One Armed Bandit Award: Lizzy for making an 1 armed saved.

Wizard of Oz Awards: It was a hard driven ball and Chloe passes it up, but it is ticketed for the back curtain. Sanah runs INTO the curtain to save the ball, gets it back and Riley finally puts it away! Great teamwork!

Follow the Leader Award: Chloe for following Sanah and passing the ball up so we can free ball it back… AND we got the point! Excellent team work!

y=mx+b Award: Kat for hitting line for a point

Best Imitation of a Tack: Gabby P for making Tack Sharp passing

Best Imitation of Bob the Builder: Lizzy for roofing

Houdini Award: Kalyn for your miracle disappearing dumps. Your dumps are already very good, this time you added a little jump in it and there were caught totally flat footed.

Einstein Award: Gabby M for hitting very smart and controlled hits from the middle of the court. This is exactly what we’re looking for!

Protractor Award: Lizzy, Riley, Meredith for hitting angle

Anti-Protractor Award: Kalyn, Kat, Olivia and Sanah for hitting from the other angle

Pushy Protractor Award: Gabby M for effectively pushing angle. There is a difference between just pushing angle because that is the only thing left to do, vs pushing angle that is the only thing left to do AND trying to get a point. You pushed angle, to a spot where you earned us a point.

There is I in Team Award: Sanah. 11 points in a row on serve? Wow. You saw that they dropped 5 players into serve reception AND YOU STILL ACED THEM DEEP! When I was coaching boys, I called that the Omega formation, because it was the last thing to do.

There is I in Team Award 2: Sanah. You hit, but it gets blocked back, then you follow it up with a deep push.

There is Team in I award: Everyone around Sanah, instead of standing around and watching, I seem to remember that everyone was ready to make a play on the ball, if it had gone to you. Way to go. Way to support your teammate.

P-p-p-p-pressure… NOT! Award: Olivia. I think it was 18-24 and you came up to serve. We got to 23-24 and you aced them to get us to 24-24! Awesome! Billy Joel has nothing on you!

Professor X Awards: Kalyn and Gabby M, you had served it deep and you saw that they were shading deep and on their heels. Then you dropped it short. Totally read my mind. 🙂

Meghan Trainor Awards Sanah and Gabby M for serving aces on the “base” line.

Olaf Award: Riley for serving up an Ace after a timeout and didn’t get frozen.

< Award: Carmen for hitting to the corner

Playground Award: Olivia and Lizzy for running slides

The Flash Award: Chloe for flashing in, making perfect passes and getting back into position… in a flash

Gershwin Award: Kalyn, Chloe and outsides. They were right side hitting and aiming for our setter to put us out of rhythm, but y’all ran the Setter 1st contact so well that it was like we were in rhythm anyways!

Down Ball Down Award: Gabby P for hitting a down ball from 20′

Low Bridge Award: Kalyn, the ball was hit into the trusses and you shuffled your feet and made the adjustments AND made a great set.

Van Halen Award: Meredith for hitting power jump serves. I know you didn’t get a chance to hit many, but I’m tell you… it’s coming. Most girls hit jump floats. Yes, they’re effective. but not many can hit power jump top spin serves. Keep working on it.

Pressure? I Laugh in the Face of Pressure Award: Riley, Sanah for Serving an Ace on Set Point

Headhunter Award: Sanah for serving the ball so hard that it hit the passer in the head!

Best Non Hand Set: Lizzy for putting up a perfect set with her face!

Chicken Wing Award: Carmen, that ball was falling… falling… falling… and you realized that it no one was around, so you flung your arm out and chicken-winged the ball high and deep! Great court awareness. Great way to play your position!

Down-Up Award: Chloe. You made a diving save and then was down & sprawled out on the floor. The outside was able to set the ball up. Magically, you were up, and in rhythm, put a good hit on the ball!  Awesome!

Tool Time Award: Gabby M & Riley for tooling hits off of the block

Brownie Award: Carmen for hitting into the campfire

Jedi Award: Kat for setting the block, so when the middle came over, you Forced the hitter to hit line.

Comforter Award: Kalyn & Chloe for covering the block.

Comforter+ Award: Chloe, our outside was completely Roofed. You were in perfect position, with your arms out and got the ball up. While we didn’t win the point, you gave us an opportunity to do so! Next time we’ll be ready to convert that play into a point.

No Liberos Needed Award: Kalyn and Olivia for making perfect passes with their right sides were hitting.

SportsCenter Award: Kalyn & Chloe for running to the bench, reaching over and getting it back, where Chloe was able to make a good free ball play over.

Shingle Award: Kat, Olivia, Lizzy, (I think there were more, but I don’t have notes) for putting up roofs. 

Bump Kill: Sanah for hitting a low top spin free ball to deep left corner… within 2 square feet for a kill.

Back is back Award: Chloe, that ball was hit so hard that it passed you by, but you got your platform out, behind your body and make a credible pass.

I Can Do Anything You Can Do Better Award: Meredith for coming down into coverage and then realizing the ball was behind you and making a behind-the-back pass right to the setter!

Stick Award: Gabby P for standing in where they were pounding the corners and you stuck in there and put up perfect passes.

Thor Award: Gabby M for hitting powerful hits! Unstoppable!

AT&T Long Distance Award: Sanah, you were around 20-25′ from the net, and put up a free ball that fell in for a free ball kill

Well Award: Lizzy. There are blocks and there are BLOCKS that go straight down. “Well” done

Difficult Geometry Award: Meredith and Riley for hitting hard angle

Well Done Award: Lizzy. There are hits and there are HITS that go straight down. “Well done”

I Can Do Anything You Can Do Better Award 2: Riley. Sanah hit someone in the head… you hit someone in the foot. She was so confused and overmatched that she seemed surprised that it had hit her foot.

Annika Sorenstam Award: Lizzy and Carmen for hitting the Ts

y=mx+b Award: Kat, Gabby M, Riley for effective line hits

Dottie Frazier Award: Gabby P, for diving all over the place and making terrific saves. This is the commitment and energy that Coach Brett & I have been talking about. Being ready to react to the ball, then making effort plays to give us a chance at a point. Excellent!

Susan Storm Richards Award: Kalyn for making your invisible dumps.

Best Combination Award: Sanah & Kalyn. Sanah, you were serving and then playing defense in 5. The hit came and you got it up… but right. over. yourself. You had the presence of mind to be as small as possible to give Kalyn a chance to JUMP OVER YOU to set the ball! O.M.G.

Police Woman Award: Riley for serving so hard that it handcuffed the passer

Fabric Softener Award: Gabby M for serving so hard to deep corner that the passer was confused and it bounced off of her platform. She didn’t contact the ball, your serve bounced off of her!

Mariana Trench Award: Kat for hitting deep line

No Chance Award: Kalyn for hitting deep serves, then dropping other serves at 8′! They had no chance.

Lists Award: Oliva for winning a joust

Bowling Award: Lizzy for dumping a ball so short that it hit the floor, EVEN THOUGH the back row player was ready for it, that she rolled under the net.

Einstein Award: Gabby M for free balling to the middle who was playing defense. Excellent Court IQ

0C… Not! Award: Riley. They tried to freeze you, but you hit one of the hardest and effective serves we had seen from you. Wow. Then you took charge and pounded one super serve after another. AND you covered. I owe you and the team a trip to Rita’s!

I can’t watch either Award: Sanah’s dad. Sanah was on one of her patented serving runs. I look across the court where Sanah’s dad and I make eye contact… we both couldn’t watch!  LOL

Low Bridge Award: Olivia, Lizzy for killing overpasses

Up is Up Award: Gabby M: we were out of system and the set was outside and super tight. You put up a free ball that went up… and down barely on their side of the net for a great save. Remind me to show you what topspin can do to help with that…

House of Cards Award: Riley. They hit a ball to you, but it was short. Instead of bending over at your waist which would have resulted in an overpass, you executed a textbook collapse and got the ball up to our setter. 

I Got This Point Award: Lizzy for putting up a block, then when they got it back over, you put it right back in their court.

Sweet Caroline Award: Riley for reaching up and touching the ball down for a point.

Ready Player One and Two Award: Gabby M and Chloe. Their setter was going to dump the ball. It went into the net, but both of you were all over where the ball would have landed, if it had gone over the net. Excellent readiness, knowing our opponents and making the effort to get into position.

Chicken Award: Olivia, I’ll hand out your chicken at Wednesday’s practice, way to go!

Save of the Year: Gabby M, for tracking down a shanked pass All The Way back to the black screen and getting it back to our court where we free-balled it back to give us a chance to win the point! So. Very. Good.

Tide Award: Olivia and Kalyn for setting such clean sets that we were called… maybe twice?  all weekend

Terra Cotta Shingle Award: Lizzy for putting up so many roofs!

Best Imitation of The Flash: Sanah. There was a tip that was destined to hit the floor, but you read it, flashed in and passed it up with no sweat!

Best impression of a Setter: Gabby P, Kalyn (libero), Gabby M. and Sanah when our setter was forced to receive the 1st ball, you all stepped in and passed very hittable balls to the rest of the team. You communicated really well to let the liberos know that you’re taking the ball from them. This is terrific team volleyball!

Mariana Trench Award: Carmen: hitting deep left corner for a point

Puerto Rico Trench Award: Riley and Kalyn: free balling it to deep right corner for points

Virginia Rocket Award: Grace for Walloping hits that they couldn’t return

Fridgeaire Award: Gabby M for hitting it down the line so hard that it froze the defense.

Best Imitation of Sanah: Gabby M for serving an Ace on set point

Invisible Woman Award: Kalyn, you did your patented jump-back-set-dump to their 4, about 1 foot off of the net. Not only did you fake them out, I needed a double take to see where the ball had gone! Later on, the entire work table AND coach came up to me to tell me how you had faked them out too! They were all a buzz about that play.

Einstein Award: Meredith and Grace for being smart and pushing / tipping away from the defense.

Best Imitation of Hulk: Kalyn for absolutely SMASH-ing an overpass!

Best Imitation of a Tack: Chloe, Gabby P and Gabby M for making tack sharp passes

Top is Down Award: Grace for serving top spin serves that went down

Soft Asphalt Shingle Award: Carmen, you knew you were a little late and if you did your full block, you would have been in the net, so you put up a soft block and was able to foil the attack

Best Imitation of Lizzy: Sanah for putting up blocks

-1(y)=-1(mx+b) Award: Kat for hitting down the right side line

Edison Award: Lizzy for hitting a serve with such power that it Hit the passer.

Safety Blanket Award: Everyone! Y’all covered very well today. Maybe blocks or tips that would have fallen in, you were there and put a credible effort on them.

Western Redwood Award: Olivia for jumping so tall that you out-touched Lizzy for a tip kill.

Floor General Award: Chloe for taking charge in our back row defense

Colonel John Hannibal Smith Award: Kalyn and Kat, we’re in Receive 1 and you’re running around our defense to get into front row position, the serve was shanked, but you were paying attention and was right there, behind our passers to pick up the ball and give us a chance to win a point. “I love it when a plan comes together”

Butterfly Award: Lizzy for hitting a float with so much action that it confused the passers. They had no chance

Tesla Award: Riley for serving with such power, the libero got her hands up to defend herself, not to actually make a pass!

In triangle ABC, D and E are two points on side BC such that BD=CE= and ∠BAD=∠CAE∠=∠. Prove that triangle ABC is isosceles Award: Gabby M for saving a deep set and hitting a hard angle.

Alexander Graham Bell Awards: Sanah and Kalyn for having good communication

Final Word: Team. We play as a team. We work as a team. We lose as a team. We win as a team. We TOooOOooo as a team. We sing as a team. We Cheer as a team. We Hug it out as a team. We stick together as a team.

Professional Bowlers Association Award: Carmen, the ball was rolling on the top of the net from our left to right and you stuck with it, tapped the ball over, without hitting the net! Great body control and net awareness.

1 Armed Bandit Award: Chloe the ball was hit to your left and it seemed like you turned all the way around, fully extended your arm and made a perfect pass. Plays like this have the opposing coaches saying how difficult it is to play against us because it seems like we pick everything up.

32 Degree Award: Gabby M, all day, you were pounding the serves. They were expecting these balls to be hard and you dropped a low and short serve. They didn’t move until after the ball had bounced in front of them.

Impossible Hit Award: Carmen, in the last point of the final’s 1st set, you hit / tipped the ball to our left and it landed about 3″ from the mid line and 6″ from the sideline. That is impossible to defend, unless the blocker was there.

Protractor Award: Grace for hitting hard angles

2 D Award: Grace, Riley, Gabby M, Kat and Olivia for hitting line shots from both sides of the court. 

Best Imitation of Thumper Award: Meredith for thumping hard hits.

Pinball Award: Meredith for serving a ball so hard, that the first passer ducked and almost did a split, she did touch the ball to the passer behind her who shanked it into the back of the first player.

Gravity Award: Sanah for coming back into coverage. They though that they could take advantage our middle, but you were there and covered the whole area, as the ball was coming down you collapsed your legs, but kept your platform got up some perfect passes. 

Billards Award: Gabby M and Carmen for hitting deep corner, no one was there, earning a point!

Life Preserver Award: Sanah and Riley for hitting amazing float serves.

I Got You Award: Carmen and Sanah, in separate rallies you took 75-80% of the hits in a rally and in the end you prevailed by winning the rally.

Lego Award: Lizzy for making and tooling blocks

Team Award: Really all of you. When someone makes a mistake you pick each other up. Then you talk it over and figure out how to prevent it from happening the next time. Awesome!

Waitress Award: Kalyn for tipping the ball over for a point.

On Time Award: Sanah, receiving in Rotation 1 is always hard because you have to go so far around. The serve came, you ran all the way around and was on time and ready for the set.

Bridge Award: Lizzy and Carmen for hitting or tipping overpasses back over for points.

Peg Award: Just about everyone! One of the keys to our success was we were able to make the setter take the first ball. This immediately took their best setting option away from them. You saw it against both Ocean and Impact. Very smart and winning volleyball strategy.

Redirection Award: Chloe for tracking down a pass that was redirected off of the ceiling.

On the Spot Award: Lizzy, we asked you to serve… cold. And you stepped up and served great! Let’s keep this up.

Consistent Tack Sharp Passing: Chloe, Gabby M and Kalyn. Your coverage and passing make everything else easy.

Coverage Award: Chloe. Up, down, back and forth we saw you cover everything. This does not show up in the stats line, but it is the foundation of winning volleyball.

Future Planning Award: Grace. Tipping in for points and then in a timeout had the idea to tip deep as they were expecting short tips. Great having a plan to win.

1 is First Award: Sanah for effectively serving down the line to 1.

Bumping Award: eveyrone! This isn’t an award about passing, it is about team chemistry and the hip bumping, hand slapping and all of the other “stuff” that y’all do in between points. Great! Love it!

Inelastic Collision Award: Riley serves the ball so hard that their 2 setters both go for the pass and collide which gives us point.

Body Control Award: Gabby M for having great body control in making effective hits with tight or low sets. All of this while staying out of the net!

Body Control Award part 2: Everyone! While highlighting Gabby M’s actions, we played a remarkably clean tournament. Maybe we were called for 1? 2? net violations? 0 foot faults. 1? 2? doubles? Excellent.

Best Lefty hit: Olivia, you hit cross court at the opposing setter. That is great! Keep that up.

Last words: Congratulations to Riley for earning a chicken. Sanah and Meredith for earning ice creams!

Last Last word: Good job, keep up the hard work, focus on improving your game as we hope to win against stronger competition!

After each tournament, I give out awards called the Coachies, in the spirit of Emmys, ESPYs, Grammys, etc. These are the positive events that I want to remember.

Straight Down Award: Amari for hitting the ball DOWN! You were hitting outside and the set was high. You timed it perfectly and hit OVER the blocker and DOWN. The guys working the table were all OOOOHHHH!

Einstein Award: Rishi for knowing that Rotation 3 Serve Receive was a problem. We worked together and found a solution that shored up one of our weaknesses. Keep asking questions. Keep searching for solutions.

y=mx+b Award: Hirday for serving down line to 1. The margin for error is about 10-12 inches. Your serves weren’t just placed well, but low and with pace. THEN to take it to the next level, you noticed that the defender was playing up and you attempted to serve cross court to 1. If it had gone in, they never would have gotten it.

Superman Award: Srivishal for hitting front row Opposite sets from the back row. The first time I had seen this executed effectively was watching Cody Kessel at Princeton University… fast forward 7 years… he’s playing professionally for the top team in Germany.

Plumber Award: Atharva for hitting a pipe to the 1-6 seam for a point. Thus living up to the promise of not hitting the net and not hitting it out that you had made to Rishi. Keep on playing deep defense and then demand the pipes!

BB Award: Andrew for serving BBs that clear the net by scant inches but have so much pace on them that they pepper the baseline. These serves are deceptively effective as they have “late life” and “get on” the passer faster than they realize.

Security Blanket Award: Keshav. So many times that ball was tipped, pounded or pushed and so many times the serves were high and deep. Calmly, you just passed them to give us a chance for a point. You are our security blanket. When we’re at risk, you step up and keep us safe.

Best Thor Imitation: Larson for jumping through the roof, calling down lightning and smiting the balls! I can’t wait for the day when you smite a freeball…

Bob, the Builder Award: it seems like everyone used Blocks to build Roofs. Your blocking game was so effective, that it -shut down- their outside attack in the finals. They just stopped hitting and looped it over into the court. That effective block gave us the opportunity to run our In System offense.

Harmony Award: Hrishkesh for making plays that aren’t flashy, that often gets overlooked but are crucial for earning points or stopping opposing runs. It is like the underlying harmony in a piece of music that allows the melody to shine.

Final Word: Wow. I’ve been doing this for a long time and very, very rarely have I come across a team such as yours. What you have is special and unusual. Sure other clubs may be stronger, but as a team, you’re just getting started.

Headhunter Award: Sanah, for serving so hard that it hit the libero in the head! That is just amazing. You served 2 at her before and they were just a little slower and had a downward movement, then that last one was faster and had a little float to it. Keep it up!

Heart Attack Award: Grace, for serving a ball that hit the tape, but had enough oomph and top spin that the ball bounced a little, rolled over and down for a 1/3rd Fish ace!

Selfish Award: Lizzy. There was a rally where you hit 5 out of the our 6 contacts and won us a point! Way to dominate!

Selfish is good, A Pair is Better: The ball was coming over and Grace tips it up… right to Lizzy, who dumps it over.

Marathon Award: Gabby M, for serving 14 points in a row! Excellent. I saw the scoresheet and they barely had a chance to play.

y=mx+b Awards: Grace, Gabby M and Riley for hitting line for points

Getting out of a Tight Spot Award: Carmen for saving a tight set and controlling your body to avoid the net

Slide Rule Award: Riley for hitting a slide on the left side and getting a point for it

Sneaky Foiler: Gabby M. They were trying to be sneaky and push a ball to the corner, but you foiled it by making an incredible pass.

Three is Enough: Gabby M, Gabby P, Carmen. The ball was hit deep, Gabby M saved it, but it was low. Gabby P was in perfect position to get the ball up and Carmen who was ready, got the ball over the net for us to continue the point. Plays like this totally deflate the other team, because they have their hopes up when a supposed winner gets picked up. Then they are further dismayed when our teammates make credible plays and get the ball back over! This “game within the game” doesn’t show up in the stats column, but makes such a difference in the W/L column.

Perfect Diving Pass: Gabby M, that ball was ticketed for the ground, you made your textbook dive and got the ball up

Deep Middle Award: Lizzy for transitioning well and putting yourself into a position to hitting middle hits.

Right is Right Award: Kat, for getting to the right position, then making the right play. The ball was sent to the right side, in traffic, you passed the ball up, right to Olivia. Passing from that side, in traffic, right on target, is super difficult. Good job, keep it up!

Best Away from the Ball Movement: Carmen for knowing that the pass was going to the spot where you and the setter were going. You ducked and got out of her way so she could the play going.

$0.00 Award: Sanah for getting faster and faster in Free Ball transition. When we needed it most you had transitioned and was in perfect position to pick up the free ball.

Best Imitation of a Tack: Chloe for making tack sharp passes. You make it look so easy. Your passing is so reliable and you make everyone else better.

Bob, the Builder Awards: Olivia, Grace, Kalyn, Lizzy for using blocks to build roofs

Bridge Awards: Olivia and Lizzy for hitting overpasses down for points, that is the controlled aggressive play that we’re looking for.

Plumber Award: Gabby M for hitting a pipe to the left corner for a point

Density Award: Gabby P, you serve such a heavy heavy ball, that is very difficult to return. Keep it up!

Left is Right Award: Olivia for hitting a lefty dump. Great job!

Thanksgiving Stuffing award: Lizzy for stuffing an overpass

Grit Award: Kalyn for tracking down a shanked pass that was easily 20 feet away! That “stick-to-it-ness” keeps us in the competition and gives us all a chance to win.

Low Bridge Award: Riley for consistently serving BBs bare inches over the net

Middle Middle Award: Carmen for effectively hitting the middle of the court from the middle.

Unconventional, but effective: Olivia, you passed a ball with your shoulder!

Girl Scout Award: Sanah for the vision to see that the campfire was available and you tipped it in! Excellent, way to use what the defense gives us.

Left is Right is Right Award: Lizzy. In one rally, you hit to the right T, but they were able to get it up, then in our next offensive turn, you hit to deep left corner to finish the point.

Mic Drop Award: Sanah for Serving an Ace on Set Point!

Poultry Award: Kalyn for earning 2! chickens!!!

Ice Cream Award: Gabby P for 4X effective serving after timeout calls!

Barnstorming Award: Riley for serving some of the hardest low-altitude serves I’ve seen in a long time.

You Are the Weakest Link, Goodbye Award: Kalyn for TWICE serving and hitting the opposing team’s player that they were hiding. First you hit her leg, then you made her try to pass! Both of which resulted in points. (if you don’t get the reference here is a clip of the game show https://youtu.be/0dcItDsp5sg)

Best Impression of a Roof: Olivia, Meredith, Lizzy, Kalyn for putting up blocks

Textbook Award: Chloe, for playing textbook tracking back and passing within balance, running to the line and stopping, verbally taking charge when we needed it, perfect passing on short serve receive. Textbook. Exactly how it should be done.

Best Impression of a Plumber: Gabby M for an effective pipe attack

Best Dig with Aplomb: Gabby P, their outsides were hitting hard balls, you got into position and passed it up to our setters as if it was nothing. Great job!

Best Combination: Lizzy hits an overpass back, but it comes back, then Grace hits the 2 one over… and it comes back again, finally Kalyn puts it away for good on the 3rd try!

Marathon (Longest run) Award: Gabby M for serving 12 points in a row

Best Non-Primary-Passer-Pass: Ruby for coming in making a perfect pass in transition when we needed it

Best Off-Hand Hit: Lizzy for lefty dropping a ball over the net for a point.

Best Alexis Imitation: Riley and Gabby M for high, topspin freeballs deep left corner for points. (My former Princeton U player, Alexis, used to do that for points)

Best Imitation of a Tack: Chloe and Gabby M for Tack Sharp passing, straight to target.

Acute Award: Meredith for rolling tight, outside of the net sets with hard angle for points.

y=mx+b Award: Gabby M, Riley, for effectively hitting line for points

Girl Scout Award: Meredith for hitting a campfire

Best Imitation of a Bridge: Lizzy for hitting overpasses… multiple times! There is nothing more satisfying as a middle than the hit our opponent’s passing mistakes.

Protractor Awards: Sanah, Riley, Gabby M, Meredith for hitting angles

Best 2 Handed Put Down: Kat, the ball was coming over and you took both hands and put it down!

Best Lefty Dump: Olivia for jumping and hitting lefty

Best Teammates: EVERYONE, really, just wow. I am so incredibly grateful for you, how you support each other and how you’re gelling as a team.

Best Imitation of a Wall: Carmen for blocking overpasses

Non-Setter-Set: Sanah, our setter dug the first ball and it went too far from our libero, so you took charge and made a perfect set!

Best Breakfast: Grace hits a wiffle for a point

Best Hitting Adjustment: Riley for making an adjustment to your angle swing and after that, they all went in.

Best Prediction Come True: Sanah, I told Coach Brett that Sanah’s going to serve and ace… and you did!

Not Fooled Award: Gabby P and Chloe for picking up setter dumps. They did it to us once, and then every other time, you were ready and made those plays look easy.

Great Finish: Grace serves an ace on set point

Great Finish #2: Kat for hitting the ball down for match point

Cold Shoulder Award: Kalyn for serving so hard and deep with movement that it clanked off of the libero’s shoulder.

Deep Corner Award: Carmen for hitting deep left corner

Deep Corner Award #2: Grace for hitting deep right corner

Great Up! Award: Chloe and Kalyn. There are too many instances to list when you magically appeared to get the ball up. Your ball-hound instincts make the court seem much smaller.

32 Award: Lizzy, the set drifted to your left, but you simply changed your approach and hit a 32 ball, as if we’ve been practicing it for weeks

Deflation Award: Kalyn for setting a back-set-dump for a kill. There is nothing more deflating to a team when they’re all ready for an In-System play, but the ball goes in the complete opposite direction and in.

Saving Your Team Award: Meredith for tracking down low, tight and outside sets and putting up shots that were difficult for our opponents to get by rolling or pushing to spots

Little Bread Award: Lizzy, Grace, Gabby M and Meredith for hitting rolls for points

Whomp Award: Grace for absolutely crushing a ball! More importantly, you heard what Coach Brett and I were telling you, then you implemented it and the results speak for themselves.

We Miss You Award: Halle, thanks for all of your excellent play throughout the season. Heal up and hope to see you on the courts next season!
USS Nautilus Awards: Rylee and Sofia for being super subs in playing the libero position, thank you for stepping in.
Girl Scout Award: Tess for hitting into their campfire
Deep Corner 5 Points: Sophie for hitting deep left corner
Best Peg Awards: Rylee & Natalie for pegging the setter and forcing the other team to use their libero for setting
Sir Lancelot Award on a Bridge Award: Sophie and Annika for winning jousts on overpasses
The Flash Award: Rylee for making an amazing save!!! The ball was going to hit at 4′, and you made a complete 100% full body dive and got the ball up so we could run our offense in system! Amazing!
Not So Much Award: Tess for digging a super hard angle shot. Your attitude: Hard? Not so much… I got this!
Short Award: Sofia for serving super short serves that they all had trouble receiving.
Not Setter-Setting-Sets: Sofia and Tess for hand-setting perfect balls to our hitters when our setters received the first ball.
Double Double Toil and Trouble: Tess & Addison Double block!
Left is Right Award: Annika for lefty hitting a kill
Best Combo: Jamie passes, transitions, out, hits the set, it comes back, and hits it for a point. Then to top it off, she serves an ace.
Sweet Back: Diggy for a sweet backset
Most Efficient Hit: Tess for tipping a ball right over the block and it falls in for a point. Most efficient use of force.
Einstein Award: Diggy, the ball was passed tight, you did the smart thing and tipped it over for a kill.
Far Away Hit: Addison for putting an attack on a middle set from 8′ away for a clean kill in the middle. Wow!
Diamond Angle Award: Natalie and Jamie for hitting hard angles
Anti-Lock Brakes Award: Sarah for running from the back row to get to your spot, but the pass when in different direction and you put on the brakes and turned on a dime to get there
St 8 Down: Addison for hitting a ball straight down
Not So Much Award 2: Tess again!
Deep Right Corner 5 Points: Natalie and Rylee for hitting deep right corner for points
Swimmies Award: Annika for serving the best float serves
Best Almost In Hit: Sofia, from the back row, you put a SUPER swing on a ball that was set at least 1′ inside of the 10′ line. Remember this one, when you do this consistently, it’s going to be awesome.
Way Left is Right Award: Rylee, that ball was set tight and out, you used your athleticism and put the ball over to keep the point alive.
Terra Cotta Shingle Award: Addison for putting up a SOLID block for a roof
Light as a Feather Award: Addison for putting the softest touch on a ball that went over the blockers for a point.
Airborne Award: Jamie for making effective adjustments on the fly. I told you to transition outside more and when you did you were able to put effective attacks on all of the sets that went to you. Great job!
Anti Gravity Award: Sarah. The ball had come over we shanked it twice without the ball ever reaching the height of the net, but you stepped in, took charge and passed the ball over to keep the point alive.
[ ] Award: Jamie for freeballing it into the left corner, where no one was home.
Not -9.8 m/s^2 Award: Annika for seeming to lessen gravity by not coming down so fast and blocking the ball at the last second.
Japanese Paper Wall Award: Annika for hitting through a block
y=mx+b Award: Tess for hitting line
Pushy Awards: Tess, Addison and Annika for effective 2 handed pushes
Thumper Award: Natalie for hitting the hardest serves
Dr. Mysterio Award: Tess for serving a ball that confused the passer so much that she caught it.
Stressing Them Out Award: Sofia for hitting to their back right causing them to play out of system.
Deeeeeep Court Hit: Addison for hitting a ball that went over the front row’s blocker’s hands and the back row player’s outstretched hands and IN for a point.
Right is Right Award: Sophie for hitting short right
Owl Award: Addison pushes to deep corner, but they didn’t know who should get it, and it lands for a point.
All Over Effective Serving: Natalie for serving down the line and angle. They didn’t know where the ball was going.
Pinball Award: Sarah hits the ball so hard that it shanks off of the libero’s arms as she falls over, klunks off of the outside’s head and finally bounces off of the libero’s upwards facing foot!
Net is My Friend: Sofia, you hit a ball that catches the top of the tape, which causes the ball to go over the block and down behind her.for a point
Gandalf Award: Sophie, for killing an over pass.
Softball Award: Jamie, the ball was going to fall in, but you stuck your arm out, almost like an underhand pitch and got the ball over… down the line, for a point!
Alert Combination: Jamie, Rylee and Natalie. It was a hard driven ball, Jamie slows it down with an overhand pass, but it still was going backwards. Rylee makes an amazing save to where Natalie got the ball back over. Great teamwork!
Collision Award: Sarah for serving the ball so hard, precisely between 2 passers, that they collided and wasn’t able to get the ball up.

Setters on 34th Street Awards: Diggy and Sarah each made miracle plays. For Diggy, we were in a world of chaos and then Diggy makes a play on the ball which caused it to ROLL UP THE NET and roll over and down for a point. Sarah for hitting a ball with forearms and it went up and hit the top of the net and fell over for a point. Great job of being scrappy, gritty and making our own luck!
Best The Flash Impression: Tess for recognizing that a ball was going to fall in, but flashed in with a full body dive, got the ball up and gave us a chance to win the point. Wow, just wow.
Threading the Needle Passing: Everyone who passed on Court 34 where everything was in the way. It is not easy to pass the ball, when it is coming with pace, down the line and curving away from you
Best Imitation of a Peg: Annika, Rylee for finding the setter and making her take the first ball
y=mx+b Award: Tess, Rylee and Jamie for hitting winners down the line. Rylee & Jamie on the left, Tess on the right
Girl Scout Award: Addison for 2 handed placing the ball in the middle of their court for a camp fire
Thumper Award: Natalie for thumping super heavy serves.
Back to Back Combination Award: Natalie, your hit got blocked back over and then you roll it back over for a point
Free is Not Good Enough Award: Halle and Rylee for hitting strong back row attacks instead of settling for free balls
Off Hitting Award: Rylee for hitting a ball with your left arm to get a point
2 Hands better than 4 Arms: Jamie for making spot on hand passes
Level of Difficulty: Extreme Award: Sofia for playing a new position with limited practice 100% of the time. This is one of the hardest thing to do and you’re doing great! Your blocking responsibilities, freeball transitions, hitting coverages are spot on.
Diving Is Fun Award: Addison for making a diving save
Low Coefficient of Friction Award: Diggy for the smoothest sets
Line Aces are Wild: Rylee and Natalie for serving aces down the line
Best Imitations of Tacks: Tess, Sofia. I want to highlight these passes because the serves were pounded at them, but with solid platforms the balls went perfectly to the setters. Great job.
Best Imitation of a Roof: Addison and Annika for blocking overpasses
Reverse, Backwards, Backrow Set: Diggy for running under where the ball was going to land, knew that you needed to set middle-middle so you launched a perfect back set, backwards to the 10′ line, nice instincts!
Shut The Door Award: Tess, Sofia for shutting down the outside attacks by blocking and by playing solid defense on the right side. You shut down that part of the court. Picked up all of the tips and attacks. These are the little things that those teams had relied on to get easy points and you took them away.
8 is enough +2 award: Addison for hitting 10 serves in a row!
Diamond Award: Natalie for hitting the hardest angle where it landed in around 2-3′ from the net.
Best Imitation of a Split Level Roof: Addison for 1 handed blocks
Marianas Trench Award: Jamie for hitting deeeeep corner hits
Up and Over Award: Tess for hitting a ball over the opposing libero and in for a point
Bugs Bunny Change Up Award: Addison for hitting off speed and in for a point
Combination Dive and Point: Halle for making a diving save but overpasses but it goes deep corner for a point!
Best Use of Free Ball Deep Corner: Halle for free-balling to deep corner for a point
Too Tall? No worries Award: Tess for hitting a set that didn’t get to the height of your shoulder
Spot 3 Ace: Sarah for serving a clean ace to 3 for an ace. This was made available after serving several deep serves
Middle Diamond Award: Annika for hitting hard angle. Great job, keep this up!
Waitress Award: Tess for hitting a tip shot down

Best Imitation of Thor: Annika for hammering middle hits all around the courtLong Distance Award: Natalie for hitting a spinny free ball from our baselineMember of the Anti-Bridge Club: Annika, Addison for killing overpassesBest Supergirl Impression: Sofia for flying through the air from the back row and spiking the ballTop of the Charts Award: Tess for hitting deep corner to spot 1y=mx+b Award: Sofia, Natalie, Rylee for hitting line for pointsYou Don’t Need to be Tall Award: Addison and Sofia for serving short serves1 is Good, 2 is Better Award: Addison for blocking a ball and in quick succession then hits their overpassButterfly Award: Tess for hitting the perfect Float serve that danced all the way to a shanked pass
Blanket Award: Really, everyone deserves this award for coverage, but I want to spotlight Diggy, Jamie, Rylee and Sofia’s defensive positioning.Marianas Trench Award: Addison for blocking a ball straight downSafe Award: Natalie to Rylee to Addison combination.  That ball was going to hit the ground, but y’all each got a hand on it and got the ball back over.Safe Award #2: Halle to Tess and over.Power Off Award: Tess for shutting down their outside hitting with your blocks.  When you go up for the blocks, you force them to go around your hits.  As a result, they didn’t hit line very often
-G Award: Annika for jumping so high and extending your arms, you seem to defy gravityBest 1, 2 Combination: Sophie for blocking 1 handed, then making the adjustment to block 2 handedThumper Award: Natalie, when you serve the ball, there is a certain “thump” sound occurs.  Music to my ears.
Best Cyndi Lauper Impression: Annika for blocking time after time in quick successionLow COF: Diggy for setting super smooth back setsMost Flexible Award: Sofia for learning and excelling at a new position… on the fly… in the middle of a tournament no less!
High Amperage Award: Sarah and Diggy for sheer power in your servesBest 1 Handed Stuff: Addison, your basketball training came in handy when you put up a 1 handed blockBest Imitation of the Flash: Halle for seemingly coming out of nowhere and picking up those really short balls… AND putting up perfect passes.AT&T Award: Jamie for hitting from long distanceCrouching Tiger Award: Sarah for setting from a crouching positionJumping Dragon Award: Sarah for jump setting!Bread Award: Rylee for hitting rolls for pointsMore is Not Enough Award: Jamie for hitting a ball over, then it immediately comes back over for you to pass it and transition to be readyPhoton Award: Addison.  Is the ball a particle or a wave?  You served a ball so well placed that it went -through- 2 players.  So, it is a wave.Bill & Ted’s Get Award: Sophie, we were in chaos, and the ball was going to hit the floor, but your v’balling instincts took over and you were able to rescue the point.  Excellent
Alto y=mx+b: Natalie for hitting deeeep line into the corner.  They had NO chance.  The defender layed out for the ball, but you hit it so hard and well, that she just couldn’t get it.
Baker’s Dozen + 1 Award: Halle for serving 14 points in a row to start a match!!!Tack Sharp Passing: Everyone!  My setter from last year watched us and she said that our passing is really good!  She should know, as she was the recipient of some suspect passes last year.