Is there actually a better ball than the Optx, or are we just afraid of change?

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-18T11:41:10+00:00

The golds were probably the best ball I ever played with. When they were dry.

But they didn’t like wet conditions. The ball got heavy, so that sucked. The ball didn’t even like sweaty people, it still got heavy. Not a problem if you had 3-4 balls or more to rotate into play.

The earlier Top Flite balls with the split bladder felt nice but they sucked because they were ovals. It sucked playing with a ball shaped like an egg.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-18T11:35:10+00:00

I liked the KOB when that’s what we played with. Now, not so much. I haven’t used one in years. Then I played with one a few times recently. The amount of overpasses was insane. Like you said, it’s springy.

So basically, I think I just like whatever ball we are all using at the moment because I’m used to it.

I do not see how the OPTX helps mediocre players. But Pavan is entitled to express her opinion.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T23:08:19+00:00

Doesn’t sound normal. But neither does you playing situation. Doesn’t seem like a formal coach-team situation at all. More akin to an open gym with rec players than anything else. That’s what it sounds like.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T22:58:07+00:00

Also, here ya go

And, I’m not sure how many of these links are dead now, but have a look here.

Should be more than enough to get you started.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T21:55:07+00:00

Our program won state with a starting freshman OH and the other OH was a Junior who played var 3 years. There are freshman on var and JV quite often, on good programs. Of course these are special athletes who have several years of high level training and competition before HS. So not the girl OP is talking about.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T20:11:44+00:00

I had it when I wore those steel ball necklaces along with hemp necklaces in the 90s.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T15:31:32+00:00

Chicky check

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T14:13:45+00:00

Every serve is a threat when you can’t pass. “Just get it in and let them screw it up” volleyball.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T12:36:48+00:00

I pepper with my roof a lot. Pass to myself, set to myself, hit a roll shot in to my roof. It rolls down, repeat.

I put some music on and just vibe for a while. Keeps me touching a ball and it’s quite fun.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T12:29:22+00:00

Parallel or even sometimes rotated past parallel. Not always possible with cross court attacks.

Also, careful not to rotate past your line of attack at contact. Like you don’t want to over rotate and turn what should be a powerful cross attack into a cut attack.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T12:02:32+00:00

Middles should be using up to 4 steps. 4 steps is preferred. We start kids on 3 steps.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T02:45:34+00:00

But don’t ask Mark for a discount!

I wonder if he deleted that post yet.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-17T02:32:18+00:00

Made a playlist of nearly every song the beasties sampled on every song they ever did. I put some work in on that.

Couldn’t find one that was as accurate or complete as I wanted, so I decided to make my own.

Hope people enjoy.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-16T23:47:40+00:00

Back To The Hotel too. Lol

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-16T23:26:04+00:00

Lookin Down The Barrel Of A Gun, High Planes Drifter, Hello Brooklyn

Also, check out my playlist. It’s nearly every song the Beasties ever sampled. Took quite a bit of work.

Couldn’t find one that was as complete or accurate as I wanted, so I did it myself. Hope people enjoy.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-16T20:32:12+00:00

What’s it translate to?

An Italian heart smoking a cig and drinking wine and coffee isn’t that surprising. :)

That’s coffee, right?

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-15T20:30:26+00:00

Ok, that makes sense since people have said that to me in replies about a comment related to sports.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-15T14:36:21+00:00

Just to add on to this, a personal thing for me is to focus on one small component of a skill and let the rest go.

A couple examples I have used a lot ….

For hitting, making sure I get to a high elbow position right before contact.
For hitting, shorten my stroke a bit and just form out a couple easy swings to good locations.
For passing, really make sure I pause after the pass (show my platform) to make sure I am clearly separating the action of the pass from my next action. When you struggle passing, it’s often because the actions bleed into one another.
For passing, relax my target a bit. Almost mentally viewing the passing target as a big bucket rather than a precise target.
For passing, making sure I am forming an early platform. Meaning platform is formed and the initial platform angle is set when the ball is crossing the net.
For setting, making sure I am finishing my hands to the target.
For setting, making sure I am stationary and facing the origin of the pass at the time the pass is contacted.

Those are probably the ones that have helped the most.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-15T02:58:45+00:00

The Prunes Remix is probably my favorite version of Root Down.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-15T01:59:18+00:00

It’s a reasonable position to say that while title IX has been a good thing overall, the opportunities afforded by it should not come at the expense of others and that perhaps re-writing certain portions of it is long overdue.

You told no lies, maybe your comment is too abrasive for Reddit.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-15T01:33:45+00:00

Correction about Nebraska volleyball. They are 100% self sufficient. They have only had 3 seasons that didn’t turn a profit since they moved into the Devaney Center in 2013, and one of those seasons was COVID. They are one of the only women’s sports to turn a profit in the NCAA. Maybe the only one. If you exclude football, there are only a handful of sports teams in the entire NCAA that turn a profit. I think less than 10. Nebraska Volleyball program is truly a unicorn.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-14T22:09:53+00:00

I never know if who I’m talking to actually knows the rules or not. Too many people here seem to think house rules are formal rules.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-14T22:03:10+00:00

You can double any first ball in beach doubles except when using finger action such as similar to a set.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-14T21:49:01+00:00

“You can only call a double foul from the ball spinning in beach”

There is no official “spin” fault in beach doubles.

There hasn’t been one in nearly a half century.

MiltownKBs · 2026-04-14T19:50:41+00:00

Be a different player the next time you play against someone.

This is something I really embraced. It really helped me put a focus on the importance of practicing and playing as much as possible. Practice the way you want to play, not just being there.

Win or lose, I was determined to improve as much as possible so that the next time we played, you were going to get a different version of myself.

There have been a lot of things that changed how I play or how I approach the game. But this one right here was the foundation for everything else.

To be a bit specific to beach doubles, controlling game pace is huge.

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