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I know it's old now, but I just noticed that you guys said that Nicole McCray (Florida) and Ashley Ivy (Stanford) were the lone representatives from Texas in the Final Four. Hawaii had an outside hitter, Lily Kahumoku, who is also from Texas (Lubbock). - Email (posted 12/23/02)

Editor's note: Lily a 6'2" outside who averaged 5.32 kills and 3.14 digs per game this year was also just named first team All-America. Her parents live in Lubbock and she attended Coronado early in her high school career but transferred to Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu in 1997, where she led her high school team to state titles in 1997 and 1998 and was named Hawaii player of the year both seasons. She graduated from Kamehameha in 1999. Since the Hawaii roster lists her hometown as Honolulu (she was born in South Carolina) and her high school as Kamehameha we didn't have her on our list, but what the heck, we'll go ahead and claim her as a Texan.

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I do not know if you guys did not see or scroll down far enough. but there are three other teams from Texas that made the top 250. These girls teams all deserve a little recognition also. So let's update that on your website.
Elkins(31-8) #210
Hereford(33-5) #222
Arlington Lamar(31-9) #229
Conratulations to all the Texas teams!!! - Shirley (posted 12/18/02)

Editor's note: You're right. Somehow we missed those, but we've now updated the list. Thanks.

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I definitely vote for this change. The matches are much quicker, more exciting, more edge of the seat, thrills all the way, and if you make a mistake it could cost you the game. This way scouts could see more of the team. Give the under team a chance. I believe that there should be a state wide vote, for everyone to voice their opinion. Thank you for giving me a voice. - Daniel (posted 12/11/02)

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I believe that the state of Texas should go to rally scoring if not next year at least the year after. I believe that if we are to get our kids ready for the next level that they should be already accustomed to the 3 out of 5 rally to 30 or at least 25. I worked at a school were my kids can not afford to go and play for a club organization and I have 3 girls that will be playing college ball next year. I believe that the state should adopt the net serve and rally scoring for the upcoming season to better ready our student athletes for the next level. A good thing about rally scoring is that it makes the game more exciting for the fans to watch, it eliminates your inconsistent players, and it also brings the competition level of the teams closer - you don't have the 15-0, 15-1 victories. I watched the state finals against Wimberely and Pleasant Grove and in the second game of the match Wimberely missed 8 or 9 serves and still won the match. If rally scoring is introduced the games become closer and therefore more exciting to watch for the fans. I myself would have not made it past the first round of the playoffs because my girls missed 24 serves in a three-game match. If rally scoring would have been in this year I wouldn't have won that match. I currently play on an open division team, and we have been playing rally score for two years now and it makes the game that much more fun and interesting to see played out. In a rally game you could be down by 10 points and still come back and win the game. You are never out of a rally score game. THE COACHES OF THE STATE OF TEXAS NEED TO STOP CRYING ABOUT IT AND WE NEED TO ADOPT THIS RULE. We do not coach for ourself, we coach for the girls. Some of us coaches need to remember that. If you would like to better your student-athlete and make her better prepared for the next level we really need to go to rally score and the let serve. - a coach and player of the game. (posted 12/10/02)

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Many thanks for the great site on High School Texas Volleyball. One of the greatest things about this site is ALL teams: public, private, large, small... do get recognized. Athletes aren't hampered by attending private schools vs public, 3A vs 5A, etc...I also really appreciate that the people responding on this site have class and do not bash the athletes and schools. Volleyball is a great sport and growing everyday. It is the true team sport and has great people involved. Living in Austin and watching, coaching, participating in volleyball for many years, we have seen the sport develop and many great young ladies continue as winners on and off the court. Thanks for taking that approach! Also, the Austin area is very fortunate to have a media person who truly cares about the young ladies and the game of volleyball, Butch Hart. Butch covers High School volleyball on his own time, along with his real job, family, and other obligations. Knowing Butch for many years, he is a great man with a love for the sport. Thank you Butch for all you do!! Congratulations on the best volleyball site found!!! Keep up the good work. - CDF, Austin (posted 12/10/02)

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Thanks for your informative web-site! I have thoroughly enjoyed keeping current with all the up-to-the-minute news all over the State, especially during the State Play-offs. This letter is in response to 'Chip' who wrote a letter about St Michaels Volleyball. I am an avid volleyball fan in the Austin area and I know what a talented team St Michaels is. However, I must disagree that St Michaels does not get enough coverage in the Austin area papers! In fact, I rarely picked up the Austin American Statesman and did NOT see an article written on the team. Honestly, I think St Mikes got more coverage than ANY other team in the Austin area, even including the University of Texas!!! They deserve much praise since they have won TAPPS Championship three years in a row, but let's get serious about the coverage! Their are MANY successful teams in the area, and none were covered more than St Michaels!Signed - An Austin Area Volleyball fan (posted 12/9/02)

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I am kind of tired of hearing that some coaches do not want to change to rally scoring. The college game uses it, club uses it. High school and JR high should use it period! We as high school coaches are here to prepare the kids for the next level, as well as teach the kids about the sport and all of the good that any sport can do for them. Too many coaches are worried about their success and trying something new, well let me tell you it is not about us it is about the kids and if I have a kid, and I do, that is going on to play college, I feel it is my responsibility to prepare her for the next level. Well rally is a whole different game with different strategies, and in order to understand it they need to play it. Not all girls have a chance to play club ball whether it be location or money. I currently play for a men's open team and can tell you myself that rally play is fun and different. That does not make it bad. Yes, I like the old format too but the higher level no longer uses it so why do we. We need to step up and move on for the kids, not say back for ourselves. - A coach and player (posted 12/6/02)

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Coach Barker: Do you know the results from the other states that used the rally scoring? Did most like it or no? If the schools do use this scoring system, will the middle schools be using it also? I've officiated some MS matches in the past, some good, some horrible. The serve will definitely be stressed, I believe, at this level more than any of the other skills. The successful teams at the MS level are the ones with a good, consistent server or two. Just wondering what others (coaches, players, parents, etc.) feel about the rally scoring? I like it and can't wait to get it, if Federation approves it. Thanks. - Pooch (posted 12/4/02)

Editor's note: Coach Barker responds - Thanks for the questions! I can answer some of them for you. I do not know the results from the other states that used rally scoring. My understanding is that currently the National Federation is compiling all of the data that they received from the states that experimented with rally score. Right now that info is not put out to the public. They will be doing more discussion on middle schools. There have been questions about that and we do not know all of the answers on that subject. I can not personally say what the players and parents want, but as far as what the coaches want, according to the survey that the TGCA took last year, the coaches are divided into three different groups: first a significant number of coaches who enthusiastically support going to rally scoring. Second, there is a large "middle ground" - those coaches who are more or less in favor of going to rally scoring, though to some degree indifferent, and those who are relunctant, but see the change as "inevitable" and are ready to make the change. The third group is a smaller, yet significant group of coaches who still adamantly oppose rally scoring. We appreciate all of the discussions on rally scoring that are happening. It will help us all be ready for the change when it happens. Thanks for the questions! Hope this helps.

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By the way, Creek's big killer, Outstanding Offensensive player in the district, 2nd team Houston Area and kill leader in three out of the four playoff matches, as well as block leader in those matches and against Kingwood and Stratford was Tiffany Baker. She had 18 against Kingwood and was the only one in double digits with 14 against Stratford. If you were going by either way you would have to say she is by far the most offensive threat on that team. I don't think any of their middles hit double digits in the big games at the end. - e-mail from Houston (posted 12/04/02)

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Hey, I agree with almost all your selections (Best of 2002). I'm glad that you recognized Amber Lohrman. This girl has just steadily gotten better every year in high school. To see her at the net, not afraid to mix it up with tall girls, was a joy to watch. Also, Torie Dacus is a great player. Enough said. I know it is a tough task to come up with a short list of hitters, but I think Laurie Burrow should have been on the honorable mention list on hitters. There were a lot of girls (on the list) that Red Oak either sut down or controlled and took out of the match. Great choices for coaches of the year. I love Arthur Stanfield. He took over a Red Oak program that had never gone anywhere in the playoffs in 1990. In that time on the court they have only lost one district match, won region championships 7 times, and 3 state titles. And thanks again for your great coverage. - Kelly, Red Oak's #1 fan and grad of '87 (posted 12/4/02)

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I love your site and love the fact that volleyball now has a site that us coaches and the players can go to. I love the fact that the site is free and that you do this for the sport and not the money that is rare for someone to do now days. I would like to see one thing though, well two. First I would like to see the Fab 50 list put on this site, I am not paying $80 just to get the list. I also would like to see you continue your coverage of volleyball during club season. Again thank for your work. One more thing would like to see more coverage of the smaller schools and clubs. Thank you. - Coach (posted 12/4/02)

Editor's note: To be honest, while we love the sport, we're hoping the opportunity presents itself to make money on this site. If it does, we certainly won't turn it down. We will provide coverage of the club season and one goal we have for next high school season is to significantly expand the coverage of the smaller schools.

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Thanks for your outstanding coverage of the high school season. Of course I didn't always agree with your team rankings or all the picks for the All Texas Team, but I thought you were always knowledgeable, fair, and thorough. I particularly thank you for your coverage of St. Michael's Academy. This small private school of 400 students doesn't get much coverage, even in the hometown paper despite the 3 consecutive state championships. But you have noted this talented team and given them their due. Thanks again for a great season and I am looking forward to more of the same for the clubs. - Chip (posted 12/4/02)

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Thanks again for an outstanding job of covering the high school volleyball season! What are your plans for the club season? Will you be ranking teams and reporting tournament results and commentary? - MP (posted 12/4/02)

Editor's note: We're currently finalizing our plans for coverage of the club season. The coverage will be similar to what we provided for high school with rankings, coverage of major events and, of course, our opinions.

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I just read your editorial about rally scoring and felt you needed to know a few things. First, the coaches and UIL are not the ones making the decision regarding the change to rally scoring. We operate under the guidelines of the National Federation. The Federation is the body that makes those decisions, and all states who are under the National Federation must abide by them. My understanding is that there are very few states that have chosen to not be under the Federation. Rally scoring is currently under study by the Federation. They asked several states if they would be willing to experiment with rally scoring this season for purposes of studying it. According to the National Federation, 14 states chose to do so. From results of a survey taken by the Texas Girls Coaches Assn, we chose not to participate in the experiment, because there was not a big consensus to experiment among the coaches.

Since all UIL member schools follow National Federation volleyball rules, Texas will switch to rally scoring once the Federation formally adopts it as the new scoring system. In fact, we are all preparing for that real possibility for the upcoming season. We are not sure of all of the rules they will have, but the states that experimented with rally scoring were instructed to:

1. play matches 3 out of 5 games.
2. play games to 25 points (cap 30), with the 5th game to 15 pts (win by 2).
3. Use the "let" serve.
4. Use a max. of 18 substitutions per game.
5. NOT use the libero.

We should know if there will be a change to rally scoring in the next few months. Thank you for the opportunity to explain the latest in our volleyball world!!

Jan Barker
TGCA Volleyball Committee Chairman
Amarillo High School
(posted 12/2/02)

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