Post by lalalaluuuke on Mar 2, 2007 15:37:20 GMT -5
www.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/stories/030107aag.html
Cougars have rarity in sports, yet they keep on winning
March 1, 2007
By Ray Dise
Special to CSTV.com from CVU.com
When one thinks of famous coaches from famous teams in men's collegiate volleyball, singular names come to mind - Scates, Beal, Dunphy, McGown.
Rarely does one refer to famous coaching tandems. Double billing is usually associated with singers more than coaches.
Which is why the situation at Brigham Young University is interesting.
"It is unique to say the least," said Ryan Millar who along with Shawn Patchell forms the duo that serves as co-interim head coaches for the No. 3 Cougars. "It is not something that I would highly recommend but it is just the way that it played out this year and our administration thought it was the best solution to the problem of finding a new head coach after coach [Tom] Peterson resigned. It is in both of our best interests to do as well as we can because both of our names are on the line here."
Having their team in the No. 1 spot in the nation for three weeks earlier this season has reflected well on both of the former Cougars who are now competing for the head coaching position at their alma mater.
Patchell, who played from 1990-93 and was a member of the first NCAA men's volleyball team at BYU, has the most coaching experience of the two, having served as an assistant for the previous five seasons under Peterson and six seasons as the head volleyball coach for the boy's and girl's teams at Laguna Beach High School.
Millar, probably the most decorated player in Cougar history including three first-team All-America selections and the 1999 Player of the Year award during his time in Provo from 1996-99, holds a lot of school records but is in the process of transferring what he learned from playing under a number of great coaches at BYU and on the Olympic team to the current Cougar squad.
"As a player it is more individualistic," Millar said. "What I got out of playing was entirely up to me. The coaches are going to teach me about the things that they think are the right way to play volleyball, but when it comes down to it I am the one that determined how much work I would put forth into play, how much advice I take and use in my game, and as a coach, you are more as a teacher role and more of a motivator role. It is an interesting dynamic that I really like to dissect and look at. I like to take the things that make me a good player and make those things help me be a good coach. This is definitely what I want to do for a long time down the road."
Brigham Young, which is 7-1 overall and 5-1 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play at home but only 2-3, 2-2 MPSF on the road, begins an important six match road swing that will go a long way to determining where the Cougars are seeded in the MPSF tournament.
"We have a young team," said Patchell. "And when you take a young team on the road, it is a learning experience. So far, it has been a struggle to win on the road. The good news about a young team is that we have matured quickly and so we'll see how it goes against USC. On the road it is hard, but it is something that a team has to do to make sure that we play well in the playoffs. As far as the playoffs, it is out of our hands now, having lost two to Pepperdine, but because of the parity in the league we have a great chance to play at home in the first round and possibly host the playoffs if we start doing our job on the road."
The co-head coaches are also doing good job of blending the diverse group of players on the BYU roster.
"I think that our team believes in accountability and role playing," Patchell said. "The guys have been accountable about how hard they have worked in the off-season and they understand their role on the team. It is defined for them and that is really what it takes in volleyball to win. Not everyone is going to be able to get thirty kills a night. And I think that our guys are continuing to define their role on the floor and regardless of the culture or background, we have a pretty tight knit family."
Cougars have rarity in sports, yet they keep on winning
March 1, 2007
By Ray Dise
Special to CSTV.com from CVU.com
When one thinks of famous coaches from famous teams in men's collegiate volleyball, singular names come to mind - Scates, Beal, Dunphy, McGown.
Rarely does one refer to famous coaching tandems. Double billing is usually associated with singers more than coaches.
Which is why the situation at Brigham Young University is interesting.
"It is unique to say the least," said Ryan Millar who along with Shawn Patchell forms the duo that serves as co-interim head coaches for the No. 3 Cougars. "It is not something that I would highly recommend but it is just the way that it played out this year and our administration thought it was the best solution to the problem of finding a new head coach after coach [Tom] Peterson resigned. It is in both of our best interests to do as well as we can because both of our names are on the line here."
Having their team in the No. 1 spot in the nation for three weeks earlier this season has reflected well on both of the former Cougars who are now competing for the head coaching position at their alma mater.
Patchell, who played from 1990-93 and was a member of the first NCAA men's volleyball team at BYU, has the most coaching experience of the two, having served as an assistant for the previous five seasons under Peterson and six seasons as the head volleyball coach for the boy's and girl's teams at Laguna Beach High School.
Millar, probably the most decorated player in Cougar history including three first-team All-America selections and the 1999 Player of the Year award during his time in Provo from 1996-99, holds a lot of school records but is in the process of transferring what he learned from playing under a number of great coaches at BYU and on the Olympic team to the current Cougar squad.
"As a player it is more individualistic," Millar said. "What I got out of playing was entirely up to me. The coaches are going to teach me about the things that they think are the right way to play volleyball, but when it comes down to it I am the one that determined how much work I would put forth into play, how much advice I take and use in my game, and as a coach, you are more as a teacher role and more of a motivator role. It is an interesting dynamic that I really like to dissect and look at. I like to take the things that make me a good player and make those things help me be a good coach. This is definitely what I want to do for a long time down the road."
Brigham Young, which is 7-1 overall and 5-1 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play at home but only 2-3, 2-2 MPSF on the road, begins an important six match road swing that will go a long way to determining where the Cougars are seeded in the MPSF tournament.
"We have a young team," said Patchell. "And when you take a young team on the road, it is a learning experience. So far, it has been a struggle to win on the road. The good news about a young team is that we have matured quickly and so we'll see how it goes against USC. On the road it is hard, but it is something that a team has to do to make sure that we play well in the playoffs. As far as the playoffs, it is out of our hands now, having lost two to Pepperdine, but because of the parity in the league we have a great chance to play at home in the first round and possibly host the playoffs if we start doing our job on the road."
The co-head coaches are also doing good job of blending the diverse group of players on the BYU roster.
"I think that our team believes in accountability and role playing," Patchell said. "The guys have been accountable about how hard they have worked in the off-season and they understand their role on the team. It is defined for them and that is really what it takes in volleyball to win. Not everyone is going to be able to get thirty kills a night. And I think that our guys are continuing to define their role on the floor and regardless of the culture or background, we have a pretty tight knit family."
