This year Matrix will be offering only the 4 following teams:
12′s
14′s
16′s
18′s
There will be cuts at every age group. Matrix has continued to grow as a club and produce many talented volleyball players in the past 3 years of existence. Last year Matrix offered 9 teams, and I feel that the players/coaches may have become dilluted with both talent and dedication. Matrix wants to become the top club this season in the west valley. Matrix has renewed it’s contracts with only the best proven coaches, and is ready to give the biggest and baddest clubs a run for their money. By consolidating the already amazing talent, and adding new talent Matrix will be the club to play for this season! If you feel that you have what it takes in both talent and dedication, we will see you at tryouts! Get ready for an amazing season!

Matrix will be implementing the leadership program in the 2012 season. Each girl needs to have opportunities to lead, and be led. Every week the Director will meet with the team individually for a leadership session. The players will learn how to give constructive critisism, and take constructive critisism. They will learn their role and responsibilities within the team, which goes well beyond showing up for practices. The team will learn how to set goals individually and as a unit.
This country is starving for leaders.  In general, we have produced a generation of followers.  The only thing we can do about it is to teach our children to be leaders. 

Athletics gives us extraordinary opportunities to teach our daughters to be leaders.  They need to be given the tools to lead themselves first, lead others next, and then lead their teams to victory. 

Matrix will be sharing a leadership program that will help them develop & mature in ways that will help them everyday.  This program gives them the self confidence to make the right choices when peer pressure is at its highest level.  This program will help our daughters:

• Increase Self Esteem & Confidence
• Make Correct Choices (not following the crowd)
• Increase Communication Skills (verbal & physical)
• Increase Trust in Team
• Increase Relationship Building Skills
• Increase Leadership Abilities

I am very excited to share this program with our daughters.  We have been working very hard on it in the off season.  It will be a journey the girls will take individually, and as a team.  If you have any more questions regarding the Matrix Leadership Program, please contact Jeff @ 602.388.6305.

A study done by Gary Walton from the US Olympic Coaching Development Office,  that has revealed many characteristics of great coaches.  Matrix strives to look for the same type of characteristics in our staff.  Gary summarized it noting these “Ten Characteristics of Highly Successful Coaches….”

1. Committed to individual integrity, values and personal growth
2. Profound thinkers who see themselves as educators, not just coaches
3. Well educated (formally and informally)
4. Long run commitment to their athletes and their institution
5. Willing to experiment with new ideas
6. Value the coach-player relationship, winning aside
7. Understand and appreciate human nature
8. Love their sport and work
9. Honest and strong in character
10. Human and therefore imperfect

Coaching styles can be vastly different from one coach to another, however there are some basic traits that seem to be embedded into the successful coaches.  We are very excited to have a large percentage of our coaches returning, and also adding some very qualified and committed coaches.

Last year we really concentrated on increasing our vertical jump.  We utilized a very intense jump program that had great results.  This year we are going to combine our jump program with speed and agility.  Our girls need to be quick & fast.  They need to move to the ball without even thinking about it.  We are going to train to have automatic reflexes to move to the ball.  We did some great things last year, and we are going to build upon it this year.  I hope to see alot of you come back, and we welcome some new faces.

1. Agree on a goal

As a team, we need to be focused on the same goal. Teams that are united under a common cause always stretch forward as a team. The whole team needs to “buy in” and believe that this goal can be met. Once the team is united and focused on the team goal, the rest of the keys to success start to fall into place.

 2. Your role on the team is not to improve just yourself, but to progress as a team

A team is only as strong as the weakest player on the court. Identify the players that need help, and give them the help and support they need. We do our best to select the very best players, but every player has strengths and weaknesses. Stronger players can help offset the weaker players. It is ok to give a helping hand on the court and help out with coverage, or blocking. Identify the areas you need to improve on, and strengthen them for the goal of the team. We win as a team, not as an individual!

 3. If things aren’t going well, DON’T COMPLAIN!

There are going to be games or practices where things are not working out. Don’t blame anyone. Remember, we are a team. There is no room on the court for negativity. The number one cause of team “break-down” is negativity and the “blame game.” You no longer become a team, but become individuals loosing sight of the goal. Yes, this does include the parents! Remember that your children mimic your opinions because they respect you and trust your opinions. If you speak negatively about another player or the coach, it will shape their attitudes and feelings on the court.

4. Have Fun, Have Fun, Have Fun

We all start the season because we love the sport of volleyball. We enjoy it so much that we are willing to invest a lot of time, money, and energy into it. At times we lose focus of the enjoyment of volleyball due to over-competitiveness, on-court drama, egos, and selfishness. We need to recommit ourselves several times throughout the season to enjoy the game we love. Remember to celebrate the small improvements made on the court. After many small improvements you will be surprised how far you have come.

5. There are no bad teams, only bad team leaders

Guess what. Everyone on this team is expected to be a leader. Everyone leads in different ways and at different times. Never be afraid to step in and be a leader. If you wait for someone to step in as leader, many times they are doing the same and no leadership emerges.

6. If you want to look good, forget about yourself and make your teammates look good.

This is one of the hardest lessons to learn. Teamwork is contagious and it spreads like wildfire! Yes, it is even infectious. If you make your pass to the setter that is spot on it makes her look great, and she can return the favor by giving you an even better set! By getting great sets, how do you think it is going to make you look as a hitter? Do you see how making your teammate look good can make you look good.

7. Make sure we all live and breathe #6

8. Don’t be afraid to give it your all, it is expected

A matrix player is expected to give 100% every practice and game. We understand that there are outside influences that are constantly a distraction such as family life, heavy school loads, church responsibilities, and other influences. However, when we come through the gym doors we need to leave it all outside and give our best. Your teammates are depending on you to concentrate at the task at hand and perform to your best ability.

9. Don’t be afraid to fall flat on your face

That’s the best part of being on a great team. If you fall, your team will be there to help you back up and encourage you to try again. It is ok to struggle, while your teammates help you through your obstacle. Remember to do the same for your teammates when they need it.

10. Be an example for other teams

We have had the opportunity to play many teams over the past few years. Some have been gracious and others have been outright rude! Let’s remember who we represent and treat other teams with respect and courtesy. Do we want to be the team remembered as the “mean team”, or do we want to be the one that is the “cool team”? It is ok to be happy for the other team if we battled it out and they won. Everyone is trying to win, and there can only be one winner. The question is; Did our team do our best and leave it all on the court?

matrixma·trix (m?’tr?ks)
n. pl. ma·trix·es or ma·tri·ces(m?’tr?-s?z’, m?t’r?-)

1. A surrounding substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained.

We are called Club Matrix because we want to create an environment where a girl can feel safe, and develop from ordinary to extraordinary.  At Club Matrix the development of your daughter’s skill is the most important issue during practice.  When she steps into the gym, we have prepared ourselves to give the best coaching on the west side of the valley.  We have done our homework in the off season to take our club to an elite status.  We went out and researched the qualities of elite clubs and are implementing them in the 2010 Club Matrix season including:

• Jump Program-  We have a jump program that is second to none.  It is a program that takes 8 weeks to build up to the full intensity.  We will train the jumping muscles to be explosive!  We will track and record your vertical jump, and set goals for future vertical reach.
• Matrix Leadership Program-Athletics gives us a unique opportunity to test our limits & capabilities.  It also serves as a perfect environment to build leadership.  In this “matrix” we can intentionally develop our players into leaders.  There are many different types of leaders such as emotional, physical, intellectual, and verbal.  We have a program that will give the girls tools to become better leaders.  It will be exciting to watch them grow into their own.
• Matrix Coaching Staff-As the player develops & grows so must the instruction.  We have enlisted some of the most talented coaching staff in the valley.  We start with the fundamentals with the 12′s and build upon their skills as they progress to older teams.  The older girls have coaches that have instructed and played at the University level.  This is a great club to grow and develop with.

If any questions, or would like to know more please call Jeff @ 602.388.6305.

Jeff Ritter

Club Director

One of the trials of the modern athlete is juggling today’s busy schedules.  We are an on the move, task driven, goal oriented society.  Juggling our busy lifestyle is a task all in itself.  Today’s athlete finds themself pressed for time  with homework, social activities, athletics, religious commitments, family, and other extracurricular activities.  Below is a list of priorities when followed in order has always lead to personal happiness and good time management:

1. Faith-  No matter what religion you are a member of you should put your relationship with God first.  If you have a youth group or religious commitment you are involved with, our coaches will work with you to make up practice time.  YOU MUST COMMUNICATE YOUR COMMITMENT WITH YOUR COACH!
2. Family-  Family should always be a top priority.  You should be there for your family, and your family should be there for you.  Friends will come & go, but you are stuck with your family forever.
3. Academics-  Good grades should be a top high priority for every Matrix player.  In case you don’t know, volleyball is a “thinking person’s” sport.  One of the first things a college coach will do is look at the candidate”s grades.  This gives them a snap shot of the athlete”s mental fortitude.  It will tell them if a player has the mental skills to play at their level.  They may not be the smartest individual, but they have a high work ethic that makes their good grades possible.
4. VOLLEYBALL-  Club Matrix Volleyball will take your game to the next level.  We have coaches who are highly trained & have played on many different levels.  They come to practice very prepared and ready to have fun & teach the game of volleyball.  If you do not have control of the first 3 priorities, it will be difficult to succeed at volleyball.  Plan ahead, get right on your homework, and fulfill your commitments at home so you are ready to let loose & play some REAL VOLLEYBALL!

Jeff Ritter

Club Director

Today we live in a world where our kids don’t have to work for a lot of things like we did.  Due to technology and social influences children and young adults are used to getting things with little effort. 

When I was young and wanted Mac & Cheese I had to boil water, add noodles, stir occasionally, strain noodles, add milk, add butter, add cheese mix, and stir (usually took 15 minutes).   Today’s youth has only to take out a quick pack, add water and microwave for 45 seconds (1 minute).  And you know what?  I like the “old Mac & Cheese” a lot better than the “quick pack”.  Why am I talking about Mac & Cheese? 

My point is:  If you work for something, the taste of success is much more satisfying.

Let’s look into the life of a youth athlete:

• Communication is usually though text message, email, or cell phone (all instant)
• Large percentage of meals are microwaved or fast food (instant)
• Entertainment consists of TV, video games, or inter-net (instant)
• Parents of today want to do every thing for youth (me included)

We will look into these issues, and the effect it has on their athletics.  This year, Matrix is implementing a leadership program that will help young girls develop in the following ways:

• Problem Solving (on the court, and in life)
• Self Confidence  (Making correct choices, regardless of peer pressure)
• Work Ethic (This won’t be instant)
• Social Skills (Emotional and Social)
• Teamwork (How to build unity, and rally as a team & uplift each other)
• Communication (verbal, physical, and social)

Is it a Surprise Volleyball Cub?  Is it a Buckeye Volleyball Club?  Is it a Litchfield Volleyball Club?  Matrix is an awesome high flying, fast paced, action packed volleyball club that is 15 minutes from almost all the west side suburbs.  Our season starts in November, and our practices will be at Trinity Lutheran at Dysart & Indian School.  For more information, call Jeff @ 602.388.6305 or visit the website.

Matrix will be implementing a leadership program this year.  It is personal development that will help your daughter become a leader in their team, home, school, and community.  This program will push the players outside their comfort zone, and in turn stimulate growth and development.  This country is in desperate need of leaders.  Few things are more awesome than when a team leader encourages another player, who just had an error, and then to see them correct the issue together.

Some questions to ask yourself before the season starts….

What kind of player do I want to be?

What kind of player does my team want me to be?

What kind of players do I want on my team?

What is my weakness that I am going to work on this year?

What are the strengths I bring to the team?

What aremy teams goals?

Am I a loyal team member and committed?

These are some of the questions we will dig into and build character with?

We will have expectations for each other.