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from: Brad Bateman
Hi oregonjuniorsvba
http://theloveden.com/held.php?youll=6eywysbhtykh807er
braaaad@gmail.com
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http://theloveden.com/held.php?youll=6eywysbhtykh807er
braaaad@gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, August 22, 2014
14 Gold AAU Nationals Write-up & Pics
14's Gold AAU Nationals Experience
This year, OJVA's 14u gold team, coached by Marty Mozzochi was honored to have the opportunity to fly to Orlando, Florida to play volleyball in the AAU Nationals. Within this experience, we learned to compete harder and come together better as a team. We were also challenged to perform at a higher, more competitive level and adapt to athletes from different regions and the change in time zones.
As players we knew we had to work hard and compete every day; and as the the days passed by the competition got harder. We had a big adjustment to make with the 3 hour time difference. This made it even more difficult to wake up in the morning. We were playing at 5 am back home and getting up at 2 am for the first three days. This drained a lot of our energy. In addition to the change in time zones the weather in Orlando was much more humid and sunnier than we are use to in Oregon. We all had to adapt to these new conditions which was a hard thing to do. The humidity and warm weather made it difficult to play without becoming overheated. All of us as players had the responsibility to make sure our bodies were hydrated and well rested.
Playing in AAU Nationals was a great experience for everyone. The competition level was high, and every match was a nail biter. As a team we came together and played better than ever before. The first two days we went out with a bang. Kills were made, balls were dug, and we set very high expectations. The third day was very rough on us. Our bodies were sore and the mental preparation was just not there anymore. We still played very well, but the matches were not in our favor. In the second match of the day we came out with very tough tiebreak loss, leaving us with a very bitter attitude. At the end of day 3 we went home with no wins, but only motivation to win everything the next day. The very last day was hard, and very challenging, everyone's brain were just not there. With that being said we lost our match. It was tough losing everything on the last two days but losing taught us valuable lessons. It taught us that even though we didn't win at nationals, we played heart and with passion, dedication, drive, will power, and most importantly we learned to trust each other as a team.
The events that happened throughout our experience at AAU Nationals taught us many things we may use now and later in life. Our team and many other teams that played in the tournament were taught how to come together as a team on and off the court. We learned how playing unfamiliar teams from other regions can help us grow. We learned our teammates strengths and weaknesses which helped us play better together and really bond, and the most tiring, how to play in a four day tournament and persevere through tough times. The things we have learned in this tournament will help us throughout the course of our life; in not only sports but in our daily life.
Throughout our nationals experience, we grew as a team, as individuals, but also as friends. Over the course of the tournament, we spent so much time together outside of the gym just hanging out and getting to know each other, that it affected our game. We found we could trust my teammates better, and we played with more chemistry than we had all year. This was apparent in the first two days of the tournament. We came out and played like we had been playing together our whole lives. All of a sudden we became more of a team then we had ever been. Passing, setting, and hitting are the basics of volleyball, but you can't win with just that, chemistry is a necessity for a successful team, and we learned that at nationals.
Michael Jordan once said, "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." This teamwork was achieved for our team through friendships off the court. We all truly hope that we will be able to keep the friendships that we built with as teammates throughout our lives. Although our team did not win the championship, Nationals was the best our team ever played. We finally came together as a team and as our coach said we were all on at once.
(Written by 6 members of the team!)
Marty Mozzochi
Thursday, August 21, 2014
18 Gold AAU Nationals Write-up by Ariana Wiltjer
OJVA 18 Gold at the AAU National Championships
By: Ariana Wiltjer
Going to the AAU National
Championships in Orlando, Florida is a blessing that I, nor the rest of my
team, will ever forget. Nationals gives teams a chance to play the best of the
best and get the exposure that you don’t get anywhere else. Walking into a vast
room with over 175 courts, hundreds of college coaches, and a tournament with
over 2,000 teams might be overwhelming for some, but our team knew how to
handle the pressure. The amount of noise in this kind of setting from players
coming together, coaches yelling, refs whistling, and parents cheering is
indescribable. As we warmed up the first day, the first team on our court, we
were all very focused and ready for play. We knew that every minute of practice
and warm-ups were important, as this was our first tournament together as a
complete team since we’ve had to deal with several injuries, including mine,
this year. Although nerves channeled through some of us, we used it to get
positive momentum on our side.
After finishing the first day 2-1,
with our only loss being to the 5th seed in the tournament in the third
game 14-16, our girls and coaches went back to the hotels and rental house to
relax in the sun, enjoy some Florida restaurants, play cards, and swim (not too
much, of course, because we knew we had play the next day!).
Entering pool play the next day, we
knew we were up against some extremely good teams. First up, we had the number
2 seeded team in the entire tournament. Although we ended up losing, it was
really good to know that our team could compete at that level and stay up to
the speed that a team that practices 5-6 times a week is at. At the end of pool
play that day, it ended up being a three way tie for 2nd place, meaning
we would have to play-off.
On the third day, we felt amazing
and came out of warm-ups playing our hearts out from the very beginning! We
went undefeated this day, putting us in a good position for the last day. On
the last day, it was bracket play and we ended up 21st overall in
the 18 Open division! This was amazing for us because of how many high caliber
teams were there.
Being able to attend Nationals was a
perfect ending for the season because not only was it great competition and
allowed us to peak at the best time, but it was also really eye opening for our
team. Playing in the 18- Open division, made us realize that there are so many
talented teams outside of Oregon, and every team you play at this level is
good, so you have to be on your A game 100% of the time. Competition aside, it
was also an incredibly fun experience to be in a room that big with so many
other people that share the same love that you do. I, and I’m sure the rest of
my team, hope to be able to do this again!
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