Starkey

[pittisit]

I was listening to the Joe Starkey show today on the Fan and Starkey and his side kick City Limits were going up to Pitt to take some serves from Olivia this afternoon. They kind of were thinking they could receive her serve. Starkey has no volleyball experience and City Limits said he play volleyball in high school.

I wonder if they have to sign a waiver? They could get seriously hurt. I expect a broken nose and/or a concussion.

They are supposed to post photos/videos of their adventure on the Fan website but I haven't seen anything posted yet.
I can't wait to see what happened.

 

[HOF Coach]

I was listening to the Joe Starkey show today on the Fan and Starkey and his side kick City Limits were going up to Pitt to take some serves from Olivia this afternoon. They kind of were thinking they could receive her serve. Starkey has no volleyball experience and City Limits said he play volleyball in high school.

I wonder if they have to sign a waiver? They could get seriously hurt. I expect a broken nose and/or a concussion.

They are supposed to post photos/videos of their adventure on the Fan website but I haven't seen anything posted yet.
I can't wait to see what happened.

First image posted from this afternoon:

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I was listening to the Joe Starkey show today on the Fan and Starkey and his side kick City Limits were going up to Pitt to take some serves from Olivia this afternoon. They kind of were thinking they could receive her serve. Starkey has no volleyball experience and City Limits said he play volleyball in high school.

I wonder if they have to sign a waiver? They could get seriously hurt. I expect a broken nose and/or a concussion.

They are supposed to post photos/videos of their adventure on the Fan website but I haven't seen anything posted yet.
I can't wait to see what happened.

They say Starkey would shock the hell out of you on a basketball court. And I’ve seen video of him shooting. And I bet he’s a better player than I am. He appears sneaky athletic. As far as Vball, his daughter plays so he’s around the game. I’m sure he bumps around the gym and yard with her. I played a ton of Vball back in the day and thought I was a pretty solid defensive player and passer. I’m decades removed and maybe the first couple serves would catch me off guard…but I think I would quickly adjust and be able to receive, even at my age. Ask me to hit a pitch from an elite softball pitcher and I’m not sure.

 

[HOF Coach]

They say Starkey would shock the hell out of you on a basketball court. And I’ve seen video of him shooting. And I bet he’s a better player than I am. He appears sneaky athletic. As far as Vball, his daughter plays so he’s around the game. I’m sure he bumps around the gym and yard with her. I played a ton of Vball back in the day and thought I was a pretty solid defensive player and passer. I’m decades removed and maybe the first couple serves would catch me off guard…but I think I would quickly adjust and be able to receive, even at my age. Ask me to hit a pitch from an elite softball pitcher and I’m not sure.

Below is an artist's rendition of @Fk_Pitt receiving a jump serve from Olivia Babcock:

 

[Harlo4PITT]

Below is an artist's rendition of @Fk_Pitt receiving a jump serve from Olivia Babcock:

Now this is hilarious, just made my day with this flash back. Such good stuff.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Below is an artist's rendition of @Fk_Pitt receiving a jump serve from Olivia Babcock:

Probably. But I guess my point is for anyone who’s played the game, standing in and receiving a serve isn’t like going in and trying to hit a major league pitcher. Yeah the balls are coming fast and hard and dip and knuckle, but serve me 10 and I’d adjust…as long as I don’t get knocked out by the first one or two. Now, hitting a golf ball that’s not moving at all and on a tee…that’s a different story for me.

 

[pittdan77]

Probably. But I guess my point is for anyone who’s played the game, standing in and receiving a serve isn’t like going in and trying to hit a major league pitcher. Yeah the balls are coming fast and hard and dip and knuckle, but serve me 10 and I’d adjust…as long as I don’t get knocked out by the first one or two. Now, hitting a golf ball that’s not moving at all and on a tee…that’s a different story for me.

I played one season of VB in college (after I was done with football) and I don't think I could do it. I was also a middle and they didn't let me rotate anywhere near the back row. Even to serve, LOL. I can explain proper serve receive and understand how teams run serve receive but, no, there's no way.

If I was Babcock, I wouldn't consent to something stupid like this, but if I had to, I would go easy on the first few, hit them with some heat, then drop a couple of floaters at them. I'd also make them both stand back there together and watch them knock heads when she goes seam on them.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I played one season of VB in college (after I was done with football) and I don't think I could do it. I was also a middle and they didn't let me rotate anywhere near the back row. Even to serve, LOL. I can explain proper serve receive and understand how teams run serve receive but, no, there's no way.

If I was Babcock, I wouldn't consent to something stupid like this, but if I had to, I would go easy on the first few, hit them with some heat, then drop a couple of floaters at them. I'd also make them both stand back there together and watch them knock heads when she goes seam on them.

I used to play every weekend in my 20’s with and against PSU women during their program’s hay day. I also played on the Santa Cruz beaches with some pretty talented males. As far as the PSU ladies,I don’t know if they were national player of the year candidates, but they were starters, and I had no problem playing with them. And maybe I’m doing what most of us guys do and think we can still hang when we are older and then go out and embarrass ourselves. I know that I could never hit a ball like I used to. I don’t even know if I can jump high enough to hit a ball with a women’s net, but receiving a serve strikes me as something I could probably do a couple times out of 10. I have Starkey on now and haven’t heard him talk about his experiences yesterday. But if he never played the game, maybe he did put up a big 0.

 

[pittdan77]

I used to play every weekend in my 20’s with and against PSU women during their program’s hay day. I also played on the Santa Cruz beaches with some pretty talented males. As far as the PSU ladies,I don’t know if they were national player of the year candidates, but they were starters, and I had no problem playing with them. And maybe I’m doing what most of us guys do and think we can still hang when we are older and then go out and embarrass ourselves. I know that I could never hit a ball like I used to. I don’t even know if I can jump high enough to hit a ball with a women’s net, but receiving a serve strikes me as something I could probably do a couple times out of 10. I have Starkey on now and haven’t heard him talk about his experiences yesterday. But if he never played the game, maybe he did put up a big 0.

I wasn't very good but I enjoyed it. Was more of a thing where I was screwing around in the gym with a few guys on the team and I was blocking them pretty consistently. Coach asked me if I'd play and I never passed an opportunity to compete in anything. I sucked at hitting but figured out I could overpower most blocks and went with that. Never got the timing on a one-ball and I nearly hung myself in the net when I tried a shoot. It was very low level D3 and we sucked. Oh well. I'm always impressed when my sophomore kid does what she does when she runs middle. She had nine kills last night and she had the other team's senior middle running in circles. And, she can serve, LOL.

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

I caught in passing this morning both saying she didn't serve as hard as she does in games.

 

[HOF Coach]

I used to play every weekend in my 20’s with and against PSU women during their program’s hay day. I also played on the Santa Cruz beaches with some pretty talented males. As far as the PSU ladies,I don’t know if they were national player of the year candidates, but they were starters, and I had no problem playing with them. And maybe I’m doing what most of us guys do and think we can still hang when we are older and then go out and embarrass ourselves. I know that I could never hit a ball like I used to. I don’t even know if I can jump high enough to hit a ball with a women’s net, but receiving a serve strikes me as something I could probably do a couple times out of 10. I have Starkey on now and haven’t heard him talk about his experiences yesterday. But if he never played the game, maybe he did put up a big 0.

 

[pittdan77]

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I'll own that.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

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I'll own that.

Yeah me too…

On second thought, maybe I don’t want to stand in and see if I can return her serves. Lol

Last week, I just walked 4 miles on the pavement that runs parallel to the Manhattan beach shore line and for whatever reason I could barely walk the next 2 days. I walk every day. Why was that day any different? Was it the surface? I don’t know. But I can’t figure my own body out from day to day.

 

[KennyTheKangaroo]

I’m no spring chicken but I still play on a regular basis.

Personally I’d feel better about returning Babcock’s serve more so than VVG or flood. Once you get a handle on the speed and your fundamentals are right, a jump serve ain’t that bad. But a float that bounces around? That would make most mortals look stupid.

 

[latz66]

I agree with KennyTheKanger, I played volleyball for over 30 years, finally retiring when I turned 50. Played pretty high level amateur level. I played with and against Divsion 1 NCAA women and many club level college men. Its a lot like a fastball in baseball, you get used to the speed. on the jumpserves but the knuckle type flat serves are always a puzzle you need to solve. The key for successful serving teams is mixing up the variety (no different than pitching). Jump serves are high risk high reward but are a great changeup to the flat , knuckler slow moving serves that you see more of in the women's game. The women's net is 7 inches lower than the men's so honestly, Olivia's serve would probably be harder to return on a Womans net since it's coming in lower.

 

[pittdan77]

Personally I’d feel better about returning Babcock’s serve more so than VVG or flood. Once you get a handle on the speed and your fundamentals are right, a jump serve ain’t that bad. But a float that bounces around? That would make most mortals look stupid.

Jump serves aren't really taught in juniors, or in school ball, to the girls. It's all jump-float serving. Babcock's serves are effective because they're really not something you see very much in the college game.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

So there was a thread that got quickly deleted on the football board regarding the sad situation around the San Jose St Womens team. Someone said that our women’s team would beat their men’s team. However they only have a club team. So my question is…how would our women look vs a SJSU men’s club team? I’d guess that such a hypothetical would have to be played on a women’s net…at which point the men would be even more dominant.

 

[pittdan77]

So there was a thread that got quickly deleted on the football board regarding the sad situation around the San Jose St Womens team. Someone said that our women’s team would beat their men’s team. However they only have a club team. So my question is…how would our women look vs a SJSU men’s club team? I’d guess that such a hypothetical would have to be played on a women’s net…at which point the men would be even more dominant.

Generally, men would have a huge advantage on a net that is 6" lower than what they normally use. The men also run their offenses a lot faster. Lower net only makes that worse. That said, some schools do use something similar to a men's club team for practice but that's a very controlled environment. One thing that is being pointed out about the player in question is that the power and velocity does have the potential to do harm when you're just not used to it. There is a bit of hyperbole surrounding what that player is supposed to be able to do but there have been some documented instances of it going very badly on a lower level.

I would lean towards no but that's just based on generalities and nothing more.

 

[mike412]

I tried playing beach volleyball when I first moved to California. I’m not fast anyway, but I found that in the sand I am slower than a turtle. If I got to a ball, my passing was okay, but I felt like I was in quicksand too much of the time. And, I never have been much of a jumper, but in the sand I couldn’t get off the ground at all.

I quickly switched to tennis. The problem with that is that you would get on the court and on the next court would be two 12 year olds who were five times better than you. It wasn’t great for my ego. I had played high level fast pitch softball in the Army, but the softball in LA was mainly slow pitch, see how far these big beer drinking guys can crush the ball. Not my sport.

Finally found my niche in contract bridge. Yes, I know it’s not a sport but it’s the only game I ever played where everyone wanted to be my partner and no one wanted to play against me.

The only reason I ever got to play soccer at Pitt was because (1) Coach Bemis needed enough guys to have a scrimmage, and (2) I was willing to climb down the hill to General Robinson Street to get balls that went over the side because the practice field had about a 15 degree slant that way.

 

[latz66]

If they played on a men's net, Pitt women would struggle mightily on the attack on a higher than usual net. Everything would be different.

If you played on a women's net and men were not allowed to attack (unless behind the 10 ft line) or block then maybe you have a match.

Otherwise the men would dominate, no different than a 15 yr old boys team beating the us women in soccer. Most club teams are still pretty good quality. Especially out in Cali. This isnt like taking 6 frat boys out to play a match against them.

 

[HOF Coach]

 

[vantheman1976]

I wasn't very good but I enjoyed it. Was more of a thing where I was screwing around in the gym with a few guys on the team and I was blocking them pretty consistently. Coach asked me if I'd play and I never passed an opportunity to compete in anything. I sucked at hitting but figured out I could overpower most blocks and went with that. Never got the timing on a one-ball and I nearly hung myself in the net when I tried a shoot. It was very low level D3 and we sucked. Oh well. I'm always impressed when my sophomore kid does what she does when she runs middle. She had nine kills last night and she had the other team's senior middle running in circles. And, she can serve, LOL.

Well congrats to your daughter! My only advice to you....and Fk for that matter......don't let your testosterone trick you into thinking you're what you used to be.

 

[pittdan77]

Well congrats to your daughter! My only advice to you....and Fk for that matter......don't let your testosterone trick you into thinking you're what you used to be.

Testosterone? I could be in one of those commercials where Andy Van Slyke tries to talk me into a supplement.

My kid nearly killed a girl last night. When we went back and looked at the video I immediately thought of this thread. Serve receive is one thing but a huge, uncontested swing can do some damage. Fortunately the girl turned just enough that the ball hit her shoulder and was okay but it's amazing what these players can do.

 

[vantheman1976]

Testosterone? I could be in one of those commercials where Andy Van Slyke tries to talk me into a supplement.

My kid nearly killed a girl last night. When we went back and looked at the video I immediately thought of this thread. Serve receive is one thing but a huge, uncontested swing can do some damage. Fortunately the girl turned just enough that the ball hit her shoulder and was okay but it's amazing what these players can do.

Hey....refresh my memory. Is your daughter a senior this year? I recall you saying she may not be a division 1 athlete but could compete in one of the lower divisions.

 

[pittdan77]

Hey....refresh my memory. Is your daughter a senior this year? I recall you saying she may not be a division 1 athlete but could compete in one of the lower divisions.

Sophomore. And I'm not saying that to brag or anything. Just familiar with D3. I would say most girls who have a good bit of club experience at the higher levels, and who are willing to keep playing, can get a D3 offer. A lot of girls just don't bother. Big drop off at 17u. Not unusual to see D2 and D3 schools openly advertising for girls to fill their classes because of a lack of interest, sometimes.

I'm seeing a lot of good Sophomore's and Freshmen players that are starting in the PIAA. Have seen as many as four or five players in that age range in the starting rotation. Those girls are the first group in a while that didn't have Covid really screw up a couple of their HS level club seasons. Of course, there seems to be less senior and juniors for much of the same reasons. Sort of an interesting phenomenon of the shutdowns.