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Diane Short, Blast club director (2006), Assistant director since 2001-2005 started Blast Volleyball Academy in 2007.
The clubs were formed to help further the development of girls' Juniors club volleyball in the Ocean State and has been the largest club in Rhode Island since its inception.
In 2004, Blast added boys to the program offering teams for both genders.
The biggest difference from years past as RI Blast to becoming Blast Volleyball Academy, is the name. We have most of the coaches coming back, and we have
strived to make improvements. Input from the June parents meeting helped to carve out new paths. My goal as a native Rhode Islander is to improve volleyball players and
coaches in Southern New England. I want to share my passion and love for the game by developing players in the sport of volleyball and mentoring volleyball coaches.
Coaches are the most important thing in developing players. This can not be overlooked. We have some great coaches this year and they are put through continual
training to help them be the best coaches they can be.
Blast Volleyball Academy encompasses the junior volleyball club, summer camps, player clinics, coach mentoring programs, and many other volleyball activities. The president
and founder of RI Blast is John Forman and has moved on to pursue a career in finance. Blast Volleyball Academy was thus founded and under control of Diane Short.
Precision Passer is still a product that John Forman and RI Blast Inc. sell.
Diane Short and Ray DeAngelis are the directors for the girls volleyball programs. Lori Baker and Scott Grandpre are the directors for the boys program.
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| SKILL TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT |
| Team members train under the guidance of an experienced coaching
staff which has been certified through the USA Volleyball coaching educational process. There are regular practice sessions
where players develop fundamental skills while also giving them the opportunity to learn higher levels of play. The related
topics of strength & conditioning, nutrition, college recruitment planning, and other elements are also included to round out
the experience. |
| TOURNAMENT COMPETITION |
| At a minimum, Blast Volleyball teams compete in 4-6 tournaments
per season against clubs from across New England. There are also opportunities for play against teams from all over
the Northeast, East Coast, and even potentially on a National level. |
| IMPROVED CHANCES FOR COLLEGE RECRUITMENT |
| Juniors volleyball can be a very important aid in the process
of being recruited to collegiate volleyball programs. Not only does it offer the opportunity to train and compete in a
structured environment beyond the relatively short high school season, it also provides a higher degree of exposure.
College coaches frequent club tournament as they provide opportunities to view and evaluate larger numbers of candidates
in one place at one time. |
| FUN, CAMARADERIE, NEW FRIENDS AND EXPERIENCES |
| Let us not forget why we play volleyball.
What it comes down to is the enjoyment of the game and the life experiences that come along with playing and competing. |
| ATTITUDE |
| There are a number of important concepts reinforced throughout training. They include
being aggressive, never letting a ball drop (relentless pursuit), focus & concentration, being active
and vocal, and supporting the team and its members. A good work ethic is mandatory, as is a positive
mental outlook. Negativity is not tolerated. |
| PLAY SMARTER |
| Juniors Volleyball is played under rally scoring rules. That means every
mistake is a point for the other team. Limiting mistakes and making better decisions improves the chances for success.
Players are taught when it is OK to be aggressive and go after it and when a more conservative approach is needed, both
within their own position and within the context of the game as a whole. |
| EXPERIMENT & LEARN |
| Club volleyball is not about doing the same old thing. Blast Volleyball Academy players get to experiment with
new things and develop more skills in all facets of the game by being exposed to new methods and techniques. The offensive
schemes are more complex and challenge players to improve not only their abilities, but also their tactical thinking. New
defensive systems are introduced to allow players to explore how to adjust to the offensive tactics of opposing teams. |
| FUNDAMENTALS & TECHNIQUE |
| No volleyball program can have success if its players are not fundamentally sound.
For that reason the Blast Volleyball Academy staff spends a lot of time working with players one-on-one and in groups to improve
their serving, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, and defensive technique. |
| FITNESS & NUTRITION |
| Players are educated on ways to improve their athletic performance through physical
conditioning, strength training, and better nutrition. |
Blast practice sessions are demanding. They run at a high
level of intensity, pushing the players to improve themselves on a continuous basis and the experienced coaching
staff incorporates a number of different teaching techniques to achieve their goals.
Note that very little attention is given above to winning tournaments or collecting hardware. The number one focus of
Blast at all times will be to make each team member a better volleyball player. Success in games and matches will follow
from that. Sure, there will always be the goal of winning championships, and the club staff is very competitive. The
continuous improvement of the team over the course of a season will not, however, be sacrificed for the sake of winning.
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