Dave Dulberg (DD): When you look back at last season and the team's eventual loss to California in the Final Four, would you still consider 2010 a success?
Mick Haley (MH): I think last season was successful. Our goal is always to get to the Final Four, because we think if we can get there we have a chance to win it all. The way the committee structured the tournament (team had to fly twice to Dayton, OH) was very difficult for us. And I think looking back we might have actually overachieved. We accept any challenge, and I don't mean to make excuses. But considering all of that and the youth of our team we had a pretty good finish.
DD: You lost three seniors (Geena Urango, Kimmie Roleder and Zoe Garrett) to graduation, but for the most part last year's young nucleus remains for another season. Who are the leaders you are expecting to step in order to make another championship run in 2011?
MH: We will be a different team this year. The question is how good a team will we be? And I don't think we will know that until the end of October or November. The people we need to count on our seniors- middle blocker Lauren Williams, outside hitter Alex Jupiter and setter Kendall Bateman. Those three are our leaders.
DD: Would you say you have more depth on this team than you did last year?
MH: Absolutely. We didn't have any back-up for Kendall Bateman last year like we do in freshman Haley Crone. That's why Kirby Burnham had to give up playing the left side last year to essentially become our back-up setter. That's how good last year's team was. But this year we are about two or three deep at ever position. Now it will just be about seeing how the cream rises.
DD: What is an off-season like for your team as they try and build upon last year's success?
MH: I think when we move to the off-season we de-emphasize team, and we emphasize individual improvement. Everyone has a chance to focus on themselves to see how much better they can get with their techniques, skills and physical strength, Typically, during spring we then bring the team back together, but with the advent of sand volleyball our strategy will change.
DD: Staying on the topic of women's sand volleyball, are you happy that it got introduced as a new sport at USC or are you worried it could cause injuries to your participating players?
MH: Well, I know that some of our indoor players with want to play outdoors. We feel like middle blocker Alexis Olgard got injured going from indoor to the sand one week and the coming back indoor the next. We aren't quite sure how to access the transition yet, it's really uncharted waters. I don't think sand is a bad thing, and I know there are a lot of players who will be good in the sand. USC will be competitive right away. And ultimately, we believe it's an additional opportunity for women's volleyball and that's why we support it.
DD: When you look at your 35-year coaching career (four National Championships, over 1,000 wins and a successful stint as the coach of Team USA at the 2000 Olympics), is there anything else you want to achieve on an individual level?
MH: There is nothing I have to achieve. But, we have a new team coming in here. Every year it's about seeing how good can you really be. The challenge is to see if you can change what you're doing to match-up with your talent, to the point you can maximize everyone's ability level, get the team to be cohesive and develop a system that can be competitive against every team you face.
DD: Finally, how long do you see yourself continuing to do this?
MH: The the best part about this job is the challenge every year. This is fun, I can't see myself not doing this. I get excited every morning to come work for this university but have never viewed it as a job. I will do this until I am physically unable to anymore.
Alex Jupiter (below) is expected to be one of USC's main leaders in 2011.
(Photo by Daily Trojan)
