May 4, 2006

Baylor head volleyball coach Jim Barnes recently completed his third spring with the Bears as they prepare for next season. Baylor opens summer practice Aug. 8 and travels to Berkeley, Calif., for its season opener against UC-Davis in the Cal Tournament Aug. 25. Barnes sat down with us for a quick question-and-answer session to give a wrap up and an outlook for the team as it heads into the summer.

What was the focus and what were the goals for the team this spring and how much did you accomplish?

Jim Barnes: "The main focus, skill-wise, was to work on our serve and serve receive. Those were the two main areas we wanted to improve on and take to another level. Our serving is much tougher and is now at a level that can help us win really tough matches. Our serve receive is much more consistent, and that's the foundation we wanted to set up this spring. Also we wanted to develop each player individually and work on mental toughness. In the spring, it is easier to focus on individual growth, so we saw great improvement from a number of players."

If you could pick just one, who stood out as the most improved player?

JB: "Kristen Schramek is the first player that stands out to me. She had a tough ending to last season, so it is exciting to see her rebound from that and become one of the top players we know we can depend on. She is solid at libero and versatile and athletic enough that we have been working her at outside as well."

What facet of the game improved the most for the team as a whole?

JB: "Serving and passing, like I mentioned earlier. Also, we worked with the attackers on learning how to hit out-of-system - when we are forced out of our set offense. Now, players like Des ( Desiree Guilliard-Young) aren't limited to attacking balls that only come off good sets."

With this being your third spring, do you feel like you were able to implement new strategies?

JB: "The main strategy was the mental game - by far. I challenged them all with a mental concept and we read and worked on it. A lot of the players will tell you that it's had a positive effect on their game. We need to go to another level and be consistent, and each player needs to get her mind where it needs to be to win in the Big 12."

How did next season's seniors step up into leadership roles this spring?

JB: "We had four seniors who were eager to step up and take on that role and we have the best chemistry we've had since I've been here. Everyone is on the same page and wants the same things, so they make each other better players. It's great to have Adeline (Meira) back, because she adds the energetic element that we haven't had."

How much of an advantage was it for Amanda Renz to transfer at the semester and be able to go through spring workouts?

JB: "It was a great advantage for her to learn our system and gave us great flexibility - we actually will have flexibility this season for the first time. We were able to put Schramek on the outside and work on multiple things. Renz helps us in a number of ways - her serve is tough and she is solid defensively."

What is the latest prognosis on Kelsey Smith? When do you expect her to be 100%, and how much will you rely on her since she hasn't played in a match yet and is coming off a serious injury?

JB: "Kelsey will be 100% by June 1 and we expect her to be completely ready when camp opens in August. She was able to do everything we did in practice this spring, except jump, so her passing and defense have improved. The only question is how she's going to be on offense, and that was her specialty before the injury. She's a special kid, and I know if anyone can overcome and rebound from an injury like that, it's Kelsey. She is one of the hardest working kids I've ever come across."

Do you expect an immediate impact out of this year's freshman class?

JB: "We certainly expect an immediate impact from them, because we have some holes to fill and it will be great competition to fill those positions. We're proud of how highly regarded this class is and we're hoping they will be the foundation for this program for years to come."

It looks like all 15 players, including the five incoming freshmen, will be in Waco for summer school - how important will that be for them, even though you can't hold practices until August 8?

JB: "More than any year, this summer is important because of the number of freshmen we have coming in. They couldn't be coming into a better situation, because they have great leaders to help get them started and teammates that are going to help them. It's going to be tough, because four of the five qualified for the Junior National Tournament, and they will go straight from that tournament to the first day of summer school the next day."

What are your expectations for 2006?

JB: "With this many young players, it's hard to predict, but because of the talent we have, I expect us to improve our record like we have each year and compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. So many things have to come together when you have so many new faces, but we want to be in the top seven of the Big 12 and I know we have the talent to do it."

What are your plans for the summer?

JB: "It's going to be a great summer - all of the players will be here, so they can build on what we did in the spring and get stronger as they work out on their own. We have several camps, so the freshmen and returnees will have opportunities to bond over the summer." (Coach Barnes is also a 5-handicap golfer, so he will probably be seen on the golf course quite a bit.)