Post by GoBigRed on Apr 11, 2007 7:31:07 GMT -5
Senior already working to improve for next season
By: Evan Bland
Posted: 4/11/07
Tracy Stalls is looking a little different this spring.
An entire winter's worth of working out and weight lifting has already had a noticeable effect on the Nebraska senior middle blocker, who will serve as one of the Cornhusker captains for the second straight season in 2007.
Physically, Stalls said she's nearing her full potential as a volleyball player and feeling the difference on the court.
"That's what's fun, is my body is in a place where I can really bring out more of my athleticism and just let it go," Stalls said. "Let's dink around with things and add some new stuff and really fine-tune some things."
Stalls showed some of her improved abilities last weekend in notching a match-high 12 kills in the Huskers' sweep of Wichita State.
Nebraska Coach John Cook said the senior's effort was an early result of the team's spring focus of improving kill production from the middle blockers. The coach added he was impressed with the fact that Stalls and junior middle blocker Amanda Gates combined for 23 kills and just one hitting error in the match.
"It certainly will make us a great team if you can get kills out of the middles," Cook said. "It makes it more balanced from the outside and takes the pressure off those outside hitters.
"Our work's been paying off."
Anticipation of a big year from Stalls is perhaps higher than ever, considering this spring is the first time the Denver native will have had a full off-season to preparing herself for the fall campaign.
Stalls said she is just now reaching peak form after undergoing surgery on both knees before the 2005 season. She returned for 28 matches that year, but couldn't do much to strengthen her legs then or during the months leading up to Nebraska's national championship run last season.
Finally, that's beginning to change.
"They're not weak," Stalls said of her knees. "(But) they still hurt; they're always going to hurt. That's just going to be my career. That's where the ibuprofen comes in, and I've just come to accept that."
She's also embraced her role as a captain during the spring months. Stalls has spent time with fellow seniors preparing their strategy for leading the Husker squad in the fall.
The team's top goal is to integrate the incoming freshmen into the program during the summer and fall months, Cook said.
Stalls, as well as seniors like Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling, has done that with freshman Lindsey Licht already, mainly by spending time together off the court.
Cook said the players are well ahead of the standard they set before the 2005 season when involving younger players.
"I think they learned from when (junior) Jordan (Larson) was a freshman. They didn't do a great job of that," Cook said. "I think those freshmen never really felt a part of it."
This summer, the team will have a rotating "buddy system," where an upperclassman is assigned a younger Husker to spend time with. Nebraska players will also wait to complete their "pyramid," a list of words they compile each year to help define goals they set for their season, until they receive freshmen's input.
Stalls knows NU's title defense is approaching. But for now, she's content with getting to know her teammates and improving her own game.
Last weekend's match certainly proved how far Stalls has come.
"It was nice to just chuck the pressure that we almost felt all season," Stalls said. "People were loving making plays for each other, and that was really special. That's where we are now, and we're just going to keep building."
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© Copyright 2007 Daily Nebraskan
By: Evan Bland
Posted: 4/11/07
Tracy Stalls is looking a little different this spring.
An entire winter's worth of working out and weight lifting has already had a noticeable effect on the Nebraska senior middle blocker, who will serve as one of the Cornhusker captains for the second straight season in 2007.
Physically, Stalls said she's nearing her full potential as a volleyball player and feeling the difference on the court.
"That's what's fun, is my body is in a place where I can really bring out more of my athleticism and just let it go," Stalls said. "Let's dink around with things and add some new stuff and really fine-tune some things."
Stalls showed some of her improved abilities last weekend in notching a match-high 12 kills in the Huskers' sweep of Wichita State.
Nebraska Coach John Cook said the senior's effort was an early result of the team's spring focus of improving kill production from the middle blockers. The coach added he was impressed with the fact that Stalls and junior middle blocker Amanda Gates combined for 23 kills and just one hitting error in the match.
"It certainly will make us a great team if you can get kills out of the middles," Cook said. "It makes it more balanced from the outside and takes the pressure off those outside hitters.
"Our work's been paying off."
Anticipation of a big year from Stalls is perhaps higher than ever, considering this spring is the first time the Denver native will have had a full off-season to preparing herself for the fall campaign.
Stalls said she is just now reaching peak form after undergoing surgery on both knees before the 2005 season. She returned for 28 matches that year, but couldn't do much to strengthen her legs then or during the months leading up to Nebraska's national championship run last season.
Finally, that's beginning to change.
"They're not weak," Stalls said of her knees. "(But) they still hurt; they're always going to hurt. That's just going to be my career. That's where the ibuprofen comes in, and I've just come to accept that."
She's also embraced her role as a captain during the spring months. Stalls has spent time with fellow seniors preparing their strategy for leading the Husker squad in the fall.
The team's top goal is to integrate the incoming freshmen into the program during the summer and fall months, Cook said.
Stalls, as well as seniors like Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling, has done that with freshman Lindsey Licht already, mainly by spending time together off the court.
Cook said the players are well ahead of the standard they set before the 2005 season when involving younger players.
"I think they learned from when (junior) Jordan (Larson) was a freshman. They didn't do a great job of that," Cook said. "I think those freshmen never really felt a part of it."
This summer, the team will have a rotating "buddy system," where an upperclassman is assigned a younger Husker to spend time with. Nebraska players will also wait to complete their "pyramid," a list of words they compile each year to help define goals they set for their season, until they receive freshmen's input.
Stalls knows NU's title defense is approaching. But for now, she's content with getting to know her teammates and improving her own game.
Last weekend's match certainly proved how far Stalls has come.
"It was nice to just chuck the pressure that we almost felt all season," Stalls said. "People were loving making plays for each other, and that was really special. That's where we are now, and we're just going to keep building."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2007 Daily Nebraskan
