Sailors have ‘It’

It has been exciting to watch the Newport Harbor girls’ volleyball team in the postseason.

The Sailors will play in the CIF Division I State championship match Saturday night at 7 at UC Irvine’s Bren Event Center. This will be their last match in a truly magical season that has included a CIF Southern Section Division I-AA title.

Newport’s play has been extraordinary, as all things are working. Adversity is not distracting because the team knows it will pull together to find success on the next play. Adjustments are made. Contributions are understood and common by all participants.

To get to this point, there are a number of areas that must be experienced.

 DESIRE — I remember talking to Katey Thompson last summer. She told me that she and fellow senior Mackenzi Campbell really wanted Newport to win the state championship this season. I explained that is the goal of every player when they first suit up for their high school season and that there are many more factors than wanting to do it although that is a key one.

 PREPARATION — While Coach Dan Glenn always has his teams in better condition physically than their opponents, the emotional and mental preparation that is equally as important. Also, the years of club experience is crucial. Senior Kirby Burnham and Campbell have been playing volleyball since the fifth grade.

 PHILOSOPHY — Newport’s understanding of its attacking style is a key part in this area. From serving tough and with purpose, to their continual digging and aggressive attacking, the Sailors’ relentlessness never ceases. The ball control of Campbell and senior libero Kelly Heenan has inspired a defensive mentality in all of the other players. The aggressive and relentless attack of Burnham and Thompson are a major part of the big games that Maddy Brown and Alexandra Holbrook have played. It is difficult for teams to practice against this style because it takes such philosophical understanding that cannot be replicated on a short-term basis.

 DEVELOPMENT — As a teacher, Glenn’s constant goal is to teach and to develop. Every day and every practice, he is teaching. One of my favorite nicknames for Glenn is, “Multi Plan Dan,” because he is always coming up with new ideas. At times, this can be overwhelming for the players until they are strong enough to cope mentally with different formations and techniques. Late in the season, Glenn moved Kasey Thompson to the varsity. He knew that for this team to succeed over all of the teams, that it would need the ability to block a major outside hitter and consequently stop a team’s go-to player. Kasey made a number of major blocks in the section title match against the major player on Los Alamitos’ team.

 TRUST — The ability to listen and carry out an experienced coach’s tips is mandatory. From service area to set selection to defensive alignments, Newport seems to dominate the flow of the game. This is something that is built over time and is usually developed when things do not go well. There is a great link between instruction and execution on this team.

 TIMING — Everybody anguished when Campbell broke her finger (in three places). She had worked so hard for years to be the setter during her senior season. Coach Glenn was the most distraught.

The injury forced sophomore Cinnamon Sary to become the major setter. Her improvement was rapid, as she was forced to lead, call the formations, and continually set accurately to her hitters. This improvement has allowed for a very consistent flow in the offense and the transitional game.

Also, when Campbell was cleared to play, she was only allowed to play back row. Her enthusiasm and understanding of the game were an instant spark to Newport’s game off of the net. When she convinced Glenn that she could serve, she brought another plus to Newport’s game. Cambpell’s return has been a critical part of Newport’s late-season success.

 ADVERSITY — Many people lamented about the second to last week of the regular season when Newport was forced to play for four days in a row and suffered a five-game loss to Los Alamitos, and two humbling losses to Dos Pueblos and La Costa Canyon on the fourth day. This could have been labeled as a low point when actually it was the catalyst to develop this zone that the Sailors are now in. Forced to regroup and toughen up, the mutual trust was built between coaches and players. Nothing truly successful is attained without adversity.

 EXPERIENCE — All six seniors are major. Jackie Graham with her athleticism and calm adds ball control while Shannon “Maggie” Magner brings her charismatic personality to everything that happens. Magner has had quite a senior year. After being named homecoming queen, she now will play in the state championship match. As she said to me, “It doesn’t get any better than that!”