Club Volleyball: Power League Explained

I wanted to pass along this fine summary of the Puget Sound Region Power League prepared by our friends at KJ Volleyball Club. Thanks, Pirate!

http://blog.kjvbc.com/?page_id=80

Club Volleyball: Tryout Weekend Blues

I'm sitting here at 9:30 on Sunday night and remembering back to a year ago when we got the call from ITVC and had to withdraw our commitment to Blaze and how exhilarated and stressed we all were...and I know many of you are going through that same thing. How do I know? Because I've heard from alot of you! I know a few girls who are going back to ITVC as U-17's and I'm so jealous of the dads! I've been kind of moping around all weekend, and not just because my Rams got killed by the hated Seahawks. I kept thinking Maddie would change her mind even at this late stage, but to her credit, she is firm in her decision. On the other hand, I heard from another dad that one of the nearby clubs told the U-17 candidates that the cost would be $4200 and that they would only go to tournaments where they would be seen by college coaches... qualifiers and other tourneys. No power league. Now THAT got me thinking. Even if Maddie had decided she wanted to play in college but only wanted to play at a school in the Northwest, I'd have to question playing for that club. And if she had said she only wanted to play club because she loved it and wanted to stay in shape, etc. etc. I would have completely balked at paying that kind of money. On the other hand, if she was trying to land a D2 scholarship and was not limited to WHERE, them maybe that kind of club would be worth it. Tough choices when you hit U-17....all you parents with younger girls, just enjoy the next few years! But I also think that unless you have height AND talent, it's an uphill battle to play in college. You can make it if you live and breathe volleyball because I really think it would take a total commitment to succeed....and that's what Maddie always struggled with. She LOVES volleyball, but I also think she doesn't love VB to the extent that she wanted to give up as much as you have to give up to play club. Still, as I got the word  tonight that the DD's of my 2 favorite dads will be back at IT next year, I feel like the dad on the outside. I hope what she chooses to do as a replacement for Club benefits her as much as Club benefited her. Whether it's grades, or her writing, or her art....I just hope that she looks back in 10 years and still believes she made the right decision. I guess being a dad who trusts his daughter has to respect decisions, even if he thinks those decisions are not the ones he hoped she would make. But I trust her. I'm just sad.

Club Volleyball: End of the Line

Over the past couple of years, this week has been one of the most nerve racking of all. Figuring out tryout schedules, worrying about where Maddie would end up, wondering where the money was going to come from...but not this year, because Maddie has decided not to play Club. I've held off updating the blog in the hope that she would change her mind, but I guess the decision is final. I've invited her to post about what went into this decision and maybe some day she will. My armchair opinion is that once she decided she wanted to go to only to Western, and once she realized that playing college volleyball means no summers and full time dedication to the sport, she lost her enthusiasm. She wants to do other things, and I support her and love her and know she will continue to thrive. And she'll be back playing for the Kangs in 2012 and be involved with the middle school teams as well.

That being said, I'm really sad that it's over. Volleyball has been so good for her, has contributed so much to her growth as a young lady, that I wonder what can replace it. For me....well, for me it's been some of the most fun I've had as a dad. To see your daughter compete and succeed is like nothing else. I've enjoyed writing this blog and meeting so many great people. I've enjoyed watching dozens of practices and hundreds of games at high schools and facilities I never even knew existed. I LOVED getting up at 6 am to drive to Olympia. I LOVED just hanging out watching other teams during those 2 hour breaks between matches. Heck, I even loved going to Highline CC! Maddie and me...we're tight; we'll be OK forever, but volleyball has been a special bond and I'm really going to miss it.

I don't know what happens to the blog. Of course, I will chronicle next season's LWHS campaign and I'll keep everyone up to date on what is going on with Maddie. I'll always be a club volleyball dad. Thanks to everyone who reads this and who has reached out over the last few years...Stacy and Ann, you guys have helped so much.

If you stumble across this in a Google search for Club Volleyball info and make it to this post, I just want to say that I hope your daughter goes for it! Club is so awesome. They will benefit SO much. Just hold on for the ride. Love you, #11. You are one hell of a setter and one hell of a daughter. 5x5, babe.

Congrats Kameron!

A great article about a friend of this blog, Kameron McLain. Good luck at State!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/highschoolsports/2016713536_ringer08.html

Kangs Hit the End of the Line

After an up and down season and a very satisfying post season, the 2011 Kang varsity volleyball team fell to Mercer Island 3-1. The girls ended up playing really well together as the playoffs began and had several chances to finally beat Mercer Island, but their stronger defense and dominant hitters finally wore us down. They continued on and qualified for state; congrats to both Mt. Si AND Mercer Island for making it. And so the 2011 Kangs season comes to a close with 7 seniors leaving, but leaving on a high note. My heart goes out to our Senior Libero, Katy, who played better and better as the season wore on and arguably deserves the Team MVP award in my book. She collided with another player in the 3rd game yesterday and ended up with a broken forearm. Having her make an appearance, arm in a sling, as she headed off to get the arm x-rayed was the stuff of champions. Good luck to Katy and all of the seniors in wherever life takes you.

Maddie has some news to deliver and I'll host a wrap up after the team party on Tuesday. Here's a last shot of the girls just after their season ender:

March of the Kangs Continues

I honestly did not think we would be playing volleyball into November, but the girls have simply turned it up a notch in the post season in what has become a memorable year for the Kangs. Yesterday, it was a District match vs. the winner of the Metro B league, Chief Sealth High School. The match was held at West Seattle HS in the spare gym which means the back of the bleachers were full with folks looking down and it was standing room only along the side and end lines. It was like playing volleyball in the ThunderDome for all of you Mad Max fans. (It is very cool that anyone doing a Google search for 'volleyball' + 'mad max' will someday be directed to this blog; who knew?)

The Kangs came out and silenced the mostly pro Chief Sealth crowd (though as ALWAYS we were well represented by a large group of Kang parents) by easily taking the first two games. Whether it was cockiness or a letdown or stress from the venue, we turned flat and lost a close game 3, then collapsed totally to lose game 4 and have everything tied up at 2. The crowd was going wild as Match 1 from the other side had ended and everyone was over watching our match. In a switch, Maddie started Game 5 and the team jumped out to an early 7-3 lead only to see it slip away and change hands continuously until it was all tied at 13, Chief Sealth serving. We rallied to win the point and Maddie cycled in to take the serve. Maddie is money on serves with about a 98% success rate, and true to form, she floated a warbler over the net that was not handled well by Sealth, they put up a weak attack and we got the ball back in system. After a deflection fell weakly to the floor, the Kangs had pulled off the win and lived to play another day.

The match against defending State Champ and #3 ranked Seattle Prep was almost anticlimactic. We held our own, but no way do we compete with D1 caliber players and they easily coasted 3-0. BUT, we play on with a Saturday match against Mercer Island who fell to Holy Names last night in another thriller. We have never beaten Mercer Island but the team is playing well right now. If we can hit with authority, get our serves in and play solid defense, you never know. 1 PM Saturday.

Congrats also to our friend Jessica and her Liberty team who beat our friend Ellen and West Seattle to also join the parade on Saturday. Maddie, Lark (from MI) and Jessica remain the only ITVC Blue teammates playing in the 3A tournament. Good job you guys!

A few pics:

Maddie's serve from the bleachers in the ThunderDome at West Seattle:

Another set to the outside:

Match point in Game 5 and VICTORY: