vb soul magazine—vol2 no1_spring 2015

PIOTR MARCINIAK:2014’s “Best Offensive Player” Ready to Dominate!

FEATURED INSIDE:The Top Ten College Sand Programs

Rizing Starz of Volleyball

2015 Players to Watch

The 2014 Season Champs Share Their Strategies

Volume 2, Number 1•Spring 2015

Fit ‘N Fierce

Eat To Win

Your Core Counts

GET FIT NOW

2015 TOUR PREVIEWGet the Inside Scoop on Our Eight Action-Packed Events

VB Soul Magazine I 3THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE

Table of Contents

Volume 2, Number 1 • Spring 2015THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE

Publisher’s Letter 4A message from the NVL co-founder.

The Professor 6Did you know that the “Duke” of surfing was a voleyball player? Expert, Tom Feuer delves into the long history of our sport.

In The Sand 8Get up to speed on NVL news from this past off-season.

College Corner 10Check out the Top 10 colleges for sandvolleyball; meet the coaches and seniors making an impact.

Fit ‘N’ Fierce 14Learn how training differs between adult and junior players from trainer Idrissa Diallo.

Rizing Starz 16NVL interviews up-and-coming juniors aboutthe sport they love.

RIZE Up 20Learn Periodization Training from one of the NVL’s top pros, Priscilla “Pri” Piantadosi-Lima.

Eat To Win 23NVL pro Jenn Snyder explains the benefits of adding organic, raw apple cider vinegar to your life.

Profile: Piotr Marciniak 24Meet this 28-year-old, Polish-born sensationpoised to rack up the wins this season.

Day In The Life 27A typical day for Chelsea Hayes, NVL’s 2014 Rookie of the Year, and her go-toveggie pasta recipe.

Tour Preview Map 28Check out the eight pro tour stops from coast-to-coast.

Champions Chat 30We hear from the 2014 tour champs andhow they compete to keep the wins coming. Stay In The Game 34NVL’s sports chiropractor, Dr. Dominique “Dr. Dom” Scott, explains why your sacrum is sacred.

Players To Watch 36Meet the pros that could upset the status quo this season. Off-Court & Online 38Online chatter and musings from NVL’s players, fans and sponsors.

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16

On The CoverFourth-year pro, Piotr Marciniak, is poised to make

asubstantial impact on the tour this year.Photo: Tim Britt- techanphoto images

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20

TheNVL.com

http://TheNVL.com

4 I VB Soul Magazine THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE

This past year has been a

particularly exciting time for our sport with the NCAA’s decision to advance sand volleyball from the emerging

sports for women list to a full-fledged NCAA championship in Spring 2016. As of January 2015, 50 colleges are spon-soring sand volleyball and a projected 200+ schools will offer scholarships in 2016. It is the fastest-growing emerging sport in history and the opportunities for young female athletes have never been better. I am thrilled to see the continued growth of the game at all levels and the NVL is committed to being at the forefront of this. It’s rewarding to see our efforts are being recognized in the community and nationally with SportsCenter featuring the NVL in a segment last season. The NVL is continuing to place a large emphasis on junior and amateur development through our NVL RIZE grassroots tournament series and affiliate membership program, and the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies in Port St. Lucie, Florida. We are hosting hundreds of events throughout the year at the Academy including the “college ready” beach volleyball camp in July 2015 and following the camp, we will host our 2nd annual Junior Championship “Global Challenge” Invitational. Through NVL RIZE and the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies, we are establishing a unifying platform to develop junior and adult athletes, and creating a pipeline into the existing NVL Professional Tour. VB Soul provides another oppor-tunity for the NVL to bring visibility to junior, collegiate, and amateur beach volleyball athletes while delivering information from our pros and industry

experts to help these players advance their game. Our College Corner and Rizing Starz features will regularly spotlight some of the best players and coaches across the country, and the RIZE UP column will offer insight on training, nutrition and more, specifi-cally geared towards younger players. We will also include some of the best Twitter and Instagram posts from play-ers and fans in the Off Court and Online section, so please keep posting and tagging us in your photos from tourna-ments, training sessions, and fun times in the sand. The magazine will continue to talk with our top pros as they share a look into their lives as professional beach volleyball players and methods to help our readers stay at the top of their game. In this month’s Champions Chat column, the 2014 NVL pro tour winners discuss preparing mentally and physically for each tournament, and the game strategies that enabled them to take home the trophy. We’re also privileged to have The Professor, Tom Feuer, a friend of the league and passionate advocate for beach volleyball, writing on the history and growth of the sport, as well as Dr. Dominique “Dr. Dom” Scott author-ing Stay In The Game, a column on concepts and action steps for higher performance, injury prevention and longevity in your sport and life pursuits. As this issue goes to print, we are just a couple of weeks out from our first pro tournament of the 2015 season in Panama City Beach, Florida. I encour-age everyone that can make it out to get a copy of VB Soul signed by your favorite NVL pro players. Enjoy this issue and thank you for supporting the NVL. See you on the sand soon!

PUBLISHER’S DESK

The Countdown Is On!

VB Soul Magazine is published by the National Volleyball League. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Address all correspondence to the National Volleyball League, 3074 NW Stoney Creek Ave., Jensen Beach, FL 34957.

PUBLISHERAlbert “AL-B” Hannemann

EDITORIAL DIRECTORBeth Miller / PRO Sports Communications

[email protected]

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNERMark Hancock / SDA Creative, Inc.

[email protected]

SALES & MARKETINGBrian Polark

[email protected]

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTIONSMazen Alloush

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHYMarc Serota/marcserota.com

Tim Britt/techandphoto imagesSteve Martine/Steve Martine Photography, Inc.

DESIGN SERVICESSDA Creative, Inc.

www.sdacreative.com

The Official Publication of the National Volleyball League

Volume Two, Number 1 • Spring 2015

Albert “AL-B” HannemannNVL Co-founder & CEO

Panama City, FLMadeira Beach, FLOcean City, MDMilwaukee, WICincinnati, OH Hermosa Beach, CASeattle, WAPort St. Lucie, FL

March 18-20April 24-26May 29-31July 10-12July 16-18August 6-8

August 28-30September 24-26

www.theNVL.com

2015 PROFESSIONAL

Beach Schedule


Beach volleyball in many quarters is still considered an “emerging” sport,

a new entry on the menu of global athlet-ics. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the beginning of the indoor version of the game can be specifically traced to Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1895, pinning down the birthdate of the beach version is a little trickier. In all like-lihood, the humble origins of the game date back exactly 100 years ago to Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. The famous Outrigger Canoe Club was the venue for the first manifestations of the sand game. Duke Kahanamoku, a seminal figure in surfing and for winning five Olympic medals in swimming, also played a little beach volleyball as well. In the Continental USA, the first games of beach volleyball took place in 1924 with six or more on a side at the various beach clubs which lined the Southern California coast in Santa Monica. The catalyst for all of this activity

was the physical construction of breakwater jetties which expanded

and stabilized the beaches which were up to that point, narrow and suscep-tible to erosion. In 1930, Paul Johnson organized the first two-man games at the Santa Monica Athletic Club. It took 17 years for the inaugural two-man tournament to take place. Al Harris and Bernie Holtzman were the winners of the Southern California Doubles Championship. Holtzman, 5-11, was the first of the “legends of the sport,” win-ning 17 tournaments and continuing to play until he was 82! His greatest success came with Gene Selznick, who was at one time the world’s best player indoors before he was acknowledged as the first real “King of the Beach.” In other words, Wilt was Karch Kiraly before Karch Kiraly. A big milestone for volleyball as a whole was its entry as an Olympic indoor sport in the 1964 Games in Tokyo. The Soviet Union was dominant. In the first three editions of the Olympics, the Soviet men and women combined for four golds, one silver and one bronze medal. The USA would not get on the podium until 1984. Meanwhile, the beach was quickly starting to catch up to the indoor game in popularity. A big catalyst for

mainstream acceptance was the public-ity which was accorded to Lakers’ center Wilt Chamberlain who chose beach volleyball for his rehabilitation from a torn patellar tendon knee injury in 1969. Wilt, at that time, the most dominant basketball player in the world, became an evangelist for the sport. 1975 marked the first year that there was a prize money tournament. Winston cigarettes, of all companies, plunked down $1500. The prize money increased to $5000 the following year, when the first-ever World Championships took place at State Beach in Santa Monica. Two former UCLA Bruins, Jim Menges and Greg Lee took home the top prize. The 1970’s and 1980’s marked extraordinary growth, not only in the U.S. but in many countries abroad. The biggest milestone in the historical evo-lution of the sport was its inclusion into the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Due to the U.S.’s extraordinary success, beach volleyball has become a prime time staple during NBC’s broadcast of the Games. The massive television exposure of the sport is such that only a few staple summer sports have a higher profile.

THE PROFESSOR

SandCentury

Tom Feuer has been passionately involved with the sport of beach volleyball since 1976. He currently works as the Director of Arizona State’s Cronkite Sports Bureau in Santa Monica, CA, and is a Professor of Practice. Prior to that, he was the Executive Producer for Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket in Los Angeles and has won three National Emmy Awards for his work in television. Feuer has worked on ten separate Olympic Games broadcasts since 1984.

Duke Kahanamoku (far right) pictured with an early Outrigger Canoe Club “Beach Volleyball” 6-Man team.

NVL RIZENVL RIZE is a grassroots tournaments series and affiliate membership program which supports existing volleyball club directors, tournament directors, and facility owners across the country. The series provides a national ranking system for teams competing in NVL RIZE sanctioned tournaments, establishing a unifying platform to develop junior and adult athletes, and creating a pipeline into the existing NVL Professional Tour. Nearly 5,000 members joined the NVL amateur series in 2014.

The 2nd Annual Junior Championship “Global Challenge” Invitational will take place July 31-August 2, 2015 at the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies in Port St. Lucie, FL.

The $20,000 NVL RIZE Adult Open Championship is being held September 19-20 also at Club Med. Winners will get direct entries into the main draw of the 2016 NVL season-opening tournament.

Below is the 2015 Florida Tour schedule. See you on the sand and thanks for helping “Grow the Game!”

National Amateur Series

*CMA- Club Med Academy Beach Volleyball Facility

2015 NVL RIZE FLORIDA TOUR SCHEDULE Panama City Beach March 22 JuniorsCMA April 11 Juniors 12 AdultsCMA April 25 Juniors 26 AdultsCMA May 09 Juniors 10 AdultsCMA May 23 Juniors 24 AdultsDel Rey June 13 Juniors 14 AdultsSinger Island June 27 Juniors 28 AdultsCMA July 04 Juniors 05 Adults Fort Myers July 18 Juniors 19 AdultsCMA Jul/Aug 31-2 Junior Championships “Global Challenge” InvitationalCMA Aug 08 Juniors 09 Adults CMA Sept 19-20 Adult Open Championship

Contact Us: [email protected] • (844) NVL-RIZE • nvlrize.com

http://nvlrize.com


Voted the NVL’s 2014 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, Karolina “Kaya” Sowala will continue to pursue her career on the NVL professional tour while coaching. Sowala was born in Poland and began playing volleyball when she was 17. She went on to repre-sent Poland, playing in FIVB SWATCH Tournaments since 2008. Her top international fin-ishes include: Bronze Medal World Championship U21, England; Bronze Medal European Championship U23, Netherlands; Gold Medal Polish Championship and Grand Prix; 9th Place, SWATCH FIVB World Tour, Finland. Domestically, Sowala has six first place finishes on the NVL tour including a 2013 Best of the Beach title in Las Vegas in addition to the 2014 Texas Championships, Atlanta Championships, Milwaukee Championships, Hermosa Beach Championships, and Players Championships. Sowala is sponsored by Nutrition By Theresa Buede & Breathe Bikinis.

Piotr Marciniak, NVL’s 2014 Offensive Player of the Year, brings more than a decade of experience in professional volleyball and sports management to the Academy, and will continue to play on the NVL professional tour.

As an international and domestic player, Marciniak has nine career top three finishes including 3rd place at the U21 Beach Volleyball Swatch World Championship, and two first place finishes on the NVL pro tour – 2013 “King of the Beach” in Las Vegas and 2014 Midwest Championships in Ohio. Marciniak was named the NVL “Best Offensive Player” in 2014 and along with partner, Matt Henderson, recognized for the 2014 “Best Upset of the Year” at the NVL Midwest Championships. Prior to joining NVL’s Club Med Academy, Marciniak was a beach vol-leyball coach at BeVolley Academy in Florida where he trained both juniors and top female professional players, in addition to developing tournament schedules and overseeing admin-istrative and budgetary functions. Concurrently, he acted as a consultant to Webber International University and worked with partner BeVolley Academy to analyze and recommend business solutions to help increase revenue. Marciniak obtained an MBA in Sports Business Management from Webber International University in the U.S. and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from University of Technology in Poland. He also holds a certificate in Therapeutic Massage from ZAK Massage Therapy School.

IN THE SAND

The NVL named Helios LLC, a division of New Sunshine and leader in software solutions for more than 20 years, its 2015 partner to produce and live stream all eight of its professional beach volleyball tournaments this season. Helios’ industry lead-ing technology will enable the NVL to reach beach volleyball fans on a multitude of platforms ranging from the NVL webcast to connected TV platforms. The NVL will host eight tournaments in 2015 with stops in Panama City Beach, Fla.; Madeira Beach, Fla.; Ocean City, Md.; Milwaukee; Cincinnati; Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Seattle; and Port St. Lucie, Fla. The events will feature world-class compe-tition in a festive beach party atmosphere that highlights the lifestyle elements of the sport. After each tournament, matches will be available free on-demand at http://thenvl.com/webcast

NVL Teams with Helios LLC to Live Stream 2015 Pro Season Tournaments Platform to provide beach volleyball fans with easy access to real-time competition

Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies Hires Karolina Sowala & Piotr Marciniak as Coaches

®

Kaya and Piotr with the Dutch Olympic team training and practicing at Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies.


At the 2014 Players Championships, NVL pros were asked to

nominate their fellow players in the following categories for

the 2014 season: MVP, Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive

Player, Breakthrough Athlete, Most Improved Player, Rookie of

the Year, Best Upset of the Year, NVL Appreciation, and Best

Role Model. NVL would like to congratulate the following pros:

NVL 2014 Player Award Winners

WOMEN’S 2014 MVP &BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER

MEN’S 2014 MVPKAROLINA SOWALA JOSH BINSTOCK

MEN’S 2014 BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYERSAM SCHACHTER

MEN’S 2014 BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER WOMEN’S 2014 BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER MEN’S 2014 BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETEPIOTR MARCINIAK BROOKE NILES DAVE PALM

WOMEN’S 2014 BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETEJESSICA STUBINSKI

MEN’S 2014 APPRECIATION AWARDMIKE PLACEK

WOMEN’S 2014 APPRECIATION AWARD MEN’S 2014 BEST ROLE MODELWOMEN’S 2014 BEST UPSET OF THE YEAR(vs. Pri Piantadosi-Lima & Kaya Sowala

—Midwest Championships)

TARIN KEITH AUSTIN RESTERBROOKE NILES

& JESSICA STUBINSKI

WOMEN’S 2014 BEST ROLE MODELCHARA HARRIS

MEN’S 2014 MOST IMPROVED MEN’S 2014 BEST UPSET OF THE YEAR(vs. Drew Mallin/Dave Palm —Midwest Championships)

DREW MALLINPIOTR MARCINIAK

& MATT HENDERSON

WOMEN’S 2014 ROOKIE OF THE YEARCHELSEA HAYES

WOMEN’S 2014 MOST IMPROVEDLINDSEY FULLER

MEN’S 2014 ROOKIE OF THE YEARERIC ZAUN


W ith Sand Volleyball approved as the 90th NCAA championship this past year, it is the fastest-growing

NCAA sport with 50 schools sponsoring it as of January 2015 and a projected 200+ colleges will offer

scholarships in 2016. The future of the sport has never looked better!

We asked the top ten sand coaches in America a few questions to hear their thoughts on the growth of the

sport and what they’re looking for when recruiting players.

in addition, each coach nominated a top senior to talk with us about their sport and the NVL is proud to pres-

ent the 2015 Senior All-American team. These athletes will be moving on after this college season, and the NVL is

excited to showcase their talents on the tour and see if they can hang with the pros.

COLLEGE CORNER

Get To Know The Top Ten NCAA Sand Programs And What Makes Them Successful

PRE-SEASON #1: PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

PLAYER — KELLEY LARSENMatthies coached the Pepperdine women’s volleyball program into a perennial top 25 entity and a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament for more than 25 years and continues to guide the Waves’ sand team. The team won the national champion-ship for the second time in three seasons in 2014 with four Pepperdine players earning All-American status.

When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started playing indoor in middle school but I didn’t start playing sand volleyball competitively until I got to Pepperdine. I grew up in San Diego, so I would play down at the beaches with friends, but Pepperdine is when I first began training

and competing. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I played both indoor and sand for Pepperdine for the past 4 years, but I have one year left of eligibility to play sand, and that is what I am doing currently. I love being able to concentrate and put all my focus into just sand this year!

Head Coach: NINA MATTHEIS

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?I look for student athletes who are smart-athletic- know how to win- who are highly self-motivated-can take care of themselves-(self-correct), understand a team concept, and what it takes to be on and work with a team and coaches.

Any advice for aspiring junior athletes who want to play beach volleyball at the colle-giate level?My advice to young players is –play-play -play!! with anyone, play anywhere-enjoy and learn the game! Then work on individual skills-fitness, strength- how you can make yourself and your teammates better-then go play some more!

TENTOPThe


PRE-SEASON #2: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

PLAYER — EVE ETTINGERIn 2014, won a second consecutive third-place finish in the team portion of the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship and Trojans’ Burnham/Hughes won the AVCA pairs national title.

When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?My middle school teacher, John, intro-duced me to the sport when I was 12 years old. I had never played before and he told me to try because I was so tall and I would probably really enjoy the sport.; turns out he was right, I love the sport!

Your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?My advice for young athletes trying out sand volleyball would be to commit yourself and to practice, practice, practice. Sand volleyball not only takes a lot of effort, but it is a metal game, and the only way to improve is to play as much as you can.

Head Coach: ANNA COLLIER

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?Initially, the specific attributes I was looking for were a little different than they are now. With three seasons completed at USC, we’re now really beginning to recruit specific skills, qualities, and attributes. For instance, from one year to the next, our team may have a need for someone who is a blocker. With that in mind, I’d look for a player who has good natural blocking skills and can pass well. That kind of player would be approximately 6-1 to 6-3 and of course, we’re always looking for someone who is very mobile in the sand. On paper, we’d generally want someone who has experience in the sand; someone who has played in the neighborhood of 18 tourna-ments a season for at least two years and with good results. We’re always looking for someone who can be a good teammate and who can provide leadership skills.

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?Versatility to play all positions, a strong work ethic, great athletic potential, and a likable personality.

What do you think about what The NVL has done to grow the game at the grassroots level, particularly with the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies?It’s awesome to see opportunities for kids to get great training and to play in orga-nized events that are held all over the country now. The infrastructure is great for players to improve.

PRE-SEASON #3: FLORIDA STATE

PLAYER — JACE PARDONCorso has been the architect of an FSU sand volleyball program that has produced seven All-America honorees, advanced to three consecutive AVCA National Championship Final Fours and collected a 46-3 mark in regular season dual match competition.

When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started playing indoor when I was 14, and then started sand at 16.

Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I only play sand. I love being outdoors

and being so involved in the game since there’s only 2 people. Your most memorable volleyball experience to-date? Winning a gold medal this summer at the World University Games representingTeam USA in Porto, Portugal.

Head Coach: DANALEE CORSO

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?We are looking for well skilled volleyball players. Looking at quickness and move-ment is a priority. Lastly, but not least important, is competitive nature. We are looking for players who are playing each point as if it was championship point.

What do you think about what The NVL has done to grow the game at the grassroots level, particularly with the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies?It’s great that the NVL recognizes the importance of investing in the youth and their future. It’s a proven sustainability practice and we (College Coaches) benefit from the work NVL has done.

PRE-SEASON #4: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

PLAYER — BRITTANY ‘BRIT’ TIEGSConsidered one of the best players in Pacific volleyball history and a top professional player, Hall has spent the past four years with the University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball program in charge of team scouting and offensive game planning.

Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I used to play indoors, 8th grade till fresh-man year of college. Since I started playing beach for FSU my sophomore year until now, I don’t really play much indoor except when I’m back home and get to play some men’s rec indoor.

Your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?Play play play. Play mens, womens, co-ed, at the beach, at a park, anywhere. When I first started, that’s all I did because I just fell in love with the sport. Take all the advice and knowledge you can get from coaches and other players. And just have FUN. Beach volleyball is a fun sport, so don’t get burnt out.

Head Coach: JEFF HALL


CO

LLEGE C

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PRE-SEASON #5: CAL STATE LONG BEACH

PLAYER — TYLER JACKSONJoined the Long Beach State coaching staff in 2014. Camp-bell made his way to The Beach after several years of success as a head coach and assistant coach in the club ranks. When did you start playing volleyball and how

were you introduced to the sport?The first time I touched a volleyball was around the age of six. A close family friend introduced me to the sport. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?

I do play both sand and indoor. What I like about indoor is that it is a team sport. Everyone’s position matters and is important to the success of the team. One person being off will affect the outcome of the game. You must all work together in order to be suc-cessful. What I like about sand is that there is more individual responsibility. Due to the fact that you are paired up with a partner, you have a lot more control of the outcome of the game.

Head Coach: MIKE CAMPBELL

What do you think about what The NVL has done to grow the game at the grassroots level, particularly with the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies?I think the NVL has made great strides at the grassroots level and has done a fan-tastic job of creating avenues for these athletes to fine-tune their skills and pursue opportunities as sand players that were not available to athletes of my generation. It is nice to see this sport grow at such an exponential rate.

Any advice for aspiring junior athletes who want to play beach volleyball at the collegiate level?Play, play, play. Play as much as you can against people who are better than you. Despite what we like to think as coaches, no drill is better than competing in as similar an environment to a tournament as possible. Just, make sure you’re more aware and excited about your improvement than you are the results of the game. The results will take care of themselves over time.

PRE-SEASON #6: LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

PLAYER — BETSI METTER-FLINT Guided LMU to the 2014 NCAA Tournament, marking the second trip in the last three years for the Lions, and the 12th overall in program history. When did you start playing volleyball and how

were you introduced to the sport?I started playing volleyball in 6th grade when I joined a YMCA team with my friends, I got into club volleyball the following year. I was introduced to beach volleyball in 8th grade by playing in weekly tournaments in the Arizona Region.

Your most memorable volleyball experience to-date? The most memorable volleyball experience was going to the National Championships in Alabama with Tara Keil. We learned a lot about each other and came together and played some of our best volleyball at the end of the tournament. We ended up in the Final Four!

Head Coach: TOM BLACK

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?We are looking for athletes that are passionate about the sport and have a tremen-dous work ethic. It’s a bonus if all they talk about is beach volleyball as that shows their true passion for the sport. Karch Kiraly was a talented player but had a work ethic that separated him from anyone else. He always worked harder than anyone else and that’s why he played at the highest level for so many years. No matter how talented you are you can’t beat work ethic and that’s the main ingredient that builds champions.

PRE-SEASON #7: UCLA

PLAYER — MADIE SMITHThe Bruins have been ranked in the Top 10 under Metzger throughout each of their first two sand seasons. Metzger guided Kelly Reeves to the program’s first sand All-America award in 2013, while two pairs (Reeves and Meg Norton and Zoë Nightingale and Becca Strehlow) each made the AVCA National Championships.

Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?Yes, I played both indoor and sand. I was on the UCLA indoor team for three years and transferred over to play sand only for two years. I like the defensive side of indoor such as digging hard driven balls and pancakes. In sand, you get to play

every position and you and your partner are the only ones who have control of how the game is going to go. Your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?You never know how tall you are going to be so try to develop different characteristics that increase your ability to be set apart from other players.

Head Coach: STEIN METZGER


PRE-SEASON #8: ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA

PLAYER — SAM TINSLEYIn addition to four NCAA tournament appearances (2012, ‘09, ‘08, ‘05), Browning led the 2009 Gaels to the program’s first-ever WCC Championship. Saint Mary’s dominated the WCC, leading the conference in every statistical category.

When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I began playing indoor volleyball in the 5th grade after we played during a PE class. I enjoyed it and decided to try out for the school team and continued to play club volleyball in 7th grade. I entered into CBVA tournaments when I was 13 during summer.

Your most memorable volleyball experience to-date?My most memorable moment to date would have to be competing in Alabama for the AVCA Championship this past year. It was an intense environment with the country’s best teams and pairs competing against each other.

Head Coach: ROB BROWNING

What are your thoughts about how sand volleyball has become so popular amongjunior athletes? Fantastic! Volleyball is such a great game, indoor and out, and the more boys and girls we have playing at the younger ages, the better for them and for the game.

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete?Besides their current volleyball skills and physical characteristics, we want to know as much as possible if the recruit is a learner. There are many players who are good in their current age group, but how good are they going to get over the next 5-6 years? It is hard to determine, but critical to their development.

What are your thoughts about how sand volleyball has become so popular among junior athletes? I think the popularity starts with the cost to have a junior playing Sand is less expen-sive than indoor club vb. Secondly, I think the juniors really find that their game improves because they get to touch the ball more, there is less coach involvement, and less parent involvement during the actual play time.

What qualities and attributes do you look for when recruiting an athlete? We look for their athleticism first, and then the VB IQ along with ball control, etc. I also look at their demeanor on and off the court.

PRE-SEASON #9: FLORIDA-INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

PLAYER — MARYNA SAMODAYLed the Panther sand squad to its first AVCA National Cham-pionships appearance in only the program’s second year. In her first year at the helm of the indoor program, the Panthers made an appearance in the Conference Championships.

When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started to play volleyball when I was 9. My dad was a coach for the men’s team and I was always there watching practices, and loved it. Then, my dad decided to train girls too, that’s when I started to play.

Your most memorable volleyball experience to-date? The most memorable moment in indoor: When we won our conference at junior college (Seminole State College, Oklahoma). Beach volleyball: My first memorable moment for me was when I got 1st place in the finals national women championship in Ukraine. Then the 4th place Europe Championship under 21 years old. And Collegiate Nationals with Jessica Mendoza when we got 3rd place.

Head Coach: RITA BUCK-CROCKETT

What are your thoughts about how sand volleyball has become so popular among junior athletes?Sand volleyball continues to gain popularity for many reasons— the environment, the culture, the role models, and the accessibility. Who doesn’t love playing in the sun and diving in the sand? The game is intense, but the players are generally laid back and approachable. Our Olympians are regular people who consistently reach out to the younger generation in effort to help grow the game. Finally, any fan can show up at a tournament and instantly feel like she is part of the action.

PRE-SEASON #10: GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

PLAYER — MOLLY SMESTADIn her first season as head coach, Van Fleet led the Pounce to a 14-5 dual match record. Each of the five teams that defeated GSU were represented in the 2014 AVCA National Championship.

Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I only play beach volleyball now. I lost the fire I had for Indoor the more I played beach volleyball. Honestly, indoor just kept me busy until beach season came back around. People are so passionate about the sport as a whole. It’s kind of like

basketball—people always want to play. Specifically, I really like how much control you have. Your most memorable volleyball experience to-date?My most memorable beach volleyball experience would be my first collegiate sand volleyball match for Georgia State. That experience is surreal to me still. Also, getting to play in the NVL and hanging out with the pros. I really felt so much cooler than I actually am.

Head Coach: BETH VAN FLEET


Idrissa is frequently asked by parents, athletes, and fans: How does training a professional volleyball player differ from traininga junior player?

Part 1: Physical Differences:What is the main difference between training juniors and pros?When training juniors, you’re focusing mostly on coordination and athletic development – hand-eye coordination and rhythm. I incorporate a lot of move-ment- based training to help in those areas. In juniors ages 8 - 14, to build strength, I work with them to use their own body weight. Elastic bands and medicine balls are great tools. Because pros have already built their strength foundation when they were younger, the focus shifts to specific things. For example, in off-season train-ing, I run through an evaluation to see what areas they are lacking in strength and what areas they can improve. Then I come up with a plan to target that specific weakness. Plyometrics and Olympic lifting strengthen the major muscles but keeping in mind, we still

FIT ‘N’ FIERCE

compared to pros. Even though pros need to have more muscle mass, they break down food slower. This is just the nature of anatomy. I suggest that juniors consume more carbohydrates because they need that energy to sup-port their growth. Pros are finished growing so alloca-tion of carbohydrates and minerals has to be specifically distributed. Of course this all varies based on the individual, gender and body type.

How does the junior periodization differ from that of pros?The pro circuit is very long, so the peri-odization is based on that tournament timing. Whereas juniors’ periodization

may be shorter because they’re playing in less tournaments. Regardless, the periodization must parallel the circuit you’re playing.

Part 2 of this article will appear in the next issue of VB Soul and focus on the mental differences between juniors & pros.

need to work on other areas to improve their play. When a pro comes to me and says, my forward movement isn’t progressing, I gauge if their issue gauge is strength or perception. If strength is the issue, we use tools like a harness, medicine balls, and bands to get them moving in the right way. Once you take away those tools, the athlete is very light and explosive, and now understands the technique for movement.

How does volume training differ?I’m asked this all the time by parents because they’re always concerned if a child is training too much or too little. Juniors are in a phase of growing and bodies are constantly changing. I typically suggest 1 - 1.5 hours per day of fitness with regeneration. This is key. When you break down the junior’s muscle in training, there needs to be designated time to remedy that, which includes a lot of stretching to help them become as quick as possible. Bones are overgrowing in comparison to muscles which can lead to knee and joint issues.

How does functional training differ?There’s actually not a huge difference other than, with pros, you’re focused on improving specific areas and with juniors, you’re trying to improve all areas. What are the nutritional differences?Juniors have a high metabolism

Idrissa Diallo directs the Performance Program at Club Med Academies. As the Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Idrissa

oversees the physical training and movement training of every player that takes part in the academy program. He has devel-oped and conducted physical training programs for numerous professional, Olympic and junior athletes. Idrissa holds a Master’s of Science in Education, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA), Licensed Sport Massage Therapist, Certified Traditional Thai-Massage Therapist and Certified Reflexologist. Idrissa working with a junior player on core, stability and balance exercises.

NVL pro Piotr Marciniak trains with Idrissa, focusing on functional/plyometrics exercises.

What’s The Difference? (part1)

The PlayFIT Foundation’s mission is to enhance the lives of young people across the United States by teaching the importance of proper nutrition and physical fitness. PlayFIT’s team of professional athletes and health and nutrition experts will deliver this message through the use of sports and recreational activities like volleyball, as well as their personal experiences. PlayFIT will offer this program in underserved communities giving kids the ability to increase their self-esteem and skill sets needed to create a better quality of life.

PlayFit Foundation, Inc. (“PlayFIT”) is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation that has retained council to obtain tax exemption status as a public charity under section 501(c)3 of the federal tax code. Although approval cannot be guaranteed, contributions made to PlayFIT during the interim period while its application is pending but prior to receipt of an IRS Letter of Determination would qualify as tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

See how you can help grow the game!Check us out at: Facebook.com/PlayFITFoundation

Donate now at https://playfit.webconnex.com/PlayFITdonationsFind out more on www.thenvl.com/playfit-foundation/

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Madison “Madi” Daum (Age: 13) Club: Prostyle Volleyball Club—14-Black-1Tallahassee, FL

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started out playing city ball when I was 10 years

old and began playing club shortly after. Two years ago, I started to play beach and was immediately addicted.

Taylor Pennington (Age: 14)Club: VolleyForLife Volleyball ClubGilbert/Queen Creek, AZ

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?Yes, I play both indoor and beach volleyball. I like

indoor because I have a group of girls that are like a second family to me that motivate me to work hard. I love sand volleyball because you don’t have to be the tallest one out there, you have to be the smartest one out there.

Taylor Ann Rose (Age: 15)Club: IMUA Volleyball Club, IMUA Smack—16-1Salinas, CA

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?My most memorable volleyball experience so far

is the 2014 USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships last year in Minnesota! We made some great memories both on and off the court.

Avery Arellano (Age: 16)Club: BeachTenThousand—18U, Plano, TX

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started playing indoor volleyball at 8 and was introduced to beach volleyball when I was 12, as

both my parents were avid players. I grew up with a sand court in my backyard and have loved the game ever since.

Josh McDonald (Age: 17)Club: KIVA—18U, Louisville, KY

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I like indoor because it is faster and you have five other players who each have their role, but I ulti-

mately like sand better. In sand I know that if my partner is not going to get the ball then I have to and I like that. I like the fact that I only have to rely on one person. It’s also easier to find three other people to play instead of 11 when you want to play a pick up game.

Cody Ellmyer (Age: 9)Club: Sand Storm Beach Volleyball Club, Delray Beach, FL

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?My most memorable experience was playing in

the NVL Global Challenge semi finals down 11-14 in the third game and coming back to win 16-14 — sweet!


NVL interviewed the following Rizing Starz asking them questions about the sport they love. Full Rizing Starz profiles will be available at NVLRIZE.com.

On The RIZE!Meet some of the Rizing Starz in beach volleyball from across the country and get an insider’s look at what they love about the sport

RIZING STARZ

Pippa Monk-Heidrich (Age: 15)Club: Elite Beach Volleyball Club, Manhattan Beach, CA

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?My most memorable experience was winning an AA tournament and getting my AAA when I had

just turned 13 years old.

Lela McIntosh (Age: 17)Club: Project Serve Volleyball Club—18U PrimaAustin, TX

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I played indoor volleyball all 4 years of high school

and have loved that I had opportunities to grow as a player and be a leader on the team. I am now playing sand only and love that I get to do it all, not just play one position. I also like that I get to be more involved mentally and make decisions on each play.

Lara Torruella (Age: 13)Club: n/a, San Juan, PR

4. What is your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?I would say to other young kids to play many dif-ferent sports before you specialize in your favorite.

I play in the school’s basketball team, and I also play tennis where our team was able to win the School League’s Championship. I love surfing, windsurfing, and waterskiing. Playing different sports will make you a better athlete!

Trevor Kennan (Age: 15)Club: Sandratz Volleyball Club, Redington Beach, FL

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?I was selected to go to train in Colorado Springs at the A1 training camp at the Olympic Volleyball

Center for a week. I was one of 33 boys across the country. Also win-ning king of beach two times at 11 and 14.

Ryan Wilcox (Age: 15)Club: Spike & Serve Volleyball Club—15UHonolulu, HI

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?My most memorable experience so far is the Gold

Medal match in the 14U Open Division at the BJNC 2014 in Houston. It was the first time our team had been required to qualify for BJNC which meant it was a bit more significant than others. Our opponents were great players and put up a battle, but our team won in the fifth set. This was the most memorable experience because in that game our team had played with such passion and comradery, it was an amazing feeling.

Shayne McPherson (Age: 16)Club: Puget Sound Volleyball AcademySeattle, WA

4. What is your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?My advice is to research all of the volleyball oppor-

tunities in your area. Tryout for a club or sign up for clinics so that you can meet other players and potentially find a partner to play in tournaments with. Always remember to have a positive attitude and to have fun!

Pietro Bagon (Age: 13)Club: GS Acquivolley and Club Med NVL Volleyball Academy beach team, Acqui Terme, Italy

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date?My best memorable volleyball experience was

attending the Club Med NVL Academy “College Ready” Christmas camp in December and meeting many new American friends where I learned to compete at the highest level. I learned so much from the great Club Med NVL coaches and junior campers and was able to go back to Italy a much better player.

Jaden Nicole Whitmarsh (Age: 14)Club: Wave Beach Volleyball Del Mar & Indoor Wave ClubRancho Santa Fe, CA

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started playing when I was 8 at a rec indoor team

because I was playing competitive soccer at the same time. I was introduced to volleyball by my dad Mike Whitmarsh (Beach Silver Medalist). My dad taught me something new everyday as a little girl. We used to bump in the house everyday to see how many we could get at one time! He is my inspiration and I watch his old games all the time! He introduced me to my new volleyball mentors like Kerry Walsh Jennings, Casey Jennings, Holly McPeack, and so many more! I feel lucky to have them in my life, now that my dad has passed.

Casey Justice (Age: 16)Club: Panama City Beach Sand Volleyball Club—16U/18U / Prostyle Panama City Indoor Club—17UPanama City Beach, FL

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?

I play both indoor and sand - it’s awesome because the “season” never seems to end. High school competition rolls into club season and then the sand tours begin. I play and enjoy sand volleyball more because I am guaranteed to get more touches on the ball during play, plus I love being on the beach and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. I love playing indoor as well though - its fun working together with a team and developing long lasting friendships.

(CONTINUED)


RIZING STARZ

Brooke Harris (Age: 15)Club: Platform Elite 16 National, Bettendorf, IA

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each?I play both indoor and sand. In sand, I really like that I’m not pigeon-holed into a certain position

because of my height. I love that in sand I get more touches on the ball and therefore more experience with each volley. It’s great that I can dive more without hurting myself in the sand but I’m sad that I can’t play year round since I live in the midwest. On the other hand, I like the atmosphere in the gym when I play indoor.

Peri Green (Age: 15)Club: Extreme Fitness Club, Honolulu, HI

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I was 8 when I started playing indoor volley-ball and when I was 12 my indoor coach, Tanya

Fuamatu-Anderson, introduced me to beach volleyball.

Aaron Plaisted (Age: 15)Club: Milwaukee Volleyball Club—MVC 16 Jim / MVC Beach Program, Wauwatosa, WI

2. Do you play both indoor and sand? What do you like about each? I play both and love sand because you have to

be an all around player and not just a one trick pony. Indoor is fun because it involves a lot of teamwork and its a faster versionof volleyball.

Tiadora Miric (Age: 17)Club: Leaside Indoor Volleyball Club / Canadian Beach Volleyball National Team, Toronto Ontario, Canada

4. What is your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?The best advice I have for younger athletes looking

to get into the sport is to stay positive and work hard at every every practice/game/competition. Every contact counts.

Abby Van Winkle (Age: 15)Club: Laguna Beach Volleyball Club —15-1s / Los Angeles ICG AAU/USA Winter Elite Power League —18UCoto de Caza, CA

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?

I started playing indoor and sand volleyball when I was eleven. I was introduced to the game by my mother, who played at UCLA, where she won two NCAA Championships.

Logan Elizabeth Case (Age: 13)Club: Elevation Volleyball Club, Mason, OH

1. When did you start playing volleyball and how were you introduced to the sport?I started playing indoor club ball when I was 8 yrs old. I was introduced to volleyball at a very young

age because my mom played has been coaching high school for 20 years and my parents own a volleyball complex.

Tristan Albers (Age: 16)Club: Beach 10K Elite Sand Volleyball Club, Plano, TX

4. What is your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?Do it to have fun and never lose that aspect of it. Do it for yourself, and no one else. Do it because

you love it, and not because someone else wants you to love it. Make it out how you want it to be, knowing you are the single most influ-ential factor on your success with it. Personalize the sport, and you’ll never want to give it up.

Maia Hannemann (Age: 13)Club: NVL Volleyball Academy, Port St. Lucie, FL

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date? My most memorable volleyball experience was winning the NVL RIZE Global Challenge at Club

Med last year. It was a two day tournament with all of the top teams from around the country competing with many top college sand coaches watching. I had just met my partner the day before for the first time and we had great chemistry and peaked in the finals winning in three intense games.

Bella Kuechenberg (Age: 14)Club: Tamarack Beach Volleyball Club, Carlsbad, CA

3. What is your most memorable volleyball experi-ence to-date? Last summer my partner (17) and I (14), met up with the defending USAV 18’s national champions

in a tournament. We went on to beat them on our way to taking 1st place in that tournament. We would meet that same team two other times in a tournament played last summer. They beat us once in the finals and then the last time we played, we beat them in the finals. What was best about those extremely competitive matches is that we became close friends with that other team.

Jenna Johnson (Age: 15)Club: Florida Premier Volleyball Academy, / The NVL Volleyball Academy Beach Team, Stuart, FL

4. What is your advice for young athletes looking to get into the sport?The best advice to young athletes I could give is to

find what you like best about each aspect of volleyball and stick to it. Work hard, play hard, dream big, and most importantly, have fun!


http://clubmedacademies.com

mailto:info%40clubmedacademies.com?subject=Information%20Rzequest


I recommend dividing the season into four parts: pre-season, in-season,

post-season, off-season, and implement-ing periodization into training. If you’re not already familiar with periodization; it’s the practice of breaking up a year-round of any training you do into phases, focusing on particular goals within each period. Whether you’re playing club level, high school, college or professional, peri-odization is something all players should incorporate into their training. You don’t want to burn out early, and you want to ensure that you peak at the right time during the season without any injuries. If possible, I recommend that you find a professional who can help you in this process to ensure you’re implementing everything correctly.

PRE-SEASON In the pre-season, focus on your physical (conditioning and tons of high intensity repetitions) and mental skills (staying mentally focused and strong while you struggle physically). A stable core is critical in volleyball and it’s something I focus on with all of my players. I like to concentrate on high intensity reps and I get into unlimited amount of passing and setting before we even get to train in jumping. I also teach the proper squatting and landing techniques which will ensure that your knees will be healthy for the rest of your career. My coaches always emphasized this and I’ve never had knee problems. Next we start practicing side out situations, still with focus on ball control rather than killing the ball. Then we move into defense/transition reps, always focusing on ball control as part of the drill. After spending all this time on ball control, we start focusing on the hitting part of the game. By this

time, players’ legs are stronger and ready to take on the demands of jump-ing on the sand. Learning the correct method for running and turning are key as well. You can’t just “go.” I break down the basics of running and turning for my juniors, and teach how it syncs and how it can improve their passing, hitting, and blocking. Footwork is just as important as the ability to play the ball.

IN-SEASON During the season, I lower the amount of time or days we do the high intensity reps and incorporate more team-related drills juniors need to learn to apply in a competitive environment. This is the best part of training – the mental struggle; accepting that not always everything goes like we planned. The majority of the drills I use have an end goal. Juniors need to be able to apply the drill to something on the court. I like to run a Bjerring tournament

RIZE UP

Periodization Training

Priscilla “Pri” Piantadosi-Lima took home five of the six NVL women’s titles with partner Karolina Sowala in the 2014 season, and coaches both indoor and outdoor teams in the off-season. It’s safe to say Pri knows a little something about practicing and training to maintain strength and health throughout the year. She gives some year-round training tips below.

Pri dives for the save at the 2014 Players Championships which she went on to win with partner Karolina Sowala.

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in practice (sometimes on half court, with 2 games going on at the same time) which means each player gets a lot of touches on the ball and helps to develop all-around skills with continuous, com-petitive play. As they’re paired with new partners, players must learn to com-municate and adjust to different styles

they’re playing two sports but at the end of the day, it’s just one that they love.

INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR Some think outdoor is totally dif-ferent from indoor, but it’s still the same sport. There are some obvious differ-ences though. In outdoor, for example, you need to cover more court and indoor you need to have faster reflexes because the game moves faster. Indoor requires a more broad spike approach and outdoor is more of a, get to the ball and jump straight up and down from your approach. If you can learn some of the key differences, you’ll be fine in both games, just focus on making some adjustments when playing either. I feel that any athlete can play both well. Playing indoor at a high level never hurt my outdoor skills or injured my body. Both games complement each other so well, especially when you are learning both at the same time. Once you are older and know which you prefer, then you can tailor your training more. I know some top beach volleyball players who go overseas to play indoors during their off-season and they still make a good living on the beach. I see playing both as an opportunity – it’s not hard work, it’s hard fun!

of play. You can come up with a variety of pairings and rules that can mix up the matches and make it fun, while the players improve their game.

END/POST-SEASON At the end of a hard, intense season, players need a lot more time to recover. We continue to do drills but at a lower pace. Depending on how my juniors feel, we can push harder on cer-tain days and stay light on days prior to a tournament that they may have. The idea is to not burn out and have nothing left when you step on the court. Minds are naturally more tired towards the end of a season so we go back to the basic skills of volleyball. This has always helped me if something feels off in my game.

OFF-SEASON I plan my off-beach season very carefully because I coach a lot of kids who play both indoor and outdoor throughout the year; some of my club juniors play both at the same time. They’re able to play both because they follow a training program that mixes up the intensity of practices, and allows their body to stay healthy and strong throughout the year. The kids feel like

A junior player demonstrates explosive skills in the sand as she goes high to tip the ball over the net.

The Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies Girls 14U and 16U indoor/sand team gets in an afternoon practice focusing on foundational skills.

Meet people from around the world that share your passion • Play with and against your favorite Pros • Improve your volleyball skills

in a fun environment • Compete in daily tournaments and clinics against players with similar skill levels • Nutritional seminars so

you can learn how to eat like a Pro • Pro-am games and pro exhibitions

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The Wonders of Organic, Raw, Unfiltered, Apple Cider Vinegar!As an athlete, I’m always looking for

natural health products to help improve my training and overall wellbe-ing if possible. What I’ve found in Raw Organic Unfiltered ACV is nothing short of awesome. I personally use Bragg’s® because it contains “mother” which are strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky, cobweb-like appearance and house all of its inner greatness! Any ACV that’s been filtered and over processed won’t be able to produce the benefits discussed below. Be sure to dilute ACV before applying it to your skin or drink-ing. It is very acidic and can damage the tooth enamel and the tissues of your throat, mouth, or skin if not used properly. Here is a quick list of some benefits I’ve encountered. Enjoy!

1. A NATURAL SPORTS DRINK Taken internally, it replaces the minerals lost through sweat and used up for metabolic functions. Muscular contraction and relaxation cycle requires four basic minerals, (Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium), all of which are found in ACV. ACV also helps in elimination of lactic acid, thus speeding up recovery.

2. BEAUTY TIPS As an outdoor athlete my skin gets punished daily and I don’t like to use a ton of chemically enhanced products if I don’t need to. ACV to the rescue! • Soothe a sunburn:Try adding 1-2 cupfuls to your bath to neutralize the burn. After soaking for 10 minutes, the ACV will have helped restore your skin’s pH levels and your skin will feel cool and soothed. • Clear skin problems and stop acne:The acidity in the vinegar will dry out the blemish allowing new, healthy skin to take its place. • Regulate the pH of your face: mix 1 part ACV with 2 parts water and use as

• At home pedicure:Soak your feet in equal parts warm water and ACV. Its anti-fungal proper-ties will keep your feet healthy, soft, and clean. • Target age spots:Mix 1 tablespoon orange juice with 2 tablespoons ACV to fade age spots. Apply with cotton ball. • Whiter Teeth:Gargle and swish with ACV in the morn-ing. The vinegar helps remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums. Brush as usual after you gargle.

3. HELP SOOTHE A SORE THROAT: • Combine ¼ cup ACV with ¼ cup warm water and gargle with it every hour or so. The acidic environment helps prevent germ growth and kill bacteria. I hope you’ve found this informative and somewhat helpful! See you on the beach!—Eat right and dominate!!!

Follow Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, search: JennSnyder7

Disclaimer: Due to the lack of supporting research, apple cider vinegar cannot be recommended for treatment or prevention of any health problems. Also, please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements. I’m just sharing my experience and what works for one person doesn’t always work for another.

a toner using a cotton ball and lightly blotting around the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin). • Give your hair body and shine:After you shampoo, apply ½ tablespoon ACV mixed with 1 cup of water, then rinse. • Encourage hair growth:ACV will stimulate hair follicles, and can also treat dandruff and an itchy scalp.

Jennifer Snyder has played pro-fessional beach volleyball since

2006 and played indoor profession-ally in Sicily & Istanbul ‘98, and Switzerland ‘99. In college, Jennifer played for Arizona State where she was 1st Team All Pac-10 in ‘95, and for Long Beach State where she took her team to the Final Four in ‘97 and was 1st Team All Big West ‘96,’97. She also competed in the U.S. Olympic Festival in ‘95. Jennifer is NESTA child nutrition certified.

EAT TO WIN

Sports Drink Recipe

In the blender combine:• 32oz water• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice• 1 Tablespoon Organic Unfiltered ACV• ¼ teaspoon baking soda• 1/8 teaspoon high quality sea salt• 1-2 cups fresh fruit• Sweetener of your choice: (optional) honey, agave, maple syrup


With nine career top three finishes and winner of the NVL’s “Best of the Beach” tournament in 2013

and “Offensive Player of the Year” award in 2014, it would seem like 28-year-old Piotr Marciniak had played volleyball in the sand his entire life. In fact, last season was only his third year playing beach volleyball full-time. Marciniak was born and raised in Poland where he says, “99% of the kids grow up playing soccer. I started playing at the age of 4 and it was the love of my life. You’re taught to start kicking a soccer ball when you’re able to walk.” A talented athlete from day one, Marciniak added swimming to his repertoire at age 11, swimming for a club for three years. He began playing volleyball at age 13. “Swimming was a huge commitment,” he said. “The train-ing was intense and exhausting, and it was tough to keep up with both sports and my school work. Overall, I just didn’t enjoy swimming like I enjoyed volleyball.” With his focus on volleyball, Marciniak played indoors for a few years, mainly because the weather in Poland prevented most outdoor activities. Around the age of 16, he had an opportunity to test his skills in the sand and was immediately drawn to the lifestyle. “There is just a different feel

about playing outdoor volleyball versus indoor,” Marciniak says. “Sand volley-ball is extremely competitive but still very laid back. I love everything about it – the sun, the beach, the people.” With the nearest beach more than 320 miles away from his hometown of Kedzierzyn Kozle, Marciniak contin-ued competing in professional indoor volleyball from 2004 – 2011. During that time, he played for several Polish clubs as well as the PetroJet Sporting Club Cairo. He did manage to work in a year as a National beach volleyball player for Poland from 2006 – 2007, and took 3rd place at the U21 Beach Volleyball Swatch World Championship. “I was

strictly playing in 21U tournaments so I was always going up against the top five or ten players in the world,” Marciniak said. “It was an amazing experience.” When he wasn’t serving and spiking on the court, Marciniak obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from the University of Technology in Poland and a certifi-cate in Therapeutic Massage from ZAK Massage Therapy School. So we ask, why did a mid-20’s successful Polish professional indoor volleyball player decide to come to the U.S.? Marciniak explains the main rea-son was to go to school. “I came to the States to get my

Piotr Marciniak

PLAYER PROFILE

Piotr and partner Matt battled Olympian Binstock at the Players Championships in October at Club Med


is unique and we’ve established a great chemistry and relationship. We are 100% on the same page. You see teams that struggle with their partner but our game is so easy and smooth.” The duo was certainly in sync at the NVL 2014 Midwest Championships where they took home the title. That win also got them “Best Upset of the Year” honors at the 2014 Players’ Awards ceremony. With an MBA in Sports Business Management from Webber

master’s degree and found a school I liked with a beach volleyball program and started playing full-time. But it was always my dream to play on the AVP tour because it’s what you grew up watching with all of the top pros going head to head. I received approval from the AVP to play in 2012 and started preparing for the upcoming season with my partner, Matt Henderson. We trained for about seven months with our Brazilian coach we brought over. Then, three days prior to the start of the AVP season, I was notified that I couldn’t play because I’m

not an American citizen. I was pretty discouraged at the time.” Marciniak was introduced to AL-B Hannemann and the NVL and the timing was perfect. “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to play on the NVL tour, Marciniak states. “The league is definitely on the right track and you feel like you’re part of a big family. NVL also emphasizes the junior program which is critical to the future of the sport. I see the NVL being around for the long-term.” On his current tour partner, Matt Henderson, Marciniak says, “When I first got to the U.S., I played with about ten different players before Matt. Matt

International University under his belt, what’s next for Piotr Marciniak? He is now a full time coach at the NVL’s Club Med Academy in Port St. Lucie, FL. “I previously coached at other volleyball academies but this is the first one in the U.S. to offer volleyball training and schooling. It’s exciting and extremely rewarding to be able to contribute to the development of these young athletes. I wish there had been something like this when I was growing up.” As for his play on the 2015 NVL pro tour, Marciniak says he’s been training harder than ever with Henderson and is focused on taking home first place trophies at all eight tournaments. “It’s important that I continue to elevate my game each season from a compet-itive standpoint as well as positioning myself for sponsorship offerings. I’m not currently sponsored and I know this is critical in continuing to build my brand. Companies are more than welcome to reach out to me!” he com-ments with a smile. Considering Marciniak’s success both on and off the court, there’s little doubt that he will be among the top pros on the NVL tour for years to come and a great ambassador for the sport.

“I feel lucky to have the opportunity to play on the NVL tour… The league is definitely on the right track and you feel like you’re part of a big family.”

PROFILE: PIOTR MARCINIAK

(Clockwise from above) Celebrating their big victory with CEO AL-B Hannemann in Ohio. Focusing in on another block. Winning “Best of the Beach” in 2013 solidified Piotr as the top player on tour.


After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in

Kinesiology, I knew I wanted to make a run at a professional beach volleyball career. This decision meant two things, I needed to move to Southern California in order to train with the best women in the U.S.A., and I also needed a job with flexibility to allow for the practice and travel schedule of playing on the tour. I chose Hermosa Beach and personal training, and five years later here I am… 6:00am: I’m not a fan of an early wake-up call, but I like to give myself enough time to make a healthy break-fast and drink a warm cup of green tea, and most of my clients at the gym like to train in the morning before they begin their workday. On an average day, I train around 4 clients, usually for about 45 minutes each at Easton Gym Co. in Manhattan Beach.

10:30am: On Wednesdays (and Fridays) I teach an adult beach volley-ball class after my morning clients. The class started out with only women, but since then, their husbands have started joining, and now it’s a fairly competitive class. I have been coaching the same core group of people twice a week for three years now, and it’s still one of the highlights of my week. 12:00pm: Now it’s time for my practice. I drive down to Hermosa Beach to meet my partner Jenn Snyder and our coach Scott Davenport. When we’re training in pre-season, we work on getting our touch back and focusing on fundamentals. Jenn and I play a lot of co-ed 4’s volleyball during the off-sea-son, so it’s always a challenge to go back to playing doubles again. Depending on how Jenn and I are feeling after practice and what our week has been like already,

we will either head over to Easton gym to get a weight lifting session in, or we’ll do a workout on the beach. 3:00pm: After a long and productive first half of the day, it’s time for lunch. I like to prepare and eat most of my meals at home because I have numerous food allergies—including grains, dairy, eggs, and almonds. I spend a lot of time cooking and preparing food, but then I can be sure what I’m eating and where everything came from. My diet consists mainly of vegetables, meats, and lots of coconut. My new favorite kitchen tool is the spiralizer—it can turn most vegeta-bles into noodles that I then use to make myself a hearty ‘pasta’ dish. 5:00pm: Now it’s time to shower, run errands, respond to emails, and plan workouts for my clients the follow-ing day. 7:00pm: Dinner time—my favorite meal of the day! My boyfriend usu-ally helps me in the kitchen and we catch up on our days. Right now we’re working with Rosetta Stone to teach ourselves Spanish so we take our turn at that after dinner and then usually watch a movie or whatever show we’re into at the time. 10:00pm: Sleep is precious to me so I usually put myself to bed fairly early. I love the life that I lead and I love that I can fit so much into it in addition to being a professional beach volleyball player.

DAY IN THE LIFE

NVL ProChelsea Hayes

Go-To Veggie Pasta Dish

(serves 2)2 Large Carrots2 Large Zucchini1 Large Cooked Chicken Breast2 T Olive Oil½ Lime¼ cup Cilantro (packed)½ cup Artichoke HeartsSalt and Pepper

Put carrots and zucchini through the Spiralizer or use a julienne peeler to make noodles. Dice chicken into cubes. Place carrots, zucchini and chicken in a pan with the olive oil. Sautee on medium high heat until noodles are al dente—not mushy. While noodles are cooking dice ar-tichoke hearts and finely chop cilantro then add into pan. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Let’s look at a typical day for Chelsea and the habits that earned her the NVL’s 2014 Rookie of the Year and 2nd Place at the 2014 Hermosa Beach Championships

Chelsea Hayes - Pro Beach Volleyball chelsea.jennifer_probeachvb

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-Hayes-Pro-Beach-Volleyball/633668926778496

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The NVL’s pro tour schedule has expanded to include eight action-packed events in 2015 with pros competing for a $500,000 total prize purse from March to September. Following a six-event professional tour schedule last year, the NVL will host eight tournaments nationally with stops in Panama City Beach, Fla.; Madeira Beach, Fla.; Ocean City, Md.; Milwaukee; Cincinnati; Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Seattle; and Port St. Lucie, Fla. The events will feature world-class competition in a festive beach party atmosphere that highlights the lifestyle elements of the sport. The NVL is expanding its reach in the southeast-ern market by adding two more tournaments in Florida. With a focus on the development of junior and collegiate athletes, the NVL is kicking off the season in Panama City Beach, Fla. in an effort to capitalize on the more than 400,000 students who typically visit the area in the month of March. The tour will return to Milwaukee IndyFest, The Beach Waterpark in Ohio, and Club Med Sandpiper Bay, home to NVL’s Beach Volleyball Academies. Seattle and Madeira Beach, Fla. are new markets for the league with tremendous potential to draw in fans from the large tourist populations and local volleyball communities.

TOUR PREVIEW

These beaches are where the NVL originated and where every player dreams to compete at the pro-fessional level. We love returning to our “hometown” where last year SportsCenter featured the NVL to millions of viewers nationwide.

Bringing pro beach volleyball back to the Pacific Northwest is an important step for us. Alki Beach is considered the heart of beach volleyball in this region and we’re eager to continue promoting and growing the game in this spectacular setting.

Building on our successful events here the past two years, we return to one of the most popular tour-nament locations where fans can watch high-level beach volleyball competition and enjoy waterslides, zip lining and more at The Beach Waterpark.

TOUR STOP 6 HERMOSA BEACH, CA

TOUR STOP 7SEATTLE, WA TOUR STOP 5

CINCINNATI, OH

AUG 6-8, 2015

AUG 28-30, 2015JUL 16-18, 2015

2015 Tour Stops


A new location for the league, Ocean City has gor-geous beaches and boasts a large beach volleyball community. We are ready to share our festive lifestyle with the local fans!

TOUR STOP 3OCEAN CITY, MD

MAY 29-31, 2015We continue our founding tradition of partnering with exist-ing lifestyle events to bring beach volleyball to thousands of race fans on the infield of the historic Milwaukee Mile for a second consecutive year.

TOUR STOP 4MILWAUKEE, WI

JUL 10-12, 2015

Our Players Champion-ships are held at the amazing Club Med Sandpiper Bay facility, the only all-inclusive resort in North America and home to the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies. We’re excited to return and celebrate our season with the players, sponsors and fans in this incredible tropical paradise.

The NVL is focused on the development of amateur and collegiate athletes, and we will kick off the season with more than 400K stu-dents visiting this area in the month of March.

Known by locals as “Mad Beach,” this is a fun but laid-back area surrounded by great outdoor shopping and dining. This is one of three 2015 pro tour stops in Florida, taking advantage of the state’s fantastic weather and access to white-sand beaches.

TOUR STOP 8PORT ST. LUCIE, FL

TOUR STOP 1PANAMA CITY, FL

TOUR STOP 2 MADEIRA BEACH, FL

SEP 24-26, 2015

MAR 18-20, 2015

APR 24-26, 2015


Austin Rester & Mike Placek

MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPSPLACEK: Austin and I played in Atlanta and we just weren’t in sync, then I missed the Ohio tournament which was good in the long run because it gave me a break to get healthy. We refocused on training and felt rejuvenated going into Milwaukee; we were confident and hun-gry for a win.

RESTER: Mike and I went into Milwaukee with a mindset to just enjoy playing as partners and have fun. We would play a match or two each day, then go back to the hotel, shower, and go enjoy one of the local restaurants. I’m nearly certain this relaxed mindset was what allowed us, the oldest and “least dynamic” team on tour, to play our best volleyball.

HERMOSA BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPSPLACEK: Everyone immediately com-ments on the deep sand in Hermosa and it was one of NVL’s longer tournaments. Austin and I made sure we stayed out of the sun when we weren’t on court and tried to take our minds off of volleyball in between matches.

RESTER: Bringing the sport back to the area where I learned how to play is always a ton of fun, and a coveted tour-nament to win. I was having a difficult time most of the week with my timing, so I was thankful that in the finals, Piotr and Matt were serving to Mike more. Then the wind became a huge factor in the final. I had to create a level of comfort from nowhere. I began running back sets from the left to the right. Mike has great ball control and did a nice job ad-libbing

our offense. It was tight early in the third set, but Mike and I made some plays late to take home the win.

Josh Binstock & Sam Schachter

TEXAS CHAMPIONSHIPS, ATLANTA CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPSSCHACHTER: It’s always a different approach going into NVL tournaments

CHAMPIONSCHATThe 2014 Championship Teams Share Their Strategies for Success Last Season, Including Training Techniques, Mental Preparation, Competitor Analysis, and More.

Austin Rester and Mike Placek show off their new hardware at the world-famous Milwaukee Mile.


because Josh and I are usually seeded high. Everyone knows you and is gun-ning for you. Josh and I understand we have to be sharp and at the top of our game in every match. We know we have to conserve energy early on in the season and never underestimate any of our opponents. A key for us is traveling with a video camera. We always record the top teams which gives us an idea on what to look for in their game. Josh is one of best video analysts I’ve ever competed with. Tracking points throughout a match is also key; winning several points in a row really boosts your energy. In Texas, Josh and I knew we needed to go in with a lot of confidence because the NVL has such high-level competi-tion. We wanted to win of course, but treated this like a warm-up for the full season and knew we need to really be in sync before we headed out on tour. Once we hit the later tournaments, we were into our rhythm.

BINSTOCK: We prepared the same way for each tournament with minor adjust-ments depending on location and timing in the season. In Texas, we hadn’t played anyone yet and had to rely more on film analysis from past seasons. Going into Atlanta, we knew the players and teams better and used that information to our advantage. It was different going into the Florida Championships. As much as we didn’t want to face it, we were the favorites and felt that if we didn’t win, it would be a failure. It was a lot of pressure but I’ve learned throughout my career to just embrace the pressure. It felt great to round out the season with a win, particu-larly in a setting like Club Med with NVL’s amazing court set-up.

Priscilla Piantadosi-Lima & Karolina Sowala

TEXAS CHAMPIONSHIPSSOWALA: The first tournament of the season was very challenging. I didn’t know what to expect because I didn’t really know many teams. I was still fin-ishing school so our training time was

(Left) Pri Piantadosi-Lima and Kaya Sowala hoist the trophy at the Players Championships, winning 5 of 6 events in 2014. (Bottom left) Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter celebrate their first of three 2014 championships under the lights in Dallas.


limited. When Pri and I practiced, we did a great job making the most of our time together. It brought an amazing result in Dallas.

PIANTADOSIA-LIMA: The first tour-nament of the year always comes with those little butterflies because no one knows what to expect! The focus was to keep our passing and setting consistent enough to help us throughout the tour-naments, and then work some strategy against the other teams. Kaya and I played in a few smaller tournaments before Dallas and those really helped us to find our rhythm so we could win the first tour stop.

ATLANTA CHAMPIONSHIPSSOWALA: Atlanta was HOT. I remember that I was dehydrated and about to faint in the quarterfinal. We took all the time-outs we could. Pri helped me a lot and took control of the game. The finals were fun and at night, much cooler. We played a very simple game, back to the basics.

PIANTADOSI-LIMA: Like Kaya said, it was HOT and I LOVE when it is hot! We had challenging matches in Atlanta. The focus was to keep our side-out game consistent and be an organized team on defense. Kaya and I tried to be in the correct posi-tion when the other team was attacking. The crowd was really into it during the finals and I had the privilege to have my wife there; it meant the world to me to win while she was there to cheer me on!

INDYFESTSOWALA: After we got our butts kicked in Ohio, we knew we have to improve our game a lot, also our mental position. We practiced very hard and Pri’s friend, Magda, a coach from Brazil, joined us to help us take the next step in our journey. I was in love with the facility and the whole event — fast cars, lots of people around, and a great atmosphere. We came in very strong. No team could score more than 15 points against us.

PIANTADOSI-LIMA: Ohio was a hard loss to swallow but we learned from it. That

showed in Milwaukee; we played nearly flawless. Kaya and I completely changed our mindset and became better individ-ually and as a team.

HERMOSA BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPSSOWALA: I wasn’t planning on playing in this tournament due to immigration issues. I got things squared away last minute and headed to California but I was jetlagged and sore. The sand in Hermosa is very deep, which wasn’t help-ing me. Pri and I had our ups and downs but in the final game, we showed that even if we are not in the best condition, we can play to win.

PIANTADOSI-LIMA: Hermosa was hectic. Kaya was still in Poland and I lost my passport, which meant I ended up driv-ing from Florida to California! The focus was on taking care of the ball on our side and doing our best to jump in the deep Hermosa sand. By the finals, it was so hard to jump and get a clean kill, but I refocused on my basic skills and used my energy effectively to be able to finish the match. We were so happy that we overcame so many adver-sities to be able to win our 4th title.

PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPSSOWALA: It was nice to play in Florida

ChampionsCHAT

“Only eight qualified for this tournament so the level of play was very high. ClubMed was amazing, helping us relax and get some rest after matches. The facility is perfect for tournaments.”

—Karolina Sowala


which is my home in the U.S. and a lot of my friends came to cheer for us. My parents were watching all of the games online and I could feel their support. It felt like a home game. Even now, I can remember every single game we played and every single point in the final. Only eight qualified for this tournament so the level of play was very high. ClubMed was amazing, helping us relax and get some rest after matches. The facility is perfect for tournaments.

PIANTADOSI-LIMA: Our goal for the season was to make it to every final and WIN Port St. Lucie. So like every tourna-ment we played, the focus was to take care of the ball on our side; do the best we could with the best we had. It was so great to be able to hang out at the Club Med resort; what an amazing set up! We really focused on trusting each other and played the game at a high level with awareness and focus. That helped us to win it all. My proudest moment was to see Kaya developing into a different player. As her partner, mentor, and “mom” (that’s what she calls me), I saw her becoming a mental player and approaching the game from different angles. It made our journey so much sweeter than I could have imagined.

Brooke Niles & Jessica Stubinski

MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPSSTUBINSKI: Success for me, crept in when I least expected it. After a series of events, Brooke and I partnered up to play in Ohio. Due to minimal time to prepare, Brooke and I officially met at the Ohio

tournament. We hadn’t practiced, strate-gized, or even prepared like most teams had for this tournament. And maybe that’s exactly why we won. There were no expectations. We took one match, one game, and one point at a time. I think communication also played a role in our success as a team. Since we didn’t have any experience playing together before this tournament, it was important for us to constantly com-municate throughout each game. We talked about everything from where we needed our sets, to shots that were open on the court. This win was special for so many reasons. It was our first time playing together, my whole family was there to experience it with me, and it was my very FIRST victory on the NVL tour.

NILES: Once Jessica and I decided to play together, I trained on playing the left side and my blocking since those were both new positions to me. I could tell Jessica was a really hard worker and put trust in that fact that she would take care of her side. I had never approached a tournament like that and since I didn’t know anything about Jessica, I decided to just control what I could! So, through-out the entire event I didn’t really look at the opponent, only my side of the net and my own individual preparation. Just like Jessica said, we both took it one point at a time!

Piotr Marciniak & Matt Henderson

MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPSMARCINIAK: Although Matt and I have been partners for over two years, the

Midwest Championships was the first NVL tournament we had ever played together. Matt and I adjusted the way we practiced to the previous season, emphasizing more teamwork than indi-vidual skills, and that’s exactly how we prepared going into Ohio. Matt and I had a tough moment on the first day of the tournament and we lost to Hinchey/Vandenburg which moved us to the contenders bracket. I remember after the first day’s matches, Matt and I went to get cleaned up and talked about our previous matches. It only took us about 20 minutes to figure out what went wrong and we knew that from that moment on, we’d be back on track. And that’s exactly how it was, we played very well, smooth and confident.

MATT: I grew up playing volleyball at a waterpark so the atmosphere really brought me back. It’s funny because I didn’t really plan on traveling at all that year and wasn’t practicing much going into it. Piotr and I had trained the year prior and were comfortable playing with each other but we didn’t plan on playing together. I actually remember trying to find a partner for him to play with because the NVL was a good opportunity for him to play and do well. After search-ing with no success, I told Piotr that I was healthy and had that weekend off if he wanted to give it a go. We had no expec-tations but we always hold ourselves to playing at a high level. Piotr really was what a partner should be – positive, communicated well, and took care of his side. Winning was pretty amazing because we had to fight and scratch for every point. I also cannot forget the support my wife gave me throughout the tournament. She was my rock at this event, keeping me focused on the things I could control and forgetting the things I could not. The entire weekend was mentally draining but so rewarding. I couldn’t have done it without Piotr and Morgs.

(Opposite Page) Brooke Niles goes in to hug partner Jessica Stubinski after beating Pri Piantadosi-Lima and Kaya Sowala at the Midwest Championships.(Left) Piotr Marciniak and Matt Henderson took home the win in Ohio earning them “Men’s Best Upset of the Year” at the Player Awards ceremony.


Concepts And Action Steps for Higher Performance, Injury Prevention and Longevity in Your Sport and Life Pursuits

My practice and other life expe-riences have shown me that teaching concepts in addition to

techniques can create a greater change for the person, and a lasting one. In these articles I want to help our readers reach lasting results whether athletes from junior to pro, coaches or trainers, or anyone interested in actively working on their best body performance and longevity. This issue’s performance and prevention topic is going to be a key component of our structure and overall human function…The Sacrum. The sacrum is at the base of your spine and wedged between the Ilium portions of the pelvis, thereby making up the “sacral-iliac joints”(S-I). The sacrum and SI joint function has a major influence on the ability of your core muscles to perform correctly; in fact this region significantly influences whole body performance. In order to see the sacrum (Figure A), you are seeing through 5 or more layers of muscles which anchor to the sacrum. It is involved with numerous muscles of the (upper) legs and the core, thereby the functionality of the sacrum and sacral-iliac joints will significantly impact the function of the core and legs, and your ability to JUMP HIGHER and HIT HARDER. Important to clarify here, the core is not just the new-age name for the abs, rather, “the core” is descriptive of a large region of different muscles which work together

the physical types of stressors, there are: the abrupt impact type stresses, like those that occur frequently in volleyball and other sports, and we have the repetitive position stresses, like in work and travel. Many of these stresses the body is attempting to right and recover on a day to day basis with some success, but in many other scenarios the stresses exceed the body’s ability or conditions for repair and altered function results. This altered function in turn becomes the new standard for the load on the core and the whole body mechanics. Over time, injury susceptibility increases from over-use due to the altered mechanics traced back to sacrum dysfunction. Specific and scientific chiropractic assessment

STAY IN THE GAME

The NVL tour provides a high quality Performance and Prevention Team of sports doctors and therapists for their professional athletes. Spearheaded in 2014 by Dr. Dominique “Dr. Dom” Scott, sports chiropractor practicing in Manhattan Beach, CA, the inaugural year of this care program for the NVL athletes was a definite success. Another branch of the NVL player performance care department will be additional provision of performance and prevention insights from Dr. Dom and other experts in the field. This article kicks off the first Stay In The GameTM column from Dr. Dom’s NVL Performance Department.

Dr. Dom – Director of NVL Performance Team.

(Figure A) Sacrum and core muscles.

(or are supposed to) to unite your upper and lower body. I consider the core to include all muscles from the lower ribcage area to the upper legs; front back and sides. (I will be covering more on core-performance in upcoming articles.) Since the sacrum is a connect-ing and uniting bone of upper and lower core, the proper position and mobility of the S-I joints determines a lot about the demand put into the core muscles. To better describe this relationship, I have come to refer to the sacrum as, The Keystone of the Core. The correct movement, positioning and alignment of the sacrum is some-thing studied and addressed in great detail in the chiropractic profession for the last 100 + years. When properly assessed and adjusted for any altered function, the person, athlete or not, takes a leap toward the best conditions for core function, as well as improved balance toward the downward load into the hips, knees, ankles and leg muscles. Add to that another huge relationship; that the mechanics of the sacrum also impact the lumbar, sacral, and sciatic nerve roots which are charged with con-trol, regulation, and recovery of the low back, the legs, and the lower abdominal organs and systems…major impor-tance, but too often overlooked.

How do we get altered function of the sacrum? In a word, stress. Considering only

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and adjustment techniques can identify this and help the body to adjust back toward it’s ideal performance of these many interacting parts of sacrum, The Keystone of the core. In this season alone we had several cases where the athlete’s primary com-plaint was back, the hip or knee, yet the biomechanical (chiropractic) findings indicated sacrum function as the key issue. When this was adjusted, the change resulted in immediate improve-ment to the athlete’s complaint area and they were able to return to compete at a high level, free of the limit they had been experiencing previously.

What can you do to support the function and performance of your sacrum and its best influence on your core and leg performance? The best results will begin with getting proper chiropractic assessment and any necessary adjustment, but before and after you cover that step, here is what you can do. Pay attention to this: the sacral-iliac joints, and the low spine, have a greater load upon them when sitting than when standing. This is because some of the core muscles are disengaged when seated, and the body/torso load falls more to low back

and sacrum. So, minimize sitting when possible, and when you do sit there are better and worse ways to do it. There is something called the lumbar arch, or low-back curve which is lost or reversed unless we are making an effort to place substantial support behind our low back when we sit. (think airplane seat…that is reversed curve, unless you are kickin’ it in first class lazy-boy style seats, and even then those need a good cushion behind the lower back to do it right). So if you sit for X-many hours per week, with minimal or poor support, you are programming your sacrum for dysfunction. Then when you train or compete you are unknowingly bringing faulty mechanics to the court or gym,

setting yourself up for injury. Key Point: use substantial low back arch support whenever sitting, and sit tall, and firmly against the support which needs to be just above the buttocks to be effective. The other major strategy we advise is to provide for some daily recovery for the low back and sacrum. Go to DrDomQ.com for simple yet very effec-tive step that can be done in 2 minutes here and there to distress those areas. Yes, training the core muscles strategically is beneficial, and increasing

“When (the Sacrum) was adjusted, the change resulted in immediate improvement to the athlete’s complaint area and they were able to return to compete at a high level, free of the limit they had been experiencing previously.”

Proper sacrum function is the linkage between powerful legs and an effective strong core.

Thanks Dr. Dom and Team!I used your services at the NVL Hermosa event last week and I wanted to say thank you! I was feeling pain IN MY KNEES when I was in volleyball passing position or in a squat and I had no idea that I needed an adjustment in my lower back to fix that problem! That just blew my mind :) In my match after working with your team my body felt lighter and more agile, thanks again! —Tori , NVL Pro

muscle and joint recovery from training with dynamic stretching and soft tissue work, like with “the stick” or foam roll-ers, are components of a well-rounded performance plan. However, the portion I have taught in this article is one of the most over-looked conditions I have seen in over 20+ years of study and prac-tice. Learn how to provide for optimal sacrum function in your training and healthy lifestyle approaches and it will surely give you returns in performance and prevention. Simple effective steps shown at: DrDomQ.com/performance-tips/ Look for the next concepts and action steps to help you Stay In the Game!—Dr. Dom

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2015 Players To Watch

Tasted his first final in Atlanta and this big blocker is looking forward to getting back to the finals and winning his first event.

Was known for his “beast mode” in the off season. There is no doubt that Dave is ready to let everyone know that he is not satisfied with his many 2nd place finishes.

This 2012 Olympian has won every NVL event he has played in, and he and his partner, Sam, look to continue their winning ways internationally and on the NVL tour while they compete to play in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

One of the most exciting players on tour to watch, he’s looking for a younger partner that is ready to win the close matches he needs to win to get to the next level.

This smooth yet explosive jumper is ready to get back in the winners circle after surprisingly not making a final in 2014.

Needing a more experienced partner to show him how to win the big one, Drew has a huge ceiling but seems to be up to him on how high he will go.

This cagey veteran knows how to win and is looking for a young big blocker to share his knowledge and experience to hoist the trophy.

A stealthy defender and a big jumper, he knows how to control a match. But with a new partner and deeper talent pool this year, it will be interesting to see if he continues to impress.

One of the smartest players on tour and best defenders, Travis will continue to give teams fits as he always finds a way to win the close matches.

“Snake” is the tallest player on tour and his wicked left arm is sure to get this tour champion another victory if he stays consistent late in the draw and blocks more balls.

“Cookie” may be the best natural talent on tour and has the rare ability to both block and play defense. The youngest top player on the tour has worked extremely hard in the off season and truly wants to be the best.

Piotr MarciniakThe 2014 “Best Offensive Player” and possibly most talented player on the tour is hungry to win more tournaments and has had a strong off season training at the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academies. and has never looked stronger.

Mike Placek

Eric Zaun

Drew Mallin

Andrew Russell Dave Palm Andrew Hinchey

Jeff Samuels Josh Binstock

Todd Strassberger Travis Schoonover Ryan Vandenburg


2015 Players To Watch

Pri knows how to win. Will be starting the season with Batt and could be a formidable team with lots of experience and ability to train together in Florida, which could make this team scary.

Very good all around player with a lot of experience under her belt. She’s never a good draw for her opponents.

One of the best defenders on tour will work hard to find her way back to the winners circle. She needs a big blocker and then anything can happen.

This Texas product has shown great promise and many of the players are talking about Jayna taking the leap and thinking this could be her year.

2014 “Rookie of the Year” impressed everyone with her quick-ness on defense and making the finals in Hermosa Beach.

This former NVL Baltimore champion is always a threat to win a tournament and it will be interesting to see who this veteran picks up and plays with this year.

Molly has proven herself as a top player by finishing 5th place in 5 of 6 events in 2014. With an intense off-season workout routine and back with steady partner, Williams, is she ready to win her first event?

The 2014 Defensive Player of the Year, Brooke picked up Kaya and this team is going to be tough to beat. Nearly missing the Olympics in 2012 and tasting victory last year in Ohio, she is positioned to have a record year.

This veteran big blocker has been able to continue to improve year after year. Jenn is always a specimen and with her flawless work out routines and diet she is always ready to battle. Is 2015 her time to win the big one?

After coming out of retirement last year and finally getting her legs back mid-season, she became the blocking force nobody wanted to face.

The “jack of all trades” can do it all. Fun to watch and not fun to play against. “T” is always ready to do whatever it takes to win. Who will Tarin play with this year to keep the fire burning?

Karolina Sowala2014 MVP and arguably one of the best players in the world, “Kaya” has made a name for herself on and off the court as the NVL’s top player and a great coach at the Club Med NVL Volleyball Academy. Can anyone take Kaya’s crown?

Priscilla Piantadosi-Lima

Jayna Duke

Kristen Batt

Chelsea Hayes Molly MenardHeather Lowe

Michelle Williams Tarin Keith

Chara Harris

Brooke Niles Jennifer Snyder


Off-Court & ONLINE

The NVL highlights some of the best Twitter and Instagram posts from the year! Please keep posting your photos and videos to be considered and remember to tag us on:

Twitter: @TheNVLInstagram: @NationalVolleyballLeague

For junior and amateur posts:Twitter and Instagram: @NVLRIZE

http://twitter.com/@TheNVL

http://instagram.com/@NationalVolleyballLeague

http://twitter.com/@NVLRIZE

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