the beginning of something great!

We wrapped up our first weekend of competition with an alumnae match on Saturday afternoon.  The wily alums took a game from us, and challenged us throughout to play some good volleyball.  This was our first stab at creating a weekend of events to reconnect the volleyball alumnae with the current team, and it was a great success!  Thanks to the intrepid pioneers, Alex Graves (2010), Brea Robirds (2010), Leslie Compean (2008), Meg Clark (2008), Jeni Houston (2001), and Leslie Crandall-Dawes (2002) who traveled to WW and made it happen!  We had a the chance to spend some time on Friday night at Olive, Saturday we met for brunch at the Green Spoon, and Saturday evening, after the match, we were out at Flying Trout Winery in Milton-Freewater, for a beautiful sunset, wine-tasting and appetizers.  Looking forward to making this stronger and bigger in 2012!

the class of 2011!

the freshman showing off their posing skills during our evening workout

the beginning of another season

the 2011 WC team prior to our hike

Some beautiful WW valley scenery

the cooks for the evening---Corie and Jill making stir-fry

the freshman Annie getting in on the cooking

team activity prior to dinner

It's always so exciting to assemble the team for the first time together, to get going with the first team meeting, to see who is going to make the first nervous joke.  What will be the character of THIS group?  What strengths will come forward as we start our season journey?  This group is strong, this group is confident, this group is ready to work.  That's what we know after the first day.  We just finished up an evening conditioning session outside, and I'm already excited for the morning.  Wondering what we'll find out on Day 2....

Random photo of the day!

I'm a little behind with this posting---but can't resist this photo of some of the team members on their Spring break excursion this past year to California, and of course, Disneyland!  There are some good car stories, San Francisco Mission district eating trips, and some time in Berkley.  Of course, I've posted the goofy photo!  Happy summer to everyone!

2011 Summer Invite Camp has started!

We have 13 athletes on campus from California, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington this weekend getting more familiar with our campus, current players and the coaching staff. The sun came out for the weekend, and it's beautiful here!  We're so excited to host these fantastic athletes and share with them some of the things that make Whitman a special place.  Day two just gettin rolling!

Getting ready for training session #1

Ready! Go! Circular volleyball

MONSTER BLOCK!

WW Jrs U16 team

Learning to hit, and Olivia getting into her tossing duties!

This past Monday marked the first of five Spring Youth Clinics, where we are working with 4th, 5th and 6th graders to teach them volleyball, and get them playing the game we love!

The net is low, the balls are light and soft and we are primarily focusing on the super duper fun skills of HITTING and BLOCKING.   What else??

Walla Walla Juniors U16's are pitching in as helping coaches, the Whitman team is out in force, and we had 22 very excited and enthusiastic new volleyball players in the gym for about an hour and a half.

We are playing a game called "Circular volleyball" used to teach very young players the flow and pace of the game.  You get to catch the first contact and run to be the setter/tosser, then your partner gets to hit and someone else gets to BLOCK and the point is getting them moving and playing and figuring out how to get their feet to the ball.  

There was a lot of laughing and fun in the gym last Monday, and we have 4 more to go!

Spring means community service!

Making sure the games are good to go!

In early March the team volunteered their time to help with the Walla Walla Children's Forum, as they hosted Dr. John Medina, an author and authority on pediatric brain development.  Dr. Medina spoke to the greater Walla Walla community at St. Marks church.  The team showed up, and pitched in to set-up the room---hauling tables and chairs----and then went to work as part of the group working to entertain and watch about 40-50 kids ranging from babies to 12 year olds!  It was non-stop for a couple of hours, as we fed them pizza, and kept them busy with craft stations, some wild shenanigans at the pool table, and a rousing ping pong game.  The younger kid's area was a bit more calm, but required some expert soothing of some young ones finding it harder to be separated from their parents than others.  
Dr. Medina, who is associated with the University of Washington School of Medicine, spoke to this crowd, and then whisked off to speak on campus to another audience.  The following day he made a presentation before a packed Cordiner Hall to every teacher and employee in the WW school district, who made an unprecedented move and closed school for the day so these professionals could take advantage of Dr. Medina's expertise.  It was a good opportunity for our athletes to get out into the wider community and volunteer their time.  This month we're all going out for a campus-wide service day---stream restoration is on the calendar I believe.