Maybe Callahan can learn something from Cook

np_husker · October 10, 2007

NU Volleyball Coach John Cook took out the number one player, Sara Pavan, because he didn't think she was playing well enough. Interesting concept.

Pavan not sure why she was pulled

BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star

Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 - 12:26:04 am CDT

Sarah Pavan’s immediate reaction to being pulled from Saturday’s match at Colorado was striking.

When she re-entered the lineup for the third game, Nebraska’s senior right-side hitter smacked eight kills on 10 swings to finish off the struggling Buffaloes.

But even as the top-ranked Huskers were turning their attention to Wednesday night’s televised home match against Iowa State, Pavan’s response to being benched was still powerful on Tuesday. Pavan said that she didn’t know what she had done wrong at the time and predicted that she may never know.

“Saturday was more confusion than anything,” said Pavan, who was replaced by freshman Kayla Banwarth in the back row and another freshman, Lindsey Licht, at the net.

“I wanted my team to do well and I was happy for the players on the court, definitely,” Pavan added. “I just wish the situation was handled in a better way.”

It certainly was an unusual circumstance. Pavan, last year’s national player of the year and in many ways the centerpiece of Nebraska’s budding volleyball dynasty, has rarely left the court over her four seasons.

There have been times when she’s struggled serving that a replacement has come in or situations where Nebraska head coach John Cook has subbed out Pavan in order to keep three hitters along the front row.

But the times when Pavan has underperformed — she’s 68 kills from breaking Allison Weston’s NU career record and won every volleyball award known to man, and then some, last season — have been few and far between.

There may be no bigger perfectionist than the 6-foot-5 Pavan in the college game.

“But I think you have to hold your best players to the highest accountability,” Cook said. “Sometimes players just need to regroup a little bit and get their focus back.

“Sarah wasn’t quite focused and was making some mental errors, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get her out and for her to clear her head.”

Cook said his concerns were related to Pavan’s play defensively.

“We had just talked about making those adjustments because Colorado kept tipping us,” he said. “They know that if they do not give out effort, there will be a consequence. In practice, it might be getting kicked out of a drill. In a match, it’s you might have to come out and take a break.”

BleedRed7 · October 10, 2007

NU Volleyball Coach John Cook took out the number one player, Sara Pavan, because he didn't think she was playing well enough. Interesting concept.

Pavan not sure why she was pulled

BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star

Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 - 12:26:04 am CDT

Sarah Pavan’s immediate reaction to being pulled from Saturday’s match at Colorado was striking.

When she re-entered the lineup for the third game, Nebraska’s senior right-side hitter smacked eight kills on 10 swings to finish off the struggling Buffaloes.

But even as the top-ranked Huskers were turning their attention to Wednesday night’s televised home match against Iowa State, Pavan’s response to being benched was still powerful on Tuesday. Pavan said that she didn’t know what she had done wrong at the time and predicted that she may never know.

“Saturday was more confusion than anything,” said Pavan, who was replaced by freshman Kayla Banwarth in the back row and another freshman, Lindsey Licht, at the net.

“I wanted my team to do well and I was happy for the players on the court, definitely,” Pavan added. “I just wish the situation was handled in a better way.”

It certainly was an unusual circumstance. Pavan, last year’s national player of the year and in many ways the centerpiece of Nebraska’s budding volleyball dynasty, has rarely left the court over her four seasons.

There have been times when she’s struggled serving that a replacement has come in or situations where Nebraska head coach John Cook has subbed out Pavan in order to keep three hitters along the front row.

But the times when Pavan has underperformed — she’s 68 kills from breaking Allison Weston’s NU career record and won every volleyball award known to man, and then some, last season — have been few and far between.

There may be no bigger perfectionist than the 6-foot-5 Pavan in the college game.

“But I think you have to hold your best players to the highest accountability,” Cook said. “Sometimes players just need to regroup a little bit and get their focus back.

“Sarah wasn’t quite focused and was making some mental errors, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get her out and for her to clear her head.”

Cook said his concerns were related to Pavan’s play defensively.

“We had just talked about making those adjustments because Colorado kept tipping us,” he said. “They know that if they do not give out effort, there will be a consequence. In practice, it might be getting kicked out of a drill. In a match, it’s you might have to come out and take a break.”