A new day Thursday
Good morning. quite the discussion yesterday. Maybe some unfair finger-pointing but the bottom line: It was Huff’s decision.
Understandable when looking at trying to juggle both sports in the same semester, something she didn’t have to do last year when able to concentrate on one sport at a time. Timing wasn’t very good for sure.
I wasn’t able to talk to Beeman yesterday and will try to do so today.
COMMENTS
Comments are closed.
From yesterday’s topic:
109. Ashley … Hufff didn’t play at all even in somewhat easier matches vs. Idaho and San Diego St.
Anyway, today’s article by Cindy says Casey and Annie will get more reps and swings on the right side now.
Agree. Megan has given no specific reasons why she left VB other than the fact that she has concluded that BB likely holds a brighter future for her. Let’s support her decision and move forward – she has. I too find some of these fault-finding comments a little nonsensical with no basis other than speculation. Best wishes Megan. We will be cheering you and the BB onward when you hit the hardwood floor with Coach Beeman!
Adolpho was a starter on the volleyball team, then went on and played basketball.
Huff wasn’t a starter and wasn’t getting a lot of court time w/ Nikki playing. Besides, Huff is a potential double/double player in basketball, points and rebounds. At that rate, she’s in All Big West consideration in basketball. So, I think Huff made a good decision and she’ll be more happy with a lot of playing time and the results.
Now, if Taylor gets hurt and is out for an extended time, god forbid, Shoji might ask Huff to come back and help the volleyball team. At that point, I don’t know what she would do!
I think it’s better for both programs Huff made her decision now rather than later. Per NCCA rules a student may practice a max of 20hrs per week. It meant when basketball practice opens she would have to split her 20 hrs of practice between the two sports in a sense short changing both.
I can see Beeman’s point of view having Kalei on a BB scholie but getting her after the pre conference schedule was finished. It always took a while for Kalei to get over the wear and tear of volleyball to get into basketball playing shape. Last BB season she had to ease Huff into the rotation. Have her learn the O and D schemes
before her playing time increased. Having Huff available from opening practice is the best case for the BB team in general and Huff in particular.
The importance of being there for training camp is illustrated by Annie. Imagine if she were eligible from the first day of camp to learn Dave’s system and truly compete for a position. It’s evident to me she would be further ahead in her transitions to the D1 game than she is now.
During her last year, Kalei chose VB over BB. This is similar to Megan’s choice. We need to honor their choices as they are STUDENT athletes. Imagine trying to do well at school and then juggle your two sports. I am sure this was a difficult but necessary decision. She is beaming in her BB pictures. I think the fans are a little tougher (in a good way) in VB no matter when you play.
I still am not thrilled about the timing of her decision but it is what is is.
Hope Casey and Annie embrace the right side and catch up quickly.
I do agree that there is a lot less pressure on the basketball team.
#5. Shar,
Kalei did not “choose” VB over basketball. Last year, she played VB on a BB scholarship — and essentially chose to “red-shirt” in BB, and is now playing BB this year as a 5th year player, in contrast to her first 3 years. So, she found a way to play both and maximize her development in both. I think she realized that by splitting time and playing both at the same time, she was limiting her progress in both sports and would play closer to her potential in both sports by not playing one for one season, and playing the other in the next. It worked for her last year in VB, and hopefully, she has a great year in BB this year.
Megan does have a lot of potential in VB, but was clearly a better BB player at this stage because that was her primary sport in HS. She was “late” to VB. She has improved over last year, but think she realized that splitting practice time was going to limit her development in both sports. So, SHE has made a choice.
I think what this does affect is who Coach Shoji and Coach Beeman will recruit for their sports in the future, e.g. Alohi Robins-Hardy, who wanted to play both and is now at BYU. We may not see a dual sport women’s athlete for awhile. I believe even Coach Beeman was initially not enthused about Megan playing both.
Historically, UH has not been able to recruit a Top 5 class — think their best was a Top 7 class years ago, and with the advent of the BCS and now P5 conferences, the recruiting landscape has made it even more difficult to get the top players to come here. Add in full cost of attendance, and it is not clear what impact that may have.
So, Coach Shoji is doing what he has shown that he does quite well — find unfinished “project” players that he can develop over time — that by their junior or senior years, will hopefully fulfill their potential. I think Megan was on schedule to develop as an OPP, but had Nikki in front of her. To shift her to the left-side would be asking a lot of her after moving from MB (in HS) to OPP.
IMO.
soo looking forward to this weekends up coming games! see you all there @ the SSC!!
hope he plays the “reserves” more! 🙂
I’m a big Megan Huff fan and was really hoping Dave would find a way to get her more playing time but it is what it is. I’m sorry to see Megan leave vball midseason like this but I support her fully and look forward to seeing her on the court (bball) this season!
Being a student athlete is double the challenge. You got practice, game prep, games, rehab if needed and travel. Then you have school to worry about and getting grades better than trying to stay eligible is a must for your future. Trying to arrange make up exams or taking them before a road trip is very stressful, trust me.
Megan made the right choice for her and that is the only thing that matters here. I applaud her for making this extremely difficult choice that is in the best interest of her future.
Forgot one more thing. You have to take care of preseason conditioning to get ready for the season. If you don’t you might get hurt, affects your performance in season and someone else might just take your slot if you are. It hungry enough.
Sorry, not hungry enough.
I think she had a bright future in volleyball as well. More so than basketball.
Huff made a very difficult decision yesterday. Sad to see her leave volleyball but I’m looking forward to seeing her on the basketball court. Good luck Huff…you have our support.
when one door closes, another door opens, alright, the glass is still half full,
what da scoop with,” I’m not thrilled, I’m disappointed, whateva! it is what it is!
Go Bows! basketball and volleyball and tennis and golf and softball etc etc
when one door closes, another door opens, alright, the glass is still half full,
what da scoop with, “I’m not thrilled, or I’m disappointed, whateva! it is what it is!
we lucky to have her. Go Bows! (volleyball and basketball)
Hope this post goes through. Huff is way more valuable to the BB program than the VB program. She is a reserve in VB but she could be a starter in BB or definitely see significant playing time. So it would be harder for her and unfair to the BB team if she joins halfway when she could be a factor in wins and losses in the early season.
In this day and age it’s very difficult to be a 2 sport athlete in college due to the academic demands. I applaud her for even trying …
16. yes Huff is good in basketball but shouldn’t the basketball coach have recruited better players so Huff isn’t needed as much?? I just don’t understand how your best and most important player is one of Dave’s recruits.
13.
Sophomore season playing behind a potential All American. 10 Sets played total.
or
All Freshman Team, starter, potential all conference in year 2.
Sounds like a pretty smart decision to me. I wouldn’t want to put in all that practice to be a back up when I can be a focal point of a team.
OMG can we end this…..the only person getting hurt with all this discussion is Megan. She made a private decision that is the best for her…….let’s respect that and move on.
AdmrVT, last year Adolpho played volleyball on a VB scholie. This year she is on a BB scholie.
I was hoping this doesn’t happen. We got too much talent on the bench. I hope we don’t lose a Koelsch, Castillo, and Guianasso too…They are all too talented not to be playing or starting….They all could start at another ranked D1 volleyball team…If your starters are struggling with serving, blocking, and hitting etc…pull them out….or else we will end up 1 deep….It is only because the fans, crowds, and beach they come here….it is not certainly because of its top notch facilties or playing time….We really got to take these things serious because future recruits will hear or see the pattern and think twice to come here….Megan Huff absolutely didn’t play enough….she made a great choice, eventhough I very sad…
Huff in my opinion was that next outside hitter…shenough needed everything opportunity to play up front and pull her out when she gets in the back….I am sold today in playing the taller athletic player unless their name is Kim Willoughby or Kanani Danielson…in which at this time we don’t really have
I want to see different girls like Castillo and Koelsch start…and maybe Guianasso like Anderson did ear a libero uniform this weekend.. We have this time to explore if injuries or other factors may occur to our current starters….Is the next girl a really bad drop off….Why wait?
Can’t afford to lose any more girls with height!
bleachercoach, agree with every thing you wrote. We cannot maintain our high rankings in the volleyball world without out-of-state recruiting. The weather alone should keep the Canadians here but we need to give the California girls more incentive to stay i.e. more playing time.
All final four teams have depth. Check out Penn State, Nebraska, Texas, etc… If one player falters or gets injured, next one up… If we are to challenge for a National Championship we need to do it with a TEAM and have a TEAM with DEPTH. Let’s not focus or worry about the what ifs we lose someone…ALL the players are IMPORTANT. -Go Wahine…
You don’t build depth by playing your important subs sparingly.
#25….Thank You!!! #26 Yes all the girls are important That’s My Point!!! Play them!!!
Guinasso and Koelsch were here originally because of beach volleyball, I think they honestly are happy just to get to be a part of the indoor team, and Koelsch is getting plenty of playing time, and might even start later this season. Castillo IMO knew she would have to wait a few years for her time on the court.
I hate to say this but if I was Megan and Dave asked me back…I would politely say “NO”. If she was not good enough to get PT while working her butt off and dedicating full time to vball what make you think she would be good enough after being away from the game for a few weeks?
Dave didn’t think Huff was good enough and made his decision to not play Huff. He is going to have to deal with the consequences of not having a decent backup if god forbid, Nikki gets hurt.
30. she was the first hitter off the bench for goodness sake, Granato and Castillo were getting way less playing time, and they are ALL working hard. Playing time comes with time, not all underclassmen get to play a lot right away.
First hitter off the bench?? Brah…I’ve been to every game and seems like she only go in for one point and then leave. Granato may have less playing time NOW but was given a chance to prove herself earlier in the year by getting a start in a set and was a serving sub for Tai.
Huff never got that chance. Castillo is a freshman and was not really supposed to make an impact. Huff was raved about by Dave yet when come game time she was snubbed.
@31 WF get your facts straight:
“Granato and Castillo were getting way less playing time…”
Granato as a true frosh played twice as many sets as Megan and started 2 matches.
As a primary back row player she had nearly as many attacks as Huff.
We get your point. You love Dave Shoji.
Yes and we get it you two, blame Coach Shoji for making Megan leave, it’s getting old reading the same comments over and over again , Next~!
#30 Perhaps – or perhaps not. Perhaps, Dave was very focus on fixing issues like passing, receiving, transitioning, and setting. After all, if we did not win over Florida, there was real chance of not hosting. What is more important – playing reserves or getting immediate issues fixed to insure winning out in the all important RPI determinant pre-season matches. Have we all forgotten the screams of bloody murder when weakness were exposed in the past few weeks? Players need reps to fix issues. Dave knows his priorities, and we won over Florida when we were in do or die situation for hosting rights- especially after the lost to UCLA.
18. Coach Beeman has done a really good job recruiting bigs for our basketball team. If you look at the team now we will have the best group of bigs in the BW and probably one of the best group I have seen at UH. I think the competition for playing time is going to be huge this season. For Megan to come in late as she did last year will only mean that she will be coming off the bench as she did last year. Focussing on BB of which she has shown a lot of potential means that she could be in the hunt for a starting role.
36. I disagree, none are at the level Of Kamilah Jackson, or even a Roper, except for Huff,
Recruiting has not been good if Huff can come in and be such an important player right off the bat.
#33 Yeah, we also get your point. You don’t like Shoji! And you do a great job of making your case known – very consistent.
Huff looked at Maglio who came to UH last year at the same time and had more playing time last year than Emily and must have wondered why am I not also playing a good amount of time this year like Emily ?
39. Because Emily plays a position that was left open when Adolpho graduated and she doesn’t play rightside behind Nikki Taylor.
Amazing to see the different ‘takes’ people have on this.
And thank you to those who are setting the record straight.
Adolpho was on volleyball scholarship last year. on Basketball this year. While she played both sports her first three years, she only played one as a senior and now one as a grad student. Because Beeman kept a scholarship open for her.
Again, the bottom line is this was Huff’s decision.
30. Why would you think Shoji would ask her to come back?
33. Fact: Granato and Huff were playing two different positions. Guinness and Huff play two different positions.
Agree with some. this is getting old. What’s done is done and time to move on with the season. And agree better to leave now than in October. This way they have time to make the adjustments
It is so much fun to read all the speculation. I should stay out of the blog to keep my cool lol. Volleyball has only six slots for starters and the coach on every Div 1 team will play the players that was determined to be the most ready. I’m sure every coach would love to give the players on the bench as much playing time as possible. It is easy to say oh the coach should give more playing time to this player over that player and so on and so forth. There have been many players that have come off the bench over the years than later on became starters has their development warranted a starter status. Some players are better coming off the bench to bring a different energy to the match especially when its needed. We just don’t see all the dynamics that goes on in practices and the individual attitudes from the players that all coaches have to deal with. There have been some players that were only about themselves and not good team players. Players will leave for a variety of reasons and if playing time is an issue than as far as I’m concerned than that player should go because the team doesn’t need that sort of attitude. I think for the most part, our student/athletes have a stronger motivation to being on a team other than how much playing time is given.
32. yes, everyone raved about Huff, that she was most improved from last year. Don’t think anyone said she was going to start.
The real issue is Hall being suspended for two matches
You cannot compare the depth here with the depth of Penn State, Stanford, Texas, USC, Nebraska and other perennial 10 ten programs. Year in and year out they win the recruiting battle for the top rated high school players. Their benches are stocked with highly recruited players while Dave’s MO has been to find those over looked gems in the rough that he’ll take the time to polish.
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=33254
new thread up on Hall