recruiting to your system or…. systeming to your recruits?
TRANSCRIPT
Recruiting to Your System
or…
Systeming to Your Recruits?
When recruiting, do coaches
• Look to fill specific openings on their team? For example, “we had a setter, a middle, and an opposite complete their eligibility, so we are looking for a setter, middle, and opposite”.
• Or, do they go after specific players (outstanding athletes, highly-skilled players) and figure out how to best utilize their talents regardless of their primary position?
Recruiting to Your System
Pros• Allows for better planning in
regards to scholarship disbursement
• Ideally, classes will be somewhat evenly divided by position
• Simplifies recruiting• Makes evaluating less difficult• Less time spent teaching
fundamentals as recruits come into the program having already been trained in that position
Cons• Team becomes more predictable• High-potential players whose
positions are already solidified may be on the bench for extended periods
• Outstanding athletes are passed on because the institution isn’t looking for that position
• Key injuries can hijack the season because of ill-equipped replacements
• Not as fun (IMHO)
Systeming to your Recruits
• Pros• Cross-training positions comes to the
rescue when key players are injured• You can put all of your best athletes
on the court (a “con” for some)• Simplifies recruiting• Makes evaluating less difficult• Team can show many “looks” during
the season and between seasons• FUN FUN FUN• Can adapt practices to mimic
opponents• Allows for adjustments during
matches
• Cons• Increased ambiguity for players (is
this a “con?”)• More time spent in individual training
as players may be training in new positions
• Players having multiple roles in practice creates players who are good in 2 or more positions, as opposed to great in one position.
• May end up overloaded in one position and underloaded in another position.
• Less time devoted to team training
To come up with a system based on your personnel, you must:
1. Evaluate the assets and drawbacks of each player2. Figure out which drawbacks you can correct and do so (mostly mechanical aspects)3. Come up with ideas that can maximize the player’s strengths and minimize the effects of their drawbacks4. Train the players at their position(s)5. Integrate the players into a system6. Practice all aspects of the system7. Practice out-of-system
Introduce the player and what they brought with them
Share our plan for the player and how we implemented the plan
Show the results
Middle Tennessee’s General Offensive System Principals
(to be kept in mind when recruiting)
1. Use speed (quickness) and athleticism to their fullest2. Success for all attackers is based on a zero-tempo ball for the middles/opposites3. Overload your opponent – make them have to guess or commit (get your attackers one-on-one or one-on-none)4. Have many different looks – difficult to scout5. Make it Fun to watch and play – make it dramatic 6. All attackers practice hitting all tempo sets all along the net
Assets:•Jump reach of 10’5”•Physically strong•Big hands and feet (men’s size 12)•Outstanding quickness•Fast and lively arm•Very coachable•Long limbs•Freak of nature – good genes!
Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Poor timing on higher tempo sets•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Crowds the net•Sometimes out-of-control (ok, frequently out-of-control)
Ashley Asberry (AB)5’9 SR Middle Blocker (M1)Played all positions in HS
The Plan for AB The Results for AB
Seasons: 4
Kills 1105
Errors 315
Attempts: 2026
Kill %: .545
Hitting Efficiency .390
•Move her outside•Move her around•Make her reach•Front and back, close and away•Give her space•Don’t “set her up”•In transition, ball comes quickly – run her laterally (use her speed). If it hangs, she gets to the attack line (use her jump)•Keep her composed
Assets:•Jump reach of 10’•Physically strong •Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Outstanding quickness•Hits a very heavy ball•Good skill level and club experience•Aggressive attacker
Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Swings from her shoulder without using her elbow•Fast-twitch – poor timing on higher sets•Tentative off the net and on tight sets•High error attacker
Ashley Mead (Meader)5’9 JR Outside Hitter (L1)LF, RF in HS, LF in club
The Plan for Meader The Results for Meader
Seasons: 3
Kills 808
Errors 397
Attempts: 2025
Kill %: .399
Hitting Efficiency .203
•Keep her sets WAY off the net (5-6 feet)•Keep her sets FLAT•3-step approach in SRso she starts on the line in LB•2-step in transition when blocking; 3-step when off-blocker•Set her very low playsets but off the net•Get her one-on-one So use M2 as a decoy
Iza Kozon6’0 SO Outside Hitter (L2)Libero, LF in HS, Club
Assets:•Outstanding feet•Highly-skilled•Great competitor•Very competent all-around•Good timing for second-tempo and higher sets•Sees the block and defense extremely well
Drawbacks:•Elbow not high enough when attacking•Good not great athlete•Struggles against established block•Generally not a terminator•Jump reach of 9’8”
The Plan for Iza The Results for Iza
Seasons: 2
Kills 800
Errors 315
Attempts: 2001
Kill %: .400
Hitting Efficiency .229
•Set her closer to the net but don’t trap her (she sees the block well)•Keep her sets FLAT in system, but ok to set her higher ball•3-step approach in SR – pass to attack•Inside/out approaching as much as possible•Extra tight total coverage for her – give her the confidence to swing swing swing•Give her some candy!•Set some of her balls inside so she can show cross-hit line•Set her in the back row in-system
Stacy Oladinni 6’0 FR Middle Blocker/OppositeMB in HS, Club
Assets:•Jump reach of 10’2”•Extremely strong (field events)•Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Good quickness•Hits a very heavy ball•Very coachable•Outstanding blocking instincts and technique•High potential as a setter
Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation – goes right into her swing•Attacks much better off 1 foot•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Left-eye dominant – loses the block•Very large frame •Poor thrower
The Plan for Stacy The Results for Stacy
Seasons: 1
Kills 209
Errors 88
Attempts: 460
Kill %: .454
Hitting Efficiency: .263
•Keep her primarily behind the setter•Set her mostly 1st tempo balls (huts, Bs, Cs)•Rarely jumping off 2 feet•Give her the 2nd ball when running playsets•Huts, but only in serve receive•Transition to a spot in front of the setter (stack her)•Train her off 2 feet in Spring•Let her set tempo or turn and push it down
Janay Yancey 5’11 JR Middle Blocker (M2)OH, MB in HS, MB Club
Assets:•Jump reach of 10’2”•Physically very strong•Big hands and feet (men’s size 11)•Outstanding quickness•Fast and lively arm•Very coachable•Good timing for various heights of sets•Amazing wrist – power and control
Drawbacks:•Poor arm preparation•Inefficient armswing – pulls her elbow down•Under-developed player•Inexperienced•Gets underneath the ball•Crowds the net•Loses significant verticality off 1 foot•360s in transition
The Plan for Janay The Results for Janay
Seasons: 1
Kills 130
Errors 38
Attempts: 250
Kill %: .520
Hitting Efficiency .368
•Keep her primarily in front•Keep her off the net•Mostly jumping off two feet•Decoy in Serve ReceiveUse her in transition•Use a lot of pushes•Abbreviate her approach•Hitting mostly zero tempo sets (1s, pushes, fast 3s)•Train her off 1 foot in Spring
Post script
Sasha McGlothin6’2 SO MB• Recruited as a MB• Wanted to move her to OH• Starting MB halfway thru• 2006 and into 2007
Lindsey Cheatham6’2 FR MB• Recruited as a MB• Trained at MB• Switched to Opp• Switched to OH• Back to Middle(Poster child for MTs recruiting
philosophy)