Volleyball: OHS coach organizes clinic to help grow sport

Linda McMillan is more than just the founder and organizer of the Basin's Best Volleyball Clinic.

When time allows during the third annual event Friday and Saturday at the OHS Fieldhouse, she also will enjoy the chance to simply shoot the breeze with nine top-level coaches of her sport.

"I can't wait just to be in the room with them all," McMillan said. "Just to sit down with all of them and to be able to talk to all those people at the same time, it's just really cool. It's a perk for me to get to meet all of them and know all of them personally. Three years ago, I didn't know these people - not on a personal level."

But McMillan didn't get the Basin's Best Volleyball Clinic running in 2006 for her own purposes.

The Odessa High coach did it to give coaches from throughout the Permian Basin and other regions of West Texas a chance to grow in the sport without having to travel more than a few hours to a metro area.

Instead, it will be the coaches - for the most part - who will be doing the traveling.

"I don't like the stereotype that West Texas doesn't have good volleyball," McMillan said. "So in order for us to prove it's not true, we need to come out for this and show these people."

Of the nine speakers, three have coached their program at the UIL Class 5A State Championships in the recent seasons - Al Bennett of Austin Westlake, Kelley Gregoriew of Allen, and Donna Benotti of Houston Cypress-Fairbanks.

Benotti was the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 5A-4A coach of the year in 2007 after leading Cy-Fair to the Class 5A state semifinals.

"I'm going to compensate her for speaking and provide her a room, but she's going to spend money on flying out here and just take her time to come speak," McMillan said. "But she's doing it because she loves volleyball. Most of these people are. It's not a money-making affair for them. They give their time because they enjoy the game."

Three other speakers are head coaches of successful programs in Class 3A volleyball - Patty Dominguez of Monahans; Susan Brewer of Bellville; and Lee Grisham of Wimberley.

Brenda Kitten, the coach of Class 4A Hereford and a former Texas Girls Coaches Association president, also will speak.

UTPB's Steve Aicinena and new Angelo State University head coach Chuck Waddington also are scheduled to speak.

"I'm almost nervous because it's been easier to get it going this year," McMillan said. "I don't know what the crowd will be like with the fuel prices and the cost of everything, but I may have the greatest group of speakers I've had in the three years I've had it. I guess maybe I'm learning as I go, but it's been easier to organize this year and it's kind of seeming like I'm not as stressed at this moment as I was last year at this time."

FRIDAY'S LINEUP

>> 1-3 p.m.: Volleyball 101. Geared toward new coaches, junior high coaches or any coaches wanting to learn basic skills and drills. >> 4-5 p.m.: Clinic registration.
>> 5-6 p.m.: Kelly Gregoriew, Allen. Coached team to Class 5A state tournament in 2006 and state runner-up finish in 2003; Allen's Texas Open is one of the state's biggest tournaments.
>> 6:15-7:30 p.m.: Donna Benotti, Houston Cypress-Fairbanks. Coached team to Class 5A state tournament in 2007 for program's first state appearance since 1990. Named Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 5A-4A Coach of the Year for 2007.
>> 7:30-8:30 p.m.: Steve Aicinena, UTPB. Coached the Lady Falcons to the Heartland Conference regular-season title in 2007, which was just the program's second year at the NCAA Division II level. Also serves as the athletics director at the school.

SATURDAY MORNING'S LINEUP

>> 9-10 a.m.: Chuck Waddington, Angelo State University. Heading into his first season as Rambelles head coach after five seasons as top assistant at Florida Southern College. Also a former high school and club coach.
>> 10:15-11:15 a.m.: Lee Grisham, Wimberley High School. Head coach of program that has won six Class 3A state titles since 1999, including the last two.
>> 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Al Bennett, Austin Westlake. Head coach of program that has made five Class 5A state tournament appearances since 2001, including titles in 2002 and 2004 and runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2007.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON'S LINEUP

>> 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Brenda Kitten, Hereford. Career record of 571-199 since starting the Hereford program in 1985 with an 0-21 record. Has won at least 21 matches each season since 1989. Has won four titles in seven Class 4A state tournament appearances.
>> 2:45-4 p.m.: Susan Brewer, Bellville. The 2007 season was the 31st season for Brewer as head coach of program that has won nine state titles in 13 Class 3A state tournament appearances. The most recent championship came in 2005.
>> 4-5 p.m.: Patty Dominguez, Monahans. In 11 seasons with the Lady Loboes, has elevated the program to among the Class 3A elite in the state. Monahans has made the state tournament five of the last six seasons, winning the title in 2004 while losing in the final three other times.