Brian Yale: Entrenador!!

Alright, raise your hand if you know where Edinburg, Texas is?

Half of you are liars.

For that bunch and those who stayed still during questioning, just think South. How South? Really, really, really far down there in Texas south. Edinburg, Harlingen, McAllen, Brownsville - they are all within, oh, 50-60 miles of each other in the southern most tip of our great state. Still a bit lost? Let's see if you recognize this one: South Padre Island. There you go. Go an hour and half west of South Padre and you'll hit Edinburg.

Count Brian Yale as the newest resident there as in recent days Coach B has secured what many have known he was destined to: a head volleyball coaching job in the NCAA ranks. Let me introduce to you the new head volleyball coach at UT-Pan American, Brrrrrrrrrrian Yale. Had to type it, 'cause I won't get to growl it anymore - unless I just feel like it one time during a 2011 match at which point, I'll probably get fired.

I'm gonna pile on to what others have been saying all week and I mean this seriously: This is well-deserved.

Check this out though: Yale is originally from Eden, New York (yeah, you'll have to Google Map that one, too) and then found his way to Bowling Green State University. You probably know that's in Ohio. Then again, maybe you don't. Southern folks confuse Bowling Green, Ohio and Bowling Green, Kentucky from time to time. Anyway, after playing and studying there he coached high school volleyball in the same general area before coming down to Texas. Well, we should say, coming down to Deep East Texas. Now, Yale finds himself in Deep South Texas. From Eden to Edinburg: That's a long way.

From Bowling Green, OH to Nacogdoches is far - roughly 1000 miles. But, Texas is big my friend. Nacogdoches to Edinburg is roughly half that far - clocking in at just under 500.

Those in the know (I'm really not) are aware that Yale has been ready to take the reigns of his own program for a few years now. Other opportunities that were close to coming to fruition are all dust under the rug now as Yale has already told me via email he is scrambling to learn new things, new people and get his team for 2011 in order.

When we exchanged brief emails last week, he wrote a remark about possibly crossing paths again (which I sincerely hope occurs) - after all, maybe one day UTPA would find themselves in the Southland Conference (which I hope doesn't happen). I'd be lying if Yale's tongue-in-cheek reference to the Broncs joining the SLC one day hadn't been uttered by other folks I know associated with NCAA Athletics and SFA, in particular. That discussion though is for another day - and another post - as the focus here is squarely on lauding Yale.

I am lucky. Coaches and players and members of athletic offices don't really have to be nice to peons like arena announcers and bloggers. While Brian and I didn't tend to "talk volleyball" as much as Debbie and I do, or even as much as assistant John Critzer and I probably will, one thing is for sure: Brian was always gracious, jovial in his own rather quiet way and conveyed to me a deep sense of volleyball knowledge. This guy's gonna do fine. Just fine.

Occasionally - well, usually - after home matches, I'll hang around. You know - read the box score, talk to Ben (even though he is still working), talk to parents, players, fans - whatever. Sometimes, the crowd would dissipate and I'd find myself in the orbit of a conversation between Debbie, Erin and Brian or Debbie, Brian and John. When this would happen and I would interject a comment, almost always my brain starting working overtime trying to tell my mouth: "Shut Up and Listen, Shut Up and Listen, Shut Up and Listen". Yeah, maybe I THOUGHT that we didn't play good back row defense, or didn't serve well or whatever... but then Brian would often make some short statement about that night's play and I'd think: "yeah, he's right". Then my brain would click: "Well, duh, of course he's right - he's a coach - your a... your a... well... you're someone who announces kills and blocks and stuff. Shut up, you idiot."

Now let's be clear: Brian wasn't telling me I was wrong (even though odds are FAR in my favor that I was). Brian was just communicating how well he picks up on things in a subtle, unpretentious way. I like that. I found myself wanting to listen to him more.

The players really liked Coach B. Now truth be told, head coaches tend to get more flak from athletes. Hey, they are the final authority, so they are the ones people get ticked at when people decide to get ticked. Nonetheless, I don't have memory of anyone speaking poorly of Brian the entire time I've been relatively close to the club. In fact, quite the opposite. Players, parents, and his colleagues would often praise him. Sure, I didn't hear everything - but when people did convey a memory or opinion to me, it was positive.

So good luck, Coach B. You'll be missed. You've got a wonderful family in Shannon, Kenzie and Kendall. I will say without getting too personal, that I witnessed several times Brian "being a Dad". I respect him for that. His obvious commitment to the three girls most important in his life supersedes this game with net and ball.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the horizon: Hey, its winter and there's no volleyball to watch. WRONG!! Critzer (say it like this in your best hit man voice: C-RIGHT-ZAH) and I are going to drive down to Pearland next weekend to watch the Greater Houston Volleyball Coaches Association All-Star Tournament. This will be my first look at Katzy Randall, Paige Holland and Jill Ivy. Those three will be wearing purple next Fall and along with other freshmen recruits will look to immediately place their stamp on the program. Randall, Holland and Ivy will each participate on different teams in the four-team all-day event.

I understand that NCAA regulations restrict what commentary I can give until these athletes arrive on campus next Fall, so I am not planning on doing a write-up of the tournament. We'll have plenty of time to talk about and actually talk to these three and the others later in the year. Needless to say, the look of the team in 2011 will be quite different than the look in 2010 due to turnover. I don't want to spend a lot of time looking back at a disappointing 2010 season. I'd rather focus on and get excited about the prospects of 2011. That being said, look for a few posts during the coming weeks about "2010 In Review". As always, I have a few statistical posts brewing and I'll share those during the Spring as well.

Comments and email to gmiller@sfasu.edu are always welcome.

UTSA 2, Rest of the Conference 0

Twice. UTSA beat UCA twice this year. It's the last one that occurred today that really matters. Take that, doubters.

Stand up and show me your hands if at the beginning of the year you had UTSA winning the conference tournament beating UCA while also being the only team in the SLC to beat them in conference play.

Crickets.

Take that, doubters.

This week I heard people touting Central Arkansas. I joined in.
This week I heard people talking about how strong Texas State is this time of year. Yeah, I could see them going all the way.
This week I even heard a few people talking about host Sam Houston playing on their home court and being a possible sleeper. I had that thought too.

I can't say I talked to the SLC Volleyball universe here, but no one I talked to picked UTSA to win the conference tournament. I talked to people both inside of outside of Nacogdoches, mind you.

Take that, doubters.

Come on, let's hear it? Props to Laura Groff, right? What about Kendra Rowland? She played great. Brittney Malloy? Awesome. Jewasko made some ridiculous digs. One person I was particularly impressed with today was Whitney Walls. I think I made a mistake in leaving her off my all-conference teams (she originally was on my 3rd team, but I let Brandt at Nicholls bump her off. There, I admitted it).

I watched the entire match on my computer rather than TV because I couldn't find the match on the Nacogdoches channel that was designated for SLC TV. That really irked me, but after watching an SFA football game earlier in the year where the local affiliate cut out to a country and western dancing show with two minutes to go and the opposition driving to take the lead, nothing surprises me about SLC TV.

UTSA actually gave UCA a beat down in the first two sets. But, the Sugar Bears came roaring back and the overall quality of the match down the stretch was quite high I thought. It was a really enjoyable match to watch and it left me kind of mad at myself for not hoping in the car and driving over to Huntsville after church this morning. (I briefly considered it, before going into the office for an hour or two before game time. Ugh.)

I was also impressed by UTSA's athleticism. I am very familiar with most all of their key players from years gone by, but today their athleticism shone a little brighter than in previous times I've seen them.

So, congratulations to the UTSA Roadrunners - your 2010 SLC representatives in the Big Dance. You played well. You put the Sugar Bears back on their heels in a way I hadn't seen in the last few years. You deserve it.

Finally.. and I will go here only one last time... Jessica Hays. People, come on. Jessica Hays. Were you watching?

Match high 22 kills and career high 22 digs, with three aces to boot. Not just a double-double, she goes off for a double-twenty. How does someone put up a double-20 in the championship match and not make all-tournament? I know UCA was only given two slots to fill, but man, seriously?

Hays was UCA's best player on the court today (again). She serve receives - she did so 24 times more than anyone else from either side - she digs, she hits the living daylights out of her attacks and serves. But, she doesn't get a tournament honor? Robbery.

Call me obstinate. I've been called worse. I'll stand by my decisions from earlier in the week. Hays is the most deserving player in the conference for Player of the Year this year and Groff is the most deserving coach for Coach of the Year.

Something tells me Groff doesn't care as much now. She's got the trophy to add to her case in San Antonio ... and UCA has a long bus ride back to Conway.

Take that, doubters.