Girls (and boys) show up to volleyball camp

On Tuesday (June 28), the coaching staff and players taught the youth the skill of proper spiking and hitting. Some of the youth received high lobs from Kionamua Ely while the really young ones tried spiking from a shortened net. Assistant coach Valerie Ely, upon seeing someone not following through hard enough, gave them instruction on the importance of having a strong open hand when going for the spike.

Others worked on their timing and delivering impact on the ball with the assistance of a volleyball spiking pole that holds onto the ball and suspends it in the air; only a well-delivered strike can dislodge it. After a great many spikes, the young volleyball players went into a huddle, where Rodriguez gave them feedback.

“Your rolls and your dives and your pickups, they were great. So, really good job. But all of you guys, I thought you all came in and did an excellent job. We didn't do a lot of setting yesterday, but what we practiced, you did exactly what we needed you to do and you kept building on those skills.”

“So, that is excellent," she continued. "Today, you guys learned three skills: Passing, setting, and then we just did a lot of spiking and hitting. So, tonight, when you go home, go practice those steps that the girls were teaching you. Your four-step, your right-left-right-left, jump, bow and arrow, things like that. So, go home and practice. I know some of you went home last night and practiced your passing until your passing form looked really good, you went home and you practiced it. What you learned today, practice it tonight when you go home and then tomorrow, we keep building on those. And then, the last thing we'll learn tomorrow is serving and then we'll get to put you guys in a little bit of engagement and have some competitions. But excellent, excellent job."

Finally, coach Rodriguez led the aspiring volleyballers in the Taos Tigers cheer.