Hamilton Volleyball Newsletter January 2010

1. Hamilton Volleyball Newsletter January 2010 Coach’s Corner Hello Friends of Hamilton Volleyball, Happy 2010! I hope everyone had a great holiday break and managed to escape the cold. I was able to enjoy sunny Florida for this year’s annual American Volleyball Coaches Convention (AVCA). Thanks to the Hamilton Faculty Development Fund, Hamilton sponsored my travel to Tampa, Florida to attend the AVCA Convention. The Convention was a week long event that featured professional development sessions, networking, a hall of fame and All-American luncheon and high school talent showcase. It was capped off with the NCAA Division I Finals featuring Penn State, Texas, Minnesota, and Hawaii. I was thrilled to attend the Convention for the second year in a row and continue to work on expanding my knowledge and love of volleyball. Some of the highlight presenters included Terry Petit, Marv Dunphy, Hugh McCutcheon, Cecil Reynaud and Sue Enquist. It was exhilarating to be able to get coaching tips and drills from these great names. I cannot wait for our 2010 season so that I can utilize the new drills and ideas I have learned. I look forward to being in touch. Please stop by the next time your are on campus! In volleyball, Coach Erin Reding Where are they now? Hey Alumni, We’d love to hear about what you’ve been up to since graduating Hamilton. Hamilton Volleyball would like to begin the “Hamilton Volleyball Class Notes”. It is an opportunity for alumni of the program to update their fellow teammates on their accomplishments, life milestones or any other fun fact you’d like to include. Please e-mail Coach Reding (ereding@hamilton.edu) with a summary of what’s been going on in your life.

2. End of the Year Banquet On December 12 the Hamilton Volleyball Team got together at Coach Reding’s house for an evening of fine dining, entertainment, team awards, and fun times! The team came dressed to impress. Before the banquet they took a trip to a local thrift store to find the most outrageous Christmas sweaters imaginable. It was a sea of sequence, pastels, press on patches, and wooly wonders. A sight to see! Coach Reding prepared her famous homemade spaghetti and meatball dinner. The meatball recipe has been handed down for generations by her Italian grandmothers and is now enjoyed during team dinners. Yum! The freshmen provided entertainment with a recap of the season. Some highlights were a spoof of Coach Reding and some particularly challenging practices. Assistant Coach Henderson also debuted a highlight film of the season. The girls got to enjoy a montage of the best blocks, spikes, digs, serves and celebrations of the season mixed with the team’s pump up song “Heart of a Champion” by Nelly. The evening concluded with an awards ceremony. All nine team members were honored with a varsity letter. In addition, Ally Martella was named Most Valuable Player, Kristin Stenerson was named Most Improved Player, and Alex Singh was given the Continental Award. The Continental Award goes to the player that has consistently demonstrated good sportsmanship/gamenship, strength of character in the face of adversity, positive motivation for others, and a determination to help the team succeed both on and off the court. This is a fantastic award, which rewards many of the intangible qualities of a player that often goes unrecognized. The team voted unanimously to give Alex Singh the award! Overall, it was a great night and everyone had a fun time. It was a fantastic way to end the season and get the team focused on the upcoming 2010 campaign! Meet our Award Recipients Most Improved Player Continental Award Most Valuable Player Kristin Stenerson, OH/MB Class Year: SOHome Town: Westminster, COHigh School: Thornton High School Height: 5-9Jersey Number 3 Elisabeth Singh, MB/RS Class Year: JRHome Town: London, EnglandHigh School: American School in London Height: 5-9Jersey Number 12 Allison Martella, MB Class Year: FRHome Town: Washington, DCHigh School: Maret School Height: 6-0Jersey Number 11