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This is just one player's suggestions, but let's see what you think, and feel free to comment, or have your Iluminators do so:
#1 Get your net up--as high as you can on the present poles. Upon request I can no doubt get you the height it currently stands at Riata, which is really high.
Yes, Dallas Chief, some people will complain. But, as you wisely noticed, they also will need to survive and adapt.
Austin Riata Chief unilaterally raised the net, and yes, there were initially complaints. But guess what? The number of injuries dropped dramatically (you've seen how my boys play!), and it's harder to spike or serve "downhill" as I term it.
#2 Over on 1 = death, about 75% of the time against a team that can do something else. I was watching the Ilume on Ilume games with keen interest, and there was way too much of that. Used to work in my early days too, but, boy, it doesn't work much anymore. See adapt, and survive. Good teams will take your lunch $ if you do that, and my boys get on me if I fall into that habit, even if I tell them it was the only shot I had.
#3 Sets and hits off the net. Being honest here--the most effective spikes from our opponents, were from your humble Ilume Chief. How did he do it? IMHO, he positioned himself properly (about an arms length off the net), got a set(!), and was tall enough and experienced enough to pound it down with accuracy. I'd say over those games he got 10+ kills
Others played too close and fell victim to on the net combat.
#4, which might actually be more highly ranked--body positioning, and footwork. Ask your Ilume players how they stand. If anyone is flat footed, have Cher spank them! Always on your toes. Always. And if you have your hands down at your sides, you are doing it wrong. Remember me telling people to get their hands up?
Almost every Ilume player I saw was serving was doing so at a straight forward angle. This cuts down any arc you might get on a ball. We showed you a little bit of the "moon ball" and "change up" this year. Not something you can do all that well when launching forward. Might have something to do with your new "net" is good situation, but that's kind of a low % shot, and my boys figured it out after the first point off it.
Same with fielding a ball--you put your body forward with an angle, you're doing that with the plan of going over the net, which might not want to be your goal.
Ilume players were asking me how to take heat of a ball you have to return. Reverse what you are doing--instead of launching forward, launch backward, and pop the ball up--not over the net, but to a teammate, to either spike on 2 or complete the play on 3. Make sense?
I'm a setter/point guard, so take this with a grain of salt, but there's an old bromide "If the set ain't pretty, big man looking shitty!" But if they don't get set at all, they will really get frustrated.
#5 Player retention Ilume had a couple of guys (tall man with a beard, and a little scrappy fella) who played well last year.
I was told they moved out, and no one knew what became of them. Minus any drama I'm unaware of, that's a mistake. For good players, go with "once Ilume, always Ilume" and keep in touch, to make sure you have the best players available when the time comes.
Team branding and loyalty is important. But you know what else I found enjoyable, when the hurly burlys done, when the battle's lost and won (even though I lost those games)? Mixing it up, so that we learn how to play together.
I'm glad we got to do that. Because I want you Ilume folks to know I will fight just as hard with you as I will against you.
Strength and Honor, and I hope to see you next year!
_________________
Chief
Death from above! Fire down below!
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