Volleyball's Elliott, Hosfeld go back to where it started
Aug. 25, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Volleyball team begins its season with a trip that will take the second-ranked Longhorns to California and Hawaii. In a way, it will also be like a trip back to the beginning for head coach Jerritt Elliott and assistant coach Brian Hosfeld. Both were raised in California, and Elliott even played one season of collegiate volleyball at Hawaii. Hosfeld played for a semester while he attended Long Beach State, but quickly found a different interest on the court when he started coaching a young club team. "I figured I'd be coaching longer than I'd be playing anyway," Hosfeld explains. His hunch was right. In 1986, Hosfeld co-founded the Magnum Volleyball Club and served as head coach until 1995. Today, the Magnum Volleyball Club still stands as one of the most successful junior development programs in the U.S. -- a fact that underscores Hosfeld's true talent on the court. He's a teacher. "I enjoy seeing a player `get it,'" Hosfeld says. At practice or before games, it's not uncommon to see Hosfeld actively involved on the court with the team. He leads and participates in drills, but he's also constantly watching and evaluating. Prior to coaching collegiately, Hosfeld served as USA Volleyball's director of the World University and National Team tryouts at the Olympic Training Center. "There's a lot that goes into understanding this game, and knowing how to play it," Hosfeld says. "And when players make it look graceful and smooth and easy, there's nothing like it. I enjoy helping the girls make that happen sooner than later." Hosfeld's teaching ability has helped lay the Texas Volleyball foundation -- the Longhorns have made three-straight trips to the NCAA Regional finals and last year advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the first time since 1995.
Hosfeld's return to his homeland will be a happy family reunion, and his children will stay in Long Beach with his parents while the team heads over to Hawaii, a state that briefly sheltered Elliott during his college days. Elliott played one season at Hawaii, and remembers mostly that practices were hot -- "We went through many shirts a day," he recalls. But Elliott remembers most fondly the proud culture of the Hawaii people. "They're very rich in their traditions," Elliott says. During his time in Hawaii, he indulged in the islands' unique cuisine and attended luaus. Those richening experiences are what motivate Elliott to bring his team back to Hawaii. "There's a lot to be said for evolving a young student-athlete, and letting them see what the world has to offer," Elliott said. "I'm proud that our administration has allowed us to have those opportunities." But Elliott is quick to point out that this is a "business trip," and the Longhorns are ultimately there to compete and test themselves. Hawaii has one of the premier volleyball environments in the country, and UT's match against the locals on Sept. 6 will be a test of talent, nerve and resolve. "I want them to play in hostile environments similar to what we'll experience at Regionals," Elliott says. |
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