Ah Mow-Santos era begins, men at No. 4, SandBows drop
Ah Mow-Santos arrived last night, had her first practice in Klum Gym this morning with the team. It went well, she said, but she is pretty demanding, made a point of reminding the team who the played for when wearing Hawaii volleyball on their uniforms.
Iosia said she was excited to “learn from the best” but was intimidated.
Will have story in tomorrow’s paper
As for the polls, Warriors stay at 4.
Long Beach State went back to No. 1, 22 votes. Ohio State (1 vote) which lost to Penn State last week, dropped to 2. BYU (1 vote) stays at 3. No change with 5-11.
SandBows, no surprise, trade places with Long Beach State, the 49ers moving to 5, Hawaii to 6
Top 3 stay the same> USC, Pepperdine, UCLA, Florida State
RPI has hawaii still at four, BYU moves to 1 followed by Ohio State and Long Beach State
Exciting to see Robyn back. The new era begins!
Welcome home Robyn.
I’m very encouraged about the future of the Rainbow Wahine program. I hope we fans show up to support this new era from the very beginning.
“Ah Mow-Santos arrived last night, had her first practice in Klum Gym this morning with the team. It went well, she said, but she is pretty demanding, made a point of reminding the team who they played for when wearing Hawaii volleyball on their uniforms”
They play for us. They play for the love of our sport. They play for one of the most decorated and attended volleyball programs in NCAA history. Let’s prove it.
Go ‘Bows
Was wondering if she was back in town. Looks like she’s ready to go, hope the team is. Sounds like she’s going to be tough on the young ladies.
Should be a very exciting start to this program.
I am loving the intensity
Toughness is good to have. This team has too much “nice girls” on the team and playing with a chip on your shoulder is not a bad thing. Just got to learn to turn on the mean-ness when on the court and turn it off when outside the line.
I wonder if Robyn is the type that want you to have your game face on at all time while on the court or she is one to let the girls play loose.
The early news said that Robyn hasn’t selected her assistants yet. So what happened to Beach if Hall isn’t selected?
I get the sense that Robyn is looking for one more female to put on staff. I think Robyn should keep Hall(cause a lot of the commits for next year are his) and maybe find someone to replace Baxter. Baxter may be a decent coach down the line but I’m not sure he is somebody that should be on this staff. He was a DOO last year and was an emergency hire by Dave to replace Lindsey Berg. We need a more experience coach with a wider recruiting reach.
@Kahuna I’m not exactly sure Baxter was an emergency hire to replace Berg b/c they were both alongside Shoji during the season. Berg, to my understanding had a contract for only a year, this past season, and I think she replaced Ah Mow – Santos b/c she moved to vegas. Not sure if you meant to come off this way but sounds like your dissing Baxter by saying he was a emergency hire, maybe not your intention, just comes off that way.
Here We Go!! Our coach of a “new era” is here and ready to go! I trust that Robyn will bring out the best of each girl by developing their skills and getting every ounce of their “body, mind, and soul.” I know she will do a great job because she has been there, done it, and is an Olympian! I know the girls will have a different playing demeanor next season. Hopefully Coach Robyn’s “intimidation towards players” will finally find its place in making our players hungry for success…I honestly feel good about the change!
No I am not dissing Baxter. Baxter replaced Lindsay after she left after the season was over. They(UH indoor team) needed another coach to run the team while Shoji was going thru treatment and Hall was doing his beach duties. Baxter was the obvious choice then. In other word, Baxter was hired by Shoji only a few month ago to keep the program in order.
Every new coach has the right to pick her own staff. I’m just hinting that Baxter is the odd man out due to him being a DOO last season. With Robyn being a first time HC, my thinking was she would bring in somebody with a little more experience.
Who knows….maybe Baxter could convince Robyn to keep him and everything will work out hunky dory but it does sound like from the news that Robyn is still in the process of picking her staff….which may mean changes.
I hope coach can get a assistant with international ties for recruiting. Need to keep Hall. I think he is a good coach and recruiter.
Here is the SA article on Baxter being elevated to assistant coach only in January after Lindsay left. Yes…Baxter was on the staff with Berg but was DOO so I’m not sure he did much coaching then.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/01/24/sports/baxter-elevated-to-wahine-volleyball-assistant/
I originally had some misgivings about Baxter but someone outlined his back-ground and I was impressed. I now believe he would be a real asset to the program and to Robyn. The buck stops with Robyn so it is really up to her to find the right combination of coaches with which to work . I also think Hall is a very good coach and I hope he stays involved.
Ron, that may have been me talking about Kaleo’s connections in the SoCal club circuit and even having worked with Kiraly & May.
Kahuna, pleeeeeeeease stop using DOO, it reminds me of POO. It’s DOVO in the coaching world. Director of Volleyball Operations. Non-coaching position.
Hard to say what’s Coach Ah Mow-Santos will do. She may wanna bring in one of her own coaches, but she may feel comfortable from past experiences with Hall & Baxter. The latter she spent a great deal of time with while coaching Imi Ike together.
An administrative aide would help, someone taking care of all the administrative and bureaucratic work. Other duties are keeping apprised of all the rule changes, NCAA regulations, and what the players can/cannot do. And an aide to help the players with schoolwork and lend an ear to their problems.
Robyn will be able to concentrate on coaching the team if all the other “stuff” is taken care of.
Thanks Wawa, that sounds familiar.
I don’t understand the hate (for lack of a better word) on Baxter. He has been involved in coaching club ball in Hawaii and California since he had graduated college.
I’m almost certain that when they hired him as DOVO, it was well understood that he would step into the Assistant Coach role once Berg left, as her leaving was already in the works. Hawaii just had to go through the official steps to make Baxter an official coach.
I’m sure Robyn has significant ties to the volleyball community and will build a great staff (should that include Hall and Baxter, or not).
17. agree. I don’t get it either. Baxter has been on this staff off and on. he’s got coaching experience IVC and UCI. He was the DOVO but also has been on the practice court with the team over the years.
For now, Hall remains the associate head coach. that position also includes being head beach.
They would like to separate the two programs at some point. Matlin has talked about it but it all comes down to appropriating money for another full time coach.
I could see Baxter going back to DOVO with a new assistant coming in. but that will be up to Ah Mow-Santos. Baxter was an emergency hire for this semester while keeping some continuity during the uncertainty of Shoji.
I think hiring assistants is not at the top of Robyn’s concerns right now. She is faced with a very difficult situation in having to move her young children to Hawaii. It’s a very challenging situation that will require all her attention for next 2-3 months. As reported previously, her return to Hawaii may be in May (or later). Someone will have to take the helm in the meantime. For now, I would say that Baxter has to be the guy with Beach VB in full swing.
http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=42718
new thread up for Wednesday
19. it is a priority but not THE priority. Still decisions do have to be made about staff. some of it hinging on whether they find the money to make beach coach full time.
As I wrote, she is trying to get here in May but a lot is hinging on the medical paperwork through the military for her little boy.
as for someone taking the helm indoor team is done as of Thursday for practices so there really isn’t a need. Hall is overseeing the program with Baxter’s help. There isn’t a lot to do with the semester ending in a few weeks.