In its third week of indoor training, Santa Clara's volleyball is already fast at work to make improvements for next year. The team will be looking to clinch its third NCAA tournament bid in four years in 2015. It would be the school's 16th post-season bid as well. Bronco head coach Jon Wallace (JW) chatted late last week about the progress the team is making, the goals and the mindset of the team heading into next year.
SCB: Santa Clara is on the quarter's system so the University is in class through mid-June (graduation is June 13). Because SCU is on quarters, you're in your second week of a four-week indoor training period. What are a couple of the goals that you've been able to accomplish just in that first week of this spring season?
JW: We are asking all of our girls to look at the game a little differently, staying true to a specific focus in everything they do. It is a very processed kind of way we want them to look at the game. We want our girls to be uncomfortable with every drill we are doing. We believe this uncomfortable level we are creating in May will then turn into a very comfortable setting come August/September and going into the 2015 season. It is going really well. Our girls are very committed to everything they are doing. Pushing their mental and physical approach. We've been able to dive into the girls' goal setting on both a technical and mental aspect. We are seeing great results and unbelievable commitment to what they are doing on a daily basis.
SCB: In the last two weeks, you have played five Bay Area teams indoors. Can you tell us a little bit about how those went and what the results were?
JW: We played a total of 11 sets and we went 9-2 in those sets. Most importantly the focus our girls had going into each of those sets was spot on. They did a great job focusing on all the things we want them to get better at this spring. Our group right now is extremely dialed in on learning the game and getting better at their skills. Having great communication with their teammates as well as great communication with their coaches has been a huge stepping-stone for our program. We are doing an awesome job at figuring things out and getting to a deeper level of learning that this great great game of volleyball can offer.
SCB: After coming back from a three month sand season, and with only two weeks left indoors, what do you think will be important for this team to work on/change/tweak as you go into the summer?
JW: We're going to continue to work on connecting our girls' eyework simultaneously with pattern recognition. We have to be able to see the game and we have to be able to react to the game. Connecting those two aspects is our main goal. By the end of spring, having those thoughts and movements be seamless is what we want. The girls are working very hard at this. Tying those two together will really allow us to be a smooth, operating team come fall. This will also enable us to execute at a higher standard than we did a year ago.
SCB: Once you're finished May 28th, then you'll be off for finals. When will the team start to come back? When is your first day in the fall?
JW: Our first practice in the fall is August 10th. A lot of our team is going to stay up here and work camps for us. We all come back and work our recruiting camp at the end of July. That's a great four days for our girls to play together, lift together, reconnect and welcome the incoming freshman that will be at the camp. It is also a great opportunity for our leaders to get our whole team on the right path and in the right state of mind for preseason. This group is extremely focused on our goals, which is to win the WCC championship and have a long run in the NCAA tournament next year. It is fun to watch, it is fun to be a part of, and we're giving them everything they need to accomplish their goals.
SCB: Is there anything else you want to add about your players and their growth this off-season?
JW: "All of our girls right now are doing great. We have 10 young women working extremely hard. It is awesome to see women like Danielle Rottman, who led the WCC in digs last year, being one of our most motivated players. She wants to be better than last year and she is working extremely hard. Nicole Hess is getting better day-by-day. Sabrina Clayton has taken a lot of strides forward and is playing really well also. It is also exciting to have players like Katrina Inch and Natasha Calkins who are working hard to get their games in the right spots so they can compete for starting positions next year.
