There is no better family than the volleyball family.  It’s always been there in my times of need and has given me some of the best lifelong memories too.  Ranse Jones is one of those great guys in our wonderful volleyball family that needs our support.  It’s been 21 days since he went into the hospital with a brain aneurysm and since that time, he’s gone through a 4 hour surgery, the blood on his brain continues to subside, he is in a coma, and he just started to breathe on his own. Continue Reading

This past weekend I had a peaceful hike at nearby Crowders Mountain, a North Carolina State Park about 30 minutes from Winthrop University and equidistant to Charlotte, NC.  At each school I have been fortunate to coach, I’ve always found little get-a-ways to recharge.  So I have put together my coaching biography by geography (little places of solitude to escape the man-made world). Continue Reading

At Winthrop University, we are fortunate to have a great P.A. Announcer, Mike Markham.  He is knowledgeable of the game, keeps the fans involved, and is very professional.  He has been announcing our matches for a number of years and asked me the difference between the libero and defensive specialist.  Its interesting to have a person with the experience of Mike, not clear on positional roles and it is our responsibility of the volleyball world to educate our fans.  The more educated our fans, the more likely they will get hooked on volleyball. Continue Reading

Raising Up Ranse was setup to raise money for Ranse after his recovery and for Barbara and the family. 100% of all donations will go directly to Ranse and his family.

Please visit http://ransejones.blogspot.com

Updates to his condition are here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ransejones

One of our own needs your prayers.  Ranse Jones, from Winston Salem, NC and now resides in St. Augustine, FL, collapsed on the beach during a tournament this past weekend with a brain aneurysm.  Richard Knott, a close friend of the family, posted this on the Caring Bridge website:

Sunday, May 9, 2010 10:16 AM, EDT

I’m not clear on all the details, but here is what I know so far.  Yesterday, Ranse was in Panama City Beach, Florida playing in a tournament and collapsed and went into convulsions.

The other day, we had a recruit on campus and I was explaining to her all the new technology I implemented for Winthrop’s Volleyball Program.  She said I reminder her of a computer science teacher.  I got a chuckle out of it and told her I can be a bit nerdy at times.  She proceeded to call me a VolleyNerd Continue Reading

No matter what obstacles, adversities, or distractions might stand in their way, compelled people are going to find a way.  They won’t rest until they get the job done.  They prepare, train, and compete at the highest level.  This means they never go through the motions or skip workouts, they eat well and get the proper rest, and they take advantage of every opportunity to get better.  Compelled people not only have high expectations of themselves, but of their teammates, too.  They hold themselves and their teammates to a higher standard.