Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – For a young team trying to "grow their volleyball brains" as head coach Ken Briggs likes to say, extra practice sessions can only help accelerate the process.
His optional morning practice sessions – which obviously don't work for everyone depending on academic schedules – are becoming key moments for players to focus on individual skill development.
"They get so much feedback and we have so many really great coaches," said Briggs of his staff. "They're learning a work ethic, they're understanding the value of additional reps.
"We talked about it early that good teams practice every day, but if you want to be excellent, an elite level, you have to put in that extra time. And it's so much more valuable time when you're (coaching) in small groups because you get so many more contacts and it's all feedback. They get it and they're making use (of the extra sessions). There's a core of them – and a lot of it has to do with their school schedule – that are really buying in."
Next up along their path of development is a weekend "road" series at cross-town rival Alberta on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (6:30 p.m., both Saville Centre, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
It's the second time the Griffins (0-6) will have faced the Pandas (6-0) this season and in the time since MacEwan lost a pair of straight-sets matches to them on Nov. 5-6, Alberta has risen to No. 1 in the U SPORTS women's volleyball rankings.
As much as they're trying to win every point, set and match, the underdog Griffins will measure success against a much more veteran Pandas team by their own progression. The weekend will be another learning experience in their long-term journey from greenhorns to seasoned Canada West vets.
"(We can measure success) by battling and learning from them," said Briggs. "You can learn so much from every team we play, but a veteran team like that, they play very similar systems that we do – how they block, how they defend.
"For us, they're human, they make mistakes, they have off-days," he added of the Pandas. "They just don't do it to themselves. How can we force them into a few errors – put a little pressure on them? Pressure, we saw against Mount Royal, it takes them out of what they're comfortable with. That's what we're trying to do all the time."
MacEwan is coming off two 3-0 losses to MRU at home last weekend, but they at least put the Cougars out of system and forced them to make adjustments before falling, so there's that. Progression is happening.
Patience is necessary until the group of 16 first-year players hit their peak.
"This team will grow and be a very good team," said Briggs.
"I have a personal thought they grow their volleyball brain in Year 3. Things start falling into place. They have more 'ah-ha!' moments. We obviously understand that some pick it up quicker and some take a little longer, but the magical year is always Year 3."
