Post by bigfan on Nov 28, 2006 23:34:18 GMT -5
LBSU volleyball is fighting for respect
www.presstelegram.com/sports/ci_4731934
Brian Gimmillaro doesn't want to hear it, scoffs when you tell the Long Beach State women's volleyball coach that it's more difficult for him to win these days because those universities with Division I marquee football programs around the country have put greater emphasis on his sport in recent years.
He doesn't want to hear it, gets riled up when you tell the gentleman with more than 600 victories and three NCAA titles on his resume that he's engaged in unfair combat, as he's ensconced in a mid-major setting having to compete for national championships against institutions with greater financial, if not academic resources.
In fact, Brian Gimmillaro even raises his voice a few decibels when you so much as dare employ
Brian Gimmillaro that vogue term to describe those colleges who aren't in a high-profile, big-time football ambiance.
"Mid-major!" he huffs with undisguised contempt. "I hate that phrase. I find it demeaning. It's like you're being lumped into an inferior group - and that's ridiculous. We're a Division I volleyball school - and there are 328 of us in the country."
As Gimmillaro and his troops prepare to be unkind hosts in an opening round NCAA competition this weekend at the Walter Pyramid - the 49ers face Pepperdine at 7 p.m. Friday after Hawaii and Oregon commence the festivities - there aren't many observers in the volleyball orbit that give the 49ers a serious chance to win another NCAA title.
Not that Long Beach State isn't any good.
When you go 25-5 and finish second in the Big West Conference behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as the 49ers did, you're not exactly embarrassing yourself.
And the NCAA, a well-known pawn of those schools that generate immense football revenue, certainly displayed respect for Gimmillaro's program by deciding to stage one of its playoff events in Long Beach.
But there was a time - like, well, 2001 when Long Beach finished 33-1 and was upset in the title match by Stanford - when the 49ers would have been ranked among the top teams in the nation at this juncture of the calendar and been one of the favorites to emerge victorious in the tournament.
For a number of reasons, foremost of which, according to Gimmillaro, has has been a string of unfortunate ailments to vital performers, the 49ers have been unable to ascend to such heights in recent winters.
Maybe it has been the injuries, and certainly Gimmillaro has been hurt this season by losing two of his top outside hitters, Quincy Verdin and Naomi Washington.
But the bottom line is that the 49ers no longer have been the dominant force they once were, and one can't help but idly wonder if Brian Gimmillaro now has regrets about turning down lucrative offers in the past from USC and Texas.
"Not at all," he says. "I love where I'm at. Long Beach State is a great university and this is a great community. I could never see myself living in Austin, Texas, or having to drive in to Los Angeles every day. My family is comfortable in Long Beach, and so am I."
"But don't you think the days of Long Beach State winning women's volleyball national championships are over with?" I said.
Brian Gimmillaro passionately disagreed.
"If I didn't think our team, or the other teams at the school were capable of winning championships, I'd have left a long time ago," he said.
"Can this season's 49er team win the NCAA title?" I wondered.
"I always feel we have a great chance to win every time the ball goes up in the air," he replied. "I think had we remained healthy we would have won every match we played this year.
"At the moment, I like the way we've been playing and improving in recent weeks.
"This is a very special group of players, and I really enjoy being around them, look forward every day to coming to practice. I'm inspired by their efforts at practice. And I've seen the results as the quality of their play has gotten better during the season.
"I think I enjoy this more than anything. Winning, obviously, is very good. But you get a greater sense of satisfaction from watching the tremendous effort, commitment and growth of your players."
Brian Gimmillaro has kind words to say about all his players, and believes his middle blockers, Alexis Crimes and Michaela Hasalikova, to be the prime tandem in the country.
The sophomore daughter of his long-time assistant Debbie Green, Nicole Vargas, has developed into a deft setter and Mariko Crum, Heather Hetzer and Robin Miramontes and Dyanne Lawlor all have had their memorable moments during the past few months.
"My players have been so conscientious and supportive of one another," says Gimmillaro. "They've been a joy to be around."
His three seniors, Miramontes, Crum and Hetzer, are also stellar in the classroom. Miramontes plans to obtain a Master's degree in sports psychology, while Hetzer is set to enroll in law school to become an attorney and Crum in medical school to become a doctor.
On most campuses in America, if the women's volleyball team had lost only five matches all season and was awarded for its achievements with an opening-round playoff in its own arena, the head coach would be rejoicing loudly.
While Brian Gimmillaro certainly is glad his team was chosen for such an honor - after all, it wasn't even an automatic NCAA participant since it didn't win the Big West title - one can forgive Mr. Gimmillaro for not turning somersaults in ecstasy.
You must understand this is the 20th consecutive year the 49ers have appeared in the NCAA gig, with only three other schools, Stanford, Penn State and UC Santa Barbara, matching such an accomplishment.
In some ways, Brian Gimmillaro has become a victim of his own staggering success, setting the bar so high at Long Beach State that it's become a disappointing season to some in the community if Gimmillaro's gals don't reach the Final Four, which he has done on seven occasions.
"Our goal here every year is to win the NCAA title," says Brian Gimmillaro. "If we don't, we're disappointed. And I'm confident we're going to win one again. If not this year, then next. And, if not next, then the following year. We have the talent. We have the tradition. We just have to stay healthy. That's the key for us. I'm certain our time will come again ..."
Doug Krikorian can be reached at doug.krikorian@presstelegram.com
www.presstelegram.com/sports/ci_4731934
Brian Gimmillaro doesn't want to hear it, scoffs when you tell the Long Beach State women's volleyball coach that it's more difficult for him to win these days because those universities with Division I marquee football programs around the country have put greater emphasis on his sport in recent years.
He doesn't want to hear it, gets riled up when you tell the gentleman with more than 600 victories and three NCAA titles on his resume that he's engaged in unfair combat, as he's ensconced in a mid-major setting having to compete for national championships against institutions with greater financial, if not academic resources.
In fact, Brian Gimmillaro even raises his voice a few decibels when you so much as dare employ
Brian Gimmillaro that vogue term to describe those colleges who aren't in a high-profile, big-time football ambiance.
"Mid-major!" he huffs with undisguised contempt. "I hate that phrase. I find it demeaning. It's like you're being lumped into an inferior group - and that's ridiculous. We're a Division I volleyball school - and there are 328 of us in the country."
As Gimmillaro and his troops prepare to be unkind hosts in an opening round NCAA competition this weekend at the Walter Pyramid - the 49ers face Pepperdine at 7 p.m. Friday after Hawaii and Oregon commence the festivities - there aren't many observers in the volleyball orbit that give the 49ers a serious chance to win another NCAA title.
Not that Long Beach State isn't any good.
When you go 25-5 and finish second in the Big West Conference behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as the 49ers did, you're not exactly embarrassing yourself.
And the NCAA, a well-known pawn of those schools that generate immense football revenue, certainly displayed respect for Gimmillaro's program by deciding to stage one of its playoff events in Long Beach.
But there was a time - like, well, 2001 when Long Beach finished 33-1 and was upset in the title match by Stanford - when the 49ers would have been ranked among the top teams in the nation at this juncture of the calendar and been one of the favorites to emerge victorious in the tournament.
For a number of reasons, foremost of which, according to Gimmillaro, has has been a string of unfortunate ailments to vital performers, the 49ers have been unable to ascend to such heights in recent winters.
Maybe it has been the injuries, and certainly Gimmillaro has been hurt this season by losing two of his top outside hitters, Quincy Verdin and Naomi Washington.
But the bottom line is that the 49ers no longer have been the dominant force they once were, and one can't help but idly wonder if Brian Gimmillaro now has regrets about turning down lucrative offers in the past from USC and Texas.
"Not at all," he says. "I love where I'm at. Long Beach State is a great university and this is a great community. I could never see myself living in Austin, Texas, or having to drive in to Los Angeles every day. My family is comfortable in Long Beach, and so am I."
"But don't you think the days of Long Beach State winning women's volleyball national championships are over with?" I said.
Brian Gimmillaro passionately disagreed.
"If I didn't think our team, or the other teams at the school were capable of winning championships, I'd have left a long time ago," he said.
"Can this season's 49er team win the NCAA title?" I wondered.
"I always feel we have a great chance to win every time the ball goes up in the air," he replied. "I think had we remained healthy we would have won every match we played this year.
"At the moment, I like the way we've been playing and improving in recent weeks.
"This is a very special group of players, and I really enjoy being around them, look forward every day to coming to practice. I'm inspired by their efforts at practice. And I've seen the results as the quality of their play has gotten better during the season.
"I think I enjoy this more than anything. Winning, obviously, is very good. But you get a greater sense of satisfaction from watching the tremendous effort, commitment and growth of your players."
Brian Gimmillaro has kind words to say about all his players, and believes his middle blockers, Alexis Crimes and Michaela Hasalikova, to be the prime tandem in the country.
The sophomore daughter of his long-time assistant Debbie Green, Nicole Vargas, has developed into a deft setter and Mariko Crum, Heather Hetzer and Robin Miramontes and Dyanne Lawlor all have had their memorable moments during the past few months.
"My players have been so conscientious and supportive of one another," says Gimmillaro. "They've been a joy to be around."
His three seniors, Miramontes, Crum and Hetzer, are also stellar in the classroom. Miramontes plans to obtain a Master's degree in sports psychology, while Hetzer is set to enroll in law school to become an attorney and Crum in medical school to become a doctor.
On most campuses in America, if the women's volleyball team had lost only five matches all season and was awarded for its achievements with an opening-round playoff in its own arena, the head coach would be rejoicing loudly.
While Brian Gimmillaro certainly is glad his team was chosen for such an honor - after all, it wasn't even an automatic NCAA participant since it didn't win the Big West title - one can forgive Mr. Gimmillaro for not turning somersaults in ecstasy.
You must understand this is the 20th consecutive year the 49ers have appeared in the NCAA gig, with only three other schools, Stanford, Penn State and UC Santa Barbara, matching such an accomplishment.
In some ways, Brian Gimmillaro has become a victim of his own staggering success, setting the bar so high at Long Beach State that it's become a disappointing season to some in the community if Gimmillaro's gals don't reach the Final Four, which he has done on seven occasions.
"Our goal here every year is to win the NCAA title," says Brian Gimmillaro. "If we don't, we're disappointed. And I'm confident we're going to win one again. If not this year, then next. And, if not next, then the following year. We have the talent. We have the tradition. We just have to stay healthy. That's the key for us. I'm certain our time will come again ..."
Doug Krikorian can be reached at doug.krikorian@presstelegram.com
