There's a new PowerZone member on the horizon, as regulars Les and Cindy Sturt have a new addition to their family.
Duncan Leslie George Sturt was born on July 16, weighing in at 7 pounds, 15 ounces.
Les was playing in the Parsippany Grass Tournament on July 15, with Cindy spectating, when she felt it was time to head for the hospital. Les, who was playing in the reverse coed doubles with Ann-Lee Yuan, had to leave without playing their last pool play match that day, but Cindy's feelings were right since she spent the night in the hospital and gave birth the following morning.
Cindy said all three Sturts are doing well. "I came home two days later, and Les is home on paternity leave. My mom moved in today (Monday) to give us a break,'' Cindy said.
Cindy said they choose the name Duncan because "it's Scottish-sounding and unique. We debated it a lot because we aren't sure if he'll get bullied because of it, but we wanted something different.''
The first middle name came from Les' dad, and George is after Les' uncle. But he joked to PowerZone director George Mon that the baby was named after him because George was the last person he and Cindy saw at Volunteers Park before they left for the hospital.
Duncan Leslie George Sturt is 20 inches long, Cindy said. "He's a good size,'' she said. "We still haven't decided if my Asian genes or Les' Scottish genes won.''
Either way, he'll probably be a great volleyball player!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Pat Powers clinic takes over the 'Zone
For two days, PowerZone became Pat Powers-Zone.
Olympic Gold Medalist, USC men's coach, and former AVP star Pat Powers brought his unique coaching/teaching style to PowerZone on June 30 and July 1 for a sold-out two-day clinic with over 70 participants from all over the East Coast. One participant was from Japan, by way of his summer vacation in Vermont.
Powers, who was on the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal winning team from the United States and also played on the US World Championship team in 1986, has 35 clinics scheduled this year all over the United States.
Powers has developed a method that can teach players how to master the game of volleyball over a short two-day span. His "Over-Correction" method combined with "Survivor" games helps the junior and recreational player overcome years of bad habits.
"I teach skills a little different than most coaches: I advocate passing the ball low instead of high,'' Powers says on his website (vbclinics.com). "I am a big fan of snapping the ball instead of hitting it. Because of this, I have a successful teaching manner: theory, demonstration, "Over-Correction," drill, next skill.''
He said "Survivor'' helps players put all the skills together.
"The first part of the clinic is where we establish the rules and teach you how to play, the last part of each day is when we make you play by the rules…or you go to the end of the line. Very effective!'' Powers wrote on his website.
Powers plans to return to PowerZone with another camp next summer in late June/early July.
"PowerZone is one of the best facilities
that I see all year!'' he said. "I like the fact that we get a lot of
adults there. They keep the young players in line ... It's a very fun
event. I can't wait to return next year!''
Olympic Gold Medalist, USC men's coach, and former AVP star Pat Powers brought his unique coaching/teaching style to PowerZone on June 30 and July 1 for a sold-out two-day clinic with over 70 participants from all over the East Coast. One participant was from Japan, by way of his summer vacation in Vermont.
Powers, who was on the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal winning team from the United States and also played on the US World Championship team in 1986, has 35 clinics scheduled this year all over the United States.
Powers has developed a method that can teach players how to master the game of volleyball over a short two-day span. His "Over-Correction" method combined with "Survivor" games helps the junior and recreational player overcome years of bad habits.
"I teach skills a little different than most coaches: I advocate passing the ball low instead of high,'' Powers says on his website (vbclinics.com). "I am a big fan of snapping the ball instead of hitting it. Because of this, I have a successful teaching manner: theory, demonstration, "Over-Correction," drill, next skill.''
He said "Survivor'' helps players put all the skills together.
"The first part of the clinic is where we establish the rules and teach you how to play, the last part of each day is when we make you play by the rules…or you go to the end of the line. Very effective!'' Powers wrote on his website.
Powers plans to return to PowerZone with another camp next summer in late June/early July.
"PowerZone is one of the best facilities
that I see all year!'' he said. "I like the fact that we get a lot of
adults there. They keep the young players in line ... It's a very fun
event. I can't wait to return next year!''
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Scott Teske's injury
Powerzone regular Scott Teske - most Powerzone members probably know him, since he plays on a men's club team, is a regular at open gyms, plays in the men's and coed leagues, and coaches in the Allegro local program - fractured one of his vertebrae during a trip to Greece.
Scott fractured the C1 vertebrae in three spots, and will be in rehab for the next six-to-nine months. He's at home with his parents in Tabernacle now.
"I'm actually pretty lucky, 80-90 percent of the people who fracture that vertebrae end up with some paralysis, like Christopher Reeve,'' Teske said. "I don't have any. I can eat, walk, go to the bathroom, and talk. I'm able to get around on my own.''
To allow the bone to heal, Scott has to wear a halo that is attached to his to his skull in four places, and also attaches to a vest that he wears.
"It's like a body cast, but it's pretty comfortable,'' he said. "I've been improving every day.''
Scott said he'd be very happy to hear from everyone via email (steske@earthlink.net). His address is 7 Moore Road West, Tabernacle, NJ, 08088. He's also publishing a blog on the web detailing his recovery (http://www.sjtdesigns.com/wordpress/).
"I'm going to be bored out of my mind for the next six months, so if anyone wanted to shoot me an email I'd be glad to hear from them,'' Scott said. "I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers - I'm not the most religious person, but someone upstairs was obviously looking out for me.''
Scott fractured the C1 vertebrae in three spots, and will be in rehab for the next six-to-nine months. He's at home with his parents in Tabernacle now.
"I'm actually pretty lucky, 80-90 percent of the people who fracture that vertebrae end up with some paralysis, like Christopher Reeve,'' Teske said. "I don't have any. I can eat, walk, go to the bathroom, and talk. I'm able to get around on my own.''
To allow the bone to heal, Scott has to wear a halo that is attached to his to his skull in four places, and also attaches to a vest that he wears.
"It's like a body cast, but it's pretty comfortable,'' he said. "I've been improving every day.''
Scott said he'd be very happy to hear from everyone via email (steske@earthlink.net). His address is 7 Moore Road West, Tabernacle, NJ, 08088. He's also publishing a blog on the web detailing his recovery (http://www.sjtdesigns.com/wordpress/).
"I'm going to be bored out of my mind for the next six months, so if anyone wanted to shoot me an email I'd be glad to hear from them,'' Scott said. "I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers - I'm not the most religious person, but someone upstairs was obviously looking out for me.''
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Parsippany grass tournament results
(For photos from the tournament, taken by Scott Teske, go to http://sjtdesigns.smugmug.com/invite/1310926744466dd26fd77fa4.55239122)
By Fred Siegle
LAKE HIAWATHA - It was the kind of comeback that's only possible in sideout scoring.
Joe Zdaniewicz, Freedon Twp., N.J., and Annie Holliday, Middletown, N.Y., trailed 7-0 and 10-2 but came back and won, 15-11 to capture the reverse coed title at the Parsippany Grass Tournament at Volunteers Park on June 10. They beat Tom Narath, Boonton, and Macia Penha, Maywood, in the championship game.
"It was terrific volleyball,'' said Zdaniewicz, 22, who recently graduated from West Point and will start his Army career in two months as a lieutenant. "This was my first grass tournament ever, I'm so happy to come out first, especially since it was such good competition throughout the day.''
Zdaniewicz had 3 aces and 7 kills in the final, while Holliday, 26, who is the coach of the West Point club volleyball team, had 10 kills and 2 aces.
They went undefeated throughout the day, compiling a 6-0 record in pool play, then beating Tracy Reasoner, Flemington, and Rafael Innis, Plainsboro in the semifinals. Narath and Penha came out first in their pool, then beat Cheryl Vadas and Michael Campbell in the semifinals.
Narath had two aces at the start of the final and his tough serve helped his team take the 7-0 lead. "He was serving so well,'' Zdaniewicz said.
After Narath's third ace, which landed in the back right-side corner, he and Penha had a 10-2 lead. But Zdaniewicz had two straight aces after that to start the comeback. A dig and a kill by Zdaniewicz made it 10-5, and his third ace made the score 10-6. "You're carrying me,'' Holliday said to him after the point.
An error by Zdaniewicz made the score 11-6, but Narath and Penha weren't able to score again (Narath had to take a time out at one point because of a cramp in his foot). Zdaniewicz completed the comeback with a dig and kill after a serve by Holliday.
In sideout scoring, teams can only earn points by being successful in a rally that started with their serve. If the game had been played under the rally scoring format - which is used in almost all volleyball except grass tournaments and where there is a point scored on every serve - Narath and Penha would have held on for a 25-23 victory.
"That shows the beauty of sideout scoring,'' Holliday said.
Narath finished the game with 3 aces and 7 kills, while Penha had 6 kills and an ace.
Parsippany grass tournaments feature men's, women's, and coed play for all levels of competition. Men's and women's doubles divisions, along with girls (18-under and 16-under) quads divisions are played on Saturdays, while reverse coed doubles, and women's and men's triples divisions are held on Sundays at each event.
The next tournament will be held July 14-15, with events also scheduled for August 11-12 and September 8-9. Hudson Valley volleyball also holds grass tournaments at Memorial Park in Beacon, N.Y. It has events set for July 7-8, Aug. 4-5, and Sept. 15-16.
For more information on Parsippany tournaments, email info@powerzonevb.com. For details on Hudson Valley, visit the website (www.hvvolleyball.com).
By Fred Siegle
LAKE HIAWATHA - It was the kind of comeback that's only possible in sideout scoring.
Joe Zdaniewicz, Freedon Twp., N.J., and Annie Holliday, Middletown, N.Y., trailed 7-0 and 10-2 but came back and won, 15-11 to capture the reverse coed title at the Parsippany Grass Tournament at Volunteers Park on June 10. They beat Tom Narath, Boonton, and Macia Penha, Maywood, in the championship game.
"It was terrific volleyball,'' said Zdaniewicz, 22, who recently graduated from West Point and will start his Army career in two months as a lieutenant. "This was my first grass tournament ever, I'm so happy to come out first, especially since it was such good competition throughout the day.''
Zdaniewicz had 3 aces and 7 kills in the final, while Holliday, 26, who is the coach of the West Point club volleyball team, had 10 kills and 2 aces.
They went undefeated throughout the day, compiling a 6-0 record in pool play, then beating Tracy Reasoner, Flemington, and Rafael Innis, Plainsboro in the semifinals. Narath and Penha came out first in their pool, then beat Cheryl Vadas and Michael Campbell in the semifinals.
Narath had two aces at the start of the final and his tough serve helped his team take the 7-0 lead. "He was serving so well,'' Zdaniewicz said.
After Narath's third ace, which landed in the back right-side corner, he and Penha had a 10-2 lead. But Zdaniewicz had two straight aces after that to start the comeback. A dig and a kill by Zdaniewicz made it 10-5, and his third ace made the score 10-6. "You're carrying me,'' Holliday said to him after the point.
An error by Zdaniewicz made the score 11-6, but Narath and Penha weren't able to score again (Narath had to take a time out at one point because of a cramp in his foot). Zdaniewicz completed the comeback with a dig and kill after a serve by Holliday.
In sideout scoring, teams can only earn points by being successful in a rally that started with their serve. If the game had been played under the rally scoring format - which is used in almost all volleyball except grass tournaments and where there is a point scored on every serve - Narath and Penha would have held on for a 25-23 victory.
"That shows the beauty of sideout scoring,'' Holliday said.
Narath finished the game with 3 aces and 7 kills, while Penha had 6 kills and an ace.
Parsippany grass tournaments feature men's, women's, and coed play for all levels of competition. Men's and women's doubles divisions, along with girls (18-under and 16-under) quads divisions are played on Saturdays, while reverse coed doubles, and women's and men's triples divisions are held on Sundays at each event.
The next tournament will be held July 14-15, with events also scheduled for August 11-12 and September 8-9. Hudson Valley volleyball also holds grass tournaments at Memorial Park in Beacon, N.Y. It has events set for July 7-8, Aug. 4-5, and Sept. 15-16.
For more information on Parsippany tournaments, email info@powerzonevb.com. For details on Hudson Valley, visit the website (www.hvvolleyball.com).
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Summer leagues forming
The summer leagues (coed sand 4s on Mondays, coed sand 4s on Thursdays, reverse coed indoor league on Wednesdays) will be starting next week (6/4, 6/6 and 6/7) with open play/pickup players/seeding nights.
Monday coed 4's will be B/BB level, Thursday will be rec level. Games could start at 7, 8, 9 and possible 10 p.m. (we'll have lights).
The Wednesday reverse coed will have Gold (A/AA), Silver (B/BB) and Bronze (rec/B) divisions.
If you plan to have a team, are looking to join a team, etc., please plan to attend, and also make sure you turn in a team roster by 6/7. We'll be doing schedules after that.
Cost for non-gold members is $95 per person (there may be an added fee for gold members for the sand leagues to offset the cost of lights, we'll check that with George).
If you're planning to play and have a team, email me (fsiegle@powerzonevb.com) with the details. (But you still also have to do the team roster!) If you're looking for a team, email me also so I can start getting players/teams together.
We'll also be doing sand 2's tournaments on wednesday nights if anyone is interested in that.
Monday coed 4's will be B/BB level, Thursday will be rec level. Games could start at 7, 8, 9 and possible 10 p.m. (we'll have lights).
The Wednesday reverse coed will have Gold (A/AA), Silver (B/BB) and Bronze (rec/B) divisions.
If you plan to have a team, are looking to join a team, etc., please plan to attend, and also make sure you turn in a team roster by 6/7. We'll be doing schedules after that.
Cost for non-gold members is $95 per person (there may be an added fee for gold members for the sand leagues to offset the cost of lights, we'll check that with George).
If you're planning to play and have a team, email me (fsiegle@powerzonevb.com) with the details. (But you still also have to do the team roster!) If you're looking for a team, email me also so I can start getting players/teams together.
We'll also be doing sand 2's tournaments on wednesday nights if anyone is interested in that.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Men's 4 playoff sked
Update for Monday May 21:
8 p.m. games: Silver semis (Zhou vs. Storms). Gold final (Teske vs. Ringwoodies, Ugly Ball has to forfeit).
9 p.m.: Western Penn vs. Zhou/Storms winner; Second Gold final match if needed.
10 p.m. (asap): Second Silver final match if needed.
8 p.m. games: Silver semis (Zhou vs. Storms). Gold final (Teske vs. Ringwoodies, Ugly Ball has to forfeit).
9 p.m.: Western Penn vs. Zhou/Storms winner; Second Gold final match if needed.
10 p.m. (asap): Second Silver final match if needed.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Shenanigans, JLTT win titles
JLTT (Terry, Tina, Michael and Dave) won the Silver Division championship and Shenanigans (Michael, Cheryl, Roman and Jim) captured the Gold Division title as the Coed Spring League came to a conclusion on Wednesday, May 16.
JLTT beat Spike U 25-23, 25-17 in the Silver final. Pat, Tom, Bill and Dana played for Spike U.
Shenanigans defeated the Tri-Lams 25-22, 19-25, 25-23 to win the title. Jim led the way for Shenanigans with 18 kills, 1 block and 2 aces. Roman had 15 kills and 2 blocks, and Michael had 7 kills and an ace. Cheryl was the setter and also had a kill.
Jay had 15 kills for the Tri-Lams, Jonathan had 13 kills and 2 blocks, and Chris had 5 kills and 2 aces. Kathy, who did the setting, had a kill.
The third game between the Lams and Shenanigans was tied 22-22 when Shenanigans went up by a point because of a Lams' error. Roman then had a block to make it 24-22 before Jonathan had a kill to make it 24-23. But Shenanigans ended it with a kill by Jim to take the title.
In the first game, the Lams held a 23-22 lead when Kathy hurt her knee and had to take a time out. Shenanigans scored the next 3 points to win.
Shenanigans beat Revenge of the Turds (Alicia, Scott and Tommy) 19-25, 25-20, 25-20 in the semifinals.
The Lams beat the Watermelons (Eric, Kurt, Marci and Megan) 25-17, 25-17 in the semis. Jay had 10 kills, Jonathan had 6 kills and 2 aces, and Chris had 3 kills and 3 aces for the Lams, while Kurt had 11 kills, Eric had 8 kills and 2 aces, and Marci and Megan each had an ace for the Watermelons.
JLTT beat Spike U 25-23, 25-17 in the Silver final. Pat, Tom, Bill and Dana played for Spike U.
Shenanigans defeated the Tri-Lams 25-22, 19-25, 25-23 to win the title. Jim led the way for Shenanigans with 18 kills, 1 block and 2 aces. Roman had 15 kills and 2 blocks, and Michael had 7 kills and an ace. Cheryl was the setter and also had a kill.
Jay had 15 kills for the Tri-Lams, Jonathan had 13 kills and 2 blocks, and Chris had 5 kills and 2 aces. Kathy, who did the setting, had a kill.
The third game between the Lams and Shenanigans was tied 22-22 when Shenanigans went up by a point because of a Lams' error. Roman then had a block to make it 24-22 before Jonathan had a kill to make it 24-23. But Shenanigans ended it with a kill by Jim to take the title.
In the first game, the Lams held a 23-22 lead when Kathy hurt her knee and had to take a time out. Shenanigans scored the next 3 points to win.
Shenanigans beat Revenge of the Turds (Alicia, Scott and Tommy) 19-25, 25-20, 25-20 in the semifinals.
The Lams beat the Watermelons (Eric, Kurt, Marci and Megan) 25-17, 25-17 in the semis. Jay had 10 kills, Jonathan had 6 kills and 2 aces, and Chris had 3 kills and 3 aces for the Lams, while Kurt had 11 kills, Eric had 8 kills and 2 aces, and Marci and Megan each had an ace for the Watermelons.