April's Beach Volleyball Log

Women coaching Boys Volleyball

I find it interesting that it still makes the ... the fact that a woman can coach a boys volleyball team.In Annapolis Maryland it's still worth writing about. Click here for more.

The Best Compliment in the World

I just got off the phone with Mark Barber who has coached me off and on since coming back from Italy. Among other things we talk about the Budlight Fours often because he coached the women's Team Forster with Keba Phipps, Antoinette White, Stephanie Cox and Lucy Han and I was Left Outside Hitter for Team Champion with Paula Weishoff (middle blocker), Kelly Van Winden (formerly Strand) right side, Cheri Boyer (now Fitzner) setter, and Tammy Liley (now Leibl) right side.

Out two teams had the biggest rivalry because alot of us had been on the National Team together and were playing each other so often over in Italy that we just kept up the playful rivalry even tough we were home in this environment to play....and beat each other, lovingly of course.

Our games were hard fought. One time in Fort Lauderdale we played for an hour at 8am in 90 degree weather. That was just the first set. I was sweating so much that my ENTIRE body cramped up. I literally played until I couldn't walk, I had to be carried off. I remember trying to take one step and seeing the bottom of my calf muscle ball itself up all the way to behind my knee...and just stay there.

I was in the player's tent and had to have TWO IV bags. One is usually standard but I needed two. I was so sore the next day because my entire body literally cramped up. Everytime I moved while laying on the table some muscle of my body would ball itself up. And one slight move would lead to another muscle doing the same thing. That was awful...but I was proud.

The tour substitute player came in for me to play her first game of four against four. It was Danalee Bragado.

Mark said that I was always a "dirty work" player. I got all the basic unglamorous fundamental stuff done..taken care and still did all of the rest when I played. He said that He is a "dirty work" coach. Sweats the small stuff because its the little stuff that makes the difference. It's the dirty work like the defensive play that may take you way off the court or the passing that may keep you from hitting, or taking more responsibility on the court because someone is having a bad day and not making a big deal about it.

I'm a dirty work player. Mark coached Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes when they got their Olympic gold medal. That's one of the best compliments I've ever gotten.

If She Loves Her Handbags Here’s The Perfect Gift

tags: usa olympic volleyball paula weishoff karch kiraly keba phipps mark barber tammy liley leibl cheri boyer fitzner kent steffes danalee bragado stephanie cox lucy han antoinette white bags purses bag borrow steal