Enjoy!
Coach B
As most of you may know, Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. This challenging situation was led by Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger along with his co-captain and his other flight crew. My inspiration for this blog: Sully, his crew, and the situation. He wrote a book after the incident called “Highest Duty...my search for what really matters.” If you ever get a chance you should take time to read this book! In his book he says the reason why all 155 people (including the crew) on the plane survived was because of: PREPARATION COMMUNICATION EXECUTION and COOPERATION. One thing to stress is that many people attributed the successful landing to Captain Sullenberger’s Glider Plane experience, this is an incorrect assumption. Captain Sullenberger’s landing in the Hudson River was successful because he was a HIGHLY EXPERIENCED pilot who had thousands of flight hours, was an Air Force Academy Graduate, and had flown many, many different types of aircrafts throughout the years. He had practiced, practiced, practiced, studied, studied, studied, and paid close attention to DETAIL.
How does this relate to volleyball and the 2010 Cougar team? The four bolded words above are what I have brought to the table. We have continued to PREPARE for our opponents…watching game film, looking at scouting reports… COMMUNICATING with one another, whether it be about a problem we need to fix on the court or knowing what our teammates need…EXECUTING our game plans, finding holes in the defense of our opponents or there weak spots…and COOPERATING with each teammate, whether it be about a set that needs to be closer a pass that needs to be off the net or moving the defense. The Cougar volleyball team continues to rise every week; we have so much talent and the ability to pursue any dream we have.
I gave each individual a boarding pass on Friday with a set of wings pinned on. On the front of their boarding pass is their last name and everything a boarding pass contains…with the destination NCAA tournament, departing from the University of Minnesota, Morris. On the back of the boarding pass has this comment:
“Your flight to NCAA tournament is now boarding. You have earned your WING. It is now your job to lead this team to success. I know you understand what it takes. Remember this motto: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
They also received a Halloween ribbon and a sack of goodies… on each locker there is a poster that says “cool under cabin pressure. PREPARATION. Pass it On.”, with a photo of flight 1549 in the Hudson River.
We are currently 5-2 in conference play and plan on striving for even more. I ask that you continue to support the Cougar Volleyball Team of 2010 not because we ask you, but because you are a part of our flight crew also…without your support, encouragement, and belief that we can have a SPECTACULAR season we could not have made it to where we are now! Thank you!!
GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Kaylie Clark
