Opening Weekend in the PAC 10

What makes competing in the PAC 10 so hard, is the level of competition is so high. It forces coaches and athletes to stay on task for a long period of time. Which isn't easy and the consequences for not, are rather brutal.

In the most recent AVCA Top 25 Poll all 10 PAC 10 schools are receiving votes - with 7 schools in the Top 25 Poll. That's quite a feat. It also means the margin of victory is so small. In reflecting upon last weekends performance I was reminded of the following quote -

When I tend to think of the awesome consequences of little things, I tend to think there are no little things.

There is much for us to learn, even if we have come a long way. Here's a link to the ASU State Press covering our weekend against the Southern California schools.

Quote and Articles

We begin PAC 10 play this evening against an extremely talented UCLA team - a description that could be used to describe every team in the PAC 10. So our quote for this week -

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only though experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.

A couple of articles -

• Canadian team experience boosts sophomore

• Volleyball ready for Pac-10 play

So long non-conference

Tomorrow we begin life in the PAC 10 Conference, where quite simply - life changes. The margin for error is extremely low and the quality of play is equally high. It is a conference filled with outstanding coaches, and even better athletes. I love it.

But before the we start on the PAC 10, I'd like to talk about what we learnt

during the non-conference schedule. We're currently 10 and 2, which is our best

start since 1993. It certainly isn't our most competitive schedule, but it did allow us all to learn a considerable amount about our team. Of note:

• that good over time is much better than being great every now and again,
• playing on the road is hard, but we're each our strongest resource in overcoming the challenge
• we shouldn't be afraid to compete,
• that to compete in the present, not in the past or the future
• the present rally/point is the most important one and thats where we need to keep our head.

These are tough lessons - ones that will serve us well heading into the PAC 10 Conference and beyond. We are a young team with a young coaching staff. But we are a program committed to daily improvement - "each day we get a little bit better."

Our program acknowledges, while individual performances are nice, they are not recognized without the play of the entire team. With that said, we acknowledge the performance of the following all tournament selections:

Paige Mittelstaedt

Utah Classic, ASU Sheraton Classic, Montana Invitational.

Sarah Reaves

ASU Sheraton Classic, Montana Invitational and New Hampshire

Sofie Schlagintweit

ASU Sheraton Classic (MVP) and New Hampshire

Sarah Johnson

New Hampshire.

Quotes

Each week of practice we've had a theme. To reinforce that theme, on the white board is written a quote.

Week 1

"Begin with the END in Mind"

Week 2

"Every action we take, everything we do is either a victory or defeat in the struggle to become what we want to be"

Week 3

"The vision of things to be done may come a long time before a way of doing them becomes clear, but woe to him who distrusts the vision."

Week 4

"You se things and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were, and I say, 'Why Not?''

Week 5

"There is no single defining action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Rather, the process resembled relentless pushing...building momentum until a point of breakthough and beyond."

And this week? For the first time in the careers of our juniors and seniors, ASU came back from being down 0-2 to win in 5. So our quote -

"FATE saves a warrior when their couage endures."