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 A Few Thoughts on the New Season by Club Director, Ed Cohen
Several times during my youth, my family relocated to a new state. There were some difficult aspects to these moves, but each one was an opportunity, too. Looking back, I realize that these experiences were a chance to reinvent myself. I started with a blank slate in every experience, and everything I did affected how people perceived me. A lot of things I did seemed like a new beginning, and I even felt different when looking at my reflection in the eyes of others.
As we flip the calendar to the 2010 season, this sort of opportunity is available to everyone. Whether joining Golden Bear for the first time or returning to familiar (Bear) territory, everyone gets a clean start in a new season. The start of a journey is always exciting, but don’t forget this is an opportunity for a new beginning for each player (and coach and parent), too. While the New Year is a traditional time for making resolutions, the external changes that come with a new volleyball season make it much easier to make lasting personal changes.
Take advantage of this opportunity to make others see you as you want to be seen. Project the attitude you want to have. Demonstrate the work ethic you strive for. Be the kind of teammate you’d want others to be to you. The way others see you can even change the way you see yourself. In the context of a new beginning, even those who know you well will be ready to believe in you as you present yourself. This is even true for the one who knows you best – yourself.
Go Bears!
Bears Shine in NCS and CIF
To say the least, it was an exceptional high school volleyball season for Golden Bears, both players and coaches. Starting at the top, The Branson School (Ross, CA/MCAL), coached by Michelle Brazil (16M), and led by junior outside hitter, Alex Schoenberger (18F), won the Division V state championship. Schoenberger was also selected as the tournament MVP. Mike Gee (15M) and his Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, CA/HAAL) squad won the Division III NCS title, led by Golden Bears Andie Olsen, Rachel Stier, Lindsay Parrot, Katie Huntington, and Monique Holt, all members of 2009/10 18 Forefront. Salesian High School (Richmond, CA/BSAL), Led by senior outside hitter, Malina Terrel (18F), won the Division IV NCS championship. Malina was also selected BSAL Player of the Year! Bears, you know!
It’s no surprise that players and coaches who have achieved so much success at the high school level also have long tenures with Golden Bear Volleyball Club. Our program promotes competition at the highest levels of the sport and teaches the skills and attitude necessary to win at that level. For more coverage of your Bears’ success, go to the following links:
Pre-Season Conditioning in Full Stride
A little hard work goes a long way
 Once again, and now that the high school/middle school post season has finally ended, all the Bear players have started the pre-season sports performance training at LifeStyleRx. During the course of the school volleyball season, there are lots of opportunities for conditioning and "staying in shape." But all the practices, team development and matches leave little time for working on pure physical development; plyometrics (jump training), core stability, agility and power training, so this in-between season is a perfect time for the girls to become better, stronger athletes. Under the guidance of LifeStyleRx’s trained staff, and the encouraging, watchful eye of their coaches, the players go through an arduous hour of running, jumping and lifting, and a series of sport-specific exercises that will, with some dedication and hard work, make them better athletes and volleyball players.
Michelle Brazil, Head Coach for 16M, recommends that all players who want to perform at their peak maintain a conditioning program on their own during the season. Michelle provides an excellent circuit training routine for her players. Emerson Salonga, Head Coach for 18F, suggests that players follow the program provided by LifeStyleRx and track their progress.
Whichever program you choose, conditioning – power, plyos, cardio, agility, and core – should be a 6-days-per-week activity if a player wants to perform at her best and prepare herself for playing in college. 
Golden Bear has long emphasized the importance of hard work, good lifestyle habits, and being willing to sacrifice the short term for long-term gain. So schlepping out to Livermore, missing favorite TV shows, messing your schedule all to heck, interfering with social life and homework, all to endure rigorous, grueling physical exertion and work up a good sweat really is a good thing – in spite of any protestations to the contrary.
Andie Olsen (18F) says it’s getting easier with each session as her body adjusts to the program. "The hardest part for me is the cardio and endurance work, but it’s also where I get the most benefit."
Taylor Seanz' (17M) mom, Ida, said, "She’s loving it! It’s much more intense than our previous club’s conditioning."
Last season there was a player who began the training unable to do a single push-up. At an after-workout team meeting, about half way through the 6-week training session she once shared with her team, "Every Tuesday night after LifeStyleRx I go home and cry myself to sleep." It was her first year as a Bear and she wasn’t accustom to our level of intensity and commitment. The great thing about her statement was that she said it as a matter of fact and almost a point of pride; that she had made the choice to join us and take her game to a higher level. Well, at the end of 6 weeks not only was she able to do 21 push-ups, but her clothes all fit too loosely and she was delighted with her new, improved physical self. Sweat well spent!
Above and Beyond
It’s one thing to be good, and another still to do good. And if you can accomplish both, then it’s worth mentioning in our newsletter. Many of our players and parents are active in their communities, and many of our coaches go far above their call of duty to help make the Golden Bear experience a memorable one. This story came up during a casual conversation between coaches, and it’s worth sharing.
Every year Golden Bear holds a fundraising event that has the players sell tickets to an A’s game and tailgate party. At the end of each season we gather the clan – players, parents, friends, relatives and coaches – and have a HUGE, catered barbeque before an A’s game. Every player is given a minimum allotment of tickets that they are responsible for selling. This event has three benefits. Besides helping to raise needed funds to support the club, it also builds esprit de corps in the Golden Bear community and a sense of responsibility and ownership among the players. The third benefit is that if a player is willing to seize the opportunity, she may buy as many tickets as she can sell to offset her club fees. Of course, along with all of the potential benefits comes a downside. If a player is unable to sell tickets, she’s left "holding the bag," responsible for the expense and with leftover tickets in hand. Not a horrible outcome, but still not fun.
Well occasionally a player will, try as they might to sell their allotment, be left with some leftover tickets. One season, seeing that a few of her players were distraught over their inability to off all of their tickets, Brenda Bertram (15B, Cubs) offered to buy up all the remaining tickets from her team’s players and proceeded to sell them to her co-workers – who gladly forked out the small fee for a great baseball game and awesome tailgate party and barbeque.
Did she need to do this? Of course not! But Coach Brenda wanted her players to feel great about their season and this was just a little thing that she could do to help them along. Not exactly Nobel-winning in its scope, but both on and off the court, it’s taking care of all the little things that makes the bigger goal get accomplished. Thanks, Brenda!
Golden Bear Coach Selected as GYNT Trainer
Golden Bear 15 Mizuno head coach Mike Gee has been selected as the technical trainer for the upcoming Girls’ Youth National Team (GYNT) tryout, December 26-January 2 at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The top 12 athletes from the tryout will be selected to the Girls’ Youth National team to represent USA in the 2010 NORCECA U-18 Continental Championships, to be held in Guatemala April 3-11, 2010.
Learn more about USA Volleyball High Performance – Indoor
Upcoming
We’ll be looking to expand our columns and coverage as the season progresses. Articles of interest, tournament recaps, Bears and alumni in the news, volleyball job listings, links to related articles and video footage -- whatever we can do to keep the Golden Bear Community informed, engaged, entertained and empowered – will find its way to the pages of the newsletter. Ideas, contributors and photos are welcome, and don’t be surprised if you’re approached for a photo op or a candid interview during the course of the season. Thanks for reading, and… GO BEARS!
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