THE NORTHWEST COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL TEAM HAS BEEN IN ACTION FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND CURRENTLY SIT AT 2-9 ON THE SEASON. THIS IS A YOUNG TEAM STILL TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY. THE TRAPPERS HAVE BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AND FIRST YEAR HEAD COACH VALERIE RIVERA SUMMARIZES WHAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
“WITH MORE REPETITIONS MORE THAN ANYTHING WE WERE DOING A BUNCH OF SERVE RECEIVE DRILLS, BUNCH OF GETTING MY HITTERS ON A BOX, GETTING THEM AS MANY REPS AS THEY COULD. THEY’RE TAKING ABOUT 100-150 MORE SWINGS THAN THEY WOULD. AND AT LEAST IT’S ON A BOX WHERE THEIR KNEES AND THEIR ANKLES AREN’T BEING EXPOSED TO MUCH BUT THEY’RE ON A BOX. THEY’RE SWINGING AND THEY’RE WORKING WITH THEIR SETTERS. AND OUR DEFENSIVE PLAYERS ARE GETTING UP ON A BLOCK.”
THE TRAPPERS RETURN TO COMPETITION THIS WEEKEND WHEN THEY WILL TAKE PART IN THE CENTRAL WYOMING COLLEGE TOURNAMENT IN RIVERTON. COACH RIVERA HIGHLIGHTS OFFENSE AS A POINT OF EMPHASIS.
“WE NEED TO GET A SWING ON EVERY SINGLE TIP OR ROLL. AND I GO ‘RIGHT NOW I DON’T CARE THAT IT’S NOT GOING TO GO STRAIGHT DOWN BUT I WANT SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN EASY TIP OR ROLL.’ LET’S EMPHASIZE ON BEING OFFENSIVE ON EVERY BALL. NO MATTER HOW BAD YOUR APPROACH IS, NO MATTER HOW BAD THE SET IS, MAKE SOMETHING OFFENSIVE OUT OF IT.”
COACH RIVERA GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER GOING FORWARD.
“I THINK OUR MIDDLE’S HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP. THEY’VE KIND OF BOUGHT THE IDEA THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB AS WELL NOT ONLY OFFENSIVELY BUT DEFENSIVELY. YOU KNOW OUR MIDDLE’S BOTH CAN CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN AND I THINK IT’S THE OVERALL BALANCE. THEY’RE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND IT, THAT WHEN OUR OUTSIDES AREN’T PRODUCING THEN MIDDLES NEED TO TAKE OVER.”
THE NORTHWEST COLLEGE TRAPPERS VOLLEYBALL TEAM TAKES ON SNOW COLLEGE FRIDAY AT 11AM, THEN ON SATURDAY THEY PLAY CENTRAL WYOMING COLLEGE AT 9AM.
