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Post by beesknees on Nov 30, 2017 9:30:54 GMT -5
They are also the only only show in town (with mens hoops). Great support from the department and community.
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Post by wudrwu on Nov 30, 2017 9:37:03 GMT -5
Thanks to flyingMoose for pointing me to this thread. This program is important to me and I can and do talk about it to anyone that will listen.
Merriam-Webster defines Occam's Razor:
A scientific and philosophical rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities.
In simpler terms for people like me, all things being equal, the easiest answer is the best answer.
Chris and Shannon Lamb are incredible people that work very, very hard. They love those kids and treat them like their own and through that love and hard work get an awful lot out of the kids that choose to play for WSU.
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Post by wudrwu on Nov 30, 2017 10:55:05 GMT -5
Responding to (what seemed to me at least) the mildly backhanded comment regarding Charles Koch's support. Yes, Koch Industries is headquartered about 3 miles from the University. Yes, Charles Koch is very generous to Wichita State. He's also exceedingly generous to a number of other Universities around the country and countless charities.
I don't know T Boone Pickens at all, other than a little media information. I can tell you Charles Koch is the kind of leader that rewards excellence, but doesn't buy it. If you're not working as hard as he is, or harder, chances are you won't be getting a lot of attention from him. And he's really not into getting attention. I say this because I think he gets a bad rap. I don't care about anyone's political views (even though mine are well fixed), this is a wonderful, giving man of excellence.
To my knowledge, Charles Koch has no direct specific support of volleyball, other than general athletic giving. You can see our budgets and expenses. There's nothing extra heading to volleyball of any significance.
Girls volleyball, at least in this part of the country, is still a sport that attracts a large % of young women that are from what I would consider an above average financial upbringing, for whatever reason that we don't need to delve into. As far as this program goes, there have been many student athletes that have well to do families, that also love volleyball, and they want to be a part of this family and continue playing the game they love, knowing full well that playing time will likely never come. I can't blame anyone for that. And it happens every year. Sometimes it's a one year dream, occasionally it's a 4 or 5 year dream.
And most of these student athletes are just that...STUDENT athletes. Academic scholarships are plentiful and almost all of these kids are excellent candidates for at least some financial aid, even if many don't need it.
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Post by wudrwu on Nov 30, 2017 11:52:33 GMT -5
First off, Lambo is a wizard. As to the giant roster, they used to have this crazy6v6 coop and competitive drill where the entire team continuously rotated in and out and would continue for some crazy long period of time. They tried explaining it to my once, but I couldn't reproduce it without seeing it at least on video. Their staff said the kids loved it. Don't know if it's still part of their program. Yeah, they do some different things and it keeps the kids involved and having fun. I think it's been about 12 years ago Chris and Shannon started Fast Fours for kids 8th grade and younger. Two days a week, come into the gym for $5 I think and play. Shannon would turn on the music and if you weren't playing a point, chances are you were dancing on the sidelines. When my daughter joined a couple years later, I bet they had 125-150 kids, easy, every Tuesday night. And there were 125-150 smiles. I'm telling you, I know as a parent it hits harder, but it is joyful to watch that many kids have fun. Usually the redshirt freshman volunteer to help, and they are rock stars to these young girls. And the thing is, those players have a blast doing it. I know every fan out there loves "their guy". We all do. And usually for good reason. But I'm telling you, Chris is something special, if for no other reason than he convinced Shannon to marry him. They are an incredible, special, loving family who have taken ownership of this program and these kids and have achieved success that I doubt many thought they could "at this level". Pretty special place. Amazingly special people.
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Post by hornfanaustin on Nov 30, 2017 12:47:25 GMT -5
Responding to (what seemed to me at least) the mildly backhanded comment regarding Charles Koch's support. Yes, Koch Industries is headquartered about 3 miles from the University. Yes, Charles Koch is very generous to Wichita State. He's also exceedingly generous to a number of other Universities around the country and countless charities. Not a fan of Koch, but it was weird that that was specifically injected into the comment. But hey, it's an almost-free world. At UT, we have buildings named after big booster doners that barely understand the sport of the building they are financing. i.e. Jamail Swim Complex (Men's team have now won 13 national championships) McCombs Softball complex (we tell Red that it's baseball, but slightly different) Point is, it's the AD that does the squeezing (at most places) for the $$$ to be funding the sport of choice.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Nov 30, 2017 13:25:08 GMT -5
I have been to Koch Arena for volleyball, and I commented at the time that WSU warm-ups seemed like a phys. ed. class, Volleyball 101. There were so many girls suited up and doing pregame warm-ups and practicing. However, as I remember most of those receiving playing time hit, served, and received serve. The extras continued to bump to each other off the court in sets of twos. It seems odd to me that without some extra incentives for the "extra" players, that girls would want to devote their free time this way.
Also, I am not going to apologize for jabbing the Koch Brothers every chance I get. From my perspective, the Roberts Supreme Court has done great damage to our democracy with the 5-4 Citizens United Decision years ago allowing obscene amounts of money to be contributed to political candidates. Citizens United has become famous for stating that "corporations are people" too. Campaign money has been proven to be the deciding factor in which candidate wins a close race generally speaking. One of my Wisconsin friends has told me that Koch Brother money has been the major impetus behind Wisconsin's turn toward Republican conservatism. Now you see what a mess our country is in. Athletically, Wichita State seems to be doing just fine.
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Post by VB48 on Nov 30, 2017 14:29:14 GMT -5
Also, I am not going to apologize for jabbing the Koch Brothers every chance I get. From my perspective, the Roberts Supreme Court has done great damage to our democracy with the 5-4 Citizens United Decision years ago allowing obscene amounts of money to be contributed to political candidates. Citizens United has become famous for stating that "corporations are people" too. Campaign money has been proven to be the deciding factor in which candidate wins a close race generally speaking. One of my Wisconsin friends has told me that Koch Brother money has been the major impetus behind Wisconsin's turn toward Republican conservatism. Now you see what a mess our country is in. Athletically, Wichita State seems to be doing just fine. Soros
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Post by akbar on Nov 30, 2017 14:37:05 GMT -5
Too Deep a thread. ποΈ
They serve, pass and hit pretty good it seems. Good luck Shockers
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Post by gogophers on Nov 30, 2017 14:49:45 GMT -5
Also, I am not going to apologize for jabbing the Koch Brothers every chance I get. There's a place for politics on this board. But the Women's/Girls Volleyball Forum isn't it.
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Post by BuckysHeat on Nov 30, 2017 15:47:57 GMT -5
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Post by wudrwu on Nov 30, 2017 18:38:32 GMT -5
Recruiting is crazy these days. We'll graduate Emily Hiebert this spring, a 5th year senior who's set probably 99.9 of the passes over the last 4 seasons.
She replaced superstar Chelsey Feekin who may have been the best setter in the history of the program, but only played extensively for 2 seasons because (at the time) the best setter in the history of the program, Mary Elizabeth Hooper was finishing 4 straight seasons at the position.
Kora Kualing redshirted this year, so she'll take the reigns next season, I'm betting for the next 4 and I'll be surprised if she's not right there with Emily, Chelsey and MEH as GOAT. She's every bit of 6'2", athletic and uber skilled. 18,19,20,21 seem in good hands. Kayce gets here in 19 and I assume will redshirt 19 and be ready to go in some capacity 2020. That's just insane to me.
Thanks for the info.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 1, 2017 7:47:58 GMT -5
Also, I am not going to apologize for jabbing the Koch Brothers every chance I get. There's a place for politics on this board. But the Women's/Girls Volleyball Forum isn't it. I truly wish sports and politics would intersect across this country. It really bothers me to watch athletes of color playing volleyball (or any other sport) for a university in a state where it's citizens vote to keep their citizens of color from voting in elections. North Carolina is one of those states that so blatantly continually tries to take voting rights away from anyone other than white citizens. Yet, watch North Carolina volleyball or watch North Carolina basketball and you see many players of color being wildly supported by the same people that would deny them their inherent rights as U.S. citizens. In this vein, we have seen finally sports and politics intersect in the NFL. It is way past time!
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Post by l291185 on Dec 1, 2017 14:17:50 GMT -5
No one has mentioned Civita, their outstanding libero, who was player of the match when they beat Creighton. Booth admitted afterward to getting outcoached by Lambo. His 25-player roster reminds me of the old Husker football days when there were like 100 walk-ons, many of whom never played a snap in a varsity game. Civita was a high level player in Italy before to come to US. She played National Team and World & European Championship. At libero position it is easy for that kind of player to outperform in College Volleyball because in HS they focused more on Setters and OH or MB. Lambo has a great coaching team with him. Sean Carter is learning from the best and will be a top coach in the next years Still surprised how Wichita is struggling to attract top recruits from high school. Once "unknown players" go through Lambo coaching they will become top players (e.g. Abbie and Emily)
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Post by c4ndlelight on Dec 1, 2017 14:29:01 GMT -5
No one has mentioned Civita, their outstanding libero, who was player of the match when they beat Creighton. Booth admitted afterward to getting outcoached by Lambo. His 25-player roster reminds me of the old Husker football days when there were like 100 walk-ons, many of whom never played a snap in a varsity game. Civita was a high level player in Italy before to come to US. She played National Team and World & European Championship. At libero position it is easy for that kind of player to outperform in College Volleyball because in HS they focused more on Setters and OH or MB. Lambo has a great coaching team with him. Sean Carter is learning from the best and will be a top coach in the next years Still surprised how Wichita is struggling to attract top recruits from high school. Once "unknown players" go through Lambo coaching they will become top players (e.g. Abbie and Emily) I don't think the university platform is a strong pull for PSAs. While possibly an outdated perception, it's still considered a commuter school by many and they are competing with schools with better academic reputations.
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Post by ESTRELLA on Dec 1, 2017 19:51:36 GMT -5
The way the interact with the players and the families is what makes them go every year...besides there great inside and innovations to the game.
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