On December 15th, the 16U Girls team had the pleasure of hosting Olympian Conrad Leinemann at their practice.  Conrad is a member of the Canadian Beach Volleyball team (http://volleyball.ca/index.asp?page=113).  He spent two hours with the CAPS, putting them through their paces with two-on-two, four-on-four and "winners court" drills.  But the final drill was definitely the most interesting and most entertaining!  Conrad singlehandedly took on the entire team of 16U players and proceeded to beat them two games to none!  It was fascinating to see his skill and strategy as he ran the girls around the court.  It was also a great learning experience, as Conrad also took the time to give pointers on specific skills and, more importantly, to discuss the mental aspects of the game.  He emphasized how important it is to use every minute of a practice to improve both skills and concentration.  Staying focussed, staying positive, and the concept that "six heads are better than one" really got the 16Us thinking about their own mental game.

Matt and I would both like to thank Conrad for taking the time to come to our practice, especially during the busy Christmas season.  Our players loved the experience!  Who knows, it may be these two hours that make the difference in our play and attitude in the following months!