Aug. 21, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Nine days is typically not considered a long period of time, but preseason is anything but typical. When the majority of those days contain two demanding practices and some running and weights sprinkled in the mix, time has a habit of slowing down quite a bit. But this is how it works and this is what we do. This is my forth time around so I may know the drill, but you can never get used to it.

We are reaching the point of preseason that you just accept the fact that it is hard but you keep pushing through. A routine of breakfast, practice, lunch, practice, dinner, sleep and getting up and doing it all again is becoming a way of life. The novelty of a college preseason is fading even for the new freshmen, but this is when we get better. Every day is a test of our focus and drive. Our time to solely focus on volleyball is slowly running out as the first day of classes quickly approaches on Aug. 30, so we need to maximize the time we have left.

Practices this week are designed to try to keep some of the freshness in our legs for our impending tournament. Our bodies have taken a pounding in the past nine days but if we can successfully function when we are fatigued, it will make us that much better when we have time to physically recover. This team's positive attitude throughout preseason is one of the best I have seen in my career which makes me that much more excited to see what the season will hold for us. Instead of acting as somber and tired as we may feel, we joke during water breaks and reminisce about funny practice stories over lunch. I think that is a tribute to mental toughness of our team.

Excitement for out tournament is beginning to build and you can feel it throughout the players. A chance to showcase the skills we have been working so hard at behind closed doors is always exciting. First games set the bar for the season and with good teams, like us, the bar raises with every game. Succeeding in competition is what all the hard practicing is about and we cannot wait! We all hope you can be out there and share in our excitement!

Roll Wave,
Sara