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I just wanted to clarify that not all girls invited to the High Performance camp in Waco attended. My daughter was chosen but with the camp being the week after Nationals (which her team attended) financially and physically she and I both needed a break. I think the camps are a great idea, but couldn't they wait a few weeks after Nationals to hold the camps? - a dad (posted 7/18)

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In response to the last posted letter about the regional rankings, I beg to differ. Willowbrook 15 Molten only played Shore Shore's top 15 team twice this year and beat them both times. I'm afraid the author has the top Willowbrook team mixed up with one of the other Willowbrook 15 teams. However, I will admit, Willowbrook 15 Molten played South Shore's top 16 team and lost in two very close games to come in second place that day in a 16's tournament.

I also want to congratulate all the Willowbrook 15 Molten girls for playing great in Atlanta!! A well deserved 13th place in the club division was a wonderful finish to a fantastic season for this first year team! Way to go! RKC-Houston (posted 7/7)

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You have both teams and times reversed in your article (on the All-Star games on Wednesday). Division II is 4A - 5A playing at 6 PM--pre-game beginning at 5:30. Division I is 1A-3A playing at 8PM--pre-game beginning at 7:30 PM. Thanks for all you do for Volleyball in Texas. - All-star mom (posted 7/6)

Editor's note: Thanks for the catch. We were going on the way they played it last year with the smaller schools going first and didn't pay attention to the change. That's what we get for slacking off now that summer's here!

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About the Lone Star regional rankings...south shore 15 mizuno is not listed under 15's. You have willowbrook listed and south shore beat them on several occassions. They have also beat spike sport on many occassions...as they did club texas. And for the 12's...south shore 12 black took home 2nd at lone star...loosing to high plains....beating everyone that you have ranked in front of them - southshore player (posted 7/6)

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Don't forget AIM! This is a little known club from Austin that finished 18th @ JO's competing in the 16 club division. This tremendous group of young ladies had a great year. Although they struggled with consistency problems, they posted some big wins as well as disappointing loses. Austin volleyball had a great year in 16's with Austin Juniors and Metro garnering most of the attention, but let's not forget that Austin area volleyball was represented very well by AIM Miguel at the JO's and in final regional rankings. We as parents could not more proud of the effort, sportsmanship and grace in which AIM represented Texas Volleyball. Great site! Thank you! - C.J. (posted 7/3)

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I am confused about the "Final Rankings" you published for the Lone Star Region's 14s. Alamo Kaepa 14 got knocked off early at Lone Star Classic; Austin Jrs 14 Mizuno Navy finished high enough to qualify for Natls. in 14 Open Div. Houston Jrs. 14 later received a bid for the Natls. in 14 Open. Both Austin and Houston did not play in Lone Star Regional 14 Club division to try and qualify for Natls. in Club Division. Houston Jrs. 14 won the 15 Club Div. at 3rd Coast prior to Natls. beating Alamo Kaepa 14 along the way. Houston Jrs. 14 beat Austin Friday at Natls. So how is Alamo who did not qualify to play in 14 Open considered No1 team in 14s, Austin NO. 2 and Houston No. 3?? Based on end of season and head to head, shouldn't Houston be NO. 1, Austin No. 2 and Alamo No. 3? - Houston Juniors Dad (posted 6/28)

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Thanks for the article on the history of club. The only thing you forgot to add was that the players and coaches had to walk up-hill, both ways, barefoot in the snow to get to matches. Seriously, it was good to relive some old memories. - Another old-timer (posted 6/24)

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I am sure this rumor will not to matter to anyone outside of Amarillo, but I have heard that long-time Amarillo JO's coach Russell Mcelroy (Ama JO's 151) is thinking of not returning to the program. Supposedly coach Mcelroy is debating a return after a disappointing end to a tough season. It always seems that he does a good job with the younger age groups, but I would like to see him coach an older age team in the club ranks. It would be a shame that one of our local college coaches did not coach the youth of this area for some club because he was done wrong, so I hope he does decide to return. - Amarillo volleyball fan (posted 6/5)

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I saw your article on our team, ALAMO 15 KAEPA playing at 3RD COAST this weekend in the Championship Div. I am sorry to inform you that Austin Juniors decided to drop us from CHAMPIONSHIP DIV. and put us in the 17/18 CLUB DIV. The reason given last Wed. night when they called our director, was that they had one too many teams in that division and needed to drop somebody and that somebody was Alamo 15 Kaepa. We would have loved the opportunity to play some of the best older competition in Texas (Austin Jrs., TAV, Centex and so on) just for the experience before heading to Nationals. Coach Wilson felt this would have been a great way to prepare the team for Nationals, to play some of the best older teams and learn from them, let them show us our weaknesses and then go back and work on them for the next few weeks before Nationals. Loved the article anyway, you can still catch us playing on CT. 2 in the afternoon pool on Thursday, but unfortunately there will be NO CHAMPIONSHIP DIV. FOR ALAMO 15 KAEPA THIS YEAR. - Alamo Mom (posted 6/3)

Editor's note: Thanks for the update. Alamo 15 is still listed in the Championship Division on the Third Coast list of confirmed teams, but has been changed to the 17/18 Division on the event's playing schedule. We'd love to have seen them competing in the Championship Division, too. Austin Juniors 17 Red also was originally in Championship division and has been moved to 17/18. We've made the change to the Around The State column.

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I just wanted to thank those involved with the Sun Country Regional Tournament held in Las Cruces, NM a couple of weeks ago. The tournament was a great success, due in large part to the efforts of Diamondback club director Bill Daumeuller. Great job everyone. – nmsu (posted 5/22)

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Congratulations on your final rankings, I think you did a very thoughtful, thorough and fair job, not only in the 17's, which is our particular interest, but I'm sure in the other age groups as well, particularly considering all the unsolicited input and advice you have gotten with regard to rankings this entire season!

I did want to ask your opinion on something. What do you think is the reasoning behind the selection of Willowbrook 17 Select Molten for the open at-large bid to nationals, over teams such as Dallas Skyline 17's, for example, or for that matter, a good Alamo Kaepa team? Yes, Willowbrook did get 10th at Vegas, and Skyline was 33rd. Following that, however, it seems that Skyline had as good or better record as Willowbrook in the qualifiers, beat Willowbrook when they played head to head, played an extra national qualifier, and according to your poll, ranked ahead of Willowbrook at the end of the season. Skyline was 19th at the MidEast Qualifier, Willowbrook was 19th at the Lone Star qualifier. Willowbrook was 7th in the Tampa Bay qualifier, Skyline was 7th in the Lone Star qualifier and also handily beat the Willowbrook team along the way. Skyline also played in an additional national qualifier (Colorado Crossroads), getting a respectable 13th, and though Willowbrook was 4th in the Tour of Texas, I would think playing in the qualifier would carry more weight for the open at-large bid. And finally, in their regional tournaments, Skyline was first and Willowbrook was 13th. Just don't see the reasoning for that selection over Skyline, or for that matter, as I mentioned, over Alamo Kaepa or teams with better records in other parts of the country. Perhaps it's more political than we know and the Willowbrook name carries more tradition and weight, and Skyline will just have to wait its turn. - LJ (posted 5/12

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Thanks for another great story on another great player and person (Christi Hahn). Our high school and club teams have played against Christi for the past four years and she's always been a joy to watch. Young girls could learn a lot by reading her story. I wish her the best at A&M. Oh yes, I loved the baby pictures. - Austin mom (posted 5/8)

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Congratulations to all teams from Amarillo that have qualified for Nationals. I am proud of all the girls from all 3 clubs (High Plains, Amarillo Juniors & Crown Of Texas) that have brought their volleyball skills to another level this season. Every team from Amarillo showed great improvement over the course of the season. Amarillo has a great pool of coaches from all three clubs. Just like any other town it gets very competitive between the clubs. I do not want the Amarillo Juniors to think that the some of the views put up on this page reflects the thinking of High Plains. High Plains is very proud of what our players, past and present, have accomplished. To take full credit for any girl's success would not be right form any one club. Steve & Le Ann have done a great job with a great group of athletes this year. I consider them great coaches and good friends. Kathleen Patterson (High Plains 131's coach & last years 121's coach) has always done a great job with each team she has coached. Kathleen has had a hand in developing a majority of the volleyball talent in Amarillo over the past 9 years. Kathleen is also a close personal friend and I am proud of what she has done with her team this year. I guess we all need to step back and remember that all of this is for the players to improve and have fun. As always, when parents and coaches lose that perspective we all lose. - Rick Keeton , Ex Director, High Plains Kaepa (posted 5/5)

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Congratulations to the High Plains teams who have qualified for Nationals. It is just too bad that LA has such a negative attitude about the JO's. And that LA is trying to take credit for the JO's 13-1's for qualifying for nationals. Just so you know, before they ever got to High Plains as 12's, when they were 8, 9 and 10, Steve and Leann Shelton, their JO's coaches, had half of them in those vital years of teaching them the basic fundamentals. So, I guess High Plains should be partially thanking them for their 12-1's finish last year!! The bottom line, is that every coach that an athlete has IS partially responsible for their future success. Why can't we all just be happy for the kids and stop the ugliness?? - Amarillo Volleyball Fan (posted 5/5)

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Again High Plains qualifies 5 teams for nationals. Pretty amazing since the other club in Amarillo took the 12-1's and other very good players from various teams from last year with promises of greener pastures. By the way, the only team to qualify from Amarillo Juniors was the High Plains 12-1's from last year. I guess good coaching will get you a lot farther than most people think. - LA (posted 5/5)

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I think you do a great job of reporting volleyball around the state and I really don’t care that much about rankings. You know the game and understand how difficult it is to determine that one team is better than another without upsetting a parent. Picking a top team for a given time period is like picking the best mutual fund. You will always be subjected to criticism and yet sometimes your visitors don’t realize that the road to success and maintaining success is always moving….you win with/without your best player and you lose with/without your best player. I just wish people (mainly parents) would just relax and enjoy watching their kids and teams compete and not get so caught up in who is the best. I love competition and I love to win but I care more about the effort and passion than the final score or rankings. Keep up the good work! - JP in Plano (5/1)

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