Wednesday morning practice 8-28
Our VB special was in today’s paper. Haven’t seen the final product. Hope people enjoyed it. Not the time intensive product of the past 11 years, big team photo across 4 pages and 4 pages on the flip side with a story each by Ann and me, and breakdown of opponents and positions with a coffee theme since final four will be in Seattle
As for practice, basically the same routine as the past two days, a little baseball towards the end. This will be the last morning practice for the week. They move to the arena tomorrow afternoon.
Shoji said he kind of has a starting lineup in his mind but hasn’t told anyone what it is. Joked that he was going pull a Lane Kiffen (the SC coach who isn’t saying who the starting QB will be against UH).
Hard to figure out the RS since the rotations they worked a lot today (with Uiato setting) had Manu-Olevao at LS, Vorster-Adolpho at middle and Uiato front right. Think he was looking at the best blocking pairing when Uiato is in the right row. Also Longo and Hartong backrow with Lelepali. Or Taylor at LS and Manu-Olevao and Hartong back row.
Hartong flew out of the back row on one play and just nailed Mendoza as she turned her head. it came over so quickly. Manu-Olevao also looked good on 3-meter. She is so quick and athletic. Vorster continues to work on the timing with the slide and seems to be elevating better, contacting the ball where she should to get the max efficiency.
Overall, coaches were please with the practice, told the players often ‘nice work’ while they were breaking for water.
UH finished its practice around 830. and were off to lift weights about the time Texas came in, close to 9. Longhorns got into Hawaii last night.
As mentioned on another thread, said hello to Elliott, asked him how Brian Poppinga’s surgery went (Poppinga is Elliott’s best friend, goes back to their UH days) Poppinga had recent hip replacement. Sounded like it went well.
Think that’s about it for now.
Cindy, it also keeps Texas guessing, who will Shoji put on the RS. Having Uiato playing the RS and setting, was genius by Shoji, just in case there were any Texans snooping around during their practice. Not having any of his hitters hitting from the RS, leaves Texas guessing. I have a feeling, crafty Shoji has something up his sleeve for Texas. I imagine, Shoji, even kept Tuaniga sort of under wraps, too. Texas does not have much on Olevao, much less on Tuaniga, and definitely nothing on Nikki Taylor. Whereas, Shoji has quite a lot of film on almost the entire Texas team.
BRIAN POPPINGA!! By far, my most favorite all time men’s player. Met him a few times during his playing career and he is just the nicest guy. I was in high school at the time, but I remember, there was one instance I was in the front row and he came diving for a ball and ran right into me. He apologized and later after the match, back during the days when we could mob the players for autographs, he saw me and made sure to apologize again and gave me a signed knee pad.
Besides marrying Karrie, always wondered what had happened to him after his playing days.
DF, practices don’t work like that. The opposing team is not in the gym at the same time. Tuaniga and Manu-Olevao not kept under wraps. True, tho, not a lot of film available on Taylor and nothing at the collegiate level.
SHOJI SAID HE WILL MISS HARTONG NEXT YEAR.