SE: K-State VB Newcomers Learning Quickly, to Make Debut in Friday’s Home Exhibition Against Creighton
Aug 16, 2017 | Volleyball, Sports Extra
It's like drinking water from a fire hose.
That's how K-State volleyball associate head coach Jeff Grove likes to describe the first few weeks of practice for Wildcat newcomers, a group that totals seven this season — the program's most since the 2013 season.
"It's a new system, it's new personnel, it's new feedback, and it's new technique. There's a lot of new, so you have to kind of embrace the concept of struggle and that being part of your process for improvement," K-State head coach Suzie Fritz said. "You have to fail. You have to learn. You have to try again, and you have to fail less. I think any time you come into a new situation, you can't be afraid of the fact that you're not going to get it all right."
In short, Fritz said newcomers must "fail fast, learn fast."
"The first few weeks, for sure, are like drinking from a fire hose because they're taking in so much that it's really hard to process information and be good at the same time," Fritz said, borrowing Grove's phrase. "We try to be patient with them to a certain extent but yet try to get them to catch up fast. I think they're doing a wonderful job so far. We've got really good learners. Our young players have been really impressive in regards to their willingness to learn, how fast they're picking up on things, how fast they're adapting and trying to make changes."
K-State's newcomers include five freshmen — Brynn Carlson (outside hitter), Alex Haffner (setter), Brooke Heyne (outside hitter), Jacque Smith (defensive specialist) and Megan Vernon (middle blocker) — as well as two transfers in Reilly Killeen, a junior defensive specialist/libero from the University of Arizona, and Brooke Smith, a junior setter from the University of Nebraska.
With so many new pieces, redshirt junior outside hitter Kylee Zumach said the first few weeks of practices take on an increased level of significance.
"They're so important," she said. "We haven't been with the coaches all summer so every single touch we can get with them, every single word they say to us, everyone takes it really seriously because it helps a lot."
To help accelerate their transition, all seven newcomers were in Manhattan for volunteer summer workouts with their new teammates. This veteran group of returners includes 10 letterwinners from the 2016 season, which saw the Wildcats host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
"They've grown quite a bit because there were a lot of new faces, so obviously we didn't have that initial connection," K-State senior Bryna Vogel said of the newcomers, "but I think just being around each other, especially because we're here all summer, we got to build those relationships and just grow together."
"I think with any team, it just comes with time, of course, but outside of volleyball we really try to build those relationships," junior Alyssa Schultejans added. "Forming those individual relationships has really helped make us one cohesive group."
For this Wildcat team to continue the program's successful run of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, Zumach said it will come down to team unity and veteran leadership.
"I think the key for this team this year is definitely to rely on one another because we're going to be experiencing a lot of new things, a lot of new players, playing a lot of new teams in the preseason, so I think just looking to one another will be important," she said. "For the veterans who are coming back, setting good examples and staying positive will be key."
K-State will experience another new aspect this Friday at Ahearn Field House at 6 p.m., when the Wildcats host Creighton for an exhibition that replaces their annual Purple-White Scrimmage. This marks the first season the NCAA has allowed volleyball teams to host exhibitions against other schools, and the Wildcats expect to benefit from the change.
"Obviously, we know our own weak spots and we know, playing against ourselves, how to defend that, so I think it will be a lot more beneficial to play against someone with maybe a different defense or with a different offense," Schultejans said. "I think playing against a different offense or defense is really going to challenge us and will give us a new boost for the next week for stuff we need to work on."
Creighton enters the season ranked No. 9 in the AVCA Coaches preseason poll, while the Wildcats received 36 votes to be slated 34th in the nation.
"I think I'm a fan that it creates some discomfort, that it creates some unpredictability. And Creighton's a very good team, so it'll be a quality exhibition match. I'm excited about that," said Fritz, entering her 17th season as K-State's head coach. "I think from that perspective it'll be really good."
K-State opens its regular season with three matches in Corvallis, Oregon, on August 25-26, while the home opener against Arkansas is set for August 31.
Season tickets for K-State's entire 12-match home schedule are available now and start at $3 per match. Single-match tickets for the 2017 season are also available, with general admission tickets beginning at $5. To purchase, fans can visit www.kstatesports.com/tickets, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287) or stop by the K-State Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.
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