grade team played to a 1-1 tie also.
5th/6th grade shake off slow start, dominate in straight sets
In the blink of an eye, the 5th/6th grade girls were trailing 4-0 and that oh so familiar feeling for anyone who has attended a St. Mary's volleyball game in the last few years returned.
Here we go again.
However, the ending to the script was different this morning at Salesian for the 5th/6th grade girls.
Once they got the ball and were able to serve, they turned it around, and in convincing fashion, won their first game ever as a team in straight sets, 25-17 and 25-11.
The three girls who have played for two years were clearly more experienced and a notch better than the rest of the girls on the court.
Victoria, Fiona and Edwena, who have all played for two years looked composed and poised, something you can only game with experience. All three of them were more than solid on their serves, and were fantastic getting to balls on the returns.
In her St. Mary's debut, Kaela returned a ball after the girls trailed 4-0 to get St. Mary's on the board, and from that point forward the girls never looked back.
In a flashback to last night, both times when the girls won their sets, they looked confused and weren't too sure what was happening.
This team is playing in a 6th grade division with more than half of the girls still in the 5th grade.
A normal 5th grade game would have the girls serving at a line 10 feet from the end line, so our 5th graders Alexis, Ivy and Alexandria all have to serve from the normal spot 6th graders do.
But with time and practice, they should be able to get the balls over as comfortably as the other girls.
For the last two seasons, the three girls who are in the 6th grade were forced to play with current 7th graders Cynthia and Isabella. So in a refreshing change of scenery, those three can now play against girls their own age, making it easier for them to compete.
Edwena, with her proud parents watching from the sidelines, gave the Wongs a lot to cheer about, when she served 10 straight balls over in the second set, turning a 7-7 tie into a 17-7 lead.
Midway through her 10 straight serves, there was a great rally by both teams that ended when Alexandria got to a ball by the net and just got enough contact to get it over to the other side. The other team hit it into the net and Edwena continued her streak of serves.
On match point, the other team faulted on their serve, giving the 5th/6th grade girls their first victory of the season, as well as their first win as a team.
GAME NOTES: The win marks the first time in St. Mary's Athletics modern day history in which both volleyball teams have started the season with a victory...Victoria served every single one of her balls over...Marissa made her coaching debut...Mr. Yu did lines.
Friday, September 16, 2011
7th/8th grade girls hang on for win in debut
***Highlights Below***
The 7th/8th grade girls overcame a disastrous second set, and won their first game 25-12, 19-25, 15-7.
This marked the first time these girls have played together as a team, and already, they have a victory to show for it.
After a convincing 25-11 first set win, they led 16-11 in the second and looked well on their way to win number one. But the tide quickly changed, as the girls were missing easy balls, not communicating and watching balls hit the ground point after point. They lost the set 25-19.
They were tied 4-4 when Aileen stepped up to the line in the third and final set, and she put the team on her back for eight straight points, as her overhands serves were much too powerful for the other team to overcome.
On match point, the teams went back and forth until the other team hit a ball right into the net. The girls didn't know what happened, and then realized a few seconds later that they were victorious in their first game of the year.
Of the eight girls in the lineup, only Cynthia and Isabella had ever played a volleyball game before tonight.
There was nothing too flashy or complex about their strategy. They served the ball over and returned well, and that was enough for them to come out of tonight's game with a win.
One thing they did better than previous 8th grade teams in their first game was their ability to go for three hits when the ball came over the net. They have already moved to that level in two short weeks, and as soon as they hone that skill, they'll be able to move toward skills that are more advanced, like setting and hitting.
The other team was also playing in their first game ever, and there were times when both teams looked confused. Basic things that they will learn with more experience like how to rotate fluidly, subbing, warming up, will all come with more repetitions.
Their biggest achilles heel currently is their togetherness as a team, and that led to periods of the game where both teams looked very unenthusiastic about playing. There were moments of chatter, but for the most part, the girls were not very vocal and that led to some of their shortcomings in set number two.
But with a game under their belt, they'll know what to improve on in week two.
GAME NOTES: This marks the second consecutive year a St. Mary's 8th grade team has won their first game together as a team. It's also the third year in a row that an 8th grade team has won the season opener...Isabella served both set point victories, in set one and set three...Sabrina became the first girl in her class to participate in a CYO sporting event...Mr. Mayfield did lines.
The 7th/8th grade girls overcame a disastrous second set, and won their first game 25-12, 19-25, 15-7.
This marked the first time these girls have played together as a team, and already, they have a victory to show for it.
After a convincing 25-11 first set win, they led 16-11 in the second and looked well on their way to win number one. But the tide quickly changed, as the girls were missing easy balls, not communicating and watching balls hit the ground point after point. They lost the set 25-19.
They were tied 4-4 when Aileen stepped up to the line in the third and final set, and she put the team on her back for eight straight points, as her overhands serves were much too powerful for the other team to overcome.
On match point, the teams went back and forth until the other team hit a ball right into the net. The girls didn't know what happened, and then realized a few seconds later that they were victorious in their first game of the year.
Of the eight girls in the lineup, only Cynthia and Isabella had ever played a volleyball game before tonight.
There was nothing too flashy or complex about their strategy. They served the ball over and returned well, and that was enough for them to come out of tonight's game with a win.
One thing they did better than previous 8th grade teams in their first game was their ability to go for three hits when the ball came over the net. They have already moved to that level in two short weeks, and as soon as they hone that skill, they'll be able to move toward skills that are more advanced, like setting and hitting.
The other team was also playing in their first game ever, and there were times when both teams looked confused. Basic things that they will learn with more experience like how to rotate fluidly, subbing, warming up, will all come with more repetitions.
Their biggest achilles heel currently is their togetherness as a team, and that led to periods of the game where both teams looked very unenthusiastic about playing. There were moments of chatter, but for the most part, the girls were not very vocal and that led to some of their shortcomings in set number two.
But with a game under their belt, they'll know what to improve on in week two.
GAME NOTES: This marks the second consecutive year a St. Mary's 8th grade team has won their first game together as a team. It's also the third year in a row that an 8th grade team has won the season opener...Isabella served both set point victories, in set one and set three...Sabrina became the first girl in her class to participate in a CYO sporting event...Mr. Mayfield did lines.
Weekend Preview: Volleyball begins
 |
| The 7th/8th grade girls scrimmaged Thursday against NDV's 8th grade team |
And of course, all three teams are playing together for the first year in true St. Mary's fashion.
The 7th/8th grade volleyball team consists of only two 7th grade girls, Cynthia and Isabella, as they join seven 8th graders, five from DeMarillac and two from St. Mary's, Sabrina and Belin.
The first volleyball goes flying at 5 p.m. tonight at CYO Serramonte.
Only Cynthia and Isabella have had previous experience playing in CYO and are both going to be playing with an actual volleyball as opposed to a volley-lite in a game. Girls in grades 3-6 use the lighter version of the ball, while the 7th and 8th graders use the professional sized ball.
This will be the fourth straight season St. Mary's has had an 8th grade volleyball team. It was two years ago that the class of 2010 girls went to the volleyball championship. And if this team can put it all together, I think it's very possible that these girls could make a run at the title as well.
In only two weeks of practice, this volleyball team looks a lot further along than any of the teams the three previous seasons.
Their head coach, my classmate at St. Mary's and former high school coach Calman Chin has high hopes for the girls, and already says they are real quick learners. He's optimistic, as we all are, for a successful season.
The other volleyball team, the 5th and 6th graders begin their season Saturday morning at 9:45 a.m. from Salesian.
This is also a brand new team strung together, and the girls who have played for two years, Edwena, Fiona and Victoria are now the experienced veterans of this young squad. Our newest 5th grader Kaela, in her first year at St.Mary's also has some previous experience in volleyball. Those four will be counted on to carry the load until other 5th graders Alexis, Ivy and Alexandria can catch up to speed.
And finally the 7th/8th grade soccer team will play their first game Saturday at West Sunset, starting at 1 p.m.
This team can be the best St. Mary's soccer team with the experience some of the boys from DeMarillac have.
On the St. Mary's side, Brendan, Brandon, Daniel and Hunter, all 7th graders playing in an 8th grade division, are playing in their fourth year. With others carrying the load, these four can be cast in supporting roles where they are more comfortable, instead of being insisted on doing all the heavy lifting.
Hartman, the only St. Mary's 8th grader playing soccer, is only in his second year.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: Volleyball Schedules Posted
Here are the volleyball schedules for 5th/6th grade and 7th/8th grade. Click on the schedules to enlarge.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday Morning Quarterback: Welcome back
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| My Sunday lunch at NDV. |
Monday Morning Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
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Welcome everybody into the first official MMQ of the 2011-2012 school year, where we look back on the weekend that was and take a look into the happenings of our teams here at St. Mary's.
We'll start with the first St. Mary's game of the year, as the 5th/6th grade fell 3-0 Saturday in their first soccer game.
For the first time, this class has a soccer team in their own grade, as the past three years they have played up a grade, which has led to some struggles on and off the field.
Saturday marked the debut of three 5th graders, Ryan, Jonathan and Jason, as well as two 6th graders from NDV, Nick and Dante. That coupled with our 6th graders, Garrick, Ryan, Raymond, Joseph, Thomas and Jason round out the roster.
This game was winnable, but the inexperience card got them late in the first half. You have to clear the ball to the side if you are a defenseman and not bring it back to the middle. We brought it back to the middle and it became a 1-0 game.
Two late goals were the result of some holes in the defense that were a result of the team trying to push up and score the game-tying goal, so those last two goals are not really that troublesome.
Ryan K. and Jason Z. both look a lot better on defense and improved from a year ago, and the best thing a team can have is a strong defense, and hopefully those two can solidify the back end of the team.
Thomas, twin, started in goal and made a few nice stops but he also let in two goals that he probably should've had. But more experience and practice should firm up the goaltending situation.
Moving on to our other teams...A terrible miscue by myself led to a game that was never a game. Sorry to everybody who came out and wasted your time. The correct first game is this Saturday at 1 p.m. at West Sunset. I guarantee it, but I'm not sure.
Both volleyball teams begin this weekend and both teams look sharp, especially this 8th grade team. They have the potential to be our best volleyball team to date, but only time will tell if they can reach that potentail.
And finally, we did have a few people quit teams, and some other snafus within the last week that were not very pleasant.
I may be preaching the choir, because the people who quit, and aren't all in, never look at this blog.
But when you join a team, you make a commitment, and you are part of a big machine. And when even a small bolt gets loose from the big machine, the machine suffers.
Everything is laid out. I have been here for five years. You know what you are getting into, practice, team and game wise. So if you or your family is not prepared to give it your 100%, it hurts everybody else.
If we had a jillion kids that wanted to play on each team, maybe this wouldn't be as big of a deal. But on our teams, every player plays a major role in the success of our program.
And for those of you who have been dedicated to the fullest, I can't thank you enough.
I look forward to a great volleyball and soccer season.
See ya pals.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
5th/6th grade fall in first game, 7th/8th grade play next week
For a team that has practiced twice before their first game, a 0-0 tie going into halftime would've been as good as a lead.
But a late defensive miscue in the first half when a ball was cleared right to a player on the other team led to a goal and put the boys behind 1-0 after two quarters.
There were numerous scoring opportunities, as the 5th/6th graders were able to push the ball up-field for portions of the game, but they were unable to convert. They were shutout 3-0 in their first game of the year.
It was 1-0 going into the fourth, but two late goals made the final score a three goal deficit.
For their first game, they played pretty well, but found themselves bunched up together when they had the ball. Spacing and timing was not there, and that's something expected of a young team.
Thomas made his first career start in goal.
7th/8th Grade Game Next Week
The 7th/8th grade will play their first game of the season next Saturday, not today. Sorry for the confusion.
But a late defensive miscue in the first half when a ball was cleared right to a player on the other team led to a goal and put the boys behind 1-0 after two quarters.
There were numerous scoring opportunities, as the 5th/6th graders were able to push the ball up-field for portions of the game, but they were unable to convert. They were shutout 3-0 in their first game of the year.
It was 1-0 going into the fourth, but two late goals made the final score a three goal deficit.
For their first game, they played pretty well, but found themselves bunched up together when they had the ball. Spacing and timing was not there, and that's something expected of a young team.
Thomas made his first career start in goal.
7th/8th Grade Game Next Week
The 7th/8th grade will play their first game of the season next Saturday, not today. Sorry for the confusion.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
First practice at the new school in the books
For the first time in school history, we held a volleyball practice up on our roof this afternoon.
We did lose three balls, but at least we had our own place to practice.
To see an exclusive look at practice, check the St. Mary's Athletics Twitter on the right sidebar.
And follow me to please, thanks.
We did lose three balls, but at least we had our own place to practice.
To see an exclusive look at practice, check the St. Mary's Athletics Twitter on the right sidebar.
And follow me to please, thanks.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: Soccer Schedules Released
The soccer schedules are out and both teams begin their seasons this Saturday.
The 7th/8th grade game will be at West Sunset, starting at 1 p.m.
The 5th/6th grade will play at Crocker Amazon with a 2 p.m. start.
Here are the full schedules (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SIZED)
The 7th/8th grade game will be at West Sunset, starting at 1 p.m.
The 5th/6th grade will play at Crocker Amazon with a 2 p.m. start.
Here are the full schedules (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SIZED)
Friday, September 2, 2011
State of Athletics, Practice Schedules (UPDATED)
UPDATE FOR SATURDAY: NO VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE TOMORROW, NDV IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT PRACTICE DATE
I am proud to announce that as of right now, we have two soccer teams and two volleyball teams for the fourth straight year. For a small school like ours, it is one heck of an accomplishment, and I thank all of students and their families for participating.
The practice schedule is below this post, and also on the side, so look at those if you need to.
So here's what we have for this fall.
For the first time ever, the 8th grade girls will have a team. Until this season, they have never had a basketball or volleyball team, but four girls in their class are going to play for the first time and I can't tell you how happy that makes me, and how proud I am that they've decided to be part of St. Mary's Athletics.
Currently, our 8th grade team will consist of 4 St. Mary's girls, 5 DeMarillac girls, and two girls from the 7th grade at St. Mary's.
I still would rather have a 7th grade team, but for that to happen, we would need 4 more girls from the 6th or 7th grade level.
That brings up our second team, which will be the 6th grade, who will also for the first time, stand on their own.
Right now, there are five 6th graders, and only one 5th grader, so we are right at the minimum for a team. So any 5th and 6th graders out there, we still need a few more players.
Finally, we have 4 girls who want to play volleyball right now in the 3rd grade, and need 2 more from either the 3rd or 4th in order to have a team.
SOCCER
Six boys from DeMarillac and three 7th grade boys at St. Mary's currently make up our 8th grade team. We can play with 9, but a full squad is 11 players. So of all the boys in the 7th and 8th grade, we just need two more. Make it happen. This could possibly be the best soccer team our school has ever fielded.
For the first time, we will have boys in the 5th grade participating in soccer. This 6th grade level time currently stands at 10, so we would need one more boy from either the 5th or 6th grade to round out the team.
Kickoff for soccer is one week from tomorrow.
SOCCER PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR UPCOMING WEEK
Tuesday and Thursday
BOTH TEAMS, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. @ Moscone
I am proud to announce that as of right now, we have two soccer teams and two volleyball teams for the fourth straight year. For a small school like ours, it is one heck of an accomplishment, and I thank all of students and their families for participating.
The practice schedule is below this post, and also on the side, so look at those if you need to.
So here's what we have for this fall.
For the first time ever, the 8th grade girls will have a team. Until this season, they have never had a basketball or volleyball team, but four girls in their class are going to play for the first time and I can't tell you how happy that makes me, and how proud I am that they've decided to be part of St. Mary's Athletics.
Currently, our 8th grade team will consist of 4 St. Mary's girls, 5 DeMarillac girls, and two girls from the 7th grade at St. Mary's.
I still would rather have a 7th grade team, but for that to happen, we would need 4 more girls from the 6th or 7th grade level.
That brings up our second team, which will be the 6th grade, who will also for the first time, stand on their own.
Right now, there are five 6th graders, and only one 5th grader, so we are right at the minimum for a team. So any 5th and 6th graders out there, we still need a few more players.
Finally, we have 4 girls who want to play volleyball right now in the 3rd grade, and need 2 more from either the 3rd or 4th in order to have a team.
SOCCER
Six boys from DeMarillac and three 7th grade boys at St. Mary's currently make up our 8th grade team. We can play with 9, but a full squad is 11 players. So of all the boys in the 7th and 8th grade, we just need two more. Make it happen. This could possibly be the best soccer team our school has ever fielded.
For the first time, we will have boys in the 5th grade participating in soccer. This 6th grade level time currently stands at 10, so we would need one more boy from either the 5th or 6th grade to round out the team.
Kickoff for soccer is one week from tomorrow.
SOCCER PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR UPCOMING WEEK
Tuesday and Thursday
BOTH TEAMS, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. @ Moscone
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Soccer Practice Tomorrow
Soccer Practice tomorrow afternoon, 1:30 p.m. @ Marina Greens for all teams.
Currently, we have a 5th/6th grade team and a 7th/8th grade team. We still could use more players, so please show up if you intend to play.
Thanks for participating.
Currently, we have a 5th/6th grade team and a 7th/8th grade team. We still could use more players, so please show up if you intend to play.
Thanks for participating.
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