University of Minnesota Athletics
Volleyball Head Coach Mike Hebert
8/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Q: What can a club coach do (outside of the MVI clinics and CAP) to continue improving his/her coaching. So we can assure are players we're giving them the best information and coaching possible.
Dave
Oakdale, Minn.
A:
- Feel free to observe the practices at the U. There are many high school and club coaches who take advantage of this open door policy throughout the year.
- Sign up for the U's Coaches Workshop held each summer in July.
Q: Coach: great job!! I am somewhat a neophyte in VB (watching gophers for several seasons,tho) Why do the Gophers choose to send so many soft serves near the net, it appears it allows the opposition chance for easy kills?
Don
Shoreview, Minn.
A: Great question. And thanks for being a fan.
Short serves to zones near the net are indeed easier to pass. But their intent is not to create reception errors. The short serve is intended to disrupt a team's desired approach angles by bringing a receiver into the intended pathway of the hitter, or by serving the hitter, making them have to come up short to pass the ball.
Q: First, thanks very much for the tremendous job you do with the VB team. I have been a season ticket holder for many years and thoroughly enjoy the effort and attitude our team carries onto the court each match.
My first question is about the short serves the team is using this year. What is the rationale behind that serve? It's not hard to understand the rationale behind Cassie's serve and I've been impressed with Marci's also. It seems like we are getting hurt as often as we're getting an advantage with the short serve, so I'm wondering why we are making such extensive use of it. (Having asked the question, I will say that I fully expect you to have statistics that refute my belief that we're getting hurt by using the short serve!!)
My second question has to do with the press coverage for the VB team. Our VB team is great and yet the press coverage is minimal. The BB team has already had a couple large articles. Don't get me wrong; I thoroughly enjoy the BB team too. But, I'm wondering why there isn't more press coverage for your team. Any thoughts on that?
Peggy
St. Paul, Minn.
A: Ihave lots of thoughts on this. But I'm not sure my thoughts matter. The only pressure felt by the press is from subscribers and advertisers. Despite the popularity of volleyball at the U, neither of the two major newspapers in the Twin Cities agrees that it warrants serious coverage. Change will occur only if folks like you make a fuss.
As I stated in an earlier answer, the intent of the short serve is not to create reception errors. The short serve is intended to disrupt a team's desired approach angles by bringing a receiver into the intended pathway of the hitter, or by serving the hitter, making them have to move into a position close to the net to pass the ball. This usually takes the hitter out of their rhythm.
Another issue has to do with how good of a blocking team you have. For example, we are a good serve-block-counterattack team. Every time we make a serving error we hand our opponent a point without even giving our serve-block-counterattack game a chance to score. If we were not strong in these areas we would have to rely more on aggressive serving to score. Last year, and at the beginning of this year, we were serving very aggressively and making a ton of errors. But in mid September we decided to change our serving philosophy. Hence, the frequency of the short serve.
Q: Wouldn't it benefit the team defensively if you moved the block inside more against the outside hit and give the opponents an attempt at the line (which is a much more difficult shot to hit)? It seems teams pound us cross court, and our girls are blocking out by the antenna, with no adjustment being made.
Jeff
Minneapolis, Minn.
A: Great observation. This is always a dilemma. Are we going to take line or angle from a great hitter?
First of all, in the Big Ten most of the outside hitters can pound the line. Digging the line shot is more difficult than digging cross court. I have always believed that it is better to channel the ball into the middle of the court where more diggers are deployed. And if you have a great angle digger like we do (Paula Gentil) then it makes even more sense to block line and force balls into the angle. We do block angle on occasion when we face a hitter who has trouble hitting line. But on the whole we are a line blocking team. Sometimes we get beat by a big time hitter who can bring cross court heat. But for the most part we defend this situation very well. We led the Big Ten in the combination stats of block/dig.
Q: Why did the team get off to such a poor start? Did you get a late start?
Also, the team seems to lack consistent focus and intensity, as well. Has the new defense or approach (tanden?) been a factor? What is it really and why was the shift to it important in your opinion. How is the team now adjusting to things now in your opinion?
The team has such great raw talent, especially size and strength of the hitters and blockers that the team should be blasting most other teams off the floor in 3 games. Do you see them rising to their potential( I know they are winning......but they still do not seem to be playing at the level they should) What are your thoughts?
Gary
Faribault, Minn.
A: I appreciate your evaluation of our athletes. I wish we could blast other teams off the floor on a routine basis. But the fact is that the Big Ten is consistently rated by the NCAA's official power rankings as the nation's strongest conference. This means that our opponents have good players too. Nevertheless, Minnesota has the best W-L record (32-8) of any Big Ten team over the past two seasons. As for playing up to potential, we are coming closer and closer. Out of 20 Big Ten matches we played poorly three times, all resulting in road losses to teams we feel we should have beaten. But in the other 17 matches I have to say that I feel as though we demonstrated consistency.
The root of the problems leading to the poor start can be found in the "too easy" march through the Big Ten that we enjoyed last year. Our players underestimated how difficult it would be to live up to the pre season hype and defend our title. After early season losses we lost our confidence and it took a few weeks to fight our way back.
Actually, we are a much better defensive team this year (leading the conference in the combination stats of block and dig). The conversion to tanden ball control training means that we changed from a non-linear style of forearm reception to a style which emphasizes the centering of the ball on your midline. It is very subtle, but requires the acquiring of a new set of instincts as you react to the ball. The team is incorporating the training very well. I believe that all of the players would tell you that it has improved their abilities in the ball control area.
Q: Mike, what has sparked your teams difference in play since the slow start early in the season? The chemistry and timing of your offense looks much improved. Your thoughts?
Dan
Behnke, Minn.
A: Our team underestimated how difficult it was going to be to sustain the success levels we reached last year. They thought wins would just continue to roll in. We were thoroughly "mugged" by our early opponents. Then came the 0-2 start in the Big Ten. The team bottomed out. They were searching for answers. There were meetings. There were hard practices. Slowly, they realized that the only solutions were going to come from within the team. Each person resolved to dig deeper and play harder. The turn around was the result of sheer will power on the part of our players.
Q: Do you like the new rally scoring or miss the old traditional scoring on serves only and why?
Phil
Ramsey, Minn.
A: I love the new rally scoring system. It puts a premium on every touch of the ball. There is much more accountability now. Plus, the match moves along much faster and is easier for the casual fan to follow.
Q: First, it has been years since I saw a college volleyball game, so this is no doubt a dumb question. We were at the game on 10/24 against Michigan. In our area people were talking about the player who needs to wear a different color uniform. No one was sure how her role was really different than other players, other than the fact that on both teams she appeared to me the shortest player on the court at the time. What is the position and how is it different?
Mark
Bloomington, Minn.
A: The new position is called the Libero (LEE-ber-oh). This player is designated as a back row player who primarily passes and plays defense. The libero was first instituted just after the 1996 Olympic Games and has been used internationally ever since. College volleyball in the USA began to use it in the 2002 season.
The libero can enter the game for any back row player. Entries by the libero do not count against the substitution limits. However, the libero cannot serve, cannot set the ball with her hands in front of the 3m line, and cannot attack.
The purpose of the libero is to enhance the ball control phase of the game, make rallies last longer, and make the game more pleasing to fans. She wears a different color jersey to allow the officials to easily identify her during the course of play.
Q: Mike, I've always been curious as a diehard Illini alum and sports fan (including attending many a women's volleyball game during your tenure there) what it is about Minnesota that drew you away and has motivated you to demonstrate a stamina in your loyalty to this institution that you did not have for Illinois?
Nick
Lakeland, Minn.
Let me address the second question first. I had a great loyalty to Illinois. What else would you call thirteen years of program excellence at one university? I do not have any greater loyalty to Minnesota than I had at Illinois during my time there.
Why did I leave Illinois for Minnesota? First of all, Minnesota wanted me very badly, more than did Illinois as things turned out. But mainly, my family wanted a change. We had been there for 13 years, had no extended family in the area, and had always enjoyed the Twin Cities. It was a very good move in terms of achieving financial security and retirement benefits, two things that are very important as a coach enters the final years of a career.
Q: Are you recruiting for OH from the next class to replace Cassie Busse? Curtis
Eagan, Minn.
Q: It seems like next year you're going to need a bit-time outside hitter since Busse will be graduating. Is this what you're looking for as you recruit? And how likely is it that we'll get a top-10 rated player for this position?
Mark
Minneapolis, Minn.
A: We would love to find another Cassie Busse. But they don't come around every day. All I can tell you at this point is that we have our sights on some prospects and will certainly land one of them.
Q: As a head coach for sixth grade girls volleyball what should be the three most important concepts my team should possess by the end of the season? Please rank them in order of importance. Thank you for your time!
Tim
Lino Lakes, Minn.
A:
- Play for the pure enjoyment of the game.
- Embrace the concept that at the sixth grade level, serving and accurate ball control must be the most important fundamentals.
- Learn to resist selfish behavior and practice giving of yourself to teammates.
Q: I'm a big volleyball fan and Gopher backer down here in Bucky Badger land. I would like to know how has the change to rally scoring affected college volleyball from both the game and match strategies as well as your recruiting for certain types of players?
Kevin
Madison,Wis.
A: Interestingly, I thought it would thoroughly change how we coached the game. But the opposite has transpired. The game is virtually the same, except that greater accountability for every contact of the ball has made the players better. Probably the most notable exception would be the dilemma posed by opting for different serving strategies. Do you serve tough and risk losing points with each serving error. Or do you serve more conservatively, choosing to win or lose points with your serve-block-counterattack game? I'm still going back and forth on this one.
Recruiting stays the same.
Q: What can a club coach do (outside of the MVI clinics and CAP) to continue improving his/her coaching. So we can assure are players we're giving them the best information and coaching possible.
Dave
Oakdale, Minn.
A:
- Feel free to observe the practices at the U. There are many high school and club coaches who take advantage of this open door policy throughout the year.
- Sign up for the U's Coaches Workshop held each summer in July.
Q: Coach: great job!! I am somewhat a neophyte in VB (watching gophers for several seasons,tho) Why do the Gophers choose to send so many soft serves near the net, it appears it allows the opposition chance for easy kills?
Don
Shoreview, Minn.
A: Great question. And thanks for being a fan.
Short serves to zones near the net are indeed easier to pass. But their intent is not to create reception errors. The short serve is intended to disrupt a team's desired approach angles by bringing a receiver into the intended pathway of the hitter, or by serving the hitter, making them have to come up short to pass the ball.
Q: First, thanks very much for the tremendous job you do with the VB team. I have been a season ticket holder for many years and thoroughly enjoy the effort and attitude our team carries onto the court each match.
My first question is about the short serves the team is using this year. What is the rationale behind that serve? It's not hard to understand the rationale behind Cassie's serve and I've been impressed with Marci's also. It seems like we are getting hurt as often as we're getting an advantage with the short serve, so I'm wondering why we are making such extensive use of it. (Having asked the question, I will say that I fully expect you to have statistics that refute my belief that we're getting hurt by using the short serve!!)
My second question has to do with the press coverage for the VB team. Our VB team is great and yet the press coverage is minimal. The BB team has already had a couple large articles. Don't get me wrong; I thoroughly enjoy the BB team too. But, I'm wondering why there isn't more press coverage for your team. Any thoughts on that?
Peggy
St. Paul, Minn.
A: Ihave lots of thoughts on this. But I'm not sure my thoughts matter. The only pressure felt by the press is from subscribers and advertisers. Despite the popularity of volleyball at the U, neither of the two major newspapers in the Twin Cities agrees that it warrants serious coverage. Change will occur only if folks like you make a fuss.
As I stated in an earlier answer, the intent of the short serve is not to create reception errors. The short serve is intended to disrupt a team's desired approach angles by bringing a receiver into the intended pathway of the hitter, or by serving the hitter, making them have to move into a position close to the net to pass the ball. This usually takes the hitter out of their rhythm.
Another issue has to do with how good of a blocking team you have. For example, we are a good serve-block-counterattack team. Every time we make a serving error we hand our opponent a point without even giving our serve-block-counterattack game a chance to score. If we were not strong in these areas we would have to rely more on aggressive serving to score. Last year, and at the beginning of this year, we were serving very aggressively and making a ton of errors. But in mid September we decided to change our serving philosophy. Hence, the frequency of the short serve.
Q: Wouldn't it benefit the team defensively if you moved the block inside more against the outside hit and give the opponents an attempt at the line (which is a much more difficult shot to hit)? It seems teams pound us cross court, and our girls are blocking out by the antenna, with no adjustment being made.
Jeff
Minneapolis, Minn.
A: Great observation. This is always a dilemma. Are we going to take line or angle from a great hitter?
First of all, in the Big Ten most of the outside hitters can pound the line. Digging the line shot is more difficult than digging cross court. I have always believed that it is better to channel the ball into the middle of the court where more diggers are deployed. And if you have a great angle digger like we do (Paula Gentil) then it makes even more sense to block line and force balls into the angle. We do block angle on occasion when we face a hitter who has trouble hitting line. But on the whole we are a line blocking team. Sometimes we get beat by a big time hitter who can bring cross court heat. But for the most part we defend this situation very well. We led the Big Ten in the combination stats of block/dig.
Q: Why did the team get off to such a poor start? Did you get a late start?
Also, the team seems to lack consistent focus and intensity, as well. Has the new defense or approach (tanden?) been a factor? What is it really and why was the shift to it important in your opinion. How is the team now adjusting to things now in your opinion?
The team has such great raw talent, especially size and strength of the hitters and blockers that the team should be blasting most other teams off the floor in 3 games. Do you see them rising to their potential( I know they are winning......but they still do not seem to be playing at the level they should) What are your thoughts?
Gary
Faribault, Minn.
A: I appreciate your evaluation of our athletes. I wish we could blast other teams off the floor on a routine basis. But the fact is that the Big Ten is consistently rated by the NCAA's official power rankings as the nation's strongest conference. This means that our opponents have good players too. Nevertheless, Minnesota has the best W-L record (32-8) of any Big Ten team over the past two seasons. As for playing up to potential, we are coming closer and closer. Out of 20 Big Ten matches we played poorly three times, all resulting in road losses to teams we feel we should have beaten. But in the other 17 matches I have to say that I feel as though we demonstrated consistency.
The root of the problems leading to the poor start can be found in the "too easy" march through the Big Ten that we enjoyed last year. Our players underestimated how difficult it would be to live up to the pre season hype and defend our title. After early season losses we lost our confidence and it took a few weeks to fight our way back.
Actually, we are a much better defensive team this year (leading the conference in the combination stats of block and dig). The conversion to tanden ball control training means that we changed from a non-linear style of forearm reception to a style which emphasizes the centering of the ball on your midline. It is very subtle, but requires the acquiring of a new set of instincts as you react to the ball. The team is incorporating the training very well. I believe that all of the players would tell you that it has improved their abilities in the ball control area.
Q: Mike, what has sparked your teams difference in play since the slow start early in the season? The chemistry and timing of your offense looks much improved. Your thoughts?
Dan
Behnke, Minn.
A: Our team underestimated how difficult it was going to be to sustain the success levels we reached last year. They thought wins would just continue to roll in. We were thoroughly "mugged" by our early opponents. Then came the 0-2 start in the Big Ten. The team bottomed out. They were searching for answers. There were meetings. There were hard practices. Slowly, they realized that the only solutions were going to come from within the team. Each person resolved to dig deeper and play harder. The turn around was the result of sheer will power on the part of our players.
Q: Do you like the new rally scoring or miss the old traditional scoring on serves only and why?
Phil
Ramsey, Minn.
A: I love the new rally scoring system. It puts a premium on every touch of the ball. There is much more accountability now. Plus, the match moves along much faster and is easier for the casual fan to follow.
Q: First, it has been years since I saw a college volleyball game, so this is no doubt a dumb question. We were at the game on 10/24 against Michigan. In our area people were talking about the player who needs to wear a different color uniform. No one was sure how her role was really different than other players, other than the fact that on both teams she appeared to me the shortest player on the court at the time. What is the position and how is it different?
Mark
Bloomington, Minn.
A: The new position is called the Libero (LEE-ber-oh). This player is designated as a back row player who primarily passes and plays defense. The libero was first instituted just after the 1996 Olympic Games and has been used internationally ever since. College volleyball in the USA began to use it in the 2002 season.
The libero can enter the game for any back row player. Entries by the libero do not count against the substitution limits. However, the libero cannot serve, cannot set the ball with her hands in front of the 3m line, and cannot attack.
The purpose of the libero is to enhance the ball control phase of the game, make rallies last longer, and make the game more pleasing to fans. She wears a different color jersey to allow the officials to easily identify her during the course of play.
Q: Mike, I've always been curious as a diehard Illini alum and sports fan (including attending many a women's volleyball game during your tenure there) what it is about Minnesota that drew you away and has motivated you to demonstrate a stamina in your loyalty to this institution that you did not have for Illinois?
Nick
Lakeland, Minn.
Let me address the second question first. I had a great loyalty to Illinois. What else would you call thirteen years of program excellence at one university? I do not have any greater loyalty to Minnesota than I had at Illinois during my time there.
Why did I leave Illinois for Minnesota? First of all, Minnesota wanted me very badly, more than did Illinois as things turned out. But mainly, my family wanted a change. We had been there for 13 years, had no extended family in the area, and had always enjoyed the Twin Cities. It was a very good move in terms of achieving financial security and retirement benefits, two things that are very important as a coach enters the final years of a career.
Q: Are you recruiting for OH from the next class to replace Cassie Busse? Curtis
Eagan, Minn.
Q: It seems like next year you're going to need a bit-time outside hitter since Busse will be graduating. Is this what you're looking for as you recruit? And how likely is it that we'll get a top-10 rated player for this position?
Mark
Minneapolis, Minn.
A: We would love to find another Cassie Busse. But they don't come around every day. All I can tell you at this point is that we have our sights on some prospects and will certainly land one of them.
Q: As a head coach for sixth grade girls volleyball what should be the three most important concepts my team should possess by the end of the season? Please rank them in order of importance. Thank you for your time!
Tim
Lino Lakes, Minn.
A:
- Play for the pure enjoyment of the game.
- Embrace the concept that at the sixth grade level, serving and accurate ball control must be the most important fundamentals.
- Learn to resist selfish behavior and practice giving of yourself to teammates.
Q: I'm a big volleyball fan and Gopher backer down here in Bucky Badger land. I would like to know how has the change to rally scoring affected college volleyball from both the game and match strategies as well as your recruiting for certain types of players?
Kevin
Madison,Wis.
A: Interestingly, I thought it would thoroughly change how we coached the game. But the opposite has transpired. The game is virtually the same, except that greater accountability for every contact of the ball has made the players better. Probably the most notable exception would be the dilemma posed by opting for different serving strategies. Do you serve tough and risk losing points with each serving error. Or do you serve more conservatively, choosing to win or lose points with your serve-block-counterattack game? I'm still going back and forth on this one.
Recruiting stays the same.
