Coach Holly Using New Training Techniques to Get Vols ready

[Florida Fan]

The three seniors have to communicate, Diamond to pass when triple teamed, Mercedes to decide she's going to the hole every game and Nared to stay focused, because, without their commitment to excellence, and setting the example, the rest of the team will flounder. When the boneyard lines up to give Holly a pep talk, you know the Vols have a long way to go.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

When push comes to shove (not a Cooper analogy) Holly Warlick and her assistants are still coaching and controlling the team. So they can introduce any new potion to the mix but in the heat of battle they will revert to what they've been doing the past 3-4 years and that's playing NO team BB, NO knowledge of defensive principles, and usually one-on-one offensive BB!
Whatever skill set that this so-called #1 recruiting class brings to Knoxville, by mid-season they'll fit right in with the present members of the team losing the potential they brought in!

 

[meyers7]

How exactly?

It’s a team exercise that’ll also help get the player’s nose out of their phones and into becoming a more rounded teammate and person individually.

“The group that I’ve formed is going to help us be better listeners, better communicators and just better people outside of basketball,” the sixth-year head coach said. “Not that we have bad kids, we have great kids, but I think we can be better. We are trying to get them better on the basketball court and now we are trying to get them better personally and socially, as well.”

 

[UcMiami]

If I were taking something from Uconn to TN I would have chosen the Marine boot camp that they have been running the last five or so years. I don't have a problem with the sports psychologists concept, but I just don't think it is a great team building process - putting people into physical and mental stress and making them have to rely on teammates is more real life and creates both self reliance and reliance on others that is deeper than friendship and 'better communication'. It strikes me that from the outside looking at the product on the floor, that kind of boot camp is more of what TN needs.

On the returning seniors - Nared is the one who impresses me. With less skill and fewer physical attributes than the others she showed to be more consistent and dogged in her game - I consider the other two to be underachievers compared to her overachieving.

I don't really see this new approach as being in the mold of CD - yes Geno and CD stress communication and CD has rules to limit use of electronics in public situations, but the process of team building and the psychology of winning is an integral part of the day to day coaching of the team, and (a big advantage) integral to the way the program gets handed down from one group of upper classmen to the next.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Neither Russell nor Deshields is a leader. Will either or both miraculously become leaders in their senior season? Every summer for the last 4 years at least Holly has talked team unity and leadership. Pardon me for being a skeptic.

 

[BroadwayVa]

The three seniors have to communicate, Diamond to pass when triple teamed, Mercedes to decide she's going to the hole every game and Nared to stay focused, because, without their commitment to excellence, and setting the example, the rest of the team will flounder. When the boneyard lines up to give Holly a pep talk, you know the Vols have a long way to go.

The total of Vol games I saw this past year -admittedly were few--but Nared at times was the team, Mercedes--looked lost and non aggressive--Diamond --at times exceptional--and at times lost in the crowd---I found my self shouting at Holly and the 3 --apparently they knew how to steal a loss from the jaws a victory. The talent was obvious--and that is frustrating for even a non Vol fan.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Neither Russell nor Deshields is a leader. Will either or both miraculously become leaders in their senior season? Every summer for the last 4 years at least Holly has talked team unity and leadership. Pardon me for being a skeptic.

Diamond should be the leader--but my choice is one who can lead by example NARED--I like her.

 

[jennyo70]

I agree that this is at least an attempt to right the ship. It is apparent, with the now confirmed reports of a fight and the goings on around that fight, that something needs to be done.

There is something to be said of addition by subtraction. It is quite possible the drama surrounding Cooper has been a distraction for the last couple of years and could have been the reason for the chemistry issues.

 

[oldude]

I agree that this is at least an attempt to right the ship. It is apparent, with the now confirmed reports of a fight and the goings on around that fight, that something needs to be done.

There is something to be said of addition by subtraction. It is quite possible the drama surrounding Cooper has been a distraction for the last couple of years and could have been the reason for the chemistry issues.

While I do subscribe to the "one bad apple can spoil the barrel" theory, it's hard to buy the idea that Cooper was the reason for the chemistry issues at Tenn. Two years ago she was just a freshman and should never have had that impact. This past year she was out with an injury, so she had no real impact on game or practice chemistry.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree that this is at least an attempt to right the ship. It is apparent, with the now confirmed reports of a fight and the goings on around that fight, that something needs to be done.

There is something to be said of addition by subtraction. It is quite possible the drama surrounding Cooper has been a distraction for the last couple of years and could have been the reason for the chemistry issues.

Humans who have close day to day contact --at times have issues just due to the inability separate from each other--Sometimes physical violence clears the air. Sometimes, animosity builds from the physical contact---or another person is involved--emotions . You are absolutely correct addition by subtraction, when fundamental calculus doesn't work. Holly this time, it appears , made the proper and only choice for a solution--and the Chem building is essential--she needs to do this every year.

 

[BroadwayVa]

While I do subscribe to the "one bad apple can spoil the barrel" theory, it's hard to buy the idea that Cooper was the reason for the chemistry issues at Tenn. Two years ago she was just a freshman and should never have had that impact. This past year she was out with an injury, so she had no real impact on game or practice chemistry.

I like the Bad apple theory --unless it's the appel theory--without being privileged to the exact going's on--it's near impossible to make sense of it. My gut (an that's usually wrong) feeling is the problem was over a person rather than an incident--it lasted too long, apparently, to just be practices, game, bad words. If I'm right then it makes sense to move the person or one of the contenders.