RESULTS AND REFLECTION

At last posting, I believe we were half way through the season, sitting at 6 & 3.  Things were going well for our young squad, considering our lack of experience in tough matches, as a group.

I made the decision to give the guys two full weeks off, as we had gone hard all fall, had met our goals thus far, and it had been about a decade since our program took a real break in December.   I think enough time had past that I had forgotten how much regression happens, when you take that long a break.   Needless to say, I was quickly reminded!

We went into the York invitational, with 3 practices under our belts in 2 weeks, and high expectations.    Those aspirations were quickly dashed as our rhythm was off and we looked rusty to say the least.   We finished sixth.  The positive from that tournament is, I think we played our way back to full synch and came home match ready.

Our opening weekend was pretty positive, with another 3-0 win over Guelph and a close 3-2 loss to Waterloo; which was a much closer performance than we had against them in the fall.

We then headed into our longest road trip of the year, which is always difficult.   We opened up at Western and went down badly in 3 sets.   At Windsor the next day, things still weren't where I would have liked them to be, but we showed tremendous character and resolve in coming back from being 2 sets down to take the match 3-2.    Mike Tomlinson went on a tear in that match, earning 31 of the team's 63 kills, good for 51%.

We followed that up with 3-0 wins over RMC and York, before dropping a 4 setter to McMaster.  The final weekend of the regular season needed one win to lock our hold on 4th place, and a home playoff berth in the quarter finals.   We secured that with a 3-1 win over Toronto, and then really didn't focus the way we needed to, losing an early morning match to Ryerson, to finish the regular season at 11 & 7.

We had a good week of training leading into the playoffs.  Confidence was high, given that we had beaten York on both outings in the regular league.   Things started out according to plan. We got up 2 sets to one.   We seemed to entirely lose our focus in the 4th and York's outside hitters got on a roll.  Despite that, we had 2 match points in the 5th, before dropping the closer 18-16.  Two points!  Two points, doesn't define a season; but it can terminate a season.  First time in 9 years we were not in the final four of the OUA.

Incredibly painful.   To have it in your grasp and to let it slip away.  Hard to swallow, for sure.  Yet, when I reflect back, I realize that this team came a long way.   All we can do now is take away the lessons learned, train hard and come back stronger.

I have always said that things go in cycles.  This was the opening of a new cycle for the most part.  Of course our leader, Jackson Dakin, was in his final year and we will miss his leadership, expereince and quarterbacking skills, absolutely!   He is to be congratulated on his much deserved OUA All-Star, Dale Iwanoczko Award, and Jenkins Trophy.

With all other players banking this experience, and poised to return; and the addition of a few exceptional recruits, the squad will look to better this year's finish - and both return to the OUA final 4 and challenge for a CIS berth.  

Stephen Holmes and Matt Bonshor earned team Most Improved Honours, and Ivo Dramov was recognized as both the Team Rookie of the Year and a member of the OUA All-Rookie Team.

The OUA is getting stronger every year, and this year was a milestone for the conference, with two teams in the CIS top 4, and a silver medal finish.   That brings an extra berth to the conference next season, and the competition to win one of those two spots will be exciting.

For the Gaels, it will be a matter of out working our opponents, it will be about using this experience to advantage and it will be about making sure that we keep moving forward during all periods of the calendar, and it will be about excellence in everything thing tricolour!

I am excited for what the future holds and I want to thank our support and administrative staff and all of our boosters, fans, parents and sponsors for all your support this year.   You were fantastic!

Go Gaels Go!

Second Half Hunt Begins

Back in the fall when we were getting underway, I thought about the number of people who were gone from the starting line-up. I thought about the limited number of CIS matches all our remaining guys had played and I also thought about our good fortune in recruiting and securing exceptional players both last year and this year. I believed it was definitely realistic to make the playoffs. Finishing in the top half of the league seemed like a good goal for us. After all goals are suppose to be realistic and challenging.

The talk around the league was that Queen's was rebuilding. Our assistant coach, Greg Stevenson coined the phrase re-loading; a phrase which I latched on to. Clearly we had the talent to do well, we had the drive to do well, we seemed to develop great team chemistry very quickly - a testament to our captain, Jackson Dakin and co-captain Jacob Glantz's leadership.

After only a few weeks of league, it became evident we could not only make the playoffs, but fight for a spot in the final four. Going into the Christmas break we were 6-3, a record which put us in the top four.

Should the goal then be to hold onto that position - top 4 - host a playoff berth - make it to the final four? Realistically, given the elements I inventoried early on, I might be inclined to say yes, but this group continues to progress and battle every day and now we strive to move up into the 2-3 side of the draw and make it to the OUA final. Of course, I know from experience, that anything can happen in one single match and in addition to that, the top 2 in the OUA go to the CIS Championships at Laval this year.

This past weekend we kicked off the second half. Our roster was altered somewhat as second year standout Scott Brunet was sidelined, while recovering from appendix surgery and 6'11" rookie Will Hoey was still out with his knee injury. We also added Daniel You, a Dalhousie grad and Queen's Med student to the roster, at least for the short term, while our regulars get 'fixed'.

Guelph was first to challenge us. They put up a great fight in the first and we showed some grit in pulling out a 26-24 win. The Gryphons stuggled to find their rhythm against some strong Queen's blocking in the second and we came away with a solid 25-10 set. The third set was better on both sides of the net, but our defense was the difference as we transitioned 11 balls to Guelph's 5 on the way to a 25-19.

The big test was Sunday, as we were facing the 10th ranked Waterloo Warriors. The Warriors took us out in 4 sets on their court back in the fall. We knew we had made progess in our play since then and had high aspirations going into the match, especially in our own gym.

The first set was exactly the kind of battle we expected. Both teams banging balls and making spectacular digs. The crowd cheered and applauded after several ridiculously long rallies. The Waterloo team has huge middles and they run a very fast offense, so our blockers were often in a time crisis. Despite that, and a credit to our defense, we were right there. Waterloo took the first
30-28. We stepped up our servering in the second and Waterloo wasn't as able to run middle; which made things a bit more comfortable for us. We took the second 25-12 and 25-22. After that, I think we were too comfortable and relaxed since we were up 2-1 and we failed to bring the level of focus and intensity we needed to finish them off. Waterloo also took more risk. They served very well, and we didn't respond and match that. We had several errors out of the gate, and even though we did step it up after a while, the Waterloo lead and momentum were in place. We dropped the last 2 sets 15-25 and 11-25. In the fifth, after being down 5-8 at the court change we battled back to 10-10, but then couldn't match their offense, going down 1-5 in the last 6 rallies.

The take aways from that experience are many. We are closer than we were in the fall. We need to block rightside/dig rightside better than we did. We need to serve well from start to finish and not let up when we are comfortable. In fact, we need to not be comfortable, so that we play with urgency, regardless of whether we are up, down or tied. We need to take more risk, run the middle more and try to keep the opponent's block more off balance.

Those things can be done. We have all the ingredients to achieve our goals. We are on a path and a plan for success and we need to be better tomorrow than we were today. That's our job and our mission.

We are off to London and Windsor next weekend and our next home stint is February 2nd and 3rd at 2pm. We take on York on Saturday and McMaster on Sunday.  

Go Gaels Go!

Gearing Up For The New Season

It is unbelieveable that 4 months have past since my last entry!    Where has the summer gone?   With holidays behind me, I am starting to prepare for our upcoming selection process, the team-building stage and the 2012-13 season.

We have five very good recruits coming in, and I expect that there will be a very competitive open tryout as well, as there is still room for one or two more players to earn their way onto the squad.

In case you haven't seen it on facebook for the website, here is a brief synopsis of the incoming class.

Ivo Dramov – 6'3” – Libero – Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Dramov has spent the last two years as a member of the Bulgarian Youth National Team. At the 2011 World Youth Championship, he helped Bulgaria to a sixth place finish, finishing second in total digs with 103 and third in digs per set (3.32). Earlier, he helped Bulgaria to fourth place at the 2011 European Championship, and second place at the 2010 Balkan Championship, where he was voted best Libero.

Markus Trence – 6'4” – Outside Hitter – Orangeville, Ont. / Robert F. Hall C.S.S.
Trence joins the Gaels from Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary in Orangeville, and the Mississauga Pakmen club. A highly sought-after recruit, Trence is a big banger with very polished all-around skills. In his five years of club and beach volleyball experience, he showed impressive aggressiveness and tactical intelligence.

Matt Golas – 6'5” – Outside Hitter – Etobicoke, Ont. / Father John Redmond C.H.S.
Golas is a member of the national team program in Beach Volleyball, and will compete on the OVA and National Beach tour this summer with future teammate Aaron Nusbaum. Inside, Golas has played for both the Toronto West Volleyball Club and the Toronto Thunderbolts. He also attended the OVA High Performance Centre last season.

Will Hoey – 6'10” – Middle Blocker – Brampton, Ont. / Mayfield Secondary
Hoey also attended the OVA High Performance Centre last season, and played with Trence on the Mississauga Pakmen. He helped the Pakmen to fourth place at last year's 18U National Championship. This summer, Hoey will represent Canada at the U19 World Beach Championships, only the sixth Gael to have this opportunity.

Austin Payne – 6'3” – Outside Hitter – Kingston, Ont. / Regiopolis-Notre Dame
Payne is already a champion, having led Regiopolis Notre Dame to an OFSAA gold medal in 2010, and silver in 2011. At the club level, he was team captain and MVP of the Kingston Pegasus for four years, attended the OVA High Performance Centre twice and was co-captain of Region 6 at the Ontario Summer Games.

We will have a young team next season, at least in terms of CIS experience. We will definitely have a new look, but I think we will have all the makings of a very good team. Our squad will have great size, great athletes, great people and youthful enthusiasm.   

We will need quite a few matches to get to the point that we are playing like veterans, so our priority is to play as many matches going into the season as possible.   We will hold an alumni game on September 15th, head to The Leasebank Invitational at Ryerson on the 28th of September, then play hosts to Guelph for a couple matches on Thanksgiving weekend, then we will host our annual invitational on the 12-14th, and finally; we will head up to Montreal for a few matches on the 19th of October.

With these 12 matches, before the season starts, I believe we will be able to sort out our line-up options, develop both experience and cohesion, and give ourselves a good chance at being ready for the league to kick-off.

This could be the biggest team I have ever coached (in terms of height), and it poses to be a very strong team, in time.   The big question is simply, how much time?

With almost all of our top guys leaving, most positions are available and every athlete will have a chance to step up and own a key role. That internal competition for spots on the floor makes for great intensity, and I'm excited to return the program to that environment.

Bring it on!!!

Season Summary and Coach's Reflection

As I close the books on the 2011-12 season, I thought it was a good time to write my final blog of the year. This season has been like no other. We kicked off the year with a roster of 18 players. Many (including some current players) thought it was too many. For me, it made sense. We had a number of injury variables that were yet to sort themselves out, we knew we could be losing as many as 8 or 9 players after this year, and most importantly, we didn't feel there was anyone in the mix who couldn't or shouldn't play at this level.


With six new players on the squad and 5 fifth years and 4 fourth years, we knew the gap would be wide and the needs of the two groups would be different. However; all along the goal was to keep pushing the top guys forward and at the same time providing a strong developmental opportunity for the new athletes, because they needed to be ready for 2012-13.


We didn't play very well in our opening couple weekends. We actually dropped four of our first five exhibition games - 2 to Laval and then UNB and Western at our own tournament, before taking Montreal in the 7th place match.


The next weekend, things picked up significantly, although we didn't have Joren Zeeman in the line-up. We played Alberta to a 15-11 fifth set loss, then beat both Calgary and Regina, to make it to the Dino Cup Final. Our passing broke down in the final and we really didn't perform very well. Nevertheless though, I felt we were improving and were ready for the league start.


I am afraid I was wrong. We started out 1-3 after the first couple weeks and were 5-4 at Christmas. We made some line-up changes along the way, simplified the offense a little, changed our approach to serving and just put way more emphasis into our passing game and then things started to turn around.


We went out to Langley, B.C. for a full week after Christams and had the opportunity to train with and play matches against Trinity Western. That helped us a lot, I believe.


When we got back things really picked up. A new determination to put it together and earn our way into the Nationals, rather than settling for being the CIS host team.


In the second half, we dropped 2 matches - both in 5 sets. In both, we were leading and in a position to close out the matches, and didn't finish. Finishing - playing tough in the 'red zone' (after 20 and after 12 in the 5th) became the basis for discussion.


As the season progressed, we got better and better. Our top guys were performing at an exceptional level. Our setter was confident and distributing the ball really well, our serving was putting other teams in trouble and our passing game really stepped up. Our final league weekend was huge for us. We took both Western and Windsor 3-0 at home and those are two teams we lost to in the first half.


We finished the second half with a 7 & 2 record - added to our 5 & 4 first half - so 12 & 6 overall, which was good enough for third place in the OUA. Third also meant we got to host a playoff game, and stay off Western's side of the draw.


That quarter final playoff was not exactly what we planned for. Up until that point, the injury bug had stayed away. Perhaps that virus had done enough damage to us in previous seasons..... but no, it came again. Alex Oneid went down in practice, just days before the quarter final. He had been playing great, so that could have had the potential to be devastating.


Guelph came out firing on our court and we seemed tentative. Perhaps it was that we were missing Alex's energy. We actually got down 2 sets to 0! With our backs to the wall, there seemed to be a change in determination. We bounced back to win 25-19, 25-13 and 15-8. We got better every set and with the support of a strong home crowd, we got it done and packed our bags for the OUA Final Four.


Heading into the OUA showdown, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would we be the Queen's that got behind 2-0 to Guelph or would we be the team that took them 3-0 when it mattered? We were up against McMaster in the semis. Both our league games went to 5, both our league games saw us in a position to win (even serving and swinging for the match), and both our league games were McMaster victories.


We came out strong. We took the first set 25-19. Mac fought back to take the second 25-23, and then it was like this new determination hit our guys. Our passing was solid. Our middle connection was working great, and our go-to guy on the right (Joren Zeeman) was hot. Set 3 and 4 went our way - 25-18 and 25-17. A solid performance all around.


Since Western had taken care of Waterloo 3-0 in their semi, we new they were playing well and that the final would be a war - in purple land.


Western played a strong first set - and won 25-22. We responded with a 25-22 win of our own. In the third, both teams were executing well and it could have gone either way, but Western prevailed 27-25 to go ahead 2-1. Once again, with with our backs to the wall our boys responded. Joren, Mike Amoroso and Niko Rukavina all went on a tear - and we dominated that set - to a 25-16 finish - and forced the match to a fifth set.


Drawing on championship experience from 2010, the boys were solid. We served Western into some trouble, not allowing them to run the middle as much as they would have liked, and we came away with a 15-12 victory and our sixth OUA banner since 2000, and our second in three years. The boys were happy, but with little time to celebrate, we headed home to prepare for the CIS Championships. We were excited to host at home as the OUA Champions!


That result garnered us a 5th seed in the 8 team event and a first round match against the Alberta Golden Bears. We had seen the Bears both at our tournament in October and at the Dino Cup and knew they would be a formidable opponent. In the week prior to the Nationals, they were ranked #4 in the National Top Ten, while we were ranked #10.


None of that mattered. We were at home. We were playing really well. We got wind that their top player (and his replacement) were injured, so in some ways, we felt the stars were aligning. That's sport though and those same injury problems had taken their toll on us, just earlier in the cycle. We had a job to do. It had been a long time since an OUA team had broken through that first round. We knew we needed to do that to put ourselves in a postion to fight for a medal, which was our goal not only through this year, but all through the cycle.

We had a meeting with our Sports Psychologist to talk about how we would manage ourselves in the CIS tournament. The big crowds, the pressure, the home court - everything. With so much to be excited about, it could have been easy to be over the top. We needed to manage that well.

The atmosphere at Nationals was unbelieveable. We stayed 'as loose as a sail' and allowed the energy in the gym to push us along in a positive way. We played with good focus, I thought. We played with confidence. We passed well, which was an indicator all year - as to whether we were in the right mind frame. We had a hard fought first set and won it - 25-23. Joren and our middles, in particular, were really good. That seemed to really get the crowd going. They started riding a couple of the Bears hard from the stands. It seemed to have an effect. We kept going - and won 25-18. To Alberta's credit, they didn't succumb. They battled back to take the third 27-25 and force a fourth. I knew if they took the 4th it would be tough for us. I knew this set was crucial. Another 2-pointer. This time, it went our way 25-23. The win sent the Bears to the consolation side, and us to the National Final Four. Step one.... done!

Our last two matches were tough - no doubt about it. Trinity Western, the #1 seed, and eventual champions were on a mission to repeat. They served very well and forced us out of system most of the match. We needed to pass well to have a chance. We went down pretty hard - with scores of 20,13 and 14. They neutralized almost all our weapons. We had some success at Mike Amoroso's hand and with an occasional setter dump, but the poor showing, more than the loss was going to be hard to recover from. We were sorry to disappoint our fans. The house was packed! They even turned people away..... which was a first for an ARC event.

We needed time to regroup. We still had a chance to win a medal. That had to be our focus. Our final game of the year - a chance at the bronze - but standing in our way of success were the Manitoba Bisons. They were the #2 seed and the only team in the country to take a match off Trinity Western this season.

We definitely competed better than in the semis. We played them pretty even - we were even in kills, digs, blocks.... the only category though that we outright beat them in was unforced errors. We made 10 more than they did. When you look at the final scores, those 10 errors were very costly. We dropped the first two sets: 25-22 and 25-23, took the third: 25-19 and then gave up the fourth - 25-18. We couldn't contain their rightside. He had an exceptional game. So the Bisons bronzed and we fell short.

When you set such a high goal, and fall short, it is disappointing. Yet, I find myself not disappointed. I am happy. I remind myself about the 1-3 start, the 5-4 standing at Christmas, and the 3rd place OUA finish. I remind myself that we were down 2-0 in the conference quarters. I remind myself that we were #10 in Canada the week before. I remind myself that we went in as the #5 seed. I remind myself we came out as the #4 finisher and that it was Queen's best finish ever and tied the OUA's best finish in 20 years.

When you put all that together, we have lots of reasons to celebrate. The season was a huge success. The CIS tournament was a huge success and for the 8 graduating players - their careers were a huge success. I am proud of this team and how far they came.

I also want to thank all our coaching and support staff for a great year. The support that goes into building a program to this level spans many layers - you know who you are - and please know how grateful we all are for your contributions! You share our success.

Go Gaels Go!!!

Brenda

Heading into the Playoffs

The regular season has ended and now we prepare for our playoff run. The second half was much closer to what we anticipated our season looking like, as we went 7 & 2 in the 2012 campaign, after a 5 & 4 first half. Our last five matches have gone 3-0, our efficiency has improved both out of service reception and in transition, and we are playing with lots of confidence.

A reporter asked me yesterday what our challenges are going into the playoffs. "Well, there are several", I told him. I believe the first challenge is within ourselves. Because we know we are in the CIS regardless, we have to make sure we play with the same level of urgency that our opponents play with. Their seasons are over if they don't win. Ours isn't. We need to play like it is. We need to manage our side of the court and play with the same intensity and urgency that our opponents play with. At the same time we need to play each rally as an individual game and earn our points, while not giving away points; staying efficient while being aggressive.

Our second challenge is Guelph. While we were serving for the match against them on our court in the winter, we didn't finish. They have proven that if you give them an opening, they will take it. We need to push from beginning to end. If we do that, the outcome will take care of itself.

The game should be great preparation for the CIS Championships. We hope for a big crowd. Whenever we have a large and engaged crowd, it is like having an extra player on the floor.

I hope you will come out and support us on our quest for the OUA Championships!
Saturday February 18th at 7pm, right here in the Main Gym of the ARC.

Go Gaels Go!!!!
Brenda

First Half Wrap Up

As one of the fastest first halves in my 25 years closes its books I thought I would reflect back on the term and share with you where we are at.

I think if someone asked me to describe our first half, I would have to say, tough, challenging, enlightening, and definitely forward moving.

We started out at home against the cross-town boys from RMC. I made the decision to play our first and second year boys in this one. They had a scrimmage match in Calgary the previous week and were very good together and I wanted so see how this group would perform in a meaningful competition. In addition we were dealing with a fair bit of wear and tear in some of our veterans, so I took the risk, wanting to rest certain players. Much to my delight, we were able to take the match in straight sets.

After that, it was definitely the toughest regular season start of my career. We hit the road for our longest two trips right off the bat. Our trek to Windsor and Western proved a bit disheartening as despite strong performances, particularly in Calgary, in the preseason, we dropped back to back matches 3-1 and 3-0.

We weren't scoring in key situations, our passing wasn't up to expectation and our efficiency attacking on the outside was not good enough. We tried sticking with a line-up to create stability, but that didn't produce results.

We came back 0 & 2 and put a lot of focus into both passing and attacking on the outside, as well as defense and transition to score. 1 & 2 on the season.

The next weekend, more long distance travel - as we headed back into the west - with Guelph and Waterloo to face. Against Guelph things didn't change much. We still struggled with the same elements and this time, I made changes more readily to see if others would bring more effectiveness. Things were better at times, but we still made too many errors at key times.

After some very good discussion and a plan to take some pressure off ourselves, we seemed to find a better stride. We took Waterloo 3-0 and showed moments of brilliance, but clearly we still had a lot of things to sort out and the personnel on the outside continued to be variable.

The bus ride home felt a little better. 2 & 3 on the season.

November 18th and finally a 2-game home weekend! We were pumped. Toronto was the victim of our home stance. After winning decisively in the second set and going ahead two sets to zero, I gave several younger players a shot. It was good to see the promise of the future perform in a meaningful match again and despite dropping the set by 4 points, I felt lots of positives came from that set. With our vets back on the court in the fourth, we ended the match 25-18 and moved to 3 & 3. Still far below early expectations.

McMaster was our next opponent. I felt we came out prepared. We were relaxed and focused and again looked like I felt we should - taking the first two sets 25-21, 25-15. In the third, I felt our intensity changed. Perhaps we were too comfortable. Perhaps we became too predictable. In any case we dropped the third 22-25. In the fourth, we had a couple swings for match point and we didn't finish. We went down 24-26. Pretty discouraging to go to a fifth when we were up and so strong after two. Clearly though, something had changed. Volleyball is a game of momentum. The pendulum had swung and we played poorly when it mattered most. Our 4th loss.

We then had a weekend off. I headed to OFSAA to look as future prospects and the boys had some down time before ending with another home 2-match weekend.

To close out the fall, we hosted Ryerson and York. We took both matches in straight sets despite a good push from both opponents.

So, the first half wraps up at 5 & 4. Clearly not what we hoped for. The good news is with other teams also knocking each other off, we are only 1 win out of third and 2 wins out of second, so we are still optimistic about challenging for the OUA title. Hosting the Final Four does seem out of reach however, unless something major happens at the top of the standings.

Now we move to a modified schedule of practice every other day. Maintenance on where we are at is the goal for the next 2 to 3 weeks. Guys will have to miss a session here and there but everyone is committed to ensuring there is no regression. We are also back hard in the weight room for the next 3-4 weeks.

On December 28th we head out to Langley, British Columbia. Our team is doing a week of joint training and a few matches with Trinity Western University. We hope to have some of our injury issues sorted out by then and we are looking forward to taking our game to the next level, in preparation for the CIS Championships on March 2-4, 2012, here at Queen's.

For those of you who haven't gotten them yet, you can purchase your tickets to the big show on line at: http://events.queensu.ca/cismensvb

Have a wonderful holiday everyone and to those who have exams ahead of you, I wish you the best of luck!

Closing the Books on the Preseason

The preseason has come to a close. 11 matches. Not a lot of wins, but if this year's preseason was just about wins and losses, we would have set up an entirely different schedule. This year is about playing the highest level teams we possibly can, so as to best prepare ourselves for the CIS tournament at the end of the year.

There are lots of reasons to be pleased, and a few reasons to be concerned as well. In the positive column, we have gotten better every time we have played, and that is our job and our mission. Many of our rookies have seen far more playing time that we (or they) might have expected and that is also a plus. All of them have shown great composure in matches and are ready to contribute as needed.

Injuries continue to play a role in our team, and are just part of our reality at this point, so no excuses for our performances. The guys who are on the floor know they need to step up and get it done. In Calgary, both Matt Taylor and Will Sidgwick performed at a new level and splitting rightside duties, Mike Tomlinson and Phil Goyer both held their own.

In terms of injuries, here is a status report for those of you who are following us closely:
Joren Zeeman - ankle sprain is almost better and he should be back next week.
Bryan Fautley - vertebrae is healing well and he is beginning physio - on schedule.
Dan Rosenbaum - is in therapy with a firm diagnosis and is optimistic for second half.
Niko Rukavina - sees the surgeon this week and will continue to play defense until he is cleared to jump.

So we continue to juggle the balls and are grateful for a large and deep team. As we enter league this week we will look forward to continued growth and progress in our game. We have taken a couple rest days, since arriving back in the middle of the night from Calgary (thanks to the 401 being closed for an 'unscheduled collision' (as per the MTO site).

First up is RMC, here at home, this Friday night at 8pm. Come celebrate Halloween with us as we take on the cross-town boys. Then we open November with games at Windsor (Friday the 4th at 8pm) and Western (Saturday the 5th at 8pm).

Come out and support the Gaels!

And So It Begins

As I sit here planning for the annual selection process for men's volleyball, I can't help but get a bit nostalgic. I also can't believe it is my 25th season! The years have flown by, and while one might think it gets easier with time, I can assure you, the tryout process is never easy.

You would think that with 13 returning players and a solid handful of recruited rookies, we would be set and everything would be straight forward. Ahh, if it were only that easy! We have several players who are managing injuries and are 'uncertain' at this point. We are optimistic that when it really matters they will be in the mix and ready to challenge, but only time will tell. We also have a few players who have been going really hard all summer. Joren Zeeman spent almost 4 months doing 2-a-day sessions with the FISU team. It certainly paid off, as his team earned a 4th place finish in those games. Will Sidgwick is away at the U21 World Beach Championships right now and has put up some fantastic results all summer long.
In-coming rookie, Aaron Nusbaum has also been going hard on the sand - earning a bronze medal in the U19 World Championships. All three of these athletes will need a recovery period in the early fall.

I have always believed that one person's struggles are another person's opportunity - that good comes from bad - and with that in mind - our focus will be twofold, in the next 4-6 weeks.

First, we will pick the team. Some think this is a formality at this level, but believe me it isn't. It is something I lose sleep over, every year. My assistant coaches (Greg Stevenson and Gabriel DeGroot) and I will meet endlessly to talk about selections and more traumatically, cuts!

I hate closing doors for people; but there are only so many spots within the program. The veterans have to come back in great shape and ready to be put to the test. The old adage 'you can't be a good rookie in third year' rings true. The bar rises as one progresses through the ranks in seniority. Over the years, there have been some huge surprises in walk-ons and some occasional disappointments in returnees. I remember back in the late 90s, Mike Hartel walked on and ended up competing in the World University Games several years later. More recently, Chris Vandyk showed up in tryouts after a year of Lacrosse and we ultimately won an OUA Championship with him as a main middle for us. That is what the tryout process is. Five days to put it out there and earn your way into the squad, for what poses to be a very exciting year.

Our second focus is around building the base - with several new players there will be lots of work to do in creating a foundation of excellence. Supplementary training to bridge the gap between the rookies and the 4th-5th year crew is a priority. The other piece of that, of course, is to ensure that there is no gap, in terms of team. Strong leadership and a commitment to being one unit, regardless of year or experience, will be a key ingredient in building the path to achieve our goals.

For those looking for information on tryouts, it is pretty simple: we start Tuesday - the day after labour day. September 6th - and every day that week at 5:30pm (Tuesday to Saturday inclusive).

Tuesday the 6th is an informal night - so you can come out and get your timing back and handle a ball without the stress of selections. It is also a good chance to check out the level and see whether you want to give it a shot, if you are uncertain.

Wednesday the 7th is the open tryout. One night to show what you can do - and earn and invitation to the rest of the process. Anyone new, who wants to have a shot MUST attend that evening - 5:30 to 7:30pm in the Practice Gym on Level 3 (top floor) of the ARC.

We expect the team to be named by Monday September 12th.

This time of year is exciting and stressful. I look forward to the 13th!

Welcome back and here we go again!

Brenda Wills
Head Coach, Men's Volleyball
Queen's Athletics and Recreation
284 Earl Street
Kingston, Ont
K7L 3N6
Off: 613 533-6289
Fax: 613 533-6324
www.gogaelsgo.com
Facebook: Queen's University Men's Volleyball
To Donate to the Men's Volleyball Team go to: www.givetoqueens.ca/m-volleyball
Home of the CIS Men's Volleyball Championships - March 2-4, 2012

Recruits 2011

I am pleased to announce to the blogging world, our recruiting class (to date) for the 2011-12 season.

The most local of the athletes is Tyler Scheerhoorn, a 6'6" member of the Cobourg Breakers Volleyball Club and the OFSAA 'A' Quinte Christian High School. Scheerhoorn is a member of the Ontario Provincial Team and was recently recognized as the Ken Davies Memorial Awards winner by Ontario Volleyball. Scheerhoorn is enrolled in the Honours Physical Education program.

Joining Scheerhoorn in the middle will be 6'7" Scott Brunet of Calgary. Brunet has a long family tradition of coming to Queen's and is a great acquisition for the Gaels. A graduate of the Division 1 City Champion - Western Canada High High School and the Calgary Canuck Club, Brunet is a member of the Alberta Provincial Team and was recently named the Alan Taylor Award winner as the top male volleyball player in Calgary. Brunet will study Kinesiology.

Also from the west is 6'2" outside hitter and defensive stand-out, Matt Bonshor. A graduate of AAA Provincial (BC) Champion Semiahmoo High School in Surrey, British Columbia. Bonshor captained the Fraser Valley Volleyball Club team, which finished 4th at the 18U National Championships this year and he is also a leader in the the BC Provincial Team. Bonshor enters the honours Arts and Science program at Queen's.

Aaron Nusbaum, a graduate of Dr. G.W. Williams, will join the Gaels as an outside hitter as well. A member of the 18U National Champion Crush team, Aaron can play on either antenna. He and his partner Grant O'Gorman (high school) enter the 19U World Championships this summer in Croatia as both Canada #1 and the second seed in the event. Nusbaum will study Business/Economics

Rounding out the group is 6'5" lefty, Mike Tomlinson. A graduate of Stratford Central Secondary School, the Forest City Volleyball Club and the Ontario Provincial Team, Tomlinson was recently honoured as the top male athlete in Stratford. Tomlinson will study Engineering at Queen's.

As you can imagine, we are thrilled with the recruiting class! We were looking for both size and speed in the middle, ball control on the outside and a big banger for the rightside and that is exactly what we got!

With hosting the CIS National Championship in Men's Volleyball at Queen's - March 2-4, 2012 and a berth already secured, this is an exciting time to be a part of Men's Volleyball at Queen's and I am very grateful for the support our administration is providing us to make all this happen.

Season Comes to an Abrupt end

The loss of a season is very similar to a death. First there is shock, then disbelief, then acceptance, and ultimately you go into mourning. It takes time to grieve, time to reflect, and time to evaluate.

It is so tough when you see things unfold differently than you planned, expected and hoped for. Very tough indeed. And now that it is done, I look back and hope that we can learn some things from the hard lesson that this season became.

Things were moving forward quite late in the season. After a disappointing 3-2 loss to McMaster in the regular season, we pulled together very well for the last league game of the season. Learning from the McMaster game, we distributed the ball better, we mixed up our shots better and stayed focused on the process throughout, with no significant lapses, despite some push-back from the Gryphons. We had gone 5 with the Guelph squad back in the fall and they were one position behind us in the league standings. Set scores were 26-24, 25-17 and 25-21, giving us an authoritative 3-0 victory. Mike Amoroso was up against two very veteran (both 5th year) middles and showed what he can do going on an impressive 9 & 2 run, and added 2 blocks and 2 digs. Joren Zeeman and Bryan Fautley were their usual productive selves. Joren put up 17 kills on 38 swings, along with 2 blocks and 3 digs, while Bryan chipped in 12 kills on 27 swings with an impressive 9 digs and 1 block.

I felt it was a great recovery from the Mac game and a very positive way to end the regular season.

That left us in a tie with McMaster at 16 & 4, but based on head to head results, we lined up in third, and as such were slated to play the sixth placed Waterloo Warriors at home, in the quarter finals. There was no taking the black and gold lightly, despite their lower position in the league standings. In the two league outings this season, we beat them in five in their gym and then dropped the home match in four sets, in mid-January.

Things were going well in training in preparation for the playoffs, when we experienced a blow to the plan. 4th year left-side standout Niko Rukavina went down in practice with an ankle injury. As difficult as injuries are to a team's psyche, we seemed undeterred. A change in the line-up, utilizing third year left-side Matt Taylor in placed of Niko, and we carried on. Small adjustments to the passing alignment, and communication plan and away we went.

A solid performance against Waterloo in the quarters left us on the winning end of a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-17) match. Good job boys. No celebrating though..... as it was only one step on a staircase to our ultimate goal. Again, Amoroso went 9 & 2 and added 2 blocks and a dig, along with several positive touches, Zeeman was 12 for 27 and Fautley 10 for 22.

With much to do leading into the final-four weekend, we moved forward with the next game plan and a vision for how the week should unfold. Despite offering the boys a rest day, they opted to plug through, a small measure of their dedication to their goals.

On Tuesday of that week, we had another set-back. Dan Rosenbaum went down with an ankle sprain of his own. It seemed we couldn't buy a break!

Jackson Dakin, a gifted setter in his own right, stepped in and took over the quarterbacking assignment. He had done a great job with that all fall, while Rosie was rehabing a hip issue, and I felt a certain deja vu, as we had gone through the fall without Niko or Dan, and here we were again. My heart went out to those guys as they both worked so hard to get themselves back into the line-up, but at the same time, I did feel we could recover and that with our depth, we were up to the challenge.

Jackson worked diligently all week to re-establish a rhythm with his hitters. The boys kept their focus on the matches at hand and we kept pushing forward. As a coach, it is tough when you are down to one setter in practice, so I had to be creative in planning and implementing drills. We also had to adjust our warm-up routine, as we would be carrying that out with one set of hands.

We headed to Western on Thursday night. The ride went without incident and the boys seemed to be in the right head-space. Friday morning we headed to Alumni Hall for our normal pre-match passing session. We had a team lunch and then headed to the gym at 3:30, for our 5pm match.

Well, things didn't unfold as we had hoped. We missed some shots and some serves early on and after that we seemed to be rushed and uncomfortable in almost everything we did. Perhaps a credit to McMaster, but at the same time, a lot of it was just us. We passed low which made our middles late and our setter rushed. It was hard to get into a groove or find any kind of rhythm, until the third set, when we seemed to settled down. Perhaps it was because we were down two sets and no longer had anything to lose. We were doing well in the 4th, and were up 15-9, when there seemed to be a lapse in focus, and we let the Mauraders back in. We ultimately dropped the 4th 23-25, and the match 3-1. It is tough when you know you didn't play your best ball when it mattered the most. It is very tough.

So there you have it. A good season, plagued with injuries. More injuries than I can remember ever in my 24 years at Queen's. A season with high hopes and expectations. It is over. Now, we must put it behind us, and learn from it. We have a lot of work to do and a lot to look forward to. As the host of the 2012 CIS National Championships, we are guaranteed a berth. We won't rely on that though. We want to earn our way there and not just get slotted in as the 'host'. With no one graduating and what poses to be a great recruiting class, we still have a goal. We have much that can be learned from this season. Our goals are more immediate now, but definitely achieveable, and that is what we will focus on.

We want to thank all the fans who supported us this year. Playing in the ARC in front of big crowds is a special thing. Thank you to the Queen's Athletics and Recreation staff for doing everything possible to make us successful. A special thanks as well to the Assistant Coaches, Gabriel DeGroot, Greg Stevenson and James Battiston for all your work this season. I also want to acknowledge and thank Student Trainer Andras Switzer and Technical Assistant Wesley Chen for their contributions to our program.

All I can hope is that we come back hungrier and both physically and mentally stronger in 2012. This is a great group of athletes and I know that they are destined to do great things!

Go Gaels Go!

Perseverance Pays Off

We just got back from our longest road trip of the year. Last Thursday we trained from 5:30 to 7pm, and then hit the road (with our women's team) at 7:30, for the trek to London. Nasty weather turned a 5 hour drive into 6 and a bit and we arrived a little after 1:00am. A lovely manor in the wooded hills of Western was our home for 2 nights, and it included a great buffet breakfast and a little sojourn back to nature. At 2:00pm we reboarded the bus for Windsor, dropped the girls at 4:15 and then headed to the box stores for some shopping and a pre-game meal. Back to the gym at 6 to cheer on the girls, in what turned out to be a 5-setter, pushing our start back to 8:40, rather than the scheduled 8pm. No problem. We are used to that. Get ready and wait. It was fan appreciation day in Windsor and the Lancer fans were very rowdy. We needed to stay focused. What great preparation for the playoffs, with fans in our face and testing our ability to tune out. I was very proud of our players as they didn't engage with the crowd. It actually didn't phase them. The team did a good job in tough conditions and we were out of there in an hour and 7 minutes, with a 3-0 victory. Showers, a quick food stop and back on the road. We hit the pillows at 1:30am back in London. I was asleep at 1:31, I think. 9:30am came quickly. Luggage in the bus, breakfast til 10 and then into cabs as we were off to a local high school for passing practice and our game plan session about Western, who we knew would be a much tougher opponent. They were ranked #6 in the CIS and we were #9. We lost 3-0 to them in the pre-season, and 3-2 in our gym in the first half of the regular season. The chatter in the volleyball circles was that it was the game to watch. That speculation turned out to be right. It doesn't get any more entertaining. It was a great match. Even in the first set at 21, we managed to control the last stretch and won 25-23. In the second, we struggled with our passing and serving and Western led by 2 or 3 almost the entire set, taking it 25-22. In the third we again were unable to mount the type of attack we wanted to, due to too many passes at the 3m line, and Western took the set 25-23, and a 2-1 lead.
I don't know what it is about our team, but time and again, when our backs have been to the wall like that, we have responded well. I hate counting on that and I do think we are good enough to not let that happen, but once again, it did. We fought back in the fourth, and were actually leading 21-14 at one point. At 22-16 we got a card for 'excessive cheering'. Even with the free point that made it 22-17, we didn't let down... winning the 4th 25-21. The fifth was a barn-burner. We almost gave it away. Containing Western's rightside and serving well were both challenges. We were down 14-12 and 15-14 and ultimately won the match 18-16. Thank goodness I have a good hairdresser, because these lads continue to give me gray hairs. 11:00pm, back in the bus with 2 'W's under our belt. 2.5 hours of driving, a quick pit stop at Whitby and home at 4:40am after some heroic driving in nasty conditions from our driver, Ivan. Ah, the life of a varsity athlete/coach. Coach, "do we still have spin class tomorrow.... I mean today (since it was 4am). Yes, absolutely. 5pm at the ARC, just 55minutes of go, go, go. After all with winning comes the responsibility to keep winning, and our goal is to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. We will host the U of T Varsity Blues this Friday night at 8pm, and I hope you will all come out and support the Gaels as we move one step closer to our goal of winning our 6th OUA title, since 2000.

Go Gaels Go

At The Half

8 & 2. Good? Bad? It is all a matter of perspective, I suppose. There are lots of teams that would be thrilled to be 8 & 2 at this point in their season. I am not. Not at all. We lost 2 matches in the 5th set. Both winnable matches, but both against teams that, as they proved, are good enough that when you don't bring your best when it matters, you lose. Sure, injuries were a factor for our team all fall. At one point or another 4 of our 5 4th year guys were out, but we are deep and talented and regardless of who was on the floor, those were winnable. We just needed to play better when it mattered most.

That isn't rocket science. A coach suggesting that their team needs to play better to win. Imagine that? But seriously, confidence under pressure is the difference between winning and losing. The old adage, 'if you think you can't you won't', is so true. Internal dialogue, including positive, aggressive, affirmative thoughts is a big part of it. A great performance consultant, J.P. Pawliw-Fry once told me, "Athletes need to stop and think about what they are thinking about". They need to check their internal dialogue and thought process when in the heat of battle. What's in your head at that time can be the difference between winning and losing. No room for doubt. No excuses. Just step up and get it done.

That is what we have on our agenda. As we muddle our way through exams and start our second half preparation, we will focus on our weaknesses. We will ask players to step out of their comfort zone in the name of growing their game.

Our goals are high, and while 8 & 2 isn't where we want to be, finishing first is still attainable. We are optimistic and at the same time we know that we need to take care of all the details. In sport, anything can happen. That's part of what makes it fun and challenging. We look forward to that challenge.

Hope you can join us in the second half. It is an exciting team to watch and we appreciate the support the Gaels fans and family bring both at home and on the road.

Happy Holidays to All,

Go Gaels Go!

So It Begins

We have closed the door on the pre-season and now enter the regular season schedule. The pre-season, while tough on us from a results perspective at times, was exactly what we needed. Only 2 matches against unranked teams and most against top 6 teams. What a great way to see where we are at, what we do well, and what weaknesses are exposed.



Now that we know all that, our job is to shore up those areas, refine and maintain what we do well, and keep high on our list what we need to do to be at the top of our game when it really matters.



The first order of business is balance. I don't mean something gymnastic, nor about tipping or teattering. I mean, finding a way to balance the demands of school and midterms, with the training, weights and competition schedule and still have time for good nutrition, enough sleep and even an occasional social outlet.



Time management and balance are such important skills at this time of the year. Staying healthy, not getting bogged down by deadlines and time-wasters,

and bringing energy to training day in and day out..... that is the athlete's challenge. Those who rise, will be successful. Those who procrastinate, who aren't focused, who don't keep their eye on the prize and see each action they take as a means to an end, will falter.



As a coach, I can provide direction. I can provide encouragement. I can hope and pray that the athletes I impact will figure it out to their advantage.... and when one doesn't, I can try to be there to help pick up the pieces..... but ownership is huge. The athletes need to own their own balance, their own discipline and their own decisions.



Ahhh, I love this time of the year. What would late October/early November be, without such challenges? Challenges are something to rise to, not to make barriers or excuses. Some will drown, some will tread water, and some will take the tide head on and swim upstream to success. After all, this is the time of immersion.

One Week In

So as our first week as a team nears its end, I though I might share my thoughts with you. As expected, we have a great amount of talent on our team. Currently we are without two of our left-sides, as Niko Rukavina just had surgery on his foot and Will Sidgwick is still away in Turkey at the World Beach Volleyball Championships. Niko and Will are two of our best passers, so their absence – while felt daily, creates a great opportunity for others to step up and increase their reps.

It is always interesting and challenging as a coach when you have a team like ours. What I mean by that is, we now have 5 guys in fourth year who are all very experienced and have extensive backgrounds – from the Canada Games Team – to the National Team, Queen’s aside. They are all 21 years old, have played at this level for three years, have spent 3 years training with us in the weight room and were all starters in our National 5th place finish and OUA title, last season.

Then there are the new guys. One had his 18th birthday yesterday, another has never played club, a third had to sit out a year because there was no program at 19U in his community….. so there is a gap. Actually, it is a big gap. Not unexpected, but a gap none the less. Of course the gap is somewhat bridged by the guys in second and third year, which is great, but there is still a gap.

My job is to close that gap and still keep the vets moving it forward towards our goal. It is going to take patience and support from them and perseverance and determination from the new guys, but I have complete confidence we will get it done. We have been quite technical all week and there has definitely been progress, but we aren’t there yet.

To that end, we are getting into some bonding stuff tomorrow. After practicing late and doing a beep test tonight, the boys will come together again tomorrow, in their jerseys to do some community service. The Team will be cleaning up the campus and ghetto between 1:45 and 3:15pm tomorrow and once we dispose of the heap of garbage bags, we will get cleaned up, attend the Kill McGill 100th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Game in the ARC and then head back to my place for a Bar-B-Q (steak) dinner.

We will stay in a technical phase for one more week, despite the fact that we have an Alumni Game next Saturday, but then we will move more to systems, because we will be going out to Winnipeg to test ourselves against the Wesmen and Bisons in 4 matches out there.

Our first big gig at home will be a pretty special one! On October 15th to 17th we will be hosting the 24th Annual Queen’s Invitational. Trinity Western, last year’s CIS silver medalists, along with Brandon (2009 CIS Bronze) and the University of Western Ontario (2010 OUA silver medalists) for 3 days of exciting matches. The games are at 6 & 8 (we play at 8) both Friday and Saturday and then at 1 and 3 (we are at 3) on Sunday.

Hope to see you there!

Brenda

The Try-Out Process

Now that the summer gets filed in the memory bank and we are into the phase called the ‘Try-Outs’, I thought I would offer some thoughts about this whole selection process, since I often get asked if I am holding tryouts and whether I already know who will be on the team. Well, the answer is yes to both actually.

Firstly, in regards to tryouts; I believe every student-athlete who thinks they might have what it takes should be offered the opportunity to show their stuff and have a crack at the roster. Over the years I have had a handful of surprises and pleasant ones at that. I remember back in the early 90’s Mike Cvihun walked into my office in frosh week, introduced himself and told me he was here to try to make the team. Well Mike never played club, he was a decathlete actually, and he was from a small high school outside Sarnia. Who would have thunk… and it took a couple years, but by the time Mike became a vet he was lighting it up, and he ultimately graduated a conference all-star.

Another Mike….. Hartel that is (also known as Hops), was a similar story in the late 90s. Lucky for Hops that Kevin Elsey lived in Vic Hall on the same floor as him, because he probably wouldn’t have even tried out if it wasn’t for Kevin. Hops was a gifted athlete and complete walk-on, who not only graduated a conference all-star, he played in the World University Games for Canada and played professionally in Europe as well.

There haven’t been any of those in the last decade, but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a diamond in the rough. That is why I hold tryouts. If the door was open to recruited athletes only, look what and who I would have missed out on.

That being said, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t already (almost) know who will be on the team. When there is an opening in the roster, of course I am out on the circuit looking for the best possible replacement. This year we have eleven players returning (or at least wanting to return), and I have recruited three outstanding players that we are committed to. That makes 14. I would be happy to run a team of 14. If the talent warrants it, we could take up to 16….. so yes, there is room for someone to come in and put their name on a jersey, and there is always the possibility that someone on the current roster could get beat out as well, as no one is ever guaranteed a spot. You can’t be a good rookie in second year (or third…), after all.

So, here is my advice. If you think you won’t make it, you won’t. If you think you don’t have a shot, you don’t. On the other hand, if you put yourself out there and try, and if you think you have a shot, you do. Better to let me and my staff decide if you are good enough, because the worst regret is the one that starts with “I wish I had….”. Better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all, and you never know; you might be the next ‘Mike’.

Summer Draws to a Close

It is hard to believe that the summer is just about over. It was a great summer! Why was it great? Well, as I look back, there are lots of reasons. First of all, the weather was fantastic. My golf game improved. My garden is flourishing and I successfully completed a major renovation in my house.

On a volleyball level, I did several camps, touching about fifty coaches and about 400 kids – well not literally touching them of course, but I think I have had some level of impact on many volleyball folk again this summer. Lots of people ask me if I have had a good break, and the question actually puzzles me. I have to think, “a break? A break from what?”, and then I realize; oh yes, they mean volleyball... and I politely answer. But if the truth be known, I don’t need or want a break from volleyball. It is my life’s passion. I love it! I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend, than at the beach watching my guys play a tournament, or being part of a camp or clinic helping young coaches and athletes improve their game.

When you are one of the people who can turn your hobby and your passion into your career you are truly blessed. I really am lucky. I am doing exactly what I want to be doing. Planning for next season is so exciting. We achieved everything we set out to last season, which is incredibly satisfying as a coach. It doesn’t always happen that way, of course, but when it does it leaves you energized and yet you have to wait five months to get back at it. Well those five months are just about over and I can’t wait! We have a great schedule, with about fifteen matches against teams from outside the OUA, plus of course our very competitive league to look forward to.

Last year’s top five finishers were all in the hunt, right down to the wire. No one had an easy time of it and I think that is the way it should be. It is more interesting for the players and for the fans and certainly more stimulating and challenging for the coaches when the outcomes are not straight forward. I sometimes think our athletes like the challenge of close games and consequently allow scores to be closer than they should or could be. That is a goal and a focus for us in the coming year. As a veteran team now, we must establish the level of every rally and every match. We must challenge ourselves to perform at our level and at our capacity, and not allow our opponents to dictate the level of play, even for short spurts. This is the sign of a great team, as opposed to a team that can play great. That is the goal. It is a challenging goal, but one that is certainly attainable. With only two weeks now until we get started, I can’t wait to put the wheels in motion. I can’t wait to take the first steps towards success once again. It’s never easy, but what fun would it be if it wasn’t a huge challenge? Go Gaels Go!!!